Patently Mobile has obviously been way behind schedule with our Samsung patent report coverage. To make up for lost time, today's patent report covers four of the latest Samsung foldable smartphone patents that we have on record. Instead of over describing them, I've provided links to each of the patents so that you could dig into these patents yourself for all of the nitty-gritty details that you could possibly handle.
#1: Samsung Folding Smartphone Display Invention
Samsung's patent-pending invention relates to a display device including a window coating layer with high durability and to effectively prevent a delamination issue, which may occur during a bending step.
Samsung further notes that the window coating layer includes a first region which has an increasing elastic modulus in a direction from the display panel toward the window coating layer.
Samsung's patent FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a smartphone (display device); FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating a folded structure of the display device of FIG. 1.
Samsung filed for this patent in the U.S. in December 2017. To review details check out patent 20180248150 here.
#2: Samsung Folding Smartphone Display Invention
This is a Samsung patent that was granted to them yesterday title "Foldable Display" Samsung states that their invention relates to a "foldable display having a first configuration where the foldable display is unfolded and a second configuration that the foldable display is folded including: a first display unit located on a front surface of the foldable display; a second display unit located on one side surface of the foldable display and inclined at a first angle of inclination with respect to the first display unit; a third display unit located on another side surface of the foldable display and inclined at a second angle of inclination with respect to the first display unit."
Samsung's patent FIGS. 1A is a front perspective view of a foldable display in a first configuration; FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of a foldable display in a first configuration; FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of a foldable display in a second configuration; FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a foldable display with an activated fourth display unit; FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a foldable display with a lock release button.
Samsung filed for this U.S. patent in August 2017 and was granted patent #10,082,996 yesterday by the U.S. Patent Office. You could review the details here.
#3: Samsung Folding Smartphone Display Invention
Samsung was granted this folding display and device patent back in August 2018. Samsung's invention relates to a foldable display device which includes a first display area; a second display area; and a first folding area between the first display area and the second display area and including first, second, and third folding axes, wherein the first folding axis is between the second and third folding axes. The foldable display device could be folded in both directions. The foldable display device is to fold in one direction of the both directions on the basis of the first folding axis and is to fold in the other direction of the both directions on the basis of the second and third folding axes.
Each of the first display area, the second display area, and the first folding area may include a display surface, the display surface of the first display area and the display surface of the second display area may display an image when the foldable display device is outer folded, the display surface of the first display area and the display surface of the second display area may face outside the foldable display device when the foldable display device is outer folded.
The first folding area may be inner folded on the basis of the first folding axis to allow the display surface of the first display area to face the display surface of the second display area, or the first folding area is outer folded on the basis of the second and third folding axes may allow the display surface of the first display area and the display surface of the second display area to face outside.
Samsung's patent FIG. 1A above illustrates an embodiment of a foldable display device while patent FIG. 1B illustrates the foldable display device in a first folded state. The first, second and third folding axis are noted on both figures as FX1, FX2 and FX3.
To review more of Samsung's granted patent details, check out patent number 10,043,421. Samsung filed for this patent in the U.S. on January 2016. It was granted by the U.S. Patent Office on August 7, 2018. For more details, check out their granted patent here.
#4: Samsung Folding Smartphone Display Invention
The last folding smartphone patent from Samsung was made public in late August. This particular foldable device is far more elaborate than the other three noted above. The design calls for a display on the cover of the folding smartphone in addition to a large display on the inside when unfolded. The larger unfolded inside display could be configured to appear as two displays and allow for different app layouts or appear as one gigantic display for playing movies or mobile TV as you could see in the patent figures below.
There's a ton of interesting information about this model of foldable smartphone and you could read more about it here.
We're reportedly to hear from Samsung about their future foldable smartphone at their developer conference in December. Samsung has a huge list of foldable and scrollable device patents that you could review in our archives here. Just how elaborate a folding smartphone Samsung is willing to introduce as their first model is unknown.
Logic says that they will ease into this new form factor with a relatively simple foldable smartphone that could be a real yawner. Technically Samsung could deliver a more elaborate dual display smartphone or large flex display model that's foldable as their patents bare out. I personally believe that sexy dual displays or ones with large foldable flex displays are still years away.
Could Samsung defy logic? Yes they can, but only time will tell if they have the courage to do so. Stay tuned.
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