New Microsoft Patents For Foldable Device
A new patent from Microsoft has been spotted by Windows Latest relating to orientation-specific controls for foldable phones.
The patent titled “Orientation Specific Control” was filed by Microsoft in 2018 and published by USPTO on July 18, 2019.
It revealed how a foldable phone can use a “hardware-based orientation-specific actuator to control its functionality and improve the overall user experience”.
Orientation-specific controls would be capable of activating different functions depending on the configuration of the foldable device.
According to Microsoft, the technology “provides a first functionality related to a first orientation of the computing device in response to the engagement of the orientation-specific actuator”.
“Similarly, the device also provides second functionality when the orientation-specific actuator is engaged in an activity,” the patent explains.
“In some implementations, different functionality for controlling the device can be accessible depending on an orientation of the device, such as a closed or an opened orientation.”
Microsoft notes that there is no real limit to the amount of functions which such buttons or sensors could be tied to.
“An example device can be a foldable computing device,” the patent explains.
“Engaging an orientation-specific actuator of the device while the device is in a closed orientation 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.“
