2016 Current Patents & Inventions

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
K R U N C H T I M E
I NT E RACT IV E

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Eye tracking

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a graphical user interface that actively tracks where you're
looking, allowing users to control an onscreen input or mouse
cursor with just their gaze.
Apple / US 8,937,591

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 8,937,591

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The patent's main focus, however, is on preventing a common eye-
tracking issue called the Troxler Effect, an optical illusion which
can cause onscreen objects that are stationary to look like they're
disappearing.
You can see an example in the next slide of a stabilised image and
the Troxler Effect in action: Try staring at the cursor in the center
and you should notice the purple dots fade away after a few
seconds.
Troxler Effect

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Troxler Effect

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Face recognition for security

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
To solve the issue of having to lock or unlock a device manually,
Apple proposes that a product can be configured to lock itself if the
user's face is no longer present in front of the camera, and unlock
itself when the user's face reappears.
Apple / US 2012/0235790

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 2012/0235790

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Using a forward-facing camera to recognise an individual user,
future iPhones and iPads from Apple could automatically customise
applications, settings and features to a user's personal
preferences once they pick up the device.
 
Each user could customise their personal profile with a unique
wallpaper, applications and settings, and that profile would be
immediately accessed once the iPad recognises a user's face.
Apple / US 2011/0317872

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 2011/0317872

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple acquired LinX in April 2015, a camera module maker
working on multi-lens systems. Dual lens cameras pack
impressive image quality in a smaller size than single aperture
cameras, meaning the iPhone 7 Plus may lack a protruding camera
lens and be able to take SLR-quality photos — think Canon or Nikon
(depth of field).
Dual lens cameras

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras
Noise reduction
Images captured by dual lens cameras are brighter and clearer,
with significantly reduced noise levels, compared to other
smartphone cameras.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras
2-3x optical zoom
Available detail when zoomed into a photo is also much greater.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras
Improved Indoor Photos
Sensors let in more light, for a photo that is clearer and sharper
with less noise.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras
Improved Low Light Photos
The technology is using multiple channels to increase the
sensitivity of the camera for better detail. It also keeps
exposure times short to cut down on the motion blurring that can
impact photo quality in conditions where lighting is not optimal.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Dual lens cameras
3D depth mapping
Useful applications include 3D scanning of objects, sizing of
objects, background removal and replacement and gesture
recognition. The depth maps also allow for improved refocusing; by
knowing the depth at every pixel, the feature allows for a
synthetic blur to be applied that emulates a shallow depth.

Dual lens cameras
P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S

Dual lens cameras
Benefits Overview
• Depth of field
• Better color accuracy and uniformity
• HDR - higher dynamic range
• UHDR - ultra high dynamic range
• Low noise levels
• Higher resolution
• Low module costs
• Zero shutter lag
• Small size allows for slim devices and edge-to-edge displays

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
3D depth mapping

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a technology that will allow hand signals to control a
computer app or Apple TV via 3D depth mapping.
Apple / US

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a 3D sensing device that works with distinct gestures that
could control items on a display or TV, such as allowing a user to
select an tune on iTunes, or to activate a channel like Netflix without
the need of a remote control.
Apple / US

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers user interfaces that are based on three-dimensional
sensing, such as Push, Wave and Up Air Gestures.
Apple / US 8,933,876

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 8,933,876

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a method for face detection, which includes capturing a
depth map and an image of a scene. One or more locations in the
image are selected to test for presence of human faces.
Apple / US

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers receiving a depth map of a scene containing at least an
upper body of a humanoid form. The technology may again serve as
a simplified input to application programs, such as responding to
users' gestures.
Apple / US 9,047,507

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 9,047,507

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
New gestures

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers detection and interpretation of real-world gestures for pinch
and zoom, security & more.
Apple / US 9,158,454

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / Knobs with audible feedback

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / ‚Right-click‘

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / ‚Okay‘ gesture

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Google’s Project Soli has invented a new interaction
sensor using radar technology that can capture
motions of your fingers at up to 10,000 frames per
second. Simply put, this technology is so bafflingly
accurate that you could operate any device without
having to even touch it.
Google / Project Soli

