Apple has filed for a veritable slew of new patents relating to the iPhone and iPod platforms. The technologies included in the more than 30 patent applications (as noted by The Register UK) published by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Thursday hint at many new technologies the company could be thinking about incorporating into its mobile and digital media device product lines.

Facial Recognition - The patent, titled "Personal computing device control using face detection and recognition," describes a method for using facial recognition to govern the control of a device, be it a handheld device, computer, or other device. The rather short Abstract for the application says simply, "Systems and methods are provided for control of a personal computing device based on user face detection and recognition techniques."

Apple also filed a related application with the same title, "Personal computing device control using face detection and recognition." It describes similar concepts as the other application.

Object Identification - "Systems and methods for identifying objects and providing information related to identified objects" describes, "Systems and methods for identifying an object and presenting additional information about the identified object are provided." Users would be able to control the level of detail they received from this identification and get a log of all the items so identified.

"For example," the application offers by way of example, "a user may be in an art museum looking at a piece of art. Although the portable electronic device might be capable of taking a picture of the art, the portable electronic device does not have the capability to provide the user with detailed information about the piece of art, such as the name of the painter or any other related information."

Apple's patent would fix this glaring omission in today's device.

Altering Audio - In "Methods and apparatus for altering audio output signals," Apple describes a method for altering an audio signal, "so that a recorded audio track will sound as if a different person had recorded it when it is played back." The application also describes receiving a voice "signature" that could then be applied to the audio signal, again to make it sound as if a specific person was reading text or otherwise speaking.

A brave new world?

Recording Outgoing Voicemail - in "Outgoing voice mail recording and playback," Apple describes a very practical idea of recording voice mails you leave with someone else for later reference. That recording would also be attached to contact information of the recipient, again to make it easier to reference at a later time.

Other applications include one for custom online stores, flexible date cables, and a method for displaying scrolling lyrics on a transparent sheet on top of video or other displayed information.