Sony Ericsson files another touchscreen patent - PSP phone related?

Sony Ericsson has already filed a few touchscreen patents, such as "programmable touchscreen keypad patent" and "sliding touchscreen phone patent" Now they have filed another patent, called "Orientation based multiple mode mechanically vibrated touchscreen display"

In my opinion this patent might have something to do with the PSP phone and there's actually a mention about the PSP in the patent application:

FIG. 3 is set out to mimic the look and feel of the popular Sony.TM. Playstation Portable (PSP.TM.) gaming device. The area designated by reference number 300 is reserved for game action. It is essentially the display within the display. The dashed box referred to by reference number 305 represents the buttons that appear on the right hand side of the PSP.TM.. The dashed box referred to by reference number 310 represents the buttons that appear on the bottom of the PSP.TM.. Lastly, the dashed box referred to by reference number 315 represents the buttons that appear on the left hand side of the PSP.TM.. The buttons represented by reference numbers 305, 310, and 315 are graphical renditions on the mechanically vibrated touchscreen display 150 of the portable mobile communications device 100. The mechanically vibrated touchscreen display is configurable and re-configurable to suit the mode or application desired by the user. In this example, when the user presses an area of the mechanically vibrated touchscreen display that corresponds to one of the buttons that is associated with the PSP.TM. interface, a tactile sensation is returned to the user that indicates a button was pressed. The exact type of tactile sensation emitted by the mechanically vibrated touchscreen display and experienced by the user can vary according to parameters set out in the display configuration associated with that mode. Thus, some buttons may have different feels than other buttons.

Of course Sony Ericsson might just use this with other handsets too. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are developing a PSP phone. Although, it's very interesting to see when Sony Ericsson will use some of these ideas in their consumer handsets.

Here's another quote from the patent application:

A system and method is disclosed for reconfiguring the graphical user interface (GUI) of a mechanically vibrated touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes. The reconfiguration of the GUI is based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device. An orientation sensing mechanism senses whether the portable mobile communications device is currently in a portrait or landscape orientation. An orientation sensing application accesses an orientation profile that associates each mode of operation with either a portrait or landscape orientation and determines which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device. The GUI of the mechanically vibrated touchscreen display is then reconfigured for the default mode of operation.

07.03.2008. 12:28

This article hasn't been commented yet.