14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Ericsson sure filed a lot of patent applications in the last period/year, and among the most recent applications there's a very interesting one that might become the much talked-about PSP phone, or at least a handset that resembles it.
The patent application talks about a touchscreen enabled device (with mobile phone functionality) with haptic feedback that can be operated in several modes. The device's GUI (Graphical User Interface) automatically reconfigures itself depending on the way the users hold the device, and thanks to an accelerometer it can change its functionality almost instantly.
According to the patent application, the device is also "set out to mimic the look and feel of the popular Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) 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. The dashed box referred to by reference number 310 represents the buttons that appear on the bottom of the PSP. Lastly, the dashed box referred to by reference number 315 represents the buttons that appear on the left hand side of the PSP." If you look at the second image from the patent application (found below) you can understand better what the text is talking about.
Furthermore, the patent application says: "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 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."
It all sounds great, and apparently Sony Ericsson finally considers, in a kind of an official way, the creation of a PSP-like mobile phone. I say "finally" because until now the PSP phone was just a rumor fueled by vague hopes and dreams of Sony Ericsson and PlayStation fans. But with the revealing of this new patent application, we might really see a PSP phone. Let's hope this will happen soon.
For those interested, the full patent application can be seen at this address.
