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Did Apple Release a Smart Cover Patent?

M

maclook

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 2, 2008
1,146
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6a0120a5580826970c0133eca1c1d1970b-800wi

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...smart-device-covers-are-a-paradigm-shift.html

Did Apple release a Smart Cover Patent? This one is labeled as Smart Device Cover, but it's clearly not the same. I'm wondering if case manufacturers are going to be able to make their own smart covers.
 
WiiDSmoker said:
That has nothing to do with the Smart Cover
Click to expand...

"This one is labeled as Smart Device Cover, but it's clearly not the same."
That's a quote from my first post, which is only about 3 sentences long...
I put that up to show that that's the only patent I could find.
 
v66jack said:
I doubt that Apple could patent the case because there is already a case which is pretty much the same, but without the magnets.
Click to expand...

Do you think it's safe to say that case manufacturers will be making covers utilizing magnets much like the Smart Cover does?
I'm a little suspicious because if other case manufacturers can make covers with magnets and auto-alignment, I'm sure Apple will lose a lot of business to them especially since the leather cases are so outrageously priced.
 
maclook said:
Do you think it's safe to say that case manufacturers will be making covers utilizing magnets much like the Smart Cover does?
I'm a little suspicious because if other case manufacturers can make covers with magnets and auto-alignment, I'm sure Apple will lose a lot of business to them especially since the leather cases are so outrageously priced.
Click to expand...

I presume if the magnets are in the iPad, there is no reason why third party manufacturers couldn't make cases / covers that utilise them.

And Apple will always sell loads of their cases because their Apple. Brand loyalty is ridiculously strong, so people will pay way over the odds for anything built by apple. Even if it doesn't have the apple logo on.
 
maclook said:
6a0120a5580826970c0133eca1c1d1970b-800wi

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...smart-device-covers-are-a-paradigm-shift.html

Did Apple release a Smart Cover Patent? This one is labeled as Smart Device Cover, but it's clearly not the same. I'm wondering if case manufacturers are going to be able to make their own smart covers.
Click to expand...

They may have trademarked the term, but the idea is not new, and probably not patentable...Blackberry had a case for it's phones (89xx series, I think) where the case had a magnet in it and when the phone was inserted into the case/holster, the magnet triggered the power to the phone and the screen and keyboard deactivated. I had one a number of years back, and it was pretty slick...
 
Apple OC said:
patents are a little more complex than a simple case with magnets
Click to expand...

will i break any patent law if i sell a similar product like apple smart cover?
similar i mean: same magnet function, same colour, same design. but i don't say it is "Apple smart cover", i will only say " Smart cover compatible for Apple's Ipad 2.

:confused:
 
kvizzel said:
a smart cover would wake/sleep the device.
but i don't think they patented it.
Click to expand...

It'd be difficult to patent that functionality since RIM's been doing it with their Blackberry holsters for years. Embedded magnet in the Blackberry holster triggers a sensor in the phone to tell it that it's in the holster. Sleeps the Blackberry and allows setting different notification styles/sounds for in-holster vs. out-of-holster.
 
yostyue said:
will i break any patent law if i sell a similar product like apple smart cover?
similar i mean: same magnet function, same colour, same design. but i don't say it is "Apple smart cover", i will only say " Smart cover compatible for Apple's Ipad 2.

:confused:
Click to expand...

you should be good to go ... not sure why you would want to include "smart"

they have a Trademark on "Smart Cover" ... nothing to do with Patents though
 
Apple OC said:
you should be good to go ... not sure why you would want to include "smart"

they have a Trademark on "Smart Cover" ... nothing to do with Patents though
Click to expand...

what does their Trademark "Smart cover" protect?
it protects the same design, same colour of their Smart cover?

are you saying, if i call my product "apple cover" it is good to go? even the products look exactly same as Smart cover? what about Passing Off law?

Thanks:confused::confused:
 
I recall that during the keynote Steve Jobs said that they were going to let third party manufacturers use the same magnet system that the Smart Cover uses.
 
Yeah, I was wondering the same question... However, seems like there are already many manufactures that are coming out with similar or pretty much the same look as the one Apple is offering on the website. I am not sure if they all work out exactly the same but some of them are definitely beating the pricing on the Apple branded sleeves.
 
after careful research, i think those replica "Smart cover" violates with "misleading, deception and passing off" ; i would be surprised if ppl are selling replica "smart cover" in ebay, as ebay has a strict policy to against replica/counterfeit stuffs.

can any law expert confirm with my finding?
 
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