Apple tries to patent tech behind iTunes U

The technology behind Apple's iTunes U, a repository of educational information for students and teachers, has been outed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to Patently Apple, which first to discover the patent application on Thursday, Apple filed for a patent on the technology that powers iTunes U. Interestingly, the technology in the patent application is called Virtual University, but Apple ostensibly decided it wasn't the right name for its service.

So, what does Apple's application describe? The application describes a method by which instruction information is displayed within a graphical user interface. The technology also includes how students can use iTunes U for in-session or self-paced courses, and how users can sift through available courses and document information.

Apple's iTunes U has been growing in leaps and bounds. Apple in February announced that it now has more than 2,500 public and thousands of private courses from over 1,200 universities and colleges, and 1,200 K-12 schools and districts. It also hit 1 billion downloads.

Apple's iTunes U application was filed on October 14, 2011. However, the service was actually announced on May 30, 2007.