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Apple wins patent for intelligent dock connector

Your power management could be getting a whole lot smarter. Apple has just been granted a patent that details an intelligent dock connector able to properly adjust power levels for multiple connected devices from a single outlet source.

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Joe Aimonetti MacFixIt Editor
Joe is a seasoned Mac veteran with years of experience on the platform. He reports on Macs, iPods, iPhones and anything else Apple sells. He even has worked in Apple retail stores. He's also a creative professional who knows how to use a Mac to get the job done.
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Joe Aimonetti
2 min read
Patently Apple

Your power management could be getting a whole lot smarter. Apple has just been granted a patent that details an intelligent dock connector able to properly adjust power levels for multiple connected devices from a single outlet source.

As with other power-related patents that Apple has applied for in the past, the technology involved here seems to be exactly the kind of thing people, including myself, have been waiting for. In a time when everything needs to be charged, be it a MacBook Pro, an iPad 2, or an iPhone 4S, having a one-and-done solution is certainly the solution many of us want.

The patent, uncovered by Patently Apple, lists some of the many functions the intelligent adapter could tackle.

  • "Prevent a portable computing device from drawing a high level of current that could be detrimental to an accessory, such as a cable."
  • "Allow a battery pack or other accessory to instruct a portable computing device to not charge its internal battery."
  • "Allow a portable computing device to determine which power supply among multiple power supplies should be used to power an accessory."
  • "Allow an accessory to get charging current parameters from a portable computing device."

Two rumor-starting inclusions in the patent application are sure to get blog sites rolling. One shows an iPad-ish device with a 30-pin dock connector port on both the vertical and the horizontal sides. That was a rumor that was floating around for the iPad 2 and may very well pick up for the iPad 3. Personally, I cannot see why Apple would do this. If for no other reason, it would be an aesthetic nightmare.

Patently Apple

Second, the patent mentions docking a monitor, which may very well signal the (just a rumor) forthcoming iTV or Apple-branded television set. We should all recall that Apple does sell a display though, thus making the inclusion of a display dock nothing to jump about (yet).

If this product comes to market, it could be the ultimate docking station for Apple products--a single spot to charge your iPhone, MacBook, and iPod, without having to worry about grabbing different cables and connectors. It's pretty ingenious and I imagine I'll be among the first to order one.

Is a single docking solution something you'd be interested in purchasing? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!