Apple has been granted a patent (number 8264310) for its Smart Cover for the iPad. The patent is for an accessory device for peek mode.
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
The inventors are Andrew Lauder, Matthew D. Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus and Sean D. Lubner.
Apple has also been granted:
° Patent number 8265017 for methods and an apparatus for network capacity enhancement for wireless device coexistence.
° Patent number 8265300 for a method and apparatus for controlling volume.
° Patent number 8266241 for a method, apparatus, and system for performing image sharing.
° Patent number 8266323 for system connections and user interfaces.
° Patent number 8264412 for antenna support structures and antennas for wireless electronic devices such as portable electronic devices.
° Patent number 8264837 for systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device.
° Patent number 8265078 for a routing table build algorithm for a routing table that uses a search key constructed from a packet destination address and outbound interface.
° Patent number 8265300 for a method for controlling the volume of an audio track.
° Patent number 8265450 for capturing and inserting closed captioning in digital video.
° Patent number 8265708 for outgoing telephone call indication.
° Patent number 8265709 for a single user input mechanism for controlling electronic device operations.
° Patent number 8265905 for automatic benchmarking of software performance.
° Patent number 8265991 for automated determination of applicability and value of discounts for a purchase order.
° Patent number 8266456 for methods and an apparatus for dynamically adjusting the amount of power (or current) distributed to one or more connected devices via electrical interfaces.