During Samsung's Q2 financial conference call at the end of July stated that the company would try to expand on their foldable smartphone lineup. While Patently Mobile will be reporting on a number of Samsung's latest folding smartphone patents that have surfaced over the past few months, we begin with a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week. It covers a whole new take on the classic flip phone of yesteryear that includes the ability to fold a large single display in different configurations instead of simply having two separate displays with a physical hinge in the middle.
The key to this invention is its long middle flexible hinge that allows the user to fold the phone in one of three modes of top, middle and bottom which provides the user with three distinct modes of operation.
Samsung's patent FIG. 1A below is a schematic front perspective view of a foldable device, shown in an unfolded state; FIG. 1B is a schematic rear perspective view of the foldable device of FIG. 1A, shown in the unfolded state; and FIG. 1C is a schematic front perspective view of the foldable device of FIG. 1A, shown in a folded state.
In patent FIG. 9B above, the upper area of the foldable smartphone may be folded to be larger than the lower area; In FIG. 9C, the lower portion of the smartphone is bent backwards in an off center configuration so that the camera is able to act as a selfie camera; Folding it another way, as shown in FIG. 10B above, the speaker can be highlighted when using a music app.
The user interface changes direction to accommodate the different phone configurations.
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