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Qualcomm's multi-fold mobile device is the future we keep waiting for
Qualcomm isn't typically in the business of producing consumer-facing hardware -- the company prefers to just build the chips that make your devices go "vroom" -- but we've come across a patent application that details just such an idea. The multi-fold mobile device can be seen as either a foldable tablet or an expandable cellphone, but in either case its purpose is clearly to act as a hybrid device that performs both roles. With all least two displays on its three panels, this concept will also automatically reconfigure its UI based on a folding configuration sensor, and Qualcomm suggests you might also use it as a widescreen TV display, an alarm clock, a media player, or a web browser. Click past the break for a couple more suggested use diagrams, and feel free to write to Qualcomm with demands that this be put into production pronto.
Nokia wants patent on self-regenerating phone batteries, piezoelectrics and much magic involved
In Nokia's own words, what we're looking at is a "piezoelectric kinetic energy harvester." Working along the same principles as kinetic wristwatches have done for a long time already, Nokia's idea is to capture the energy generated by the phone's movements and to refashion it into beautiful, clean-as-a-whistle electric power. By allowing the heavier internal components to move on rails within the phone as part of a "force-transferring assembly," the Espoo think tank has figured out a way to capitalize on all the small forces of acceleration and rotation that we subject our phones to on a daily basis. It would seem overly ambitious to expect this to replace the trusty old charger, but we give credit to Nokia for even thinking about it. Check out some schematics of how this would work after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Apple patent filings detail methods of keeping your devices cool
Apple is a pretty innovative company, and here at TUAW we receive a lot of tips about new patents that have been filed by the company. While not all of the patents make it into products, Apple is assiduous about filing for patent protection on their intellectual property. This week featured 4 patent applications from Apple that are all about keeping your devices cool. The first, titled "Methods and Apparatus for Cooling Electronic Devices Using Flow Sensors," talks about using tiny sensors to determine the air velocity in a device and then adjusting fan speeds and/or computing power to keep the device cool. The second application seems so obvious it's surprising nobody has filed it before. Titled "Methods and Apparatus for Cooling Electronic Devices Through User Interfaces," the patent filing describes how to use input/output ports (FireWire, USB, and Ethernet) to increase airflow through a device. In particular, the application details how ports can be positioned to provide the best possible cooling of components. The third patent filing, "Methods and Apparatus for Cooling Electronic Devices Using Conductive Hinge Assemblies," is specifically focused on notebook type devices. Here, the hinges on a notebook's screen are effectively used as heat exchangers to cool certain heat-producing components. The last filing, "Methods and Apparatus for Cooling Electronic Devices using Thermoelectric Cooling Components," describes using the Peltier Effect to actively cool components. This can be also described as "solid-state cooling." While it's uncertain when or if we'll see any of these patents come to life in a future Apple product, it is great to see that they're trying to figure out a way to keep MacBooks from being used as frying pans. [via AppleInsider]
Motorola patent combines multiple devices to make one large display
It seems to us that if you indulge in mobile video from time to time, you're either lugging around a device with a decent display size (netbook, tablet, whatevs) or more likely than not you're watching your Britain's Got Talent! clips on a handset -- either solution is obviously less than ideal. What if we told you that Motorola has filed a patent application for a "Reconfigurable Multiple-Screen Display"? This technology will essentially let you configure multiple devices for use as one big display: Instead of lugging around your Thinkpad or suffering the indignity of watching postage stamp-sized video on your Droid you can simply and conveniently carry four phones around. Why didn't we think of that?
Sony wants to patent 'feature erosion' in game demos, illustrates the idea vividly
Want more evidence of the patent degradation of modern society? Well, here's Sony with its latest idea for selling games. The feature-eroding demo concept gives the user the full game to start off with, but then grows increasingly more limited the more you play it. In racing games, that means the number of tracks you can race on gradually dwindles, whereas in classically themed smack-em-ups like God of War your sword, erm... well, it also dwindles. We're kind of on the fence about this -- on the one hand, it's hilariously insulting to the user as it perpetually nags him about what a cheapskate he is for not purchasing the entire game, and yet on the other it does at least let you taste the full breadth of the game, albeit for a limited time. However you may feel, this is still at the application stage, but given the patent office's recent track record, there's no reason why Sony should be denied the rights over this supposed innovation.
