The dock may support a variety of electronic devices of different shapes and designs while appearing to be customized to individually support each electronic device, per the patent. The universal dock may support an electronic device using a support layer that may include any suitable material, including, for example, an array of vertical members, an elastic sponge-like substance, or any other suitable material. The compression of the support layer may be retained for future use with the electronic device, or the compression may be relieved, once the electronic device is removed from the universal dock.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "Currently, there are a wide variety of known electronic device docks that include a connection component (e.g., a 30-pin connector) for electrically connecting to an electronic device. The connection between the dock and the electronic device may be established to provide power, to transfer data or other information, or for any other suitable reason. The shape of many of these docks is customized by using a collection of removable inserts that are inserted individually into the dock to give the appearance that the dock was designed to support an electronic device of a particular shape. If one insert is removed, another insert may be placed into the dock to alter the customized appearance of the dock and to support an electronic device of a different shape. However, these inserts may complicate the use of the dock, for example, if an insert that may be necessary to support a particular electronic device in the dock is unavailable to a user of the electronic device (e.g., if the user loses a particular insert). An insert may also complicate the use of the dock because, without the insert, the dock may not appear to be customized to support the electronic device properly or may not support the device at all.

"Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a universal dock capable of properly supporting numerous types of electronic devices while eliminating the need for manual user intervention to customize the dock. In addition, a universal dock capable of properly supporting a variety of electronic devices while appearing aesthetically to a user to be custom designed to support each connected electronic device would also be beneficial.

"Improved aesthetics for a universal dock to support a wide variety of electronic devices are provided. In one embodiment, a dock that supports a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices includes a housing, a connector coupled to the housing, and a compressible support layer positioned at least partially about the connector. At least a portion of the compressible support layer compresses to the shape of at least a portion of an electronic device that is attached to the connector.

"In one embodiment, a method for supporting a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices in a dock includes positioning a compressible support layer at least partially about a connector, attaching the electronic device to the connector of the dock, compressing at least a first portion of the compressible support layer with at least a portion of the bottom of the electronic device when the electronic device is attached to the connector, and supporting at least a portion of a side of the electronic device with at least a second portion of the compressible support layer when the electronic device is attached to the connector.

"In one embodiment, a method for supporting a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices in a dock includes positioning a support layer at least partially about a connector, detecting an electronic device; determining the make of the electronic device in response to detecting the electronic device, adjusting at least a first portion of the support layer to support at least a portion of the bottom of the electronic device in response to determining the make of the electronic device, attaching the electronic device to the connector, and adjusting at least a second portion of the support layer to support at least a portion of a side of the electronic device when the electronic device is attached to the connector.

"In one embodiment, a dock that supports a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices includes a housing, a connector coupled to the housing, and a compressible support layer positioned at least partially about the connector. The compressible support layer is configured to appear customized to the shape of any electronic device of the differently-shaped electronic devices attached to the connector, and wherein the compressible support layer supports the electronic device."


The inventor is Jeffrey J. Terlizzi. The graphic below shows a perspective view of the universal dock in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

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