Samsung recently filed for a new patent application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for 3D displays that users may connect to smartphones and tablets. These displays can exist in the form of television sets or monitors, and it can show varying types of content like photographs, videos, and 3D games. Illustrations included with the patent also show that users may forward the information presented on their smartphones to the 3D screens. For example, if the user is on a call, the screen can show the person that they are currently speaking to at the moment and the display can also be used to control the playback of music files that the user forwarded from their handsets. These panels may use either stereoscopic or holographic techniques in showing 3D content. The stereoscopic method uses two photographs to project a 3D image, while holographic displays show a flat image presented from a variety of angles.
Samsung’s 3D display also features a 3D user interface, which may result in a more accurate operation compared to 2D versions of the interface. Users may interact with the device either through touch or by stylus pens. However, these displays may also sport sensors that detect when users contact with virtual objects presented by the device, and these sensors may use infrared radiation or ultrasound waves to track how the person interacts with the content.
Also, according to Samsung’s patent application, the device will include a camera that the product can use to identify objects and recognize the materials’ shapes and colors. The user interface of the display will then adjust according to the object detected, and it may also show relevant information about the product. Among the pieces of information that the display may provide include where users may buy a product and how much these goods cost. It is also possible that the users may use the display’s camera for video calls.
Samsung already launched a 3D TV set back in 2010, although it did not reach commercial success due to the inconveniences associated with using the products. However, the company continued on improving its 3D display technology and it recently filed patents related to holographic displays. One of the patents filed by Samsung Electronics back in November 2018 shows a holographic display technology that takes advantage of the existing display apparatus for showing high-resolution images. This technology also reduces the amount of processing power required in presenting 3D images and limits the output to two viewing zones. Another interesting patent applied by Samsung Electronics is related to holographic projectors that the company might include in future foldable handsets.
While patents do not always result in a commercialized product, it provides a hint about how Samsung may market 3D displays in the future. In this example, it seems that the South Korean tech giant plans to incorporate these screens into people’s homes. Furthermore, the inclusion of its own user interface and image recognition functionalities also suggest that when the tech firm decides to commercialize the display, the device may also feature a virtual assistant like Samsung’s own Bixby.
