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Microsoft patent points to folding dual-screen notebook
New patent filings from Microsoft appear to hint at that foldable notepad we've heard rumors of for a while, The Verge reports. Filed earlier this week, the patent contains a number of images depicting a unique hinge and a few that show a foldable, two screen device that appears to work in a number of configurations.
Spacesuit 'take me home' feature could save lost astronauts
The greatest fear for many astronauts is to get lost or disoriented during a spacewalk, especially if it's untethered. How do you get back to safety with no sense of direction, little to no help and a limited supply of oxygen? Researchers at Draper might offer a lifeline. They recently applied for a patent on a self-return feature in spacesuits that would automatically navigate back to the astronaut's home ship. A spacefarer in a panic could just slap a button and know they would get back to the airlock.
Samsung envisions phones that read your palm
There's a good possibility that you've forgotten a password and had to get hints or recover it. But the process for that isn't very trustworthy. Intruders can guess security questions, for one thing. Samsung might soon have a subtler way of helping you remember your password, though: it would give you a palm reading. A recently published patent application shows that Samsung has been exploring a system that would scan the unique lines on your palm and use them to display hints in the form of incomplete characters. You'd get a nudge in the right direction, but nothing so obvious that a thief could guess it (even if they could use your hand).
Google patents a motorized Chromebook hinge that can open itself
If you've been struggling to open your own laptop each day, a new patent granted to Google for its Pixel line of notebook computers may be just what you need. Titled "Notebook Computer with Motorized Display Positioning," the patent shows a motorized hinge that will open the display with some sort of touch on the top of the portable computer. The patent also mentions sensors that can detect users from specific distances as well as detect your face so the display can adjust its angle automatically.
TiVo wins one of its patent fights with Comcast
TiVo has good news going into the holiday season: The International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled that Comcast's X1 set-top boxes violate two of TiVo's patents related to setting recordings from a mobile device. As a result, there's now an import ban on "certain" X1 boxes that violate the patents, but older models won't be affected, Reuters reports. An import ban would mean that offending gadgets that've already been brought into the country can't be sold. This ban could be overturned by the Trump administration during the presidential review period. Bloomberg writes that that sort of thing happening is a pretty rare occurrence.
Uber is working on tools to fight motion sickness in self-driving cars
Motion sickness is a real problem in self-driving cars. As you're not in control of where the car is going, you might feel queasy when the vehicle moves in ways you weren't anticipating. Uber clearly needs to minimize that urge to hurl if it's going to create an autonomous fleet -- and accordingly, it's exploring technology that could make you feel at ease. It's applying for a patent on a raft of technologies that would counter motion sickness by stimulating your senses as the car moves, distracting your brain.
CBS is suing someone for posting a 'Gunsmoke' screenshot online
CBS is suing a photographer for copyright infringement as a means of avoiding paying a copyright infringement claim the photographer filed against the TV network. Yes, you read that correctly. Jon Tannen posted a screenshot of the old show Gunsmoke to one of his social media accounts, according to Torrent Freak and when CBS caught wind, it filed a $150,000 lawsuit (PDF) citing:
Apple and Samsung are headed back to court... again
The case that never ends is going back to court. Back in 2012, Apple won a lawsuit against Samsung that sought damages for a handful of patent infringements involving smartphone functionality and design. At the time, Apple was awarded $1 billion, but that sum has been whittled down and in December of 2015, Samsung agreed to pay Apple a lesser $548 million. However, last December, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that overturned the 2012 decision, which ultimately led to yesterday's District Court decision to retry the case.
Tesla envisions mobile EV battery swapping machines
Tesla has filed a patent application for a machine that will enable technicians to swap EV battery packs in as little as 15 minutes. The EV-maker initially toyed with the idea of building rigs that can quickly replace its cars' battery packs back in 2013 -- it even demoed the system at an event. That didn't quite pan out, but it clearly hasn't given up on its plans of providing customers a quick way to get their packs swapped out. As Electrek notes, the new design is more compact than the one it showed off a few years ago and could even be mobile, probably so it could easily be placed in strategic locations where Superchargers aren't available.
Amazon waves goodbye to its one-click purchase patent
Way back in 1999, Amazon patented a feature that soon became iconic: One-click purchasing. Who knows how impulse buys were committed thanks to this innovation bypassing the normal online checkout procedure when our better angels typically step in? Regardless, Amazon's iron reign over this particular feature is over: On Tuesday, the company's patent for one-click buying expired.
