Apple granted 'iPen' stylus and camera lens add-on patents

Apple, after the previous reports regarding the patents of solar panel sapphire glass, has got 30 more patents approved on Tuesday, which include the concept of an "iPen" stylus, an interchangeable camera lens design, and a camera lens add-on.

The iPen stylus is rumoured to arrive as one of the key features in Apple's future devices, and this patent is said to be not the first such, but just the latest in a series of stylus patents by the firm. Patently Apple reports the Cupertino firm to have more than 20 patents to their credit, all of which can be related to the Apple's proposed iPen stylus. These 20 patents include features like LiveScribe-like recording, variable pressure and texture input, gesture controls, and others. The details can be found here.

The latest patent details a concept design of a stylus and a slate, both bearing sensors that would help determining the orientation of the iPen stylus. Of course, there can be various different uses for the iPen stylus, and based on past patents, Phonearena speculates it will include features like drawing with one end for writing and the other end for erasing and more. The patent was filed in the year 2011. The patent can be seen here.

The Cupertino firm's patent for interchangeable mobile camera lenses was filed back in 2010, and is speculated to stay as a patent only, with questions about its practicality when requiring a removable back panel.

Another Apple patent, filed in late 2012, details a camera add-on concept, a device which would get physically attached via a locking mechanism similar to a DSLR lens, apart from an additional integrated magnetic locking system.