patents - SlashGear

IBM smartwatch patent is a tech origami of unfolding screens

Eric Abent | Jul 8, 2019

If you're the type of person who finds smartwatches to be generally boring devices, then boy does IBM have the patent to you. The company filed a patent for a smartwatch with an unfolding display way back in 2016, and thanks to that patent's recent publication by the USPTO, we're just now getting an idea of what it entails. If you thought folding phones were a bit on the ridiculous side, then this watch will surely elicit a similar reaction.

Apple Watch camera band patent is so weird it might just work

Chris Davies | Jun 25, 2019

Smartwatches with cameras never really took off, not least because early attempts were both bulky and inconvenient, but Apple's designers believe they may have cracked it. A recently granted patent shows just how a future Apple Watch could accommodate a camera without forcing you to twist your wrist uncomfortably, or indeed solely shoot photos up your nose.

Huawei’s second Mate X foldable phone design looks even smarter

Chris Davies | Jun 20, 2019

Huawei may have delayed the launch of its Mate X foldable smartphone, but that doesn't mean the company isn't already thinking up more in the flexible OLED series, and according to a freshly-revealed design patent it's also considering taking the opposite approach. The Huawei Mate X managed to outshine Samsung's big Galaxy Fold announcement, taking Mobile World Congress 2019 by surprise several months ago.

Facebook wants to patent a drone system featuring two kites

Brittany A. Roston | May 30, 2019

Facebook has filed a patent application with the USPTO that details a drone involving two kites. The system, which is simply called a 'dual-kite aerial vehicle,' would use the two kites to maintain a specific altitude while also generating electricity that enables longer duration flights. The application was published by the USPTO on May 30.

LG transparent foldable phone patent is too dreamy

JC Torres | Apr 10, 2019

There are probably three holy grails of mobile devices: a foldable phone/tablet hybrid, a flexible/deformable device, and a transparent tablet. One of those has more or less become a reality but the other two have yet to even see a prototype. That's not stopping companies from filing patents left and right in a race to "reserve" ideas for future use and it seems that LG has just been granted one of the most ambitious one of all, a foldable device that is almost all transparent screen.

OPPO popup, slider second screen patent is as crazy as it sounds

Ewdison Then | Apr 3, 2019

There are patents that make you wish they existed right here, right now. And then there are patents that leave you scratching your head, questioning the thinking process that went into the idea. OPPO's latest patent is, without question, one of the latter. We've all heard of dual screen phones but OPPO's idea of one that slides out definitely takes the crown in terms of oddity and uselessness.

Toyota unlocks 24,000 hybrid car patents to help rivals

Chris Davies | Apr 3, 2019

Toyota is throwing open a huge cache of hybrid and electric vehicle patents, offering royalty-free licensing for rivals wanting to get a head-start on EVs and low-emissions cars. The move comes alongside a new offering of technical support for companies wanting to make electrified vehicles using Toyota components like motors and batteries.

Lenovo foldable phone patent is the oddest one yet

Ewdison Then | Apr 2, 2019

We have seen all sorts of ideas, both in simple renders as well as legal patents, that plays around with the concept of a foldable device, be it a phone or a tablet or anything in between. Some of those, like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X, have become actual products. There are a few, however, that might be better off as just ideas. As far as strange patents go, one of Lenovo's latest probably takes the cake, with a fold and a second screen that barely makes sense.

Amazon hot air balloon Prime Air patent describes stealthy delivery drones

Chris Davies | Apr 2, 2019

Amazon has patented a drone that can turn into a mini airship, a tech mashup that we'd assume was a late April Fools' joke were it not for the retail behemoth's obsession with UAVs. The patent, filed back in early 2016 but granted today, describes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which could switch into a stealthy, quiet-running mode.

Russian anti-drone patent details defense UAV with built-in shotgun

Brittany A. Roston | Apr 1, 2019

While some countries experiment with eagles, drones that launch nets, and signal disruptors, Russia is taking a different approach to dealing with unwanted drones: shotguns. A state-owned Russian weapons company called Almaz-Antey was recently issued a patent for an unmanned aerial vehicle that features a stabilized shotgun for shooting down drones.

Lenovo foldable device could have a Surface Book hinge

JC Torres | Mar 31, 2019

Foldable phones have stolen the MWC show in February but those might not be the only kind of foldable devices manufacturers have in mind. After all, when you are not limited by screen space, anything can be folded. The problem, however, is either in the screen, the hinge, or both. Lenovo has patent yet another one of its ideas though, this time, its "connecting assembly", a.k.a. hinge, is something Microsoft will be too familiar with.

Sony PS5 backward compatibility game hopes raised by patent

Chris Burns | Feb 1, 2019

It would seem that Sony just patented a game emulator for their next major console, tentatively named PS5. The patent actually suggests that a new gaming console would be able to "interpret" the inner workings of previously-released consoles. The patent goes by the name "Impersonating CPUID for backward compatibility" and was registered first in the official Japan Patent Office as of January 31st, 2019.