Microsoft dreams of smart charging pad with information display (update: prototype pics and video)
It's no Courier, but for a charging pad, this is a pretty interesting concept. According to a patent filed by Microsoft's Beijing office, the idea for such a pad is that it can have one side dedicated to inductive charging (maybe for a future Zune or even Microsoft's own phones), while the other side can be used for displaying useful information "such as weather conditions, sports scores, news headlines." It may not sound very practical at first blush, but have a listen at this -- the built-in accelerometer and the charging surface's load detector help determine which side isn't in use, thus switching that side off to reduce power consumption. Voilà! As for why the eggheads suggested adding a light panel for glowing up a glass prism -- it's the new crystal ball. Update: looks like this device has been around since March 2009! A tipster -- who happens to be affiliated with Microsoft Research Asia -- has just hit us with some photos of a prototype device based on this patent. It's called the uPad (please, don't start) and was produced as souvenirs for Microsoft Research Asia's 10th anniversary. As you can see after the break, the uPad wirelessly charges a modified Wireless Laser Mouse 7000. We want one. Update 2: and now we have a video -- narrated in Chinese -- after the break. Thanks, bfishadow!
Sony patent application reveals universal, LCD-based game controller
Well, here's a bit of an odd one. A recent patent application from Sony has not only revealed an LCD-based game controller (which would be notable enough in itself), but an LCD-based, universal game controller that's designed to work with more than one game console. As you can see above, the touchscreen would be able to accommodate various buttons and layouts for different consoles -- Sony even curiously mentions consoles like the Amiga CD-32 and Atari Jaguar (for emulation, perhaps?), in addition to Microsoft and Nintendo -- and the screen itself would be housed in what Sony describes as a "game controller skin." Of course, this is still just an application for a patent, and we're pretty sure Sony is focused on another controller at the moment. [Thanks, Anand]
Asimo learns to sing and dance, but has yet to learn how to love
From parade appearances to his most recent star turn at Sundance, it looks like Asimo's re-invention as a song-and-dance man continues unabated. Most recently, those crazy intellectual property lawyers-cum-bloggers at Stamoulis & Weinblatt, LLC have hepped us to a patent app in Honda's name that describes a robot that can not only pick up a beat and dance along, but recognize the tune and sing its lyrics as well. The latter is accomplished by a wide array of techno-stuff, including a "sound collecting unit," a "voice signal generating unit" capable of both scat singing and singing singing, a "self-vocalized voice regulating unit," and more. As far as the dancing goes, the application implies that it has something to do with a "beat interval estimating unit" and a "beat time reliability calculating unit," although we like to believe that the automaton learned to dance the way grandpa did -- from Arthur Murray on West 57th Street in Manhattan.
Apple patent application two-fer: new gesture inputs, solar-powered iPods?
We know it's been tough with the dearth of Apple-related speculation as of late, but it looks like we now finally have a few more clues about what the company might be up to courtesy of a pair of recently published patent applications. The first of those is a new type of gesture-based input device, which would not only be able to detect swipes and other simple gestures, but things like brushing or scooping motions that take into account force and velocity (check out an example after the break). The other patent treads a bit of familiar territory for Apple, and describes a built-in solar power system for electronic devices -- such as an iPod, as illustrated above. That could apparently include solar cells covering the entire device, which could be configured to function even if they're partly obstructed by your hand. The system would also supposedly be able to detect if the battery is completely drained and rely solely on the solar cells to power up the device or, alternatively, switch the solar cells to a "second operational state" if it detects that the battery is charged -- if it ever actually exists, that is.
