Samsung Electronics Co. has recently filed a series of robotics patents in the United States, signaling its commitment to exploring robotics as a potential growth sector. The patents cover a range of applications, including walking assistance devices and pet monitoring machines, showcasing Samsung’s focus on developing innovative robotic technologies.

Samsung’s robotics patents bring us closer to a technologically advanced lifestyle

One of the patents involves a robotic technology specifically designed to monitor pets’ movements and detect their emotions. Unlike pet robots requiring manual control, Samsung’s robot has autonomous capabilities. Shaped like a round device and equipped with two wheels, it can follow and track pets in real time. The robot utilizes an internal camera to analyze pet behavior patterns, enabling it to detect emotions and movements accurately. Additionally, integrated microphones allow the robot to recognize sounds produced by pets, facilitating interactive communication with pet owners.

Samsung Electronics also filed a patent for a walking assist robot intended to be worn by individuals. This robot, anticipated to be part of Samsung’s prospective healthcare robotic brand called BotFit, aims to assist people with limited mobility, particularly the elderly. It operates along pre-programmed routes, ensuring seamless and safe movement even in situations where communication is disrupted due to device errors. Notably, the device has received ISO 13849 certification.

Samsung Electronics’ patented robot finger has garnered attention due to its potential applications in industrial, medical, and home settings. The robot finger comprises two sensors that enable object detection and grasping.

Addressing the need for efficient disinfection in public spaces during contagious outbreaks, Samsung Electronics developed a spray-on robot. This machine utilizes sensors to identify areas that require disinfection, providing an automated solution for effectively combating the spread of diseases.

Another notable patent involves a technology that allows robots to detect various heights along their paths. Additionally, Samsung Electronics has designed a sensor specifically for automatic charging, simplifying the charging process for robotic devices.

Samsung Electronics has established a dedicated team of robot engineers, underscoring its commitment to expanding its presence in the robotics industry. The company’s focus on innovation is expected to result in the unveiling of a walking assist device later this year, further highlighting its dedication to enhancing mobility solutions.

RELATED:

• Samsung Trademarks Three More Monikers Related To Smart Rings And Wearables
• Samsung 83-inch Class OLED 4K TV officially goes on sale for $5,400
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5 EU price tipped ahead of launch
• Nothing Phone (1) vs Nothing Phone (2): Specs Comparison

(Source)

The post Samsung files robotics patents for pet emotion detection, spray robots, and more appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Japanese tech giant Sony recently unveiled the PlayStation VR2 at CES 2022 and provided some of its specs along with some in-game footage showcasing its functionalities. And now, a new patent has surfaced revealing a 3D Scanner that might allow gamers to put real-world items into video games and VR spaces.

According to a report by GameRant, the patent was initially submitted to the patent office back in June of 2021, however, Sony has had to resubmit it with adjustments due to conflicts with other patents.

In a figure provided in the patent, we can observe that the upcoming tech will allow users to scan real-life objects, which can then be rendered into the virtual space. Sony has not mentioned any explicit use of the technology. Still, some possible applications can be using it in VR games to render real-life items into the game, uses in the evergrowing metaverse to generate your real-life possessions into the virtual space, and even a tool for animators and game developers which could potentially make their jobs a lot easier.

Readers should note that the patent has not been granted to sony yet therefore we might have to wait for a while before this technology is made available.

RELATED:

• BGMI partners with Sony for exclusive ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ in-game content
• Xiaomi successfully Patents an All-Screen Fingerprint Scanner for its future smartphones, here how it works
• Apple iPhones and iPads may soon charge accessories through their screens: Reveals patent
• Sony patents a banana as a possible PlayStation 5 controller

The post Sony patent 3D Scanner that adds Real-World Items Into games & VR appeared first on Gizmochina.

A new patent for an LG laptop has surfaced on the World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO) portal. The patent appears to be submitted by LG back on June 8th, 2020, which WIPO has published on December 24th, 2021.

First spotted by MySmartPrice, the concept laptop features multiple displays. The keyboard of the concept laptop is considerably smaller than what we find on traditional laptops. However, there are two displays present on both ends of the keyboard.

The displays offer touch functionality and are capable of performing multiple tasks according to LG’s patent filing which specifically reads, “This design is a laptop computer with functional touch pads on both sides of the keyboard; shows the touch pads on the subject design been converted to a numeric keypad and a functional pad that can adjust the volume, screen brightness, etc.; the letters, numbers, and icons on the functional touch pads and the broken lines, indicate portions of the article that form no part of the claimed design.”

To simplify, the touchpads on both sides of the keyboard are multifunctional, and the one on the right could work as a trackpad and also double up as a numeric keypad while the left one could be used for various controls such as adjusting the brightness and volume levels on the laptop and many other functionalities. However, we expect the functionality of these touch screens to be customizable, which will offer great potential for productivity.

