Google wins space-saving circuit patent for its smartphones

Google has won a patent with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The patent is intended to reduce the space occupied by an electronic device's circuit board connections in traditional layouts.

The document filed under number 'US20180228039,' describes what seems to be a smartphone using three circuit boards, with the third serving the additional purpose of acting as a series of connectors.

The third board will also be capable of running perpendicular to the device's display. The setup could use a lexible circuit but seems to cover just about any layout. According to the filing, these will also generate space savings.

Google has listed battery as the most obvious improvements. The additional space created inside the device will allow for a bigger battery. Google also indicates that the space would enable "other additional components," or bigger components. This could also mean that the company has new components planned that could fill up the vacant areas.
It's still unclear whether the company plan to tuck in more radios, connectivity options, or a new tech.

This could refer to nearly anything from powerful specs to improved hardware-based security. It could also refer to camera sensors or internal hardware. That being said, there are also chances that the company might never use the patent.

Samsung also used a similar space-saving approach for its Galaxy Note 9. In a newly surfaced teardown, the internals of the Galaxy Note 9 has been compared to its predecessor. While the company managed to bring some obvious changes to the new flagship, the teardown mainly focused mostly on how Samsung used space. It shows how the company reorganised the components, connectors, and other elements to enhance repairability and durability while keeping the aesthetics similar.

For instance, the Galaxy Note 9's fingerprint sensor is secured underneath the cameras. The internal space allocated for the S Pen and has been built to whitstand drops. For making the devie easily reparable, Samsung has used a lego-style adapter to fix the USB Type-C connector.

The previous model required the whole board to be removed just to replace a broken plug, but the new design will make things easier to repair. This would also make the repairs more affordable with fewer components would require the whole motherboard replacement.