Samsung receives foldable tablet patent

The phone and tablet technology may just get an evolutionary shift.

Samsung was very busy in 2013 creating new technology and filing patents. This stems not only from competing with other brands for market share but also in its intention to becoming the undisputed leader in the mobile industry. So it comes as no surprise that the Korean tech giant will continue to pull out all the stops this year.


Video source: youtube.com/reghardware


Last November, Samsung’s CEO bared plans over folding displays on some of its devices that are apparently slated for release this year. Toward the end of 2013, patent watchers were the first ones to report about the latest patent filing by the company.

Image Source: icanbecreative.com

Just a few days ago, the patent for what seems to be a foldable tablet has been granted to Samsung. Details about the device have been raw so far. From the filed sketches, it looks like any other Samsung tablet released in the market, except, of course, that it can be folded down to the size of a mobile phone.

Image Source: electricpig.co.uk

While this news can definitely be a source of excitement, the mere granting of the patent itself does not guarantee that the foldable display already exists. Samsung engineers now have the onus to implement the technology that will revolutionize the smartphone and tablet market.

Atty. Brad Lyerla is a member of the Antitrust and Competition Law Practice groups. Learn more patent-related updates by following this Facebook page.

Apple gets patent for facial recognition and device control

Image Source: askipedia.com

Apple Inc. recently acquired the rights to a patent for facial recognition on mobile devices. The US Patent and Trademark Office granted the patent last December 3.

“The patent details a system and method that would allow Apple devices to detect users' faces. The patent says Apple devices would be able to recognize if the users standing in front of the gadgets are ‘authorized.’ If they are, users could then control some aspects of their gadgets with just their faces.”

Image Source: fedtechmagazine.com

The concept of facial recognition is not entirely new. Mobile makers working with the Android system were the first to come out with a similar unlocking function in their devices. However, the feature was criticized for introducing more security issues.




Aside from unlocking, the patent grants the technology to determine access to certain information through facial recognition. For example, if a call comes in and the face looking into it is recognized by the device, caller ID and other details will be shown. If the face is not listed as one of the users of the device, all of the data will be blocked.

Image Source: yahoo.com

Score another one for Apple in their long battle with Samsung, as this further strengthens their stranglehold on functionalities in mobile devices through patent registration.

Brad Lyerla is a trusted advisor on copyright and patent disputes. Get updates on related developments in intellectual property by following this Twitter account.