An Apple Inc. (AAPL) Patent for Editors?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is never shy about applying for a patent. Even if the company doesn’t believe it will use the technology in the near future, it is better to be safe than sorry. Some patents are more interesting than others (such as this one). That being said, some have a better chance of actually being implemented than others.

This time around, we are going to take a peak at an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) patent that could be a dream come true for many editors.

The patent is entitled: Proofing Electronic Publications on Portable Devices

As you can see by the name, this patent is all about technology that will allow you to better proofread electronic publications when using a portable device such as an iPad or iPhone.

For more information on what this patent covers, here is the official abstract:

“A user can proof (e.g., view, review) an electronic publication on a portable device. When the user finds errors in the electronic publication on the portable device, the user can edit the electronic publication on the editing device. The changes can be automatically synchronized with the portable device and displayed so that the user can review the changes and continue proofing the electronic publication on the portable device. In some implementations, an editing device can monitor files associated with an electronic publication for changes to the files and, when changes are detected, the files can be automatically synchronized to a portable device coupled to the editing device.”

This is more than just a way of proofing a publication for errors. Instead, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is making it simple for users to actually edit the work as well. This makes the application more “hands on,” allowing a larger number of people to actually take advantage.

Are you having a difficult time understanding the advantages of such technology? If so, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has you covered by providing the following information in its patent application:

“Particular implementations provide at least the following advantages: A user can quickly proof an electronic publication on a portable device without having to manually synchronize or update the electronic publication when changes are made to the electronic publication on an editing device. Multiple portable devices can be synchronized and proofed concurrently. Synchronization of files can be prioritized based on which portion of the electronic document is currently displayed on the portable device allowing the user to quickly view changes made to currently displayed portions of the electronic publication.”