Wireless charging technology seems to be becoming more and more attractive for the company Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC),, a new patent application describing a cover Smart Cover with a battery that charges the tablets iPad wireless. Apple's system would allow induction charging of tablets iPad either using a battery included in the covers, or drawing current from another source, most likely another device that would generate a charging field. The method would allow tablet owners to charge their devices using a case that they use anyway to lock/unlock the tablet, or to fix it in landscape/portrait mode.
In the described embodiments, the body portion includes an inductive power transmitter arranged to wirelessly pass power to a corresponding inductive power receiver unit disposed within the tablet device by inductively coupling, at least a first magnetic element, and at least a second magnetic element used to secure the body portion to the display in a closed configuration. The cover has the usual magnetic attachments and embedded Hall Effect sensor that auto-wakes and sleeps an iPad, but instead of the usual layered padding, the segmented body contains battery cells and the necessary wireless charging circuitry.
To be honest, the idea from Apple is not very different from the systems patented by other companies for induction charging, the only difference being that the Smart Cover could have an included battery. I think that a product of this kind manufactured by Apple could be very successful, especially since Smart Covers already generate billions of dollars for the CUpertino company, and including the possibility of wireless charging would only generate an increase in sales.
In order to facilitate efficient power transfer, the primary induction transmitter and corresponding receiver in the iPad would be placed as closed together as possible. The patent makes use of the Smart Cover's existing magnet tech, which leverages the unique properties of specialized magnets to "automatically" align the cover with the iPad's display. A property previously covered by AppleInsider describes how the installation of magnets, arranged according to a pattern of alternating polarities, within the Smart Cover's hinge mechanism and iPad body makes it virtually impossible to misalign the two assemblies.
