14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has a pretty good idea of customer's need, and their patents reflect that. Every once in a while you see patent applications for things that the company needs, and then there are the patents that don't really fit well anywhere.
The latest published Apple patent describes a system intended to protect falling storage devices, by allowing sensors within them to temporary force a safety protocol if any subtle change in gravity or acceleration is detected. Originally filed in July 2004, the patent lists Paul James Wehrenberg as the inventor and acknowledges that there are several other sensors out there that will stop excessive vibrations from damaging stored data. The key differentiation here is that this system allows measuring changes in force, gravity or acceleration prior to impact.
The technology covered in the patent would be able to sense when the storage device enters "free fall" from a rest position, and then secure the data read/write head by temporarily parking it in a safe position. Thus, the system will be able to prevent or mitigate damage to the information stored, if the device is dropped onto concrete, asphalt, down stairs or onto other hard surfaces. According to the company, the technology would be useful in the small storage devices found within notebooks and personal computers, digital cameras and computers installed in vehicles.
The patent seems a little unusual for Apple, making no sense for any of their products. Even in the case of disk-based iPods and MacBooks, the sensors required would likely need a considerable amount of space, and even if the hard drive survives, the rest of the device would likely be seriously damaged. Straying even further from the norm, the company suggests that the technology could prove valuable to various devices and equipment, such as elevators and amusement park rides. In one example, Apple even suggests that the device could detect gravity acceleration in a dropped camera and activate an inflatable cushion to protect the device. Perhaps little parachutes would be moved visually impressive?