Microsoft Corp. could be about to target the iPhone accessories market after submitting a patent application for a new peripheral device that’s intended to make phone calls easier for personal computer users.

The MS PowerUser website says the patent was filed back in October 2016 and publicly announced last week. The filing describes the new device (pictured) as a “User Input Peripheral” and includes a “Phone Dock” that acts as a terminal for mobile devices. The phone dock can also be used to make phone calls itself, as it comes with a built-in microphone and speakers.

The new device doesn’t have a display because it’s designed to connect to a PC via a wire or Bluetooth connection. One advantage of this is that the phone can be left docked, and the device will display notifications via embedded lights, even when the PC is sleeping. There are also buttons for performing different tasks such as activating VoIP applications like Skype. That would seem to suggest Microsoft is targeting enterprise users with the device.

“The control logic is configured such that the control of the call comprises performing a function in relation to the call in response to actuation of said hardware actuator by the user, and furthermore that the function of the actuation of the actuator is dependent on a current status of the call,” Microsoft explains in the patent.

A close up of Microsoft’s device showing its notification lights

The patent images show that the device is compatible with Apple Inc.’s iPhone, but it’s not immediately clear if the device can also connect Android phones to PCs.

Images: Microsoft