Nokia patent application points to flexible phone displays
It may still be quite a ways from realizing its ambitious Morph concept, but it looks like Nokia has been toying around with the idea of flexible displays as of late, as evidenced by a just-published patent application (first filed back in 2008). Covering a "user interface, device and method for a physically flexible device," the application details (among other things) how a flexible display might be used on a phone to do things other than make it more portable. Most interestingly, that includes bending the phone into a particular shape to perform a specific task -- Nokia suggests rolling it into a can to search for a bar or pub, or bending it into a bowl to search for a restaurant. Not exactly the most imaginative examples, to be sure, although we're sure Nokia will have plenty of time to come up with some more interesting uses before any such phones actually hit the market. [Thanks, Anand]
Two new patents show Apple getting into the energy tracking game, killing power bricks
Apple may already be the favored child of Greenpeace and platform of choice for eco-minded gadgetistas worldwide, but it isn't resting on its laurels. The company looks like it's pondering an entrance into the home automation/energy tracking markets, filing for a pair of patents that would enable devices to register their power usage and communicate with each other using HomePlug Alliance standards. Users would be able to monitor the charging status of connected devices and delay their charges to occur during off-peak hours. There's even a new type of plug that could internally perform AC/DC conversions and automatically provide the appropriate amount of juice to any supporting device. The end of the ubiquitous power brick? Sounds nice, but something tells us it'll be a few decades before we can reclaim that precious space in our carry-ons.
Latest Apple patent app details multitouch tactile keyboard
We're not going so far as to suggest that this here patent application foreshadows the kind of keyboard that'll be on a certain Apple tablet that may or may not be real, but if the suits in Cupertino do actually have such a device in the works, they'd be silly to not apply this technology to it. Dug up by Apple Insider, the latest app details a multitouch tactile keyboard that would boast a dynamic surface for helping typists keep track of where they're at on the board. Essentially, the surface would utilize an "articulating frame" in order to raise and retract bumps to make typing without physical keys a wee bit easier, and while we're certain that it would take some getting used to, it's bound to be simpler than banging on a static surface that requires your eyes to be on it. Don't go getting your hopes up, though -- wouldn't want to get them crushed when late January brings you an iPod touch with a camera, now would you?
Apple applies for head tracking patent, Johnny Chung Lee says 'you're welcome'
Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, "good artists copy and great artists steal." Good thing the quoter was Steve Jobs then, because the latest Apple patent application to go public looks very much like something Johnny Chung Lee pieced together with a Wiimote way back in 2007. Filed for in June 2008, the new patent is for a system tracking the location of the user's head and responding to his movements in a fashion that should generate a realistic three-dimensional viewing experience sans those pesky glasses. We've got video of Johnny's setup after the break, and as he himself describes it, the idea behind a "desktop VR" is to unbound imagery from the screen surface and to make your monitor or TV act like a window unto whatever is being displayed. That means Apple will need a new branding scheme should this application turn into a real product -- iWindow just might be the least likely product name in the history of consumer electronics.
Apple patent application details universal iPhone / iPod dock
Don't get your hopes up too much just yet, but it looks like you might one day no longer need to detangle a USB cable or fiddle with a plastic dock adapter the next time you want to charge or sync your iPhone or iPod. That's if this recently revealed patent application for a new type of universal dock from Apple turns into an actual product, at least. The secret to the dock, such as it is, is that the base would be made of an elastic, sponge-like substance that could conform to any device and hold it in place. What's more, the dock would apparently even be able retain the imprint of your device for convenient use next time, and be reset at the push of the button to let you use it with another device -- we're not quite sure how this thing is supposed to hold up a tablet, though.
Sony's PlayStation motion controller patents venture into abstract realms
We've seen plenty of PlayStation motion control patents from Sony, some of them surprisingly similar to what we've actually observed of the as-yet-unnamed controller. This new one, however, gets a little odd. The basic structure seems familiar, but Sony's recently-filed patent application deals with add-ons in wild ways that not even the peripheral-happy folks at Nintendo have envisioned. Our favorite is probably the double-ender (Fig. 6B for those of you following along at home), which is probably the most assured recipe for a little brother's bloody nose to be run by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office since the longstaff was invented. So, does this mean more cash to shell out for a "full" PS3 motion control experience? We can't imagine Sony being gung-ho about that strategy in the face of the (as yet) add-on free Project Natal, but we suppose we'll just have to wait and find out.
