Apple Computer is trying to patent the interface for its iPod music player.
In a patent application 20040055446, published Thursday, Apple describes a graphical user interface "and methods of use thereof in a multimedia player." The patent application refers to a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface and lists Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs as one of three inventors, along with Jeffrey L. Robbin and Timothy Wasko.
Robbin was the primary author of SoundJam, the MP3 player to which Apple bought the rights in early 2000 as it sought to make up for lost ground in digital music after it underestimated demand for CD-RW drives. Robbin moved to Apple with the acquisition and later took a lead role on the company"s iTunes music download service. Wasko worked with Jobs at Next before moving back to Apple after Jobs took up the post of interim CEO (and later CEO).