Apple has filed a patent (number 20120242701) for "accessory dependent display orientation" with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Systems and methods are provided for orienting a display of a user device display screen.

A user device may be coupled to an accessory, and the display orientation of the user device may be managed. The display orientation may be determined based on a type of the accessory, accessory identification information, a supported communications protocol, output of an accelerometer, user information, or other information. Criteria may be stored, from which a criterion for orienting the display may be selected based on available information.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "A user device such as a smart phone or personal media player may be coupled to an accessory, which may allow for communication, charging, or both between the user device and the accessory. For example, a mobile phone may be charged by plugging a wall charger into a port of the phone. There may exist a variety of accessories and accessory types, which may serve a variety of functions.

"The display orientation of a user device is usually set according to manual user input, or according to an accelerometer. Display orientation, however, is agnostic with respect to whether the device is coupled or with respect to the type of accessory the device is coupled.

"This disclosure relates to systems and methods for orienting a display of a user device display screen. Processing equipment may determine that a user device is coupled to an accessory. The processing equipment may determine a display orientation based at least in part on information about the accessory such as, for example, the accessory type. The display of the user device may be oriented according to the determined display orientation."

Michael I. Ingrassia Jr. is the inventor.