Notably, a large section of the base panel where traditionally the keyboard on a laptop resides has been left empty. LG could utilize this real estate in many ways, including integrating powerful speakers or a wide secondary display with stylus support for artists and designers.

Additionally, the patents show the laptop has a tilt-up hinge that looks akin to Asus‘s ErgoLift hinge design. This type of hinge allows the bottom of the display lifts the back of the machine when you open the lid, giving the vents in the base more room to breathe. This cooling suggestion suggests that the laptop might come packing some powerful hardware.

As the design patents have just been published, it is hard to estimate a release timeline of the device, but you can trust us to deliver you any new and notable developments.

RELATED:

• Apple to rely on Samsung and LG for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max punch-hole displays
• LG DualUp monitor announced with an ultra-tall 16:18 aspect ratio
• LG demonstrates its progress in 6G technology at a Korean exhibition
• Chinese modder cuts down an LG Wing to make a custom compact smartphone

The post LG patents laptop with touch pads on both sides of the keyboard appeared first on Gizmochina.

Smartphone manufacturers have been using increasingly creative ways to achieve a full front screen body on for their offerings. Currently, one of the more popular ones is the punch hole selfie camera format. Now, Samsung is getting creative with this type of selfie shooter that it employs on its flagship devices as it has patented a new device that depicts a status indicator on the punch hole camera.

Samsung Electronics had filed five design patents with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) back in 2019. These patents all focused on the selfie camera, which was surrounded by a graphical interface. The interface serves the purpose of revealing the status of the task the user is performing and more. An example given in the patent description describes its use in a time lapse video, where the status indicator will display the progress status of the camera timer.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi 10 for Rs. 49,999 (~$661) brings 108MP quad cameras, 90Hz display and Snapdragon 865

While there had been rumors regarding the Galaxy Note 20 series arriving with an under display camera, the viability of the technology is still unknown. So, it is likely that the flagship series will launch in the latter half of this year with a punch hole format. Hence, we might see a status indicator around its single or even dual selfie setup on the front, as depicted within the patented designs themselves. The status indicator around the camera is in various shapes like square, ovaloid, and even circular.

The graphical interface also indicates other statuses like the downloads. This could be in the form of a status bar that fills up and progresses according to the live download a user may have in the background. This design isn’t completely unheard of, as the Meizu 17 also uses this in a certain manner, like having the punch hole camera to act as a battery indicator. So, we may see it in the near future, although, this is just a patent and has yet to be confirmed officially. Thus, take it with a grain of salt.

UP NEXT: Meizu 17 series launched with Snapdragon 865, 3D sensing camera, & Wireless Charging

(Via)

The post Samsung patents a smartphone with a status indicator on a punch hole camera appeared first on Gizmochina.

The total number of patents granted by the United States to Chinese companies grew by a significant percentage in 2019. Thus, recording a notable growth among the prominent global economies.

According to the annual report released on Tuesday by IFI Claims, a New Havens-based patent firm, the US granted 34% additional patents to Chinese mainland companies last year. When you put this into perspective, the US granted 333,530 patents to Chinese mainland companies in 2019, a 15% increase from the previous year.

Among the hundred thousand patents filed, Chinese mainland companies filed for 16,900 patents, an increase from 12,599 back in 2018. Patents by US companies stood next in line at 15.95%, the second-fastest growth recorded this year. According to senior analyst Larry Cady of IFI Claims, Chinese companies have recorded the highest volume of patents filed in the past couple of years. The trend has primarily been in the technology sector where China has witnessed some major growth in the recent past.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei’s global 5G smartphone shipments exceeds 6.9 million units in 2019

According to the same survey, US companies hold nearly 49% of the patents granted last year, closely followed by Japan and South Korea. The recent growth spurt saw China climb by 5% to the 4th spot, pushing Germany down to 5th for the first time. Two Chinese conglomerates made it to the list of top 15 companies last year. While Huawei gained six positions to enter the top 10, BOE Technologies climbed up the charts to reach position 13.

According to Cady, the Chinese companies are hopeful of the United States lifting the ban on conducting business with US enterprises. Hence, recording the spurt in filing a patent. Another prominent name in the Top 10 list of companies is CRISPR technologies. It is known for creating hybrid plants, vehicle dashboards, medicinal preparations in the field of cancer treatment, and 3D printing.

UP NEXT: Huawei P40 Pro screen glass reveals notch-less quad-curved display

(source)

The post US grant record number of patents to Chinese firms in 2019 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Earlier this year, Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold. Despite the device not having a steady initial launch, the company has relaunched the device which was one of the first of its kind successfully. Smartphones with folding displays have been a popular trend of 2019 with many companies like Huawei and Motorola also having foldable device offerings. Now, a new report suggests that Samsung is also working on a new Galaxy tab with a foldable display.

