Abstract: There is provided an adapter for adapting an electronic device to a modular electronic device system. The adapter generally has a housing having two lateral edges, a cavity between the lateral edges and being adapted to receive the electronic device, each of the two lateral edges of the housing having at least one magnetic coupler electrically connectable with at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system by magnetically engaging the at least one magnetic coupler of the adapter with the at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system, and an internal electric conductor network electrically connected to the magnetic couplers of the adapter and electrically connected to an internal connector which is electrically connectable to the electronic device when received in the cavity of the housing.

Abstract: A device may comprise a housing having a straight rounded edge. A self-aligning connector at the straight rounded edge may comprise a cylindrical magnet oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge. The cylindrical magnet is for magnetically engaging a magnet of another connector so as to align and connect the self-aligning connector with the other connector. The self-aligning connector may comprise mounting structure configured to mount the cylindrical magnet at the straight rounded edge of the housing with the axis of the cylindrical magnet being substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge of the housing. The device may include two such self-aligning connectors, spaced apart from one another, along a single straight rounded edge of the device housing.

Abstract: A device may comprise a housing having a straight rounded edge. A self-aligning connector at the straight rounded edge may comprise a cylindrical magnet oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge. The cylindrical magnet is for magnetically engaging a magnet of another connector so as to align and connect the self-aligning connector with the other connector. The self-aligning connector may comprise mounting structure configured to mount the cylindrical magnet at the straight rounded edge of the housing with the axis of the cylindrical magnet being substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge of the housing. The device may include two such self-aligning connectors, spaced apart from one another, along a single straight rounded edge of the device housing.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device may comprise a wireless element and a pair of magnetic connectors. The magnetic connectors may be spaced apart from one another and may be in fixed relation to the wireless element. The pair of magnetic connectors may be configured to self-align with, and interconnect with, a complementary pair of magnetic connectors of another electronic device and to thereby align the wireless element with a complementary wireless element of the other electronic device for ultra short range wireless interaction between the electronic devices via the aligned wireless elements. The wireless elements may for example be antennas, coils, or electric induction couplers. The wireless interaction may for example be wireless communication or wireless power transfer. The magnetic connectors may incorporate cylindrical magnets. In an embodiment, the electronic device may have only one magnetic connector.

Abstract: In an aspect, a device comprises one or more magnetic connectors, a wireless element associated with the one or more magnetic connectors, connectedness detection circuitry operable to dynamically detect a connection event or a disconnection event at the one or more magnetic connectors, and wireless element activation circuitry, coupled to the connectedness detection circuitry, operable to activate or deactivate the wireless element upon dynamic detection of the connection event or the disconnection event, respectively, at the one or more associated magnetic connectors. In an aspect, a method comprises, at a device having one or more magnetic connectors and a wireless element associated with the one or more magnetic connectors, automatically detecting a connection event or a disconnection event at the one or more magnetic connectors, and responsive to the automatic detecting of the connection event or the disconnection event, activating or deactivating, respectively, the associated wireless element.

Abstract: The tactile feedback actuator generally has a stopper, a damper, a hammer path between the stopper and the damper, a coil element fixedly mounted relative to the hammer path, and a magnetic hammer guidingly mounted for movement along the hammer path. The magnetic hammer has two opposite ends. Each end of the magnetic hammer has a corresponding permanent magnet. The two permanent magnets have opposing polarities. The magnetic hammer is electromagnetically engageable by a magnetic field emitted upon activation of the coil element so as to be longitudinally slid along the hammer path in any one of two opposite directions depending on a polarity of activation of the coil element. The stopper has a striking surface adapted for stopping the magnetic hammer, and the damper is adapted for decelerating the magnetic hammer as the magnetic hammer is longitudinally slid towards the damper.

Abstract: A mobile device having a plurality of connectors each for interconnecting with another device of a plurality of other devices, each of the plurality of connectors located in a defined relative physical location on the mobile device and each of the plurality of connectors configured to provide an indication of when a connection to one of the other devices is made or lost. The mobile device further includes a processor and a memory such that the memory stores instructions that cause the processor to: maintain a data store that indicates connectivity information for each of the other devices that are interconnected to the mobile device.

Abstract: A device may comprise a housing having a straight rounded edge. A self-aligning connector at the straight rounded edge may comprise a cylindrical magnet oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge. The cylindrical magnet is for magnetically engaging a magnet of another connector so as to align and connect the self-aligning connector with the other connector. The self-aligning connector may comprise mounting structure configured to mount the cylindrical magnet at the straight rounded edge of the housing with the axis of the cylindrical magnet being substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge of the housing. The device may include two such self-aligning connectors, spaced apart from one another, along a single straight rounded edge of the device housing.

