Patent shows system mixing front-facing camera with facial recognition system; this saves space inside a phone

Feb 12, 2018 05:55 GMT  ·  By

One of the most controversial features currently on the iPhone X is the notch at the top of the screen, which is more or less a necessary evil given that Apple has replaced Touch ID with Face ID.

The notch is the home of the facial recognition system and it holds the necessary modules to power it, so without it, offering Face ID was pretty much impossible.

And while there are rumors that Apple is trying to make the notch smaller on future-generation iPhones, Microsoft has a way to do it that could bring this eagerly-awaited change to the market a lot faster.

A recently-discovered patent called “Hybrid imaging sensor for structured light object capture” describes a technology that mixes the front-facing camera that we typically use for video calls and selfies with an infrared camera that’s being used for facial recognition system.

In other words, it’s a 2-in-1 system that combines the two technologies in a single module helping save space under the hood of the phone. This is one important achievement that Apple itself could benefit from, especially when thinking about reducing the size of the iPhone X notch.

Improved Windows Hello

The abstract section of the patent (which you can read in the box after the jump) provides us with a glimpse into how the tech could work, explaining that additional tech like a dedicated hybrid imaging sensor and a bandpass filter would be needed.

“In some embodiments, the system of three-dimensional imaging is further configured with one or more processors in data communication with the hybrid imaging sensor and which are configured to execute stored computer-executable instructions for controlling the hybrid imaging sensor and/or related components of the system,” the patent reads.

There’s a chance Microsoft uses the technology described in this patent for ways to improve Windows Hello in the future, which means that it could soon make its way to devices like laptops and PCs. Microsoft is also believed to be working on a new mobile device, but right now it’s not known what features this mysterious device could get when launching.

Drawing describing new Microsoft patent
Patent Description

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