The recent Samsung patents reveal a Samsung Galaxy Tab featuring clamshell based folding display. In other words, the device, unlike the Galaxy Fold, will bend from the top to the bottom (vertically) rather than from either side (horizontally) similar to Motorola Razr 2019. Notably, the patents also reveal a full body screen on the front which may suggest that the Korean tech giant might be implementing an in-display front camera.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy S11 Geekbench listing reveals Exynos 9830 SoC (Exynos 990) and 12GB RAM 

The design from the patents and renders also showcase the key functional aspect of the tab. With this device, Samsung may develop a Galaxy Tab with portability in mind as the device after being folded will be easier to carry and might be able to fit in pockets as well. Furthermore, the designs also show that the device could be used in the form of a mini laptop by resting its bottom half on a surface and using the upper portion as the main screen. The folding mechanic might lead to the inclusion of some interesting multitasking mechanics. Since the Galaxy Fold received acclaim for being a phone capable of tablet functionality, the aforementioned capability of turning into a mini laptop might be more appealing to the business-related markets as well.

The design patents for the upcoming device were applied for by Samsung Electronics and in the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the World Intellectual Office database. Unfortunately, we don’t know if Samsung plans to bring this design into reality.

UP NEXT: MediaTek 5G chip prices have risen by 20% but companies are willing to pay the premium

(Via)

The post Samsung patents a Galaxy Tablet that Folds into a Passport Sized screen appeared first on Gizmochina.

Will you be surprised if I told you that Huawei filed the most number of international patent applications in 2018? It filed 5,405 patent applications last year which was twice as many as Mitsubishi Electric and Intel, which ranked second and third in the list. However, this doesn’ tell you the whole story, or at least that’s what Patent Result, a Tokyo-based research company, believes.

According to the quality analysis of the patents filed by the top applicants in 2018, Huawei’s patent applications were not exactly innovative. According to Patent Result’s analysis, only 21% of the patents filed by Huawei can be classified as ‘highly innovative’. In comparison, Intel and Qualcomm which are ranked third and fourth in the list had 32% and 44% ‘highly innovative’ patents under their name, respectively.

What’s even more interesting is that the contribution of North American talent in filing these high-quality patents is pretty high. Patent Result found that out of the 30 best Huawei engineers, 17 of those engineers were recruited from foreign companies, the majority from North American ones. So, their research reveals that the talents poached from companies like Motorola and other IT giants (note that Moto, under Lenovo, is now a Chinese company) is driving Huawei’s R&D.

Editor’s Pick: ZTE patents phone with punch hole hidden between network icons

Another important point highlighted by their research is Huawei’s aggressive patent buying spree. The telecommunications giant has reportedly purchased around 500 patents from foreign companies, out of which 250 were from U.S. companies. These purchases have a significant impact on the company’s patent portfolio since they account for nearly 67% of its ‘high quality’ patents. The report adds that IBM and Yahoo both sold a large number of patents to Huawei, 40 and 37 respectively.

To recall, back in July, U.S. Senators had introduced a bill to block Huawei from buying or selling US patents. Given how foreign patents form an important part of the company’s patent portfolio, this move could be a blow to Huawei’s technological advancement. The bill essentially wants to block companies listed on its trade blacklist from buying, selling, or exclusively licensing U.S. patents. It would also give the government the authority to step in any domestic case relating to patent infringement.

Finally, it’s worth adding that tech companies are generally aggressive when it comes to strengthening their patent portfolio. Samsung was ranked second in the list of most number of U.S. patents granted in 2018. Apple took the eleventh spot while Huawei was at the nineteenth spot on the list.

UP NEXT: Huawei won’t build Electric Cars but will help existing automotive companies with Technology: Official

(Source)

The post Huawei filed the most number of patents in 2018, but that’s not the whole story appeared first on Gizmochina.

Shenzhen Transsion holdings might not be a very familiar name for most smartphone users here. So, if this name is not ringing a bell, how about Tecno, Infinix Mobile or iTel? I’m sure many of you may have heard at least one of these brands before and if you didn’t know, they are all owned by Transsion. The company made its debut at the STAR Market (Nasdaq style board for tech stocks by Shanghai stock exchange) earlier today but just before its IPO, Huawei slapped a lawsuit against Transsion in China.

Huawei sued Transsion in a local court in Shenzhen China, where both these companies are based. The lawsuit is specifically for IP theft and concerns Transsion and five of its subsidiaries. The local court has reportedly accepted the lawsuit, so we should hear more about this in the coming weeks.

Intellectual Property (IP) Rights are very important for any smartphone company. However, Transsion doesn’t have a lot of patents under its belt. The company reportedly has only 630 patents and 286 computer software copyrights to its name in China, which is minuscule as compared to competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi which have over 100,000 patents individually.

