Motorola has filed a patent application for an interesting technology that could bring 3D pictures, videos and games to your mobile phones soon. In this application filed with the USPTO, the inventors speak specifically of devices with clamshell like a flip phone where a 2D image rendered while the phone is flipped open may be rendered in 3D when the clamshell is closed.
“A cover is mechanically coupled to the housing and may be moved to overlie the display. The cover includes an optical element, such as a transparent lenticular material, through which the display may be viewed. The display presents images in two dimensions, and when the cover is “open“, the operator sees the displayed images, for example, diagrams and text, in two dimensions. However, when the cover is “closed“, the operator perceives the images presented through the optical element as three dimensional.”
The patent application claims that this technology can enable users to view information such as contact names, phone numbers, image, video, scrolled menus, user interface commands and most other on-screen display items in 3D view.
How cool is that? Could this also bring 3D gaming to your smartphone!?