Canon patent application points to touchscreen DSLRs
Touchscreens are still something of a novelty on regular point-and-shoot cameras, but it looks like they may now already be starting to make their trek to DSLRs -- at least if a recently published patent application from Canon is any indication. Of course, a "touchscreen for a DSLR" is a bit tricky to patent on its own, so Canon is taking a slightly more unique approach: attempting to patent a touchscreen that prevents you from accidentally touching things when you hold the camera up to your face. That includes letting you register your dominant eye when you set up the camera, which will in turn automatically disable the portion of the screen more likely to be touched when you go to take a shot using the viewfinder. The patent application also covers what could be controlled using the touchscreen, including settings like the focus detection area, flash adjustment, ISO, white balance, and exposure correction, to name a few -- all of which will surely be welcome to some, but we just hope the touchscreens will be accompanied by at least a few buttons and knobs for us old curmudgeons.
Apple's patent application for pen-based computer remembers fingers can't write
Uh, um, ok... remember how Steve Jobs called the finger, the "best pointing device in the world" while chiding the stylus? Well, guess he wasn't lumping handwriting capabilities in with his lambasting if there's anything to this patent application for recognizing and processing "ink information" from a pen-based computer system that went public today (filed in July 2009). Naturally, the patent app makes liberal mention of tablets as the most recognizable pen-based computing systems; something that will certainly fuel speculation about the much rumored (it is still a rumor right?) Apple tablet possibly sporting a, gulp, stylus. Now go ahead and check the video after the break and listen to Steve Jobs describe the insanely great "pointing device we're all born with" (1:54) in addition to how Apple "invented a new technology called multi-touch" (2:03) with the patents to prove it (2:27 and 6:19). Oh MacWorld 2007, isn't there anything you can't do?
Apple 'Grab & Go' sync patent application features... Engadget
Apple's applied for and gotten a ton of patents this year, and while most of them are fairly boring, we're intrigued by this recently-revealed application for a "Grab & Go" sync system -- and not just because one of the diagrams references Engadget. The idea is to simplify sync by pre-packaging sets of data into categories like family, business, and entertainment that a user could just grab, as well as make sharing files between devices like phones, computers, and even game consoles much easier. The software can adapt to fit multiple connection types and add various levels of encryption and security, including requiring devices to be in close proximity to each other in order to sync. All in all, it sounds like a solid evolutionary addition to MobileMe, and we're curious to see if any of this ever ships -- the patent application was just made public, so it could be a while.
Nokia patent app reveals dreams of pressure-sensitive multitouch interface
Nokia's no stranger to the patent application process here in the United States, and while we've certainly seen some strange ones emanating from its R&D labs, this one looks like something that should be implemented on the double. Explained as a "user interface for controlling an electronic device," the multitouch solution would essentially allow you to pinch, zoom and rotate objects as usual, but it would also employ an array of pressure sensors in order to give your motions a sense of severity. If executed properly, one could theoretically envision the use of a strong push to simulate a double tap (for example), or as a means to activate a secondary function that generally requires another button press or the use of a 'Function' key. Hit the read link for all the mumbo jumbo, but be sure to keep your expectations within check. Or not. [Via UnwiredView]
Apple seeks to take multitouch where it's never been before in new patent app
Another month, another compelling Apple patent application that's just too delectable to ignore. This go 'round, the Cupertino powerhouse has filed a lengthy document that spells out its plans to revolutionize the multitouch game by creating a solution that recognizes both palms and all ten fingers. According to the filing, such a system could provide "unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device," and when we hear things like "computer input device," we think of precisely one thing. Of course, the oft-rumored Apple tablet has been spinning for what feels like ages now, and we've definitely seen countless applications from the company that have yet to lead to any meaningful developments. Still, a multitouch surface that recognizes all ten digits simultaneously? Slap that on a Palm IIIc and we'd still be interested.
