A new Microsoft patent application has come up that sheds light on the potential features of its foldable phone. Notably, the patent hints that the foldable phone can use a hardware-based orientation-specific actuator to control the operations.
As per reports, the patent is titled ‘ORIENTATION SPECIFIC CONTROL’.
Back in 2018, Microsoft filed it. And, taking the patent forward, USPTO published it on July 18, 2019. The patent is about orientation-specific control of the foldable mobile device.
Evidently, Microsoft foldable device orientation-specific technology marks the first orientation of the computing device. The technology has been created in response to the engagement of the orientation-specific actuator.
Likewise, the device also gives second functionality when the orientation-specific actuator is active.
The concepts relayed by the patent are about the orientation-specific control of a device. Moreover, in some cases, the orientation of the device (closed or open orientation) determines the functionality for controlling the device. In this context, Microsoft has mentioned in the patent document that an example of such a device can be a foldable computing device.
Excerpt from the Microsoft patent
The patent goes on: “Engaging an orientation-specific actuator (e.g., a button) of the device while the device is in a closed orientation (e.g., folded together) can affect the first range of functionality. However, when an orientation of the device changes, the functionality accessible via the same orientation-specific actuator can also change.”
On the positive side, the patent also notes that the orientation-specific control concepts can enhance flexibility for components of a device and/or make the user experience smooth and easy.
Therefore, on a concluding note, we anticipate that the orientation-specific technology in the foldable phones detailed by the Microsoft patent holds the potential to upscale the efficiency and performance of the foldable device on the whole.
