Today the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Samsung that reveals a new kind of cylindrical mobile device that is designed to take advantage of flexible displays that are coming to market in the not-too-distant future. The device could take on different functions and Samsung doesn't want the device to be labelled something with a narrow definition. It could be a smartphone or a mobile TV or a gaming device or a peripheral.
Samsung notes that the device could conveniently deploy a flexible display by using a mechanical force or a shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy may remember at least one shape and is adapted to maintain a shape of the flexible display.
The new device could also introduce a few new ideas such as integrating a 360 degree camera that could be used in sync with their Gear VR peripheral and use a projection system to present users with a virtual keyboard as noted in our cover graphic.
Infrared Ray Output to Produce a Virtual Keyboard
Samsung's patent FIG. 7B noted below is an exemplary view of an electronic device including an infrared ray output.
According to Samsung, the electronic device (#703) illustrated in FIG. 7B may include a housing #710, a support structure #720, and a flexible display #730. In one or more embodiments, an upper end of the support structure may include an infrared ray output unit (or an infrared ray sensor) #720c.
In addition, the infrared ray output unit may output a specific pattern through an infrared ray. For example, the infrared ray output unit may output a keyboard pattern 750c. The electronic device may recognize an operation of the user and a change of the keyboard pattern by using the infrared ray output unit or another sensor. Various pieces of information, such as texts and symbols, which are inputted by the user, may be outputted on the flexible display.
360 Degree Camera
Samsung's patent FIG. 7A noted below is an exemplary view illustrating that an image is photographed by using an electronic device. In one or embodiments, the panorama image #750a may be transmitted to a peripheral virtualization device (for example, a Gear VR), and the user may view a 3-D image using the virtualization device.
According to Samsung the electronic device illustrated in the configuration shown in patent FIG. 7A above, may include camera module #720a. The user may take a picture or a video by using the camera.
For example, when the user is moving, for example, during exercise or travel, they may mount the electronic device on a part of their body or an object such as a bike (shown below) or skate board, and may capture picture or video while the flexible display is inside the housing.
As another example, when the user is in a relatively still state, they may capture a picture or a video while deploying the flexible display in order to identify a subject to be photographed through the flexible display. As another example, the user may capture a selfie image while gripping a lower end of the housing.
According to one or more embodiments, when the camera module is mounted on an upper end of the support structure, a panorama image may be captured while the upper end of the support structure rotates by 360 degrees.
The user may grip a lower end of the housing #710, and may conveniently capture the panorama image including objects of the surrounding environment. In one or more embodiments, the panorama image 750a may be transmitted to a peripheral virtualization device (for example, a gear VR), and the user may view a 3-D image using the virtualization device.
Samsung's patent FIG. 5 below illustrates an electronic device, a flexible display of which is exposed through an intermediate part of a housing; In patent FIG. 6 we're able to see an exemplary view for displaying information through a housing.
Other random patent points about the device includes Wirelessly Charging; the possible use of a "solar battery" and that the device could double as a mobile TV using DMB and/or Media Flow.
Samsung filed their patent application back in November 2016. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
For the record, back in 2015 Lenovo had a concept smartphone using a projector for a virtual keyboard that was likely too ahead of its time. Another similar concept could be viewed here. Samsung's concept is well ahead of either of these two.
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