Not even its sharpest critics can claim that Apple (News - Alert) is not innovative.

As the latest proof, this week Apple was granted 34 patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

An interesting one is for a new iPhone (News - Alert) 3D modeling application. “Users would be able to record a video of a three-dimensional object and then view that video in 3D on the mobile device,” according to a report from CNET.

“For example, a user could direct an electronic device to access a mapping application that provides images of what could be seen in some or any direction from a particular location,” Patently Apple said. “As another example, a user could direct an electronic device to display a video game in which a user may navigate a virtual world and see, in any direction, what the virtual world resembles (e.g., rendered images of the virtual world's appearance from any location in the virtual world).”

“As still another example, a user could direct the electronic device to display a three-dimensional object (e.g., an object for sale) that the user could manipulate or view from different angles,” the piece said.

Another is for iChat videoconferencing. “The patent points to a way to remove the background image in a video stream and replace it with a different background,” CNET explained.

A third patent is connected to Apple TV. It relates to “covers systems and methods for presenting content abstractions in a user interface,” Patently Apple added. The patent could relate to “digital representations of movie posters for movie content, or digital representations of cover art for music content.”

The patents are a good sign for future product development at Apple.

“All in all it was a huge granted patent day for Apple,” according to the source.

In other recent events involving Apple, a U.S. appeals court has overturned the preliminary injunction that was handed down on the sale of the Samsung (News - Alert) Galaxy Nexus, according to TMCnet.

The pretrial sales ban relates to the California trial, which ended with Samsung being ordered to pay Apple at least $1.05 billion in damages for patent infringement.