The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of twenty-nine newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. One of the key patents published today covers a major patent win for Apple TV, the set-top-box. Apple's patent clearly shows that Apple TV was and/or is going to work with cable TV and provide PVR like features. Whether Apple TV will ever make the leap to being a fully advanced iOS based Smart TV is unknown at this time – though it certainly would be a way to get under Samsung's skin. That's reason alone for Apple to move into this market. Only time will tell.