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
This chip is actually a miniature gesture radar that
captures even the most complex hand movements at
close range, at unbelievably hyper speeds and
replicates hand gestures. Given the micro size of the
chip, it can almost be fitted into literally anything.
This technology, if the project is successful, can make
the need to touch a device to operate it redundant.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Holograms

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers technology that would allow a device to project holograms. A
light emission device would be placed right above the screen, and
another thicker material right above that image source.
Samsung / December 27, 2015

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Samsung / December 27, 2015

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a 3d display system that would mimic a hologram without
requiring special glasses. The device would be able to project
stereoscopic 3D images to multiple viewers at the same time with
complete freedom of movement.
Apple / US 7,843,449

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers a device that would be able to direct multiple beams of light
through a display to generate an image, while also taking into
account the position of the user, who could interact with the 3d
holographic images.
Apple / US 8,847,919

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 8,847,919

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
3D interface effects

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers interaction with a virtual 3D world inside the display and how
to prevent the GPU from constantly re-rendering.
Apple / US 8,913,056

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 8,913,056

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Automated photo effects

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers photo effects activated by sound, motion and location.
Unlike Instagram, users wouldn’t need to select an effect each time
they wanted to apply one.
Apple / US 8,933,960

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Person-to-person payments

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers identifying a proximate electronic device of a counter party
in a financial transaction, and may provide an encrypted payment
packet to the other electronic device.
Apple / US 2015/0186887

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 2015/0186887

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Interactive toys

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers agent interfaces for interactive electronics that support
social cues. A doll or toy may be configured to control one or more
media devices by detection of a movement or spoken word. Doing
so it would „wake up“ and „make eye-contact“.
Google / US 2015/0138333

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Google / US 2015/0138333

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The future of 3D Touch

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
3D Touch is a feature which senses how much pressure you apply to
the display. The amount of pressure needed to activate the feature
can be customized through a Light, Medium, or Firm setting.
Where we are

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Quick actions (Home screen)
Peek and Pop (In-app)
Where we are
Allow apps to deep link and/or perform specific app actions from
the home screen.
Allow apps to let users preview content and perform related
actions within the app, before deciding if they want to view the full
content.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Shortcut actions
Use 3D Touch as an alternative type of “click” (like right-click on a
mouse) to let users skip a few steps, or avoid unnecessary steps in a
process.
Dynamic actions
Rely on the amount of pressure applied to signal a variety of
actions.
Where we are

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Home screen shortcut actions
• Control Center : 3D Touch on WiFi or Bluetooth icon bring up
easy options to connect to a network or device
• Control Center : Stop the device from changing orientation
when watching a video
• Calendar: Create a meeting at the last Maps location viewed
1 / Examples

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
2 / Examples
In-app shortcut actions: iOS Mail
• Peek into „time reference“ shows a snippet of the calendar, and
adds a meeting from there
In-app shortcut actions: more
• Google search on a highlighted word
• Email an image to a favorite contact

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
In-app dynamic actions
• Using the amount of pressure applied to a photo to zoom into it
• Turn the iPhone into a kitchen scale
• 3D Touch for anything that has a “slider”: number of
passengers on a flight, radius of a circle in Foursquare
3 / Examples

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Home screen dynamic actions
• 3D Touch as main UI
• Set a timer from the Clock app’s home screen icon by using
varying levels of pressure
• Instead of using the Hue app, change the brightness of its
smart lights by applying to the app’s home screen icon
• Instead of going into the Nest app, change the temperature
from the home screen
4 / Examples

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Piano rhythm game that uses the pressure of a touch to dictate how
loud a note should be.
Dynamic actions: Magic Piano

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
A children game that makes letters and words react in an special
way depending on how hard you press.
Dynamic actions: Endless Alphabet

Dynamic actions: Endless Alphabet

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
A new generation automotive concept that shows how dynamic
actions could be used for changing volume, among other things.
Dynamic actions: Synaptics prototype

Dynamic actions: Synaptics prototype

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Modular phones

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The promise: A phone that you can easily upgrade, repair and
customise. A modular phone. One universal platform for the whole
world.
Modular Phones

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Phonebloks is an open-source modular smartphone concept
created and designed by Dave Hakkens, primarily to reduce
electronic waste. By attaching individual third-party components to
a main board, a user would create a personalised smartphone.
In October 2013, Hakkens started collaborating with Motorola
and Google on Project Ara.
Phonebloks

