patent for MagSafe:
專利介紹（11/235,875）：http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2011/08/applemacbook.html
MagSafe的先前技藝（參考）：http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2011/08/blog-post_9708.html
相關專利家族有幾件專利的範圍可以注意一下：
US7,901,216
1. A cable connector assembly adapted for electrically connecting with a complementary connector comprising:
- a nonconductive body to form an insulative housing;
- a plurality of contacts, each contact comprising a contacting portion, each contact located in a passage in the insulative housing;
- a cable electrically connecting with the plurality of contacts;
- a first magnetic element to form a front cover and made of metal material and capable of being attracted by the complementary connector, wherein the front cover is assembled to the insulative housing and the contacting portions of the contacts are exposed in the front cover; and
- a shell to form a rear cover assembled to the insulative housing to enclose the rear of the insulative housing and a front end of the cable.
1. A magnetic connector system comprising:
- a first connector comprising:
-
- a first plurality of pins comprising at least a first power supply pin to convey a first power supply, a second power supply pin to convey a second power supply, and a signal pin to convey a signal; and
-
- a first magnetic element to magnetically attract a second magnetic element in a second connector, the first and second magnetic elements comprising an attraction plate and a plurality of magnets,
- where the plurality of magnets are proximally located and arranged in opposing polarities with respect to each other so that when the first connector is brought in close proximity to the second connector, magnetic field lines travel through the attraction plate from one of the plurality of magnets to another one of the plurality of magnets.
產品一：
Cabin
這是針對iPhone以磁吸式充電外殼的技術，其接頭也可利用macbook上的MagSafe給電，稱可用於iPhone的磁式電源連接器"MagSafe for iPhone"，這卻不是Apple的產品，這個從macbook電源接頭"轉用"的技術恐怕不容易被蘋果認同，除非已經被授意或授權。
這件發明重點是提供一個插接lightning介面的轉接連接器，或可配合外殼，一端為lightning介面，另一端則為符合MagSafe充電接頭，可以將原本對macbook充電的MagSafe的接頭轉接到對iPhone/iPad充電。
產品介紹：
http://9to5mac.com/2014/07/17/kickstarter-campaign-offers-magsafe-for-iphone-apple-lawsuit-incoming-in-3-2-1/
（照片源自kickstarter）產品二：
HyperJuice（http://www.hypershop.com/HyperJuice/）
產品介紹：
http://9to5mac.com/2012/11/23/review-hyperjuice-2-external-macbook-and-ipad-battery-mbp2-100/
HyperJuice提供i系列裝置外部電源，同時可以提供macbook系列外部電力，因此需要使用到MagSafe/2介面，如此還被Apple提告。
產品三：
另有一家ZNAPS（http://www.znaps.net/，以下截圖來自此網頁內容），是一種用於蘋果裝置lightning/Android裝置的Micro-USB接頭的兩件式MagSafe，第一節插在iPhone上的Lightning介面上，第二節則與lightning纜線插接，第一節與第二節的連接器就可以磁性對接。
my two cents:
- 雖未見到ZNAPS/CABIN/HyperJuice的專利申請，但或許還在早期公開前的審查階段。
- 如ZNAPS沒有對此產品申請專利，建議申請專利（在優惠期內的話，或有未公開的改良），可避免競爭對手抄襲而影響權益。因為有"pressy"與“米鍵”的前車之鑑，pressy發明了用在手機耳機孔上的功能按鍵，可以快速而方便啟動功能，如照相功能，目前基本款15美元；不過，小米將此發展，稱為"米鍵"，才賣4.9人民幣，“pressy"的競爭力頓時消失，也沒有法律保護（沒看到有專利）。
v. 
- ZNAPS/Cabin/HyperJuice的設計應該可以取得自己的專利，我個人覺得兩件式結構的磁吸電源接頭算是新穎，只要範圍明確的話，應可取得專利，不過實施此專利卻可能侵犯蘋果的磁性接頭專利。
- 而蘋果專利是否有效，就看是否有人去提起再審查無效程序。
- 產品對誰充電，用了才知，因此如果要使用到MagSafe，產品說明書上不要提到這個商標字，避免指名使用對象。
沒有留言:
張貼留言