iPad "Smarter Cover" patent application would add display, controls to cover

Like your iPad Smart Cover? You can look forward to a possible future "Smarter Cover" from Apple if the company follows up on a patent application filed about a year ago for a Smart Cover-like tablet cover with a flexible secondary display.

As shown in the lovely, high-resolution color images filed with the patent application (one seen above), Apple's idea would take power from a connector on the side of the iPad to drive a flexible display in one of the cover segments for adding extra icons, controlling media playback, or displaying notifications.

One drawing, seen below, shows the entire "Surface" of the cover (pun intended) being used as a keyboard, while another turns it into a drawing digitizer.

Of course, just because the company has applied for a patent doesn't mean that they'll get the patent or ever add the concept to a future product if they do.