Editor’s Pick: No other Mi MIX smartphone launching this year, confirms Xiaomi executive

So how did Transsion become the largest smartphone vendor in China with such a small number of patents?

The company basically established its dominance in Africa with extremely cheap smartphones that rely on old technologies like 2G whose patents have expired. Its Tecno, iTel, and Infinix brands all individually rank within the top 5 vendors in the African smartphone market. But as competitors like Xiaomi and Huawei are expanding its presence in the African continent, IP rights are going to be very important for Transsion. Also, Africa is slowly modernizing with technologies like 3G and 4G, which will force Transsion to improve its IPR position in the region.

So a lawsuit from a giant like Huawei won’t be welcomed by the company.

However, this lawsuit hasn’t affected the company’s IPO today. Transsion’s shares opened at RMB 53 ($7.4) which was a strong 50.7% higher than the listing price of RMB 35.15 ($4.93) per share. The company is reportedly valued at around RMB 42.4 billion which comes to around $5.95 billion.

UP NEXT: US government asks judge to dismiss lawsuit filed by Huawei

(Via)

The post Huawei sues Infinix & Tecno’s parent company for IP theft in China appeared first on Gizmochina.

Patents are one of the biggest assets for any technology company and last month, Huawei decided to retaliate to the US trade ban by demanding Verizon to pay over $1 billion in total as fees for over 230 patents. Now, two US senators want to block Huawei from buying or selling US patents by introducing a new bill in the country.

The WSJ reports that the bill essentially seeks to give power to the US federal government to stop companies listed on its trade blacklist from buying, selling, or exclusively licensing US patents. It would give the government the authority to step in any domestic case relating to patent infringement. Further, the bill will force the blacklisted company to notify the Justice Department as well as the Patent and Trademark office of such a case and provide details on the infringement, financial implications, and damages demanded.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei says HongMeng OS is not for smartphones, will keep using Android

The bill is clearly aimed at Huawei who is currently in the government’s crosshairs. Naturally, the Chinese telecommunications giant is not happy with this bill. The WSJ report adds a statement from Andy Purdy, chief security officer for Huawei Technologies USA – “If (this bill is) adopted, it could have severe negative ramifications by creating global mistrust of the U.S. and its ability in upholding, as well as safeguarding intellectual property rights.”

While Trump’s comments from the G20 summit had eased some of the tensions between the US and China, there are still a lot of new developments worsening the situation. For example, US-based Cape, a cloud platform vendor for drone telepresence and data management, abruptly stopped support for the popular drone maker, DJI as well as other Chinese drone makers. On the other hand, a recent editorial for the state-run Globaltimes argues that China could anytime leverage its position in rare earth minerals to pressurize the US.

Overall, it looks like this trade war is far from over and we’ll see a lot more developments in the coming months.

UP NEXT: Huawei Mate X Foldable gets listed on TENAA; China launch seems imminent

(Source)

The post US Senators introduce Bill to block Huawei from Buying or Selling US Patents appeared first on Gizmochina.

In less than a month, the Galaxy Unpacked Event will take place, where the high-end Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series will be unveiled. The new launch date for the Galaxy Fold may also be announced around the same period. Right after that, we’re probably going to back to waiting for the Galaxy S11. Usually the S-series is just a simple, bland flagship device, but if these new renders are true, we might be in for a surprise.

Now, Samsung annually records a large number of patents to protect future smartphone designs and technologies. Sometimes the designs are so futuristic that an actual market introduction will take years, or will never happen. This time, however, the Korean manufacturer has had a design patent filed that seems to be a little easier to realize. It seems to be a very effective solution to get a bigger display into your pocket.

Since it is a design patent, there is unfortunately no detailed description included that answers the question how this smartphone can be pulled out. The images do show that the Galaxy S11 screen on the right is enlarged. The frame border around the screen also shifts partially, so that the flexible display remains well protected against external influences.

Earlier this month LetsGoDigital also reported on a retractable Samsung smartphone. However, that model could be pulled in two directions, this time the screen area is only enlarged on the right side. Technically this will probably be much easier to achieve, partly because a smaller screen needs to be stored in the small housing.

Chances are that this design also uses a rail mechanism that supports the flexible display. A striking feature of this design is the punch hole camera system, which is positioned in the middle. This part of the screen will therefore not be able to move. Since the screen can only be slid to the right, the remaining screen surface is presumably also stored in the housing on the right-hand side, possibly rolling on a sort of tube.

The rear camera has been moved to the top right corner. This makes sense considering the extendable display. The extendable screen ensures that the camera system cannot be positioned on the left rear – as is probably the case with the Note 10, this will be the first Samsung smartphone with a punch-hole camera in the middle.

