A newly published patent indicates that Apple is apparently tinkering with the idea of a sophisticated infrared system for the iPhone--one that could help in Cupertino's quest to become BFFs with the music and movie industries.

What's really going on here is basically a way for an iPhone to receive data about its surrounding environment. The entertainment industry could come in if, for example, a band--or more likely, its record company--doesn't want a concert to be recorded illegally. They could place infrared transmitters around the stage, which, when picked up by an iPhone camera pointed at them, could trigger a disabling of all recording on the phone.

But the possibilities for this kind of technology detailed in the patent titled "Systems and methods for receiving infrared data with a camera designed to detect images based on visible light" aren't all so Big Brother. Imagine infrared transmitters next to a museum exhibit that communicates information about the display or points to a related video online. Of course, that transmitter would probably also disable photography, too--didn't you see the sign about no picture taking in this wing of the museum Then again, if photography is allowed, applying infrared data could automatically generate a placestamp or watermark for each picture you take.

Apple applies for a lot of patents, so there's no guarantee this awesome/scary infrared technology will come to pass. But if it does, it might be the end of stagediving and crowdsurfing photos forever, so rock on while you still can!

(Via Patently Apple)