Google Awarded Patent for Dual-Screen Smart-Watch
Google has patented a smart watch with two flip-up screens, a touchpad, wireless connectivity and possible augmented reality features.
Engadget points to a new Google patent called "Smart-watch including flip up display" which was submitted on October 26, 2011 and granted on October 2, 2012. This patent seems to use technology similar to what's used in Project Glass, only this invention sports a flip-up screen instead of lenses strapped to your face.
According to the patent, Google's smart-watch includes a wristband, a base, and a flip up portion. "The base can be coupled to the wristband and include a housing, a processor, a wireless transceiver, and a tactile user interface," the patent reads. "The wireless transceiver can be configured to connect to a wireless network. The tactile user interface can be configured to provide interaction between a user and the smart-watch."
The flip up portion consists of two screens, one on each side. Each screen activates when the flip-up portion is either in an open/up position, or a closed/down position. "The inside display can be concealed when the flip up portion is in the closed position and be exposed when the flip up portion is in the open position," the patent actually states.
The patent goes on to describe that the flip-up portion may be two separate liquid crystal displays (LCDs). It could also feature a single translucent LCD display instead that doesn't use backlighting – the outer surface forms the top display and the inner surface forms the inside display. Even more, smart glass may be used for the flip up portion, and the inside display may be illuminated when the flip up portion is open using a frosted display, acting as a diffuser.
A "tactile user interface" for user interaction with the smart-watch is located on the base underneath the flip-up screen. "The tactile user interface may be large enough to track a user's finger for touchpad functions," the patent adds. "By way of non-limiting example, the tactile user interface may include a touchpad or a touchscreen display covering at least seventy-five percent of the lateral surface of the base.
Like Sony's current SmartWatch, this wearable gadget pipes in information from a connected (presumably Android) smartphone like notifications and other info. It will also feature apps like Gmail, Maps and more which would connect to a wireless network via built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.
There's also mention of a camera which would use the flip-up portion as a viewfinder when in the open/up position. The watch's processor would then access the local network to retrieve information related to the image captured on the screen. In other words, Google could implement augmented reality information much like it does with Google Glass. Yet due to the embedded camera, the flip-up portion's screen wouldn't necessarily need to be transparent.
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To see Google's new invention, head here. Below is the key to the diagram shown above.
10: Smart-Watch
12: Base
14: Wristband
16: Flip-Up Portion
18: Hinge
22: Housing
28: Tactile User Interface
32: Inside Display
Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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NuclearShadow A watch I certainly will not be able to afford and almost everyone will have no practical use for. I'm all for inventing and experimenting but where is the practical use for this?Reply -
edogawa Can you imagine the coolness if it had a holographic display the size of a tablet come out and you could hand control the holographic image.Reply -
digiex ReplyA watch I certainly will not be able to afford and almost everyone will have no practical use for. I'm all for inventing and experimenting but where is the practical use for this?
It's a watch, for Christ's sake, it shows the current time. -
rebel1280 digiexIt's a watch, for Christ's sake, it shows the current time.Reply
HAHA that made me laugh so hard! whewwwww, anywho, i would totally buy this in an instant especially if it has some kind of projector on it. All it would need is a QR code scanner and it will display info on a wall or something similar. :) -
hate machine NuclearShadowA watch I certainly will not be able to afford and almost everyone will have no practical use for. I'm all for inventing and experimenting but where is the practical use for this?Reply
JTFC! -
plattyaj OK, but what's the invention? A patent is supposed to have one but I don't see anything that isn't already on the market in some form, whether on a watch or not?Reply -
husker Wow, all the science fiction writers of the last one hundred years should have just patented there ideas instead of writing books.Reply -
southernshark NuclearShadowA watch I certainly will not be able to afford and almost everyone will have no practical use for. I'm all for inventing and experimenting but where is the practical use for this?Reply
I know people who pay 5k for "dumb" watches.
So there is a market for this.
I might pay a few hundred for one. To me the advantage would be that I would be less likely to lose it. I can not buy smart phones because within a week I can't find the darn thing. -
iam2thecrowe i can finally update my calculator watch........Reply
But does it have a laser?
southernshark To me the advantage would be that I would be less likely to lose it. I can not buy smart phones because within a week I can't find the darn thing.Maybe you should get glasses.