The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 28 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover an iPhone invention that covers an advanced glass wraparound display design, a new password entry user interface based on gestures instead of alpha-numeric or biometrics alone a new design patent win for Apple Watch. We wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Granted Patent: iPhone with Wraparound Display

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to a consumer electronic product such as an iPhone that includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of portable electronic device in operation. Notice how the wrap around display substantially increases the available display area that can be used for display of icons, data, images, video and such.

Apple notes that utilizing a flexible display can provide additional viewing area without increasing either the size or shape of the electronic device. For example, a flexible display can be folded in such a way as to form a continuous loop such that images (still or video) can be presented in a wrap-around manner in which the images appear to be presented in a continuous loop.

The flexible display can be folded into a tightly wound configuration and placed within an enclosure at least a portion of which is transparent. In some cases, the enclosure can be formed of glass at least a portion of which is made opaque (at least translucent) by the addition of ink or other masking material. In other cases, however, the entire enclosure can be fully transparent in which case the folded flexible display can unwind when placed within the glass enclosure. Once fully unwound, the flexible display can present images at any portion of the glass enclosure. In another invention that was revealed in 2013, Apple notes that the "glass" could be formed by using Liquid Metal materials.

Patently Apple first covered this invention in a 2013 report titled "Stunning Future iPhone with Wraparound Display Revealed." For more graphics and details, see our original report here.

Granted Patent: Advanced Password Entry via Gestures +

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to techniques for entering authentication gestures into electronic devices.

In certain embodiments of the granted patent, an authentication gesture entry screen is displayed to allow a user to enter a desired gesture via an array of visible and/or invisible touch sensing areas displayed on a touch sensitive display.

To enter or input the authentication gesture, the user travels a path along the touch sensing areas using one or more fingers until achieving a desired gesture. A gesture replay screen is then displayed to allow the user to repeatedly view an estimate of the gesture initially entered by the user on the gesture entry screen until the user decides to stop the repeated replays.

A gesture verification screen is subsequently displayed to allow the user to re-enter the initially entered and viewed gesture via a similar array of visible and/or invisible touch sensing areas displayed on the touch sensitive display. If the re-entered gesture is substantially the same as the gesture entered and viewed on the gesture entry and gesture replay screens, respectively, then the verified gesture is saved for the purpose of user authentication and/orauthorization.

Apple notes that in this new authentication method a user can also advance the password strength by added Touch ID.

Patently Apple originally covered this invention back in April 2014. For more graphics and details, see our original report here.

Apple Granted a Design Patent for the Milanese Loop Apple Watch Band

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

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Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Comments are reviewed daily from 5am to 6pm MST and sporadically over the weekend.