The patent does not make clear how many camera lenses are used. For the 3D renders, LetsGoDigital has opted for a similar set-up that Samsung is currently applying in its high-end models. This has been a pretty great look at what the future may hold for the company, and if this is what it looks like, it might be the most interesting Samsung launch in a long time.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M40 gets an update that delivers improved facial recognition and camera

(Source)

The post Samsung Galaxy S11 patents reveal an Expandable Display appeared first on Gizmochina.

Besides a traditional smartphone manufacturer, ZTE also has an even bigger tradition in telecommunications infrastructure, being among the top suppliers worldwide. As we enter the 5G era, ZTE is once again making big progress and has already secured 25 commercial contracts as far as 5G equipment is concerned with a future goal of 60 carriers globally.

According to IPlytics, as of June 15, ZTE had declared 1,424 families of 5G Standard-Essential Patents(SEP) and patent applications to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), ranking global top 3 in terms of the number of such families. Also, they have filed more than 3,500 5G patent applications, with over 30 experts at the company taking the key positions, such as president and reporter, in international standardization organizations. They have submitted more than 45,000 papers to the organizations, including more than 7,000 proposals for 5G NR/NexGenCore international standards.

The advantage of ZTE’s equipment is that the commercial 5G Common Core first launched by ZTE supports unified 2G/3G/4G/5G/fixed full convergence and full access, as well as 3GPP R15 SA and NSA, cutting investment cost by 40% for operators. The performance in terms of ultra-low latency is far ahead of the competition, while the technical specs for ultra-high precision clock synchronization are fully compliant with 3GPP, approaching the definition for a network with “perfect synchronization”.

Given the strong demand for 5G applications and the change in the models of how businesses will collaborate in the world of 5G, ZTE and its partners jointly carried out a large number of exploratory projects in 5G industry applications, promoted cross-industry integration and development, advocated for the implementation of intelligent ports, intelligent industry, intelligent security and other industry applications, in a move to build a healthy and complete industrial ecosystem together. To date, ZTE has teamed up with operators and partners to build models for vertical industry application of 5G+ in more than 15 verticals and established strategic cooperation with nearly 200 partners within the ecosystem to promote the digital transformation of the industry.

The post ZTE secures over 25 5G commercial contracts, aims at over 60 operators across the globe appeared first on Gizmochina.

When Huawei began showing off the Huawei Mate X at Mobile World Congress 2019, they knew it was something special. Ever since then, the company has been consistently marketing and hyping the device’s launch, despite setbacks. We’ve even got a set deadline now! Today however, we’ve got a bunch of brand new patents that give us a look at what Huawei’s deeming as the “Huawei Mate X 2.”

Huawei’s patent, found by LetsGoDigital, shows a phone that looks a lot like the Mate X. But this foldable screen folds inwards, not outwards. The screen has absolutely no notch. Instead, the multi-lens camera module sits on the side, just like on the Mate X, which means the camera acts both as a selfie camera and as a primary camera, depending on what you need from it.

What’s so different about this second-gen attempt? Well, the original’s screen – sort-of ‘screens’, despite being one OLED panel folded across the frame – was always exposed to the elements and prone to scratches. The second-gen model, this patent shows, has a usual front screen like any other smartphone, as well as a larger tablet-size screen. If this seems familiar to any of you, it’s because these is essentially the same setup as a the Galaxy Fold.

There’s no question this Mate X 2 concept looks a lot better than the Galaxy Fold, but can Huawei pull it off? Placing two large displays on either side of a thin frame is even more daring, which makes this Mate X 2 design a lot riskier. On top of that, this is just a mere patent, there’s no indication that this design will ever see the light of day. It’d be a shame if it never comes to be though, it’s such a neat take on the folding phone concept.

UP NEXT: Huawei Nova 5 Pro vs Huawei P30 vs Honor 20 Pro: Specs Comparison

(Source)

The post Could these new patents be the Huawei Mate X 2? appeared first on Gizmochina.

In the trade war between the U.S. and China, Huawei is caught in the middle and is going through a rough patch. While the situation doesn’t show any sign of improvements for Huawei, it has not yet retaliated. However, that could soon get changed.

As per the reports, if nothing improves for Huawei, the Chinese company might resort to using one of the most deadly weapons in its arsenal — the vast portfolio of patents on essential technology.

Reports from Anaqua’s AcclaimIP says that Huawei owns 56,492 active patents on telecommunications, networking, and other inventions. In the year 2018, the company apparently received 1,680 US patents and its total collection of active patents and published applications stand at 102,911.

Huawei is currently in protracted licensing talks with phone-services provider Verizon Communications and is in a dispute with chip maker Qualcomm over the value of patents. The company has also lodged claims against Harris Corp. after the defense contractor sued it last year alleging infringement of patents for networking and cloud security.

Huawei is reportedly asking for over $1 billion in patent licensing fees for using around 320 of its networking equipment patents, even though Verizon isn’t directly using Huawei’s equipment. Verizon is the biggest smartphone carrier in the U.S. and the first telecom company in the country to roll out 5G networks.

