The patent application titled "Wireless display for electronic devices" reveals a convertible device technology between its laptop form and its hand-held tablet form. Not only the patent describes the convertible devices functions such as wireless transmission of data between the base and the display, it also reveals that power can be supply from the base "wirelessly" to the display. Here is the original abstract:
"A computer including a base and a display selectively removable from the base. The base includes a processor, a base wireless chip, and a power source. The display includes a screen for displaying a video output, a display wireless chip in communicating with the base wireless chip, and a power wireless chip in communication with the power source. The base wireless chip transmits data from the processor to the display. Also, when the display is at least in one position with respect to the base, the power source transmits power to the power transition member of the display."
This sounds like a fascinating idea, but I have to say that this patent sounds more like a combo of multiple existing technologies. First, convertible devices is obviously very common in the market:
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| Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx |
But wait, the patent also includes the functionality of charging the display wirelessly by the base station. Well, that is not sometime new on electronic devices either:
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| Nokia Lumia 920 |
The only new things that sounds more innovative is the function that "base wireless chip transmits data from the processor to the display." This function can be implement as a pure display device that acts like a "TV display" which solely relies on the transmitted data "broadcast" by the base station. It means all the computation and data processing was done by the base station. If the patent is intended to create this type of devices, then I think the possibility of the approval of this patent application is pretty high. Yet only a question left, how can a patent like this not infringing the patents that involves convertible devices and wireless charging? Is this patent application legit? What do you think?
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57578054-37/apple-patent-envisions-wireless-charging-on-convertible-laptop/
I completely agree, this tech won't cause as many people to shift to Apple, as Apple's flagship products are already pretty entrenched.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the patent you described sounds like a combination of multiple existing technologies. Although sometimes that's appropriate if the existing technologies are used together in a way that is novel, useful.. etc. Not quite sure if that applies to this case though.
ReplyDeleteI think you raise some very interesting questions regarding the lack of novelty in this patent. Another data point is the Wii U, which utilizes a base system for the game's processing and running, and displays it on the Wii U controller. Going forward, I'm wondering if the patent will be granted, and if so what that means for Apple and Nintendo's Wii U.
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