Apple has recently been granted a handful of patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Some of the patents granted include a new iPhone dock with Siri support, a more discreet emergency calling method, new ways to determining when a driver has exited their vehicle, and more.
The first patent granted today is to a new iPhone dock with built-in Siri. Apple already has an iPhone dock, but it looks like a flimsy plastic dock that could break easily. The new patent shows that the new dock is not only sturdier looking, but also has built-in display, speaker, microphone, and voice recognition, presumably for use with Siri.
Another patent granted to the Cupertino company is the ability to determine when the driver has exited his or her vehicle. Done via sensors within an iPhone, this can be used in various situations like locating where the user has parked the car, changing navigation on Apple Maps from driving to walking mode, and such.
Apple has also been granted a patent that makes it more discreet to make an emergency call. iOS already allow users to easily make an emergency dial, but Apple thinks that this may not be practical if someone is watching. The patent allow users to use a certain combination of fingerprint readings or screen touches to activate an emergency call; users would have to determine the pattern during the device’s set up.
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Other notable patents granted to Apple include a new earpiece design, a new iPad smart cover design, Bluetooth enhancements, data migration technology, and much more.
Do note that patents do not confirm any upcoming products from a company. It does however, give a good guideline to what the company has been working on.
(Source: Patently Apple, 9to5Mac)
