The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 50 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover two key patents. The first covers future wireless charging tables for the Apple Store and a possible future wireless charging mat that an iMac and accessories could sit on to keep them charged. The second patent covers the fabrication of next gen smart fabrics using metallic strands that could be used in future accessories, items of clothing or even devices themselves. Apple was also granted a design patent today for a wooden cabinet and as always, we wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Wireless Charging Apple Store Tables

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office granted Apple patent 10,720,789 that relates to a possible future wireless charging system embedded into the tabletop of future Apple Store product tables. Apple's granted patent also hints of a similar solution for a future desktop/iMac. Although it's a granted patent, the timing to market of either concept is unknown.

Apple's patent FIG. 5 presented below illustrates a side-view cross-sectional perspective of a future Apple Store product tablet noted here as "charging structure" #500 that includes an upper charging surface 502 and a transmitter 504 having a plurality of transmitting coils 504a-504d.

Apple also notes that although the charging structure shown in patent FIG. 5 is that of a table having a charging surface #502 supported by a plurality of legs, it is to be appreciated that the charging structure can be any structure having a charging surface upon which an electronic device may be placed. For example, in other embodiments, the charging structure can be a charging mat that is sized and shaped for personal use (e.g., to be placed on a desktop or similar surface).

Magnetic Strands in Fabric Items

Apple was granted patent 10,718,067 today titled "Magnetic strands for fabric items." Apple's patent covers magnetic material that may be used in forming electronic devices and accessories such as covers, straps, and bags that are associated with electronic device. Apple may also use specialized smart fabrics in future applications such as incorporated them into home or vehicle seating, items of clothing, furniture, building structures, and other items, and/or may be used in forming other items.

Magnetic material is used in forming items based on one or more strands of magnetic material which may be monofilaments of material and/or may be multifilament strands such as strands of yarn. Strands may be processed by twisting, texturizing, or otherwise modifying or combining strands of material to form strand-based items. Strand-based items may be formed by weaving, knitting, or braiding strands of material to form different types of fabric.

Magnetic material may be magnetized to form permanent magnets. Permanent magnets may interact with each other. For example, permanent magnets may be arranged to attract each other or to repel each other. Soft magnetic materials can also be attracted by permanent magnets. Electromagnets may be electrically configured to either attract or repel a permanent magnet.

Unmagnetized magnetic material (e.g., ferromagnetic material or ferrimagnetic material that has not been magnetized by application of an external magnetic field to form a permanent magnet) may also interact with permanent magnets and electromagnets. For example, a permanent magnet may attract a fabric or other structure formed from strands of unmagnetized magnetic material based on a rare earth alloy such as a neodymium alloy (e.g., NdFeB).

Apple's patent FIG. 2 below is a schematic diagram of an illustrative item with magnetic strands; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how magnetic strands may be used in fabric; FIG. 9 is a diagram of illustrative extrusion equipment that may be used to form single component magnetic filaments; and FIG. 11 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in forming fabric with one or more magnetic strands.

Apple won a 'Cabinet' Design Patent

Today Apple was granted a design patent for a 'Cabinet." Whether the 'Cabinet' was designed for an Apple Store conference room or Apple Park offices is unknown, as design patents never provide the public with details beyond the actual designs from different perspectives as illustrated below.

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today