Company applies to U.S. patent office SAN FRANCISCO – Apple Computer Inc. is attempting to patent its interface for its iPod music player with the U.S. government.On Thursday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) made public patent application number 20040055446, covering “graphical user interface and methods of use thereof in a multimedia player.”In the application, which was filed with the USPTO on Oct. 28, 2002, Apple lists three inventors: Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs, as well as Jeffrey L. Robbin and Timothy Wasko. Robbin moved over to Apple in 2000 when Casady & Greene Inc., the company he cofounded, was acquired by Apple as was its technology, SoundJam MP software for encoding MP3 tracks from CDs and organizing them into playlists.Wasko, Apple’s visual interaction designer, came to Apple in 1997 from Next Software Inc. when Jobs returned to Apple from Next. Technology IndustrySmall and Medium Business