Microsoft patents a mobile device with a third screen

[tridy]

itpro.co.uk:

Quote

There’s no denying that Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Duo and Surface Neo devices represent cutting-edge technology with their dual screens, but new documents reveal that the company could be working on an even more exciting design for its lineup of folding devices. 

Microsoft has sought to patent an all-new folding mobile device with a third screen, which could be the next handheld gadget to join its multi-screened Surface lineup. 

This updated design comes from a recently published patent titled ‘Device Having A Screen Region On A Hinge Coupled Between Other Screen Regions’. 

 

https://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/mobile-phones/355239/microsofts-patent-design-reveals-a-mobile-device-with-a-third-screen?

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/10606540.pdf

 

from the patent:

Quote

ABSTRACT
(57)
Techniques are described herein that are capable of making a stale-based determination of information to be displayed on a screen region of a hinge that is coupled to other screen regions. For instance, a state of a hinge that is coupled between a first screen region and a second screen region may be determined. Information that is to be displayed on a third screen region that is provided on the hinge may be determine based at least in part on the state of the hinge.

 

So, we are past the innovation era where number of cameras became the main selling point. Now, this is number of screens era?

I actually one of those people who like "the fewer moving parts the better."

[Arika]

i think we need to work on battery technology before we worry about more screens on a device that only needs 1....

[Srijan Verma]

sometimes i wonder how many of these weird patents actually work

 

[mbntr]

Honestly I don't care about the number of screens in my phone or computer, but I would love to have a thicker phone and more battery life or even more durable batteries (APPLE!), my iPhone 7 has a battery life of maybe 4 hours, that drops to 2 when I browse reddit!

[tridy]

1 minute ago, Srijan Verma said:

sometimes i wonder how many of these weird patents actually work

 

It is more of "the right to produce it" rather than actually producing it and from my understanding there far more patents than products. It costs nothing for Microsoft but reserves the right to be the first, and not pay the other companies for the patent, blah blah blah. It is something that R&D came up with as a possibility and one of those "just in case" patents.

[SansVarnic]

8 minutes ago, Srijan Verma said:

sometimes i wonder how many of these weird patents actually work

 

The patent is not so much for producing the product it is if someone [other than MS] does make the product Microsoft will get a royalty for using the concept. That is the key.

[Taf the Ghost]

42 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

The patent is not so much for producing the product it is if someone [other than MS] does make the product Microsoft will get a royalty for using the concept. That is the key.

The patent is actually mostly about Hinges and the controller logic for the State of the Device to use the screens. And the story is a little off. They could put 4 screens on this.

[Doobeedoo]

Urm ok though better make that Windows 10 X actually functional and proper for a modern device. 

[ocanada_techguy1]

Seems the news reports got the title wrong, it's not a third screen quite, it specifically states it is along the hinge.  I recall reading Intel has the patent for third screen and variants, originally published back in 2017.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-patent-envisions-phone-that-folds-to-tablet-pc/

 

[mr moose]

My doors have hinges on them,  my computer has screens.  If I glue my monitor to my door, do I have to pay a royalty?

 

I am off to patent my device for connecting two rooms with a visual display that gets its information from the contents of the rooms.