Xiaomi had recently joined the ranks of the few OEMs like, Huawei and Samsung, that makes foldable devices. Now, a new patent has revealed that even Google is working on its own foldable devices that would launch sometime in the future.

According to a PatentlyApple report, the search engine giant has filed a patent that showcases their interest in foldable devices. The company filed the patent with the US Patent Office, which was published titled “Hinge Mechanism by Gear Set with Slider for Foldable Display Device.” This implies that the device in question could be a foldable smartphone, tablet, or even a netbook. In the patent, the brand highlights the issues that current foldable devices face and states that its patent offers a solution.

The Google patent first highlights the shortcomings of conventional hinge mechanisms and their issues. After which, the company offers its own solution in which, a device may “include a hinge assembly having a slider mechanism and a set of gears. The slider mechanism and the set of gears operate to transfer a rotational movement into a translational movement of one of a first housing or a second housing.”

To put it simply, the new hinge mechanism can transfer a rotational movement of the flexible device and allow bends without any damage or breakage. Unfortunately, this is still just a patent. While it implies that the Google engineering team is working on the device, it is still too early to offer anything concrete. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available.

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Last November, Google announced that it will be acquiring Fitbit for $2.1 billion. The acquisition is yet to complete but the search giant has already patented a design for a fitness tracker. Like any other patent, it is not sure if this will ever end up as a consumer product.

According to 91Mobiles, Google filed this design patent with the United States Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO). The documentation with a  number of design sketches mentions it to be a “wristband for tracking fitness”.

Looking at the sketches, we can notice that this fitness tracker is somewhat similar to the recently launched Amazon Halo. In other words, it does not feature a screen, and therefore, wearers will have to rely on their connected smartphone to known the readings.

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Further, the strap of this wearable seems to be fitted with the tracker itself. If that is the case, then customers will have to buy a new unit if they want a different color. This suggests that this fitness tracker could be a part of a subscription service just like Amazon Halo.

That said, although the documents do not say anything about this product’s specs, we think that it will use a magnetic charger since there are pogo pins near a sensor that appears to be for heart-rate monitoring.

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Anyway, if Google is ever to release a such wearable, we expect to learn about it before its official announcement via leaks and certifications.

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Amidst a bucket load of patents by companies, Google’s unique patent shows that users can take capture a picture/selfie without a smartphone. Accordingly, it’s new patent shows a smart ring that can take selfies as you wear it.

As spotted by Protocol(via Softpedia news), Google has applied for the patent at USPTO way back in May 2019. However, it got published only on November 10, 2020. USPTO is a United States Patent and Trademark Office. First, the abstract of the patent pretty much confirms that it’s a smart wearable device with a selfie camera.

Google Smart Ring- Structure & Functions

As per the patent description, the smart ring houses an aperture(opening) that is enough to fit a finger. Precisely, it says the aperture is shaped to fit the first finger(finger where the ring sits) of the user. Further, the smart ring has the following components housed inside:

1. A processor(to process, coordinate, transmit data)
2. An input device(button/joystick/touch sensor/lever/dial)
3. An optical sensor(Normal/autofocus camera- to capture images)
4. Transmitter(Transmit the image to an external device- Wireless)
5. Power Source(Optional- battery/fuel cells/ultra-capacitor)- to power processor, transmitter & autofocus camera.
6. An indicator(light source/speaker/haptic feedback device)

Additionally, the smart ring also requires a second wearable device typically a HUD(Heads-Up Display) for transmitting, displaying the images. For representation purposes, Google has shown Smart Glass schematics. Basically, the company says it has not included other implementations to avoid obscuring(keeping it secret) the embodiments.

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To begin with, Google says that the smart ring comprises two surfaces apart from the ring- One which houses the camera, and the other housing the input device. Additionally, both the surfaces are designed to tilt sideways to comfort the user and his/her finger range. Also, the housing that has a camera is capable of protruding out of the platform and beyond the ring.

This is according to the finger it is worn(eg: left index/ring finger). Typically, the finger may be anyone on either hand. Google even mentions that the circular body may also be a helix/spiral shape with a break. Accordingly, it will expand to tolerate the fingers of different sizes.

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Function

As for the input device, a user can perform different actions with different levels of pressure(if button) to it. However, in the case of a touch sensor, it can detect different tap levels, and the right input finger to avoid accidental presses. Other actuation mechanisms can be can also be from a laptop/mobile, response from a human stimulus, eye-tracking via Smart Glass, and more.

Thus on actuating, the sensor captures the image and sends it to the processor. The camera may be a fixed/autofocus camera. According to the position, Google says the camera projects upwards, tilts sideways to capture the image. Also, the possibility of connecting to a HUD hints that it may also live feed the contents to a screen.

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That said the processing unit has a CPU, RF circuitry(RF transceiver/DSP/SIM), I/O, Power. The ring may also include a gyroscope, accelerometers for vibration/shock impact. Additionally, Google also talks about an optional control module. The smart ring may use either wired, Wi-Fi, WiMax, Bluetooth, NFC one-way/bi-directionally to send the data to the second device.

Secondary wearable device(HUD)

Talking about the second wearable device, Google says it could be anything from a smart Glass to a HUD(Heads Up Display). Precisely, it should have a display for viewing contents, processes, and a transmitter to communicate with the smart ring.

Also, other implementations of Google’s secondary wearable device hints at the possibility of a Helmet, Headbands etc. Nevertheless, this looks like an interesting patent from Google and we hope it becomes reality someday.

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