Four US patent applications assigned to Apple Computer, Inc. have been published today:

United States Patent Application #20060294470: Method and apparatus for binding user interface objects to application objects (filed: July 31, 2006):
A graphical user interface (GUI) and accompanying functionality for binding Web page definitional elements to a back-end state (e.g., client- or server-side back-end state) and custom logic is provided. In one embodiment, a template containing definitional elements, custom logic, and bindings are generated that define all or a portion of a Web page based on input received and functionality provided by the invention.

United States Patent Application #20060291154: Guard system for portable computer disk drive slot (filed: June 23, 2005):
A guard system is provided for a portable computer disk drive slot. A guard is positioned substantially adjacent the computer disk drive slot for movement between an open position and a closed position. The open position is substantially adjacent, and not obstructing access through, the disk drive slot. The closed position is substantially adjacent and across the disk drive slot, and obstructs access through the disk drive slot. The guard is positioned in the closed position across the disk drive slot for at least one of a configuration of the portable computer when the disk drive is not to be used, and a configuration of the portable computer when a disk has been loaded into the disk drive.

Apple has also filed for an iPod/PDA cryptographic systems patent. Neo reports on that patent application for MacNN here.

Apple has also filed for a patent relating to secure connections via Bonjour and other means about which Neo reports for MacNN here.