The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 45 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today covering Apple Pay and the iPad's Smart Fabric Keyboard for iPad. Apple was also granted a patent for Apple Pencil with features that have yet to come to market. 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.

Apple Pencil with Dynamic Visual Indications

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published yet another patent application from Apple regarding Apple Pencil that dates back to 2013. This particular Apple Pencil invention, Apple envisioned using a series of dynamic visual indicators that could light up the top of the pencil to notify users that the pencil's battery is low and more. Apple also envisioned including a projector in a future version of Apple Pencil that has yet to surface. Technically the called it a "Projection component." Our 2014 patent also noted that there was a European patent discovered on the Apple Pencil that added the use of the projection component was for a "laser pointer."

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below is a perspective view of a system including that shows an Apple Pencil working with an iPad; FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of Apple Pencil of FIG. 1; FIG. 2B is a rear plan view of Apple Pencil, and FIG. 2C is a side view of one embodiment of the sample Apple Pencil.

Apple's patent FIG. 6A below is a top plan view of the input device including a graphic having a first color; FIG. 6B is a top plan view of the input device including a graphic having a second color.

Apple's patent FIG. 7A above is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding to a paint brush output; FIG. 7B is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding to an angled brush output; FIG. 7C is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding to a solid line brush output; FIG. 7D is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding to a star tip for the input device; FIG. 7E is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding to a spray output; FIG. 7F is a top plan view of Apple Pencil illustrating a graphic corresponding a spray output having a denser spray pattern than the spray output of FIG. 7E.

Apple's granted patent 10,795,460 was published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. You could also check out our original 2014 patent report here for additional information.

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today