Apple wins Smart Cover, Time Machine patents

Apple was granted a bevy of patents on Tuesday including Smart Cover and Time Machine interface properties.

Apple won a total of 25 patents on Tuesday, representing a mix of software, hardware and GUI design applications.

One of the more recognized patents is the company's Smart Cover for the iPad which features a unique magnetic closure system that automatically powers the tablet on and off.

In the filing, U.S. Design Patent D658,186, a simple claim to the ornamental design for the cover and not the mechanics involved in interfacing with the iPad.

Prominently featured in the accompanying images are the fold points that allow the Smart Cover to fold into a tablet stand.

First introduced alongside the iPad 2, Apple's Smart Cover has become a hot-selling accessory that is compatible with the third-generation iPad.

Smart Cover patent. | Source: USPTO

An application for Apple's Time Machine data backup program was also granted and describes a graphical user interface that allows a user to easily move between current data and previous saved versions of said data.

Included in U.S. Patent 8,166,415 are various UIs not currently used in Time Machine like the "Timeline Stack" which is basically a stack of tiled windows and the curious "Timeline Book" shown below.

Illustration of the "Timeline Book." | Source: USPTO

Other patents issued involve power adapter technology and design, various software patents including one involving iTunes rentals and electrical engineering properties.