ACCESSORY DEVICE

• US 20140043121A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Samuel G., Ow, Florence W., SARTEE, Jared A., Balaji, Santhana K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,878,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/219
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1675 Miscellaneous details related to the relative movement between the different enclosures or enclosure parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or assembling magnets, inductances or transformers; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing materials characterised by their magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/02 Permanent magnets [PM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments where the first segment includes a first plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and where a second segment includes a second plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge.

Claims

1. A cover, comprising:

a flap, the flap comprising;

a plurality of segments wherein a first segment comprises a first plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and wherein a second segment comprises a second plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge, and a third segment disposed between the first and second segments, wherein when the first segment is folded back such that the first edge attach magnets are in proximity to the second edge attach magnets, a magnetic circuit is formed suitable for maintaining a triangular support structure; and

a flexible hinge assembly comprising a flexible hinge portion, the hinge portion being a continuation of the flap beyond the second edge, and a magnetic attachment unit comprising a plurality of attachment magnets configured to form a releasable magnetic attachment with a tablet device.

2. The cover as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of magnetic field shaping magnets suitably placed to shape an aggregate magnetic field of the first edge attach magnets in order to minimize a magnetic effect on a magnetometer circuit disposed in the tablet device when the cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device.

3. The cover as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least two magnets positioned detectable to a magnetic sensor disposed in the tablet device when the cover is in a fully closed configuration with respect to the tablet device, wherein the at least two magnets provide information to a processor in the tablet device indicating a spatial relationship between the cover and the tablet device in real time.

4. The cover as recited in claim 1, the first edge attach magnets comprising:

a plurality of trapezoidal shaped magnets aligned parallel to the first edge, the plurality of trapezoidal shaped magnets configured to reduce an amount of magnetic flux leakage.

5. The cover as recited in claim 1, the first edge attach magnets further comprising at least one magnet having a first portion configured to act as one of a plurality of anti-racking magnets, the plurality of anti-racking magnets configured to prevent lateral movement of the flap with respect to the tablet device during use.

6. The cover as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a field shaping magnet, the field shaping magnet configured to shape a magnetic field provided by the first edge attach magnets.

7. The cover as recited in claim 6, wherein the field shaping magnet reduces a magnetic drift experienced by a magnetometer circuit disposed in the tablet computer.

8. The cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the magnetometer circuit is a magnetic compass.

9. A cover configured for releasably attaching to a tablet device having a display and associated top protective layer, a plurality of sensors, and a processor coupled to the display and the plurality of sensors, comprising:

a flap having a size and shape in accordance with the display, the flap comprising;

a first sensor magnet located at a first position in the flap and detectable through the top protective layer by a first sensor only when the first position of the flap is in proximity to the first sensor magnet,

a second sensor magnet located at a second position in the flap, the second position different than the first position, the second sensor magnet being detectable through the top protective layer by a second sensor different from the first sensor of only when the second position of the flap is in proximity to the second sensor magnet, wherein the processor uses information provided concurrently by the first and second sensors to determine a spatial relationship between the cover and the tablet device, and wherein the processor causes the tablet device to operate in a manner in accordance with the determined spatial relationship.

10. The cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the processor causes the tablet device to present visual content by substantially all of the display when the cover is in a fully open position.

11. The cover as recited in claim 10, the cover further comprising:

an integrated hinge assembly comprising a flexible hinge portion, the hinge portion being a continuation of the flap beyond the second edge, and a magnetic attachment unit comprising a plurality of attachment magnets configured to form a releasable magnetic attachment with a tablet device.

12. The cover as recited in claim 11, the cover further comprising a plurality of segments wherein a first segment comprises first edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and wherein a second segment comprises second edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge, and a third segment disposed between the first and second segments, wherein when the first segment is folded back such that the first edge attach magnets are in proximity to the second edge attach magnets, a magnetic circuit is formed suitable for maintaining a triangular support structure.

13. The cover as recited in claim 12, wherein the first edge attach magnets are arranged in a first polarity pattern and wherein the second edge attach magnets are arranged in a second polarity pattern.

14. The cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the first polarity pattern and the second polarity pattern are complements of each other.

15. The cover as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of magnetic field shaping magnets suitably placed to shape an aggregate magnetic field of the first edge attach magnets in order to minimize a magnetic effect on a magnetometer circuit disposed in the tablet device when the cover is in a closed configuration with respect to the tablet device.

16. A consumer system, comprising:

a tablet device, comprising;

a housing having a front opening,

a display assembly disposed within the front opening, the display assembly comprising;

a display, and a top protective layer disposed adjacent to the display,

a plurality of sensors configured to detect a corresponding stimulus, and

a magnetic attachment unit disposed within and secured to an inside side wall of the housing; and

a cover, comprising;

a flap formed of a first material and having a size and shape in accordance with the display,

an integral hinge assembly, the integral hinge assembly comprising;

a flexible hinge, the flexible hinge formed of a continuous layer of the first material of the flap, and

a hinge magnetic attachment unit configured to activate the magnetic attachment unit causing the tablet device and the cover to magnetically attach to each other.

17. The consumer system as recited in claim 16, the cover further comprising:

a plurality of anti-racking magnets configured to prevent lateral movement of the cover with respect to the tablet device when the cover is in a fully closed configuration with respect to the top protective layer.

18. The consumer system as recited in claim 17, the cover further comprising first edge attach magnets linearly arrayed along a first side of the cover and second edge attach magnets linearly arrayed along a second side of the cover, the first side and the second side being opposite of each other.

19. The consumer system as recited in claim 18, wherein the integral hinge assembly is attached to the second side.

20. The consumer system as recited in claim 19, wherein at least one of the first edge attach magnets is a dual purpose magnet configured to act as the anti-racking magnet and as an edge attach magnet configured to magnetically attract a corresponding one of the second edge attach magnets.