Apple Patents "Always On" Display
A recent Apple patent filing could point to future iPhones and iPods with an always-on display.
As much as we love touching our iPhones on a regular basis, sometimes we find ourselves checking the device’s status a little more often than we’d like. With no visible cues of new alerts, such as new text messages, emails or voicemails, iPhone owners have to constantly pick up and hit a button just to inspect the lock screen for updates.
A patent filed recently into the United States Patent and Trademark Office and credited to Apple engineer Michael Rosenblatt describes a method whereby a second backlight (likely a low-power LED) would be able to pass through the primary backlight, and offer visibility for simple icons on the screen at all times.
Apple details the method in its filing, “To provide an icon on the display of the electronic device that is indicative of the status of the device, the secondary backlight system may be turned ON. The secondary backlight system may be separated from the display by the primary backlight system. Thus, the light provided by the secondary backlight system may be projected through one or more transparent or semitransparent regions of the primary backlight system to reach the display.”
It continues, “The primary backlight system may block light from the secondary backlight system except for those one or more regions. Thus, the size and shape of the status indicator may be set by sizing and shaping the transparent or semitransparent regions of the primary backlight system. In addition to setting the size and shape of the icon, the color of the icon may also be set by adjusting the color of the light provided by the secondary backlight system.”
The addition of a secondary LED light shouldn’t have a terrible effect on battery life, as it will also save from having the user constantly turn on the primary backlight, which also has its own drain on power. Other cell phones, such as various BlackBerrys, have blinking LED indicators to notify the user of a new alert. An always-on alert notification would allow the iPhone to rest in its dock without frequent prodding.
While many companies file patents for technologies that never see the light of day, this is one technology that would be greatly appreciated by all iPhone users.
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Innovative...
I guess it will be cool to always see the interface, won't that cause burn in though? The fact that the thing will always be on has gotta offset some of the burnin reductions of a low powered light.
Innovative...I guess it will be cool to always see the interface, won't that cause burn in though? The fact that the thing will always be on has gotta offset some of the burnin reductions of a low powered light.
LCD's don't get burn in, but rather image retention. A form of ghosting after a long time displaying a particular image (especially at high brightness) After time these will eventually fade and really aren't noticeable at all in normal uses. I'm sure that these use such a low-level backlight on them make it quite irrelevant anyway, not to say it was in the first place.
Or simply the SMS symbol/clock will keep moving around the screen, as it does in most phones in standby mode.
Burn in or the ghost image is also not even caused by the backlight so even if a LCD could burnin the backlight isnt whats doing it.
"his is one technology that would be greatly appreciated by all iPhone users"
You mean all users that go out and buy another, updated iPhone for this feature.
I would definitely like this feature. I'll be happy to plunk down the cash for the next iPhone. Given all the money I end up spending on portable electronic devices, my iPhone actually lowers my expenses compared to what I was dealing with.
When did this site be come Tom's Cell Phone?
Every other news post about a cell phone.
The feature is good, but I'm amazed that anyone actually could patent the use of a second LED to light a display. The patent claims are getting more and more silly. I'm amazed that the patent office actually approves such things. Could I patent the use of a extra battery powered light outside my house, that lights up the doors keyhole so I can turn off my stronger normal lights? I hardly think so. But for lighting up an display, that works appearently fine. The patents are getting more and more ridiculus. I beleive the whole idea of "patent" strongly misused today.
I'm surprised, amazed, and befuddled by the fact that the sheepphone doesn't have some way to let the user know they have a message at a glance, without requiring user action. You know, like a blinking light, or a soft glowing ring around the screen, someting. Something that so many other, less revolutionary phones have.
I know it is an amazing phone, and was very innovative, but come on, another overlooked standard feature? I suppose it is okay though, none of their customers noticed. Baaaah.
Next call to Crapple customer service: My backlight burned out, and I can't see the display anymore.
Answer: Sir/Maam, You will need to purchase a new revision XXX iCrap, please send us $300 of your money for this service.