The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 26 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular granted patent report we cover a new wireless Apple Watch Carrying Case that's never been seen before. Apple's patent describes it as "wirelessly charging electronic devices, to cases and/or docking stations for electronic devices, and to systems and methods associated with such." The timing of this Apple Watch charging case coming to market is unknown at this time or if Apple has abandoned this product. Yet, in a way, it's like Apple's wireless charging AirPods case, so it sounds plausible.

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to a case that can securely hold and store an Apple Watch. Embodiments of the case can include circuitry that can charge the stored electronic device and some embodiments can further include circuitry that can charge the one or more bands stored in the case if those bands have electronic components, such as circuitry, sensors and/or batteries that also require power.

Apple mentioning the ability to charge bands as well as Apple Watch supports possible future smart bands that Apple has filed patents for in 2016 here and here, for example.

As shown in patent FIG. 2 below, we some embodiments of the invention pertain to a case that can hold one or more bands that can be attached to a wrist-worn electronic device. The case can include first and second housing members foldably coupled together by one or more hinges between a first open position and a second folded and closed position; a cavity sized and shaped to hold the one or more bands within the case when the first and second housing members are in the second position; and an attachment mechanism coupled to the second housing member and positioned within the cavity.

Apple further notes that case #200 further includes a receptacle connector and circuitry that accepts power from an external source and can charge an Apple Watch. Neither the receptacle or charging circuitry are shown in FIG. 2, but the receptacle connector is shown as connector #224 in FIG. 6 above and the charging circuitry is shown as circuitry #810 in FIG. 8 below.

The plug connector can be mated with the receptacle connector to provide power to the charging circuitry. In some embodiments, plug connector can also be used to transfer data to/from the case.

In Apple's patent FIG. 9 noted above we're able to see a simplified block diagram of various power-related components in a system #900 that includes Apple Watch #910 and a wireless charger #930.

Further the Apple Watch in FIG. 9 includes an inductive power-receiving component #912 while wireless charger #930 includes a power-transmitting component #932. Within the power receiving component, battery #913 is operably connected to a receive coil #914 via power conditioning circuitry #916. The receive coil can be inductively coupled to a transmit coil #936 of wireless the charger to receive power wirelessly from the charger and pass the received power to the battery within Apple Watch via the power conditioning circuitry.

Apple's granted patent was originally filed in Q2 2017 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

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