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Apple Files Patent For New Proprietary Port

Posted by Soulskill on from the any-old-port-in-the-storm dept.

rwise2112 writes "Apple proposes a solution to multiple port requirements within limited space: the two in one port. The port is described as a 'Combined Input Port,' where two different interfaces could be in one port. The input port includes an outer wall defining a receiving aperture, a substrate positioned within the receiving aperture. One set of contacts is configured to communicate with a first connector and the second set of contacts is configured to communicate with a second connector. Looks like another addition to the special Apple cable lineup."

8 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Prior art by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Informative

    Samsung and HTC, and doubtless others, invented this first. My Galaxy S3 has a combined USB, HDMI and audio port. My ancient HTC Hero had a combined USB and audio port. Different connectors used different pins.

    It seems like anything is new and worthy of patenting if it's on a computer, on the internet or on an Apple :-(

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    1. Re:Prior art by Freshly+Exhumed · · Score: 4, Informative

      Combined USB2.0 & eSata port on recent Lenovo notebooks too. Apple's patent diagram resembles it.

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    2. Re:Prior art by Kurast · · Score: 5, Informative

      The patent is only for a specific type of joint connector (not for all of them), and for this type, there is no prior art. The patent, if granted, secures only the schematics/diagrams mentioned in it.

      Even the title being generic, this does not mean they are patenting the abstract idea of combined ports. You have to read the patent to see what it mentions.

    3. Re:Prior art by TeknoHog · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's called eSATAp. Oddly enough, my current Thinkpad (T410) only has plain eSATA, but I remember a Fujitsu laptop from my 2008 workplace that had the powered one.

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  2. Special Cable? not so much... by Tavor · · Score: 5, Informative
    From TFA:

    Apple illustrated the idea with discussion of a USB port and SD card reader, showing how the card reader and USB port could be integrated, but the port could house other interconnects.

    The summary is misleading in so many ways. This is just adding USB to a multi-card reader.

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  3. Not a new cable. by FellowConspirator · · Score: 4, Informative

    Specifically, this port allows either an SD card or USB3 cable to be plugged into the same physical opening. Either will fit.

  4. not really innovative but not proprietary either by arifyn · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is just cramming two ports into one space (in the example, SD and USB) so you can add more functionality to the sort of thin & light products that Apple is obsessed with. No need for a "special Apple cable", since the whole point is that it can accept several standard interfaces.

  5. Not a "proprietary port", no "Apple cable lineup" by Above · · Score: 4, Informative

    Normally I'm not a fan of the jump on the poster bandwagon, but this title and description could not be more misleading. The patent is on the idea of making one port take two standard connectors. The example used is a USB-or-SD Card physical form factor.

    The design does not use "proprietary port"(s), rather it builds on existing standard port designs.

    The design does not require a "special Apple cable", indeed the entire point is that standards compliant devices (not just cables, but things like SD cards) will just work.

    As to the merits, it seems to me like there is probably prior art, and it may also fail the obviousness test. I'm not sure this is an idea that deserves patent protection. As devices get smaller, thinner, and lighter, I do think this is a great idea to reduce the physical space needed to provide all the ports a user might want.