back to article Apple's portable power podule patent promises paroxysms of fanboi joy

Possibly realising that devices with a limited battery life can be annoying, Apple has filed a patent for a portable power system with a potential endurance of days, not hours. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published the patent (Number 8980491) assigned to the fruity firm for a design of a “portable and …

  1. msknight

    I don't get it

    What's innovative about this? It's a common sense development in my eyes. (flame suit donned)

    1. theOtherJT Silver badge

      Re: I don't get it

      I think we all long since accepted that the US patent office just stamps anything that it receives. The concept of "innovative" or "Non obvious" in regards to patents got abandoned quite some time ago :(

    2. Steve Todd

      Re: I don't get it

      Patents are for "a method". The patent isn't on fuel cells, they've been around for some time. This patent appears to be for a method where the mobile device charges AND communicates with the fuel cell pack at the same time, allowing it control over charging and access to info like the fuel level.

      1. Danny 14

        Re: I don't get it

        I thought Toshiba demonstrated one of these years ago? Yup, the "dynario", you can buy one in japan.

      2. Paul Shirley

        Re: I don't get it

        @Steve Todd:"AND communicates with the fuel cell pack at the same time"

        Now explain why that's A: not obvious, B: not required to fulfil it's function (how else would you detect fuel level?). Both are grounds for invalidation.

        1. SuccessCase

          Re: I don't get it

          In this case, I think your analysis is entirely correct. People are so up in arms about software patents, these days they very often jump the gun where criticism of hardware patents is concerned, but in this case it very much appears to be an obvious combination of existing techniques. Indeed techniques that have already been combined with different fuel cell technologies a few times over. All tech companies file patents for everything they can however. Unfortunately the US Patent Office tends to approve far too many of them.

      3. Indolent Wretch

        Re: I don't get it

        Wow so in exactly the same way as a mobile device communicates with it's battery system?

    3. NoneSuch Silver badge

      Re: I don't get it

      The hydrogen fuel cell device is the new Apple car. An entire vehicle designed to give an iPhone more than 12 hours leccy.

    4. Alan Brown Silver badge

      Re: I don't get it

      It's not even a commonsense development - there's prior art already.

  2. Crisp

    Sounds like the Kraftwerk fuel cell.

    It looks pretty neat

  3. Buzzword

    Patent madness

    I can't patent the fuel cell (already exists) and I can't patent the smartphone, but I can plug one into the other and suddenly it's patentable?

    1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      Re: Patent madness

      In the US, you can patent anything (for a fee) and then someone else has to hire a lawyer (for a fee) before any commonsense examination will take place.

      It's almost as though the system was invented by lawyers.

  4. Bronek Kozicki
    Joke

    why would anyone bother with separate device?

    My phone's battery live already extends in days, why would this be needed?

    ... ooh, it is specifically for Apple phones and I do not have an Apple. Duh, silly me.

  5. RyokuMas
    Trollface

    Apple recommend...

    Given what has happened to a few iPhones, I can understand why Apple would recommend something other than hydrogen in the fuel cell!

  6. DrXym

    What is patentable here?

    Fuel cell rechargers have existed for a long time and I'm sure they're plastered with patents.

  7. Roger B

    The other option is...

    They could actually design a phone around functionality instead of form and make the battery maybe 5mm thicker? That would give them room to fit a better camera as well!

    1. smartypants

      Re: The other option is...

      That wouldn't work. They need to sell you a phone that has not-quite-enough battery endurance to make it more likely you'll invest in an iBat (price: $$$$$$$$$$$$$) later.

      Already, their phones are becoming dangerously thin to ensure the battery is not quite up to scratch. Another two generations or more and they might get so thin that picking them up might lead to paper cuts.

    2. MrDamage Silver badge

      5mm Thicker?

      We can't have that. All of the dickheads hipsters in their younger sisters skinny jeans would break down in tears at having a visible panty phone line.

  8. Lallabalalla

    Form already follows functionality - to an extent.

    To the extent that my iPhone 6 battery lasts a couple of days - more if I don't check mail/messenger/facebook all the time. And the camera's pretty damn good thanks.

  9. macjules
    Gimp

    Tha's hope for the iWatch at last!

    You mean I don't have to strap a LiPo battery pack on my wrist to get my iWatch to run it for more than 3 hours? Wow! Now I only have to strap an iNuke.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Careless drafting

    In their effort to list every possible fuel cell power source, the draftees of the application have included sodium silicate (I thought the story must have got it wrong and checked.) Clearly not chemists. Sodium silicide has been proposed as a suitable source for small cells (releases hydrogen with water) but sodium silicate is more familiar as the ingredient in waterglass, and as an ingredient in cement.

    Apple should slip me a billion or so to proofread their patent applications in future, they can afford it.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. returnmyjedi

      You're exploding it wrong.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like