Abstract: A mobile electronic device may comprise a wireless transceiver and at least one magnetic connector. The mobile electronic device may further comprise connectedness detection circuitry operable to dynamically detect a connection event at each of the at least one magnetic connector. A processor, coupled to the connectedness detection circuitry, may be operable to: automatically establish a wireless communications link, via the wireless transceiver, with another electronic device upon detection, by the connectedness detection circuitry, of the connection event at a predetermined set of the at least one magnetic connector evidencing a magnetic attachment of the mobile electronic device to the other electronic device; and access, via the wireless communications link, a hardware resource of the other electronic device. The at least one magnetic connector may be a plurality of magnetic connectors. The predetermined set of magnetic connectors may be all of the magnetic connectors or a subset thereof.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a mobile electronic device comprises: a transceiver; at least one magnetic connector; connectedness detection circuitry operable to dynamically detect a connection event at each of the at least one magnetic connector; and a processor, coupled to the connectedness detection circuitry, operable to: automatically establish a communications link, via the transceiver, with an other electronic device upon detection, by the connectedness detection circuitry, of the connection event at a predetermined set of the at least one magnetic connector; send, from the mobile electronic device to a remote server, a request for access to a hardware resource of the other electronic device; and based on a positive response from the remote server, access, via the wireless communications link, a hardware resource of the other electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device has an anchor assembly is movably mounted inside the device housing. The anchor assembly has a magnet portion and a ferromagnetic portion, and has a magnetic field that is stronger proximate the magnet portion than the ferromagnetic portion. The anchor assembly rotates between first and second positions, with the magnet portion facing an edge of the device housing for forming a connection with another device, and with the magnet portion facing away from the edge of the housing, respectively. A biasing member biases the connector to the second position by magnetic attraction.

Abstract: A connector for an electronic device has a housing with a peripheral surface and guides defining first and second paths. The second path extends from a first location proximate the peripheral surface to a second location farther from the peripheral surface and closer to the first path. A magnetic contact assembly in the housing is magnetically movable along the first path between a first position for joining the connector in data communication with an adjacent connector, and a second position withdrawn from the peripheral surface. A magnet in the housing and is movable by attraction to an adjacent connector along the second path, to magnetically hold the connector to an adjacent connector. The guides are configured so that the magnet and the magnetic contact assembly magnetically bias one another inwardly along the first and second paths.

Abstract: There is provided an adapter for adapting an electronic device to a modular electronic device system. The adapter generally has a housing having two lateral edges, a cavity between the lateral edges and being adapted to receive the electronic device, each of the two lateral edges of the housing having at least one magnetic coupler electrically connectable with at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system by magnetically engaging the at least one magnetic coupler of the adapter with the at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system, and an internal electric conductor network electrically connected to the magnetic couplers of the adapter and electrically connected to an internal connector which is electrically connectable to the electronic device when received in the cavity of the housing.

Abstract: There is disclosed magnetic connectors and electronic devices including such connectors. A connector may include a magnet rotatable about at least one axis of the magnet; wherein the magnet rotates to magnetically engage a magnet of another connector to form an electrical connection between the two magnets. A connector may also include a cylindrical magnet to magnetically engage a magnet of another connector; and a sleeve wrapped around at least part of the magnet, the sleeve comprising a contact for forming an electrical connection with a contact on the other connector. A connector may be adapted for selective connection with other connectors. A connector may be adapted such that a moveable magnet may move between an engaged position proximate a contacting surface of the connector and a disengaged position recessed from a contacting surface, wherein the moveable magnet is biased to the disengaged position.

Abstract: An method of configuring an electronic device having a plurality of serial ports, each of which is configurable to act in either a host port or a slave port mode, includes entering a port configuration state at the device, and, in this port configuration state detecting a trigger event and configuring each of the serial ports of the device in a defined one of its host port or slave port modes. The trigger event may be the proximity of one of the serial ports of the electronic device to a port of another external device in its slave mode. In response, the proximate serial port of the electronic device may assume its host port mode, and the remaining serial ports of said electronic device may assume the slave port mode.

Abstract: There is disclosed magnetic connectors and electronic devices including such connectors. A connector may include a magnet rotatable about at least one axis of the magnet; wherein the magnet rotates to magnetically engage a magnet of another connector to form an electrical connection between the two magnets. A connector may also include a cylindrical magnet to magnetically engage a magnet of another connector; and a sleeve wrapped around at least part of the magnet, the sleeve comprising a contact for forming an electrical connection with a contact on the other connector. A connector may be adapted for selective connection with other connectors. A connector may be adapted such that a moveable magnet may move between an engaged position proximate a contacting surface of the connector and a disengaged position recessed from a contacting surface, wherein the moveable magnet is biased to the disengaged position.

Abstract: There is provided an adapter for adapting an electronic device to a modular electronic device system. The adapter generally has a housing having two lateral edges, a cavity between the lateral edges and being adapted to receive the electronic device, each of the two lateral edges of the housing having at least one magnetic coupler electrically connectable with at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system by magnetically engaging the at least one magnetic coupler of the adapter with the at least one magnetic coupler of the modular electronic device system, and an internal electric conductor network electrically connected to the magnetic couplers of the adapter and electrically connected to an internal connector which is electrically connectable to the electronic device when received in the cavity of the housing.

Abstract: A connector for an electronic device has a housing with a peripheral surface and guides defining first and second paths. The second path extends from a first location proximate the peripheral surface to a second location farther from the peripheral surface and closer to the first path. A magnetic contact assembly in the housing is magnetically movable along the first path between a first position for joining the connector in data communication with an adjacent connector, and a second position withdrawn from the peripheral surface. A magnet in the housing and is movable by attraction to an adjacent connector along the second path, to magnetically hold the connector to an adjacent connector. The guides are configured so that the magnet and the magnetic contact assembly magnetically bias one another inwardly along the first and second paths.