Widgets and iChat on Apple TV?

A recent Apple patent application deals with widgets in a multimedia center and hints at Apple TV updates.

The patent describes widgets such as stocks and weather on the Apple TV, but more importantly, widgets that would be tailored to what you are watching, which in and of itself hints at the Apple TV interfacing with live television. If you were watching a baseball game for instance, live scores would pop up. For a rock concert, a widget showing the band’s next concert and an opportunity to buy tickets. A movie, and perhaps other movies with the same actors or director, and a link to rent from the iTunes Movie Store.

The patent also describes iChat on the Apple TV, which would be used for discussion of the game or movie you were watching at the time.

Via [ArsTechnica]