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Smartphones based on the Phonebloks system would be sold part by
part, as well as in starter sets. Bloks can be replaced at will to replace a
broken blok, to upgrade an existing blok, or to expand the functionality
of the phone into a specific direction. Bloks would be available in
Blokstore, "an app store for hardware", where users could buy new
and used bloks as well as sell back their old ones.
As of February 2014, the campaign had over 950,000 supporters
and a social reach of over 380 million people.
Phonebloks

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
ARA is an open hardware platform for creating highly modular
smartphones. It includes a structural frame that holds a display,
camera or an extra battery. It would allow users to swap out
malfunctioning modules or upgrade individual modules, providing longer
lifetime cycles and reducing electronic waste.
Scheduled to begin pilot testing in the United States in 2016.
Google / Project ARA

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Two frame sizes will be available at first: "mini","medium", and a "large"
frame. Each frame is expected to cost around US$15.
Modules can provide cameras and speakers, but can also more
specialised features, such as medical devices, receipt printers, laser
pointers, pico projectors, night vision sensors, or game controller
buttons.  
 
Modules can be hot-swapped without turning the phone off. They will be
available both at an official Google store and at third-party stores.
Google / Project ARA

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
PuzzlePhone is a modular smartphone, made in Finland. It’s made
out of three essential modules, the Heart, the Spine, and the Brain,
that can be upgraded, for maximum longevity and performance.
Earliest estimated delivery date is September 2016.
Puzzlephone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
RePhone will let you create your own phone in minutes with
several modules, an accessible software and a customisable phone
case. The open source modular phone kit allows everyone to add
cellular communication to different objects.
RePhone Kit

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
RePhone is compatible with the Arduino platform, with the Pebble
smartwatch and with IFTTT for example to have a link with your pets,
toys, motorcycle, robots or drones.
 
It includes a Core Module GSM + BLE, an audio module, a
touchscreen, a battery and two precut Kraft Paper to assemble a
phone case. This DIY (Do It Yourself) platform lets you create your
personal case using a lot of materials, for example wood, plastic,
leather, etc. The company has also developed other modules with NFC,
GPS, 3G connection, a camera and basic sensors (Accelerometer,
Temperature Sensor, Light Sensor).
RePhone Kit

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Fairphone is a Dutch company founded to develop a smartphone
which doesn’t contain conflict minerals (gold, tin, tantalum and
tungsten) and using fair labor conditions for the workforce along all the
supply chain.
Fairphone 1 sold 60.000 units, Fairphone 2 was released in 2015.
Fairphone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Fairphone 2 is an innovative smartphone in all its aspects. This
smartphone introduces a new and innovative modular construction
technology. Thanks to this architecture, anyone can do basic
maintenance on his or her phone without external support. It runs
Android 5.1 and a lot of high quality components.
Fairphone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The company has developed different types of modules: A Core unit
(memory, flash storage, modem, antennas, the SIMs and MicroSD card
and motion sensors), a display unit with the LCD screen and the
receiver module (receiver, headset connector, front-facing camera,
noise-cancelling microphone, ambient light and proximity sensor and the
notification LED). It also hosts a rear camera module and a speaker
unit, which includes also the vibration mechanism, main microphone and
a USB connector. The various modules may be replaced with other
components with better features, for example, an IR camera instead of
the normal rear-camera unit.
Fairphone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The company wants to raise awareness about the issues
surrounding mining and existing alternatives, in particular,
improve working conditions for miners, introduce local wages,
eliminate child labor and reduce environmental degradation caused by
mining practices. Other goals are to establish collaborative, mutually
beneficial, and transparent relationships with manufacturers to ensure
worker representation, safe working conditions and fair pay.
Fairphone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
The G5 is a next-gen smartphone that introduces two modular
add-ons. It has an accessory slot at the bottom, which allows users to
remove the battery and to swap in different modules: LG CAM Plus, LG
Hi-Fi Plus” Bang & Olufsen DAC accessory, etc.
LG is supposed to launch G5 in April.
LG G5

