Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,995,433) for “custom fabric cases for electronic devices.”
When it comes to cases, the tech giant says that plastic ones may be satisfactory in certain situations, but some users may desire a case with different aesthetics. As a result, fabric cases have been developed.
However, Apple notes that there are challenges associated with forming fabric cases for electronic devices. A user may have limited choices when it comes to selecting a fabric case for his or her device. The user may be able to select a desired color, but may otherwise be unable to customize a fabric case according to the user’s preferences. Apple is looking for ways to circumvent such issues.
Here’s the summary of the invention: “A fabric case for an electronic device may include a back panel having a periphery and a side wall that extends around the periphery. The back panel may include a knit image of a user-selected digital photograph or other design. The design of the back panel may be customized according to the user’s tastes. The case may be formed using computing equipment and knitting equipment.
“The computing equipment may receive a digital image from the user and may reduce the resolution and the number of colors in the digital image according to the specifications of the textile machine. Fabric pattern design software may convert the digital image into knitting instructions. The knitting instructions may be executed by knitting equipment to produce a custom back panel having a knit image of the digital photograph. The back panel may be attached to a peripheral side wall to form the fabric case.”
