Apple has been granted a patent for an Apple Watch-related technology in a list published by the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO) on Thursday. The patent covers the creation of a magnetic induction charging and communication system in areas where network signals cannot be covered, such as underwater and underground, which could be equipped on the Apple Watch Ultra in the future.
In the patent description, Apple states that in certain environments, such as underwater environments, underground environments, high altitude environments, rural areas, etc., wireless electronic devices may not be able to connect to, for example, cellular networks and/or Internet networks. As a result, wireless electronic devices may not be able to communicate in such environments.
Apple believes it is necessary to provide communication in such environments. This Apple patent covers various examples of implementations that enable charging and communication via magnetic induction.
Apple describes an underwater environment in the first example. As with the Apple iPhone’s SOS satellite connection, underwater communication is accompanied by a series of predetermined messages, including but not limited to “Help!”, “Here! , “Ascent!”, “Down!”, “Shark!” or any other predetermined SMS message that will indicate the relevant information in the most effective way.
In this embodiment, using inductive charging and communication circuitry, the device can wirelessly communicate one or more messages (e.g., SMS, MMS) (e.g., low-frequency magnetic induction signals) to the underwater electronic device #66, which can then send information to the overwater electronic device #68.
In the second case, Figure 12 presented below illustrates that a large high-power magnetic field source coil antenna #86 can be placed on marine vessel #88 (e.g., a small boat or ship) and act as a surface communication beacon for divers who may be in the ocean.