Sonos FCC filing confirms a voice-powered speaker
At this point, it's probably easier to list off who isn't making a voice-controlled smart speaker (that we know of). Thanks to an FCC filing, it looks like Sonos is getting close to jumping into the fray. "Product model S13 is a high-performance all-in-one wireless smart speaker and part of Sonos' home sound system," the document reads. "S13 adds integrated voice control functionality with far field microphones. Moreover, the device will support multiple voice platforms and music services, allowing customers to effortlessly control their music on Sonos." That lays it out pretty well, no?
Microsoft Hololens patent hints at a new wand-style controller
Microsoft has been focused more on mixed reality lately than Hololens AR lately, unveiling VR motion controllers and helping Dell, Lenovo, Acer, HP and others with their MR headset launches in May. It's still on the job with Hololens, though, as Twitter user @h0x0d (WalkingCat) discovered a Microsoft patent for a wand-like interface for the headset. It looks like it could serve as a gaming gun or business pointing device, as it comes with a trigger, buttons and a finger shield.
Walmart may use a blimp to deploy its delivery drones
Hey, Amazon: you aren't the only one who pictures blimps full of delivery drones. Walmart has applied for a patent on "gas-filled carrier aircrafts" that would serve as airborne bases, helping courier drones fly to homes they couldn't reach if they flew from a fixed location. The concept isn't completely new, of course (Amazon filed for a similar patent in 2016) but Walmart goes into exacting detail. Blimps would fly at altitudes up to 1,000 feet and talk to a remote scheduling system that indicates when drones should fetch packages from inside the blimp and head to their destinations.
Facebook patent reveals more details about its AR glasses
Mark Zuckerberg showed off a render of the AR glasses Facebook is working on last year, but he didn't reveal a lot of details about the device. Now, we finally know a bit more about it, thanks to a new patent application filed by members of Oculus' advanced research division. The application, obtained by Business Insider, is for "waveguide display with two-dimensional scanner" that "may augment views of a physical, real-world environment with computer-generated elements."
Motorola designed a phone screen that repairs itself
Motorola doesn't just want to make phone screens that are shatter-resistant... if it has its way, what cracks that do show up could be fixed on the spot. It recently applied for a patent on a phone screen whose shape memory polymer heals damage when you subject it to rapid changes in heat. The phone itself could produce the heat (Motorola even envisions an app that tells the phone where to start repairs), but your body heat, a dock or a plug-in panel might also work.
Waymo patents cars that soften to safeguard pedestrians
Self-driving cars are supposed to be safer by nature, as they shouldn't make nearly as many driving errors as humans. However, Waymo might not be willing to take any chances. The Alphabet-owned company recently received a patent for technology that would soften a car's body in the event of a collision with a pedestrian. The feature would change the rigidity of body panels, bumpers and the hood using underlying cables, rods or springs. The moment sensors detect an imminent pedestrian impact, the car would loosen those underpinnings and create a relatively gentle surface that reduces injuries.
Federal court steps in to protect podcasts from patent troll
The venerable podcast is the bastion of broadcasters big and small, from major news outlets to DIY publishers. But, for the last few years, this hallowed ground has come under threat from patent troll Personal Audio -- which has tried to sue podcasters of all sizes. It claims it created the concept of the podcast. Thankfully, the U.S. Court of Appeals disagrees. A three-judge panel of the court just affirmed a previous decision rendering Personal Audio's patent invalid. The ruling declares the company was trying to protect an invention that already existed. Meaning podcasters and listeners can rest easy, for now.
Apple ordered to pay university a tiny $506 million patent fine
Apple is no stranger to patent lawsuits, but the tech giant has been dragged through the mud again after a judge added a hefty additional fine to a case originally heard in 2015. The company has been ordered to pay the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) $506 million for infringing on a patent involving processors found in some versions of the iPhone. The patent was obtained by WARF in 1998.
Apple could let you discreetly call 911 with your fingerprint
Calling the emergency services is a deliberately easy process -- just three digits in most countries, simple enough for a child to learn. But Apple may have plans to make it even more straightforward, after patenting a new way of calling for help using just your fingertips. The patent describes how the user could program different fingerprints, patterns and even the amount of force required to switch the phone into 'panic mode'. This would result in the phone calling the emergency services, and could activate a live-stream of video, or provide location data via GPS. Personal safety smart jewelry -- already on the market -- works in a similar way.
Amazon dreams of putting a giant drone beehive in your city
Patents don't mean anything right up until the moment that they mean everything, so take it as read that none of this could happen. Amazon has, however, registered a patent for a concept that it's calling a "Multi-Level Fulfillment Center for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles." Which is a fancy way of saying that it wants to build enormous cylindrical warehouses at the heart of towns and cities. Rather than delivery folks driving parcels to your home, the building will be jam-packed with drones, which fill fly in and out of the location's many windows.
