The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 34 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover Apple's granted patent relating to gaming accessories providing an iDevice with gamepad functionality. At the moment there are a number of iPhone related gamepads on the market. Whether Apple is still considering making such an accessory with their branding is unknown at this time.

Granted Patent: Accessory for Playing Games with a Portable Electronic Device

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide user interfaces for playing games with portable electronic devices. These user interfaces can improve a user's experience with these portable electronic devices while playing games.

Apple's patent FIGS. 6A and 6B noted above illustrate a game accessory configured to receive an iDevice (iPod, iPhone, iPad); Apple's patent FIG. 4 noted below illustrates a game accessory having a number of features including rumble vibration, movement sensors and control pad. Apple notes in their granted patent that in one specific embodiment (not shown), the game accessory is a steering wheel.

Patently Apple was first to reveal this patent application back in April 2010. The report titled "Apple Reveals Amazing Gaming Accessories in the Works," covers more of Apple's extensive gaming features along with many other patent figures.

Apple credits Brett Alten and Sanjay Gadkari as the inventors of granted patent 8,939,838 which was originally filed in Q3 2008 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Earlier this month we posted a patent application report titled "Apple Invents a Home Button that Doubles as a Gaming Joystick." It's certainly a month for gaming related patents.

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 7pm MST and sporadically over the weekend.