In March, Reuters had posted a fascinating report titled "Samsung: 'Fast Executioner' seeks Killer Design" which basically covered the evolutionary struggle Samsung has gone through over the years in finding their design footing for smartphone and tablets. The article stated that "Designing something people can love is an art, which requires risk taking and is based more on experience than data. Samsung needs to learn to lead more. They analyze all creativity to death, they lack self-confidence." In hindsight that may have been the case, but Samsung seems to be moving forward at the speed of light on certain fronts and their engineers are pounding out inventions like a cookie factory. That pace of productivity pushes creativity as they gain experience. In one of Samsung's recent inventions we're able to see their creative side beginning to surface and shine. Samsung has invented a new dual display Smartphone/eBook-like device that incorporates a very unique remote control that could take on several service functions. Today's report walks you through the basics.
Samsung's Patent Overview
Today's mobile communication terminals, in addition to their inherent communication function (e.g., voice call and message transmission), now include technologies that allow for functions, such as a TV viewing and digital video broadcasting, music reproducing, photographing (still and video camera), and many different types of network (.e.g., internet) access, etc.
To support the advancement of services and capabilities coming to future dual display devices, Samsung envisions the need for a multi-functional peripheral to accompany these devices so as to assist users control their TV, radio, music messaging and more.
Samsung's multi-functional peripheral (MFP) is uniquely designed to fit into the spine of the dual display booklet as shown below in figure 1. The MFP could use near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, infrared that could support many functions of the device.
According to Samsung's invention, when the MFP is connected through a hinge of the device, a charging function may be provided by the device so that a charging process for the multi-functional peripheral device may be omitted. In addition, when the multi-functional peripheral device is connected to the device, various events generated from the device may be forwarded and controlled.
Samsung's invention generically refers to a "folding device" throughout the patent application. To clarify, Samsung states that the folding device could be a mobile communication terminal operated under the communication protocols corresponding to various communication systems, a tablet PC, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a digital broadcasting player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable game terminal, a netbook, a laptop computer, and a smartphone.
Includes a Sub-Display System
One aspect of the multi-functional peripheral device may be set to serve as a sub-display unit so that information regarding events, such as reception of SNS (Social Networking Service) generated from the device, reception of RSS, (Rich Site Summary) and media reproduction may be displayed and that the displayed information may be confirmed or controlled.
Other Functions of the Multi-Functional Peripheral
Samsung's multi-functional peripheral device noted above may additionally display caller information on a received call, as indicated above under <501>, according to a call function of the folding device.
Samsung states that information such as real time messages received through a Social Networking Service (SNS), such as Facebook, Tweeter, Metoday, and the like may be displayed as noted in <502 > above.
Information regarding music data and a music reproducing function (e.g., a control item for controlling a function in connection with reproduction) may be displayed as noted above in <504>.
In addition, the multi-functional peripheral device may output information such as Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), e-mail, e-book, and the like that are fed back and may display information for controlling function of these services or operations.
Mini Remote Controller
One of the more interesting functions associated with the new multi-functional peripheral is the it could also be set to serve as a remote controller so that reproduction of media may be remotely controlled. When the multi-functional peripheral device is operated as a headset, audio may be outputted during playing a media file or the sound source may be transmitted and received for vocal/video communications. This is noted above in <505>. The remote will also be used for games, according to Samsung.
Although it's not shown in our report, an associated Samsung patent did in fact illustrate the folding device in landscape mode so as to support such apps as TV, movies, games and so forth.
Samsung's patent application was originally filed in Q4 2011and published by the US Patent and Trademark Office last month.
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