In some circles, Huawei’s outsize role as a supplier to the next-generation technology and 5G networks makes the company a potential threat either as an espionage agent or network disruption tool. Not only Huawei has become a flashpoint in the middle of the 5G race, but it is also targeted by the Trump administration in the on-going trade dispute.

Given the number of patents from the Chinese giant, whether or not a country decides to use Huawei’s infrastructure, there are pretty high chances that they will still be using one of the technologies that Huawei has a patent on.

The U.S. isn’t just banning Huawei in its country but is also pressuring its European allies to not use Huawei’s 5G equipment. Because of this, experts believe that the Chinese manufacturer can retaliate by putting its patents to good use.

(Source)

Up Next: US-based chipmakers are reportedly lobbying to ease Huawei ban

The post Huawei might retaliate against the US ban with its vast portfolio of patents appeared first on Gizmochina.

Asus, fresh off their recent full screen Zenfone 6 launch, haven’t taken much of a rest. Some leaked Asus patents have appeared online showing 10 different variations of full screen slider designs. They all have a full screen design, with only a narrow bezel remaining on the bottom. They’re mostly quite similar, with the main changes being camera and sensor placement.

These patents show a design that’s quite reminiscent of the Mi Mix 3, slide mechanism and all. They’re even aptly labelled as ‘Smartphone Models With Slider Camera’ and ‘Dual Slider Smartphone Variants’. The first one is the most different, with a small bit at the bottom that seems to house a speaker. An interesting idea, though we question how practical it’d be in day to day use. We’d love to be proven wrong however.

• RELATED: ASUS Zenfone 6 arrives with Flip Camera, 5000mAh battery, and SD855 for €499

The rest of the patents are pretty much the same thing, with dual front cameras and all. Perhaps most interesting however are the correlation between these Asus patents and some leaks from Evan Blass. The evleaks pictures show a very similar design and concept to the patents. We even get to see the bottom speakers, which look exactly as you’d expect.

It’s not exactly anything we haven’t seen before, but the fact that Asus is pushing for new ideas is great. Hopefully, we get to see the Taiwanese company come up with something new and fresh in the future, especially since it doesn’t seem they’re running out of ideas. We can’t wait to see what’s next, and we hope it’s just as great as the recent Zenfone 6.

(Source)

The post Multiple Asus patents for full screen dual slider phones pop up online appeared first on Gizmochina.

Smartphone manufacturers are often coming up with very innovative devices in the last couple of years, especially when it comes to the design. Smartphones designs have evolved pretty quickly: we saw glass and ceramic bodies, borderless displays, pop-up cameras and so much more.

But behind these unique and interesting designs, there are hundreds of patents and trials and errors. Of course not every patented design comes into existence, but they give us a glimpse of the future. Some of them are bound to make it to the market. So, what looks weird and unique right now, may become the norm in the next few years. Some may even become best sellers!

So today, we look at the 5 most interesting patents filed in the past few months, which could see the light of the day.

NOTE: You will notice that most of the patents mentioned here come via Letsgodigital. They are doing a great job at summarizing new patent filings and creating renders based on the available information. So, special thanks to them for making our lives easier.

LG foldable phone with a transparent screen

What may seem impossible right now, sure could be a reality in a few years. LG has patented a foldable phone with a transparent screen. The astonishing patent filed at USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office) leaves no space to doubts: in a sketch from Letsgodigital, we can clearly see two hands behind a big foldable smartphone that looks like a tablet while unfolded, similarly to the Huawei Mate X. The display is not completely transparent but it includes an opaque section which supposedly contains all the hardware components. The phone also comes with very narrow bezels around the display which makes it look even more gorgeous. Someone is already thinking that such a device might have important implications in the AR sector… What do you think about this patent?

Samsung smartphones linked magnetically

Smartphones are becoming bigger every year. And smartphones manufacturers are constantly studying new solutions to provide big displays in compact bodies. After borderless displays and foldable phones, the next innovation might be smartphones linked magnetically. Or at least that is what Samsung has thought about, considering its recent patent. The new smartphone design varies depending on how two phones get linked, thanks to magnetical connectors placed on the borders. The new design allows linking two phones in several different ways. A cylindrical magnet on the side allows connecting them side by side, or you can even connect them on their backsides. The user can even opt for different formats after sticking the phones side by side and forming a unique big display, as you can see from the above patents image.

LG notebook-like foldable phone

A year ago, LG patented a phone with a form factor similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold. The patent was published by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), and it shows a phone with two displays. The external display that you can see when the phone is folded contains a curved part on the edges which can show time, date and notifications. When the phone is partially unfolded, the internal display folds inwards like the Galaxy Fold making it notebook-like. At the same time, the external display can be used on both sides in order to let two users watch videos independently. Indeed, the phone even features two headphone jacks which can be used for the two parts of the external display. And that is not all, as the LG patents even include two batteries on the same phone. Everything seems to be dual on this device, evidently focused on multimedia.

