# US 12,181,930 B2 · Accessory devices for electronic devices

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- Number: US 12,181,930 B2
- Document ID: US12181930B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/085,448
- Filed: 2022-12-20
- Published: 2023-04-20
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Kristine S. Atom; Charles A. Bates, III; Taylor Harrison Gilbert; Eric Shyr
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181930B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations}
- G06F 1/1669: {Detachable keyboards}
- G06F 1/1616: {with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position}
- G06F 1/1626: {with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]}
- G06F 1/1683: {for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling}
- G06F 1/169: {the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes (G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033)}
- G06F 2200/1633: Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An accessory device with a cover and keyboard section is described. The keyboard section includes a keyboard and a touchpad, while the cover section includes multiple segments. The cover section orients the electronic device such that a user can access the electronic device, the keyboard, and the touchpad. The cover section is rotationally coupled to the keyboard section by one or more hinge assemblies (including clutches and springs), allowing the cover section and the electronic device to rotate relative to the keyboard section. The cover section includes a first and second segment rotationally coupled together. To further adjust the electronic device, the first segment remains coupled to the electronic device, allowing the first segment and the electronic device to rotate relative to the second segment. The cover section can then suspend the electronic device over the keyboard section, and the electronic device does not contact the keyboard section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An accessory device, comprising:
a first section comprising a keyboard; and
a second section coupled to the first section, the second section comprising:
a first segment,
a second segment rotationally coupled to the first segment and the first section, and
a magnet embedded in the second segment, wherein:
in response to the second segment engaging an electronic device, the magnet is detectable by a sensor of the electronic device, thereby causing a display of the electronic device be in an inactive state, and
in response to the second segment disengaged from the electronic device, the magnet is not detectable by the sensor, thereby causing the display to be in an active state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising electrical contacts positioned on the first segment, wherein the electrical contacts are configured to electrically couple to the electronic device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first cylindrical element coupled to the first section; and
a second cylindrical element coupled to the second section, wherein the first cylindrical element is positioned in the second cylindrical element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the first section comprises weights configured to offset the electronic device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The accessory device of claim 4, further comprising a track pad positioned between the weights.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The accessory device of claim 1, wherein in the inactive state, the first segment and the second segment engage the electronic device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The accessory device of claim 6, wherein in the inactive state, only the first segment engages the electronic device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The accessory device of claim 1, wherein:
the first section comprises:
a track pad,
a radio frequency (RF) transmissive section, and
a metal section positioned between the track pad and the RF transmissive; and
the second section is rotationally coupled to the first section, the second section comprising:
a first segment, and
a second segment coupled to the first segment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The accessory device of claim 8, wherein in response to the second section covering the electronic device, the RF transmissive section permits RF transmission to the electronic device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The accessory device of claim 8, wherein the second section is configured to suspend the electronic device over the first section such that the first section contact with the electronic device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The accessory device of claim 10, wherein the first section comprises weights configured to offset the electronic device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The accessory device of claim 11, wherein the track pad is positioned between the weights.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The accessory device of claim 8, further comprising:
a first cylindrical element coupled to the first section; and
a second cylindrical element coupled to the second section, wherein the first cylindrical element is positioned in the second cylindrical element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The accessory device of claim 13, further comprising a plate extending from the first cylindrical element and into the first section.

### Claim 15

An accessory device, comprising:
a first section, comprising:
a keyboard,
a first weight,
a second weight, and
a track pad positioned between the first weight and the second weight; and
a second section rotationally coupled to the first section, the second section comprising:
a first segment,
a second segment rotationally coupled to the first segment and the first section, and
a magnet embedded in the second segment, wherein:
in response to the second segment engaging an electronic device, the magnet is detectable by a sensor of the electronic device, thereby causing a display of the electronic device be in an inactive state, and
in response to the second segment disengaged from the electronic device, the magnet is not detectable by the sensor, thereby causing the display to be in an active state, wherein in response to the second section carrying the electronic device, the first weight and the second weight offset the second section carrying the electronic device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The accessory device of claim 15, wherein the first weight and the second weight offset the electronic device while the second section suspends the electronic device over the first section.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the second section is configured to carry the electronic device such that the electronic device lacks contact with the first section.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The accessory device of claim 15, wherein the first section comprises:
a radio frequency (RF) transmissive section.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The accessory device of claim 15, further comprising:
a first cylindrical element coupled to the first section; and
a second cylindrical element coupled to the second section, wherein the first cylindrical element is positioned in the second cylindrical element.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The accessory device of claim 19, further comprising a plate extending from the first cylindrical element and into the first section.