Samsung wins patent for rotating camera sensor for smartphones

Samsung has won a new patent that aims to improve the camera of smartphones. The new patent adds a rotating mechanism which changes the way how a camera moves from the inside out.

Filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under patent number US10070062, the application depicts how actuators and component pieces can be arranged in a way that allows the whole 'entire barrel' to tilt.

The initial examples from the company for how the mechanism would work include enhancements in optical image stabilization and image focusing. By making the sensor array tilt freely, the camera in a device would be able to track an object, person, or another subject effectively.

This could also enhance things further through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Besides, the patent also points to improvements to 'driving transmission efficiency.' This could be an indication towards moving parts since the patent also discusses a change that allows the 'rotating member' to move perpendicular to other parts.

Keeping that aside, the new technology in question may not be just restricted solely for smartphone cameras. Samsung did use a smartphone in its imagery but the patent itself could be used beyond that.

Specifically, Samsung describes its use in an "electronic device" that features a housing, display, camera, memory, and a processor. Well, this goes without saying that this is just a patent and there's no certainty that the patent will come fruition. But, it will be interesting to see the technology making it to smartphones.

Besides, the Samsung Galaxy S10 has been in the rumor mill for quite some time now. New rumors and half-baked reports are pouring in at an alarming rate. Now, a new rumor suggests that the flagship will feature asymmetrical bezels. However, it will offer higher screen-to-body ratio than their predecessors.

The top bezel is said to be bigger than the chin of the device, though the latter may be twice as slim as the bezel seen on the latest Galaxy Note 9. The asymmetrical front panel is a result of component placement probably, though it's unclear which component is responsible for it.