• Read More: OPPO patents slider phone with dual front-facing cameras

Samsung’s Weird Monitor with a 3D display

Last but not least, Samsung patented a very weird 3D display. Unlike the other patents above, it is not a smartphone design, but it is a device that can be connected to a smartphone. We do not know exactly what it is, but it seems either a monitor or television which will be able to reproduce 3D content. The patent filed at USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) mentions a “three-dimensional display device and user interfacing method therefore”. By using its integrated camera, the new device can even create 3D content such as 3D objects and a 3D user interface. The integrated detection sensor can detect all the contacts with the object in a 3D space, so it may be possible to interact with the monitor with a touch screen or a touch pen. Even though the pictures are very detailed, they are not enough to get a good idea of what the 3D display will look like. Indeed, while the renders show a flat view, the 3D display may arrive with a cubic shape.

Oppo smartphone with pop-up and side slider displays

A patent which deserves a mention is definitely the one filed by the Chinese manufacturer Oppo and spotted a few weeks ago. It consists of phones with displays popping up from both the upper and the left side. The first device shows two displays: a classic one on the front and a smaller pop-up display on top of the phone. The second phone is equipped with a side slider display coming out from the left side which seems to have the same dimensions as the main screen. The secondary display on each of these phones may be useful in several scenarios, such as watching videos with the primary display and showing remote controls on the secondary one or making it tablet-sized with both the displays opened or checking notification while playing games, and much more.

Which patent do you like the most? Is there any patent you think will surely hit the shelves in the coming years? Did you find even more interesting or weird patents around the web? Let us know in the comment box below.

The post We Look at Unique and Weird Smartphone Patent Designs Filed recently appeared first on Gizmochina.

The European Patent Office (EPO) has revealed in a report that China’s Huawei filed the most patent applications in Europe last year.

The EPO says Huawei filed 2,398 patents and is the first Chinese company to top their list. Germany’s Siemens comes in at number two with 2,220 patents while South Korea’s LG grabs third place with 2,056 patents.

Huawei’s Senior Vice President, Song Liuping who spoke to Chinese media, China Daily, said the company values its intellectual property, and patent registration is one way it measures its international competitiveness.

The Munich-based European Patent Office which oversees patents filed from 38 countries in Europe, says Huawei’s high number of patents contributed to the 16.6% growth in patent applications by Chinese companies. This resulted in China occupying the 5th position on the list of nations with filed patents.

READ MORE: Huawei Y9 Teaser Poster Leaks, Shows Dual Rear Cameras

While Huawei is doing well in Europe, it has been under negative spotlight in North America. A planned deal with US carrier AT&T, to sell its Mate 10 Pro flagship fell apart earlier this year.

US intelligence agencies have also warned people not to buy devices made by Huawei and ZTE, citing security concerns due to both companies being beholden to the Chinese government.

(Source)

The post China’s Huawei Filed The Most Patents In Europe Last Year appeared first on Gizmochina.

Yulong Computer Communications Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Coolpad Group has sued Xiaomi and three others to court over alleged patent infringements.

The defendants are Xiaomi Communications Technology Co., Ltd (1), Xiaomi Technology, Co, Ltd (2), Shezhen Tongtianda Electronics Co. Ltd (3), and the first branch of Xiaomi Co. Ltd Shenzhen (4).

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff (Yulong) claims that the defendants produced, promised to sell, and sold products that infringed on three of its patents. The patents are listed below:

1. Patent No. ZL200610034034.8
2. Patent No. ZL201210250264.3
3. Patent No ZL201210064396.7

All three patents are said to relate to app icon management, notifications, and system UI.

Yulong says the patent infringements has caused it serious losses and is demanding that the court grants an immediate order stopping the defendants from the production, promise to sell, and selling of the products that infringe on its patents.

It also requests that the first and fourth defendants should pay compensation for the losses it has suffered, bear the full cost of legal fees, notarization fees, and other reasonable fees paid towards stopping the patent infringement.

The case has been accepted at the Guangdong Province Intermediate People’s Court but hearing on the matter hasn’t begun.

READ MORE: LeEco Sells Off Significant Stake In Coolpad, Bears Heavy Losses

A few days ago, it was reported that Coolpad’s CEO Jiang Chao said his company holds over 10,000 patents which many companies have stolen. He added that they plan to take it up with these companies and from the looks of it Xiaomi is first on the list.

(Source)

The post Coolpad Takes Xiaomi To Court Over Patent Infringement appeared first on Gizmochina.

While most tech companies have a rival(s), it is not unusual to hear of some of them forming partnerships. News has it that Google and China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd. are forming an alliance.