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Beyond the smartphone

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Virtual & Augmented Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
2016 will be the year of Virtual Reality, with companies like Samsung
with the Gear VR giveaway and Facebook with Social VR and
partnership with Samsung investing hard on it.
Virtual Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Head-mounted displays market will progress toward mainstream
adoption for consumers and enterprise use. New virtual reality products
for consumers, such as the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Sony PlayStation
VR, and Microsoft HoloLens are expected to be available along with
video games and entertainment content as well as business applications.
Film producers and sports leagues will augment their traditional content
through HMDs to enhance their customer experiences by creating
interactive attractions, movies, and sporting events that make the
content more personal and meaningful.
Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality
Samsung Gear VR
 
Free / 99 €
HTC Vive 
Pre-orders 799 $
Oculus Rift 
 
July 2016 - 599 $
Sony Playstation VR 
October 2016 - 400 $

Virtual Reality
*Statista 2016
Samsung Gear VR
Oculus Rift
HTC Vive
Sony Playstation VR
Others
Sold pieces in Mio.
5,0 Mio.
3,6 Mio.
2,1 Mio.
1,4 Mio.
0,1 Mio.
VR Headsets unit sales forecast Worldwide in 2016

SINNERSCHRADER SINNERSCHRADER | MASTER | 08.04.2015 132
SUBTITLE

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple had been creating a VR team and recent revelations
indicate that Apple is now accelerating their VR project. There are
patents that go back to iPod times. Apple has built a large team
that is experimenting with headsets and other technologies.
Hundreds of employees are part of a "secret research unit"
exploring AR and VR, building prototypes of virtual reality headsets
that are similar to the Oculus Rift and the Hololens from Microsoft.
Multiple prototypes of "possible headset configurations" have been
created in recent months, with Apple's interest reportedly
inspired by the Oculus Rift.
Virtual Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Virtual Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple has filed a patent related a device / glasses that projects
content, being aware of objects in its field of view, recognising
such objects as suitable for projection of content thereon. For
instance, like we see in the picture, the interface floating that lets
you buy a book, when looking at the physical book. The projection
device may adapt to the geometry and character of the objects by
controlling scale, distortion, focus of the projected content, and
varying the projected content itself.
Augmented Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Augmented Reality

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
HoloLens is a "mixed reality" computing platform, enabling
applications in which the live presentation of physical real-world
elements is incorporated with that of virtual elements.
Microsoft HoloLens

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Consists of a smart-glasses headset (visor) that is a cordless,
self-contained Windows 10 computer. 
 
Uses advanced sensors and spatial sound with a natural user
interface that the user interacts with through gaze, voice, and hand
gestures.
Microsoft HoloLens

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Microsoft HoloLens

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Magic Leap is a US startup that is working on a head-mounted
virtual retinal display. 
Hardware not presented to public yet. 
”A Google Glass on steroids that can seamlessly blend computer-
generated graphics with the real world“.
Magic Leap

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Works by projecting light on your retina. 
Your eyes can move around and focus on things, unlike using VR. 
Aiming to be worn all day long in public while being social. 
Promises to make virtual experiences happen more
naturally.
Magic Leap

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
„Dreams of being a full computer“. 
Will run its own OS. 
Comparable but arguably better than Microsoft HoloLens.
Magic Leap

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Magic Leap Announces $793.5 million in New
Funding
Dania Beach, Florida, February 2, 2016 - Magic Leap, Inc.
announced $793.5 million in new funding today, led by Alibaba
Group. Continued investment comes from Google Inc.,
Qualcomm Incorporated, through its venture investment group,
Qualcomm Ventures, and others.
Magic Leap

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Emergency Free Fall Orientation

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Covers the characteristic of the gyroscopic
torque to be used to reorient the mobile device
during the free fall.
Apple / US 2016/0018223
If a device is oriented during free fall such that it will likely fall directly
onto its display, the characteristic of the gyroscopic torque may be
selected so that the device will instead impact on its edge or side.

P A T E N T S &
I N V E N T I O N S
Apple / US 2016/0018223

Q U E S T I O N S ?
R
X
U
F
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U
M

Alexander Meinhardt
krunchtime.org
KRUNCHTI M E I NTE RACTIVE
Iker Ortiz de Arri
COAU THORS

2016 Current Patents & Inventions

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