The result of the over $500 billion worth alliance is an exchange of patents related to a number of technologies and products. It will also see both tech giants collaborate on new technologies for the overall benefit of users.

One other major benefit it will bring for both companies is to help ease Google back into China and to expand’s Tencent’s business overseas.

Quite a number of Google services are blocked in China at the moment and Google itself pulled its search engine from the country in 2010 after defying China’s self-censorship rules.

READ MORE: Google Acquires Redux, A UK-Based Startup That Turns Smartphone Screen Into Speaker

Now, Google is easing its way back into the country by investing in projects like an AI lab in Beijing, an investment in streaming service Chushou, and also sharing some of its AI tools. Partnering with Tencent is a smart move, as not only is it the owner of China’s most popular messaging app WeChat, it is also a leader in the Chinese gaming industry.

(Sources: 1, 2)

The post Google and Tencent Form Alliance, Agree To Share Patents appeared first on Gizmochina.

There are already a plethora of ways to keep your phone safe. There is the conventional PIN, password, and pattern. We also have biometric ones like fingerprint scanning, iris scanning, and face unlock. However, Samsung has patented another one – palm scanning.

We won’t blame you if you think this requires you to place your palm on the surface of your phone. But that won’t work for phones with a display smaller than 7-inches.

Samsung’s palm scanning approach is different and doesn’t require you placing your filthy hands on the screen of your device. According to the patent description, the technology will not even actually unlock your phone but only provide hints for your password.

How it works is easy to understand. If you forget your password, all you have to do is point your camera (and most likely other sensors) at your palm. The sensor will scan the lines of your palm which differ from one person to the other. If it matches the one stored on the phone, different characters of your password will be displayed across the captured image. The provided hints should help you remember your password.

READ MORE: Samsung’s Fully Curved Smartphone Appears in Patent Filings

Weird, right? This security method raises a number of questions and is cumbersome to say the least. However, we are eager to see how it will work out in real life.

[envira-gallery id=”160157″]

(Source, Via)

The post Samsung Patents Palm Scanning Technology, But It Doesn’t Work Like You Think appeared first on Gizmochina.

Meizu has released new a set of patents. The diagrams revealed through patent applications suggest the arrival of innovative dual screens on future smartphones from Meizu.

The patent filing with patent number 201610589545.X shows inclusion of two displays on the smartphone. The first one is the main screen at the front and the other one is a smaller display present on the rear side of the device. Both the front and rear screens will reportedly be able to interact with each other.

Related: Meizu M5 Note Teardown Images Reveals It Is Worth Spending 899 Yuan ($130)

This secondary screen can also double up for Back function present on Android phones. Speculations suggest that it can be turn out to be a feature of the next generation mBack button.

When the smartphone is running low on power, it will automatically switch from large main screen to the secondary screen at the back. Since the screen at the back is small, this can be the ultimate power saving feature.

In August, Meizu was awarded for the versatile mBack patent that it had filed in 2012. The mBack feature offers four kinds of function for efficient navigation on the device.

To recap, Meizu’s mBack feature makes the home button all the more innovative. The mBack works as a fingerprint reader when the Home button is held for few seconds. Tapping on it lets the user access the previous page and pressing it allows to access Home button function. A long press on it can lock the device. The feature is available on several Meizu phones such as Meizu M5 Note, and Meizu M5.

The post Meizu Reveals New Patents: Two Displays, Smaller Secondary Screen On the Back appeared first on Gizmochina.

Next year is gearing up to be a big year for Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi. First, the company will be making an appearance at the 2017 edition of the Consumer Electric Show for the very first time and they have also said they will be unveiling a new product at the event. Now, according to reports, the company has been acquiring lot of patents in the US in what is assumed to be part of their plans to enter the North American market.

Earlier this year, Xiaomi went into a partnership with Microsoft which would see the latter’s services appear on Xiaomi phones. An example is the Xiaomi Mi Mix which comes pre-installed with Microsoft’s Cortana. Apart from that, Xiaomi also acquired 1500 patents from the Redmond-based company in addition to a patent-exchange program signed by both parties.

In a new report, Richardson Oliver Law (ROL) Group LLP, a firm specialized in the purchase and acquisition of patents, lists Xiaomi as one of the top buyers of US patents for 2016. It also puts Huawei on the list of patent buyers.

This is the first time Xiaomi will appear on the list of ROL and its a big deal for them especially in a patent market that has the big players like Google, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and other big corporations. As we all know, ownership of patents is an important factor when it comes to determining the technological strength of corporations.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Launches ¥69 ($10) Lunar Sleep Sensor

As at the time of writing, Xiaomi has over 7000 patents of which 6200 have been granted and 5200 have been published. The move to acquire US patents hints at the company going global in the nearest future

The post Xiaomi Among Top Buyers of US Patents appeared first on Gizmochina.