04-28-2007, 04:24 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,221
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Motorola Receives Patent for LCD Solar Cell Screen
"Motorola recently received a patent for combining an LCD screen and a solar cell on a wireless device. While the cost of such a concept makes the iPhone seem like a bargain, the concept of having a display that also can have a dual purpose of receiving light for recharging the battery makes a lot of sense. Moto�s patent notes that this technology is better with black-only LCDs achieving up to a 75% light let-through rate. In the market, thin film solar cell development has come a ways since this technology was filed."
The patent describes a method for obtaining partial or full power for the device through the LCD. Since the patent application was filed on October 31, 2001, the PatentMonkey analysis for Crunchgear says significant technological developments have been made. Certainly, anything to supplement and extend battery life at a reasonable cost is appreciated. But, considering the patent's filing date, it looks like someone needs to invent a faster approval process!
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04-28-2007, 05:27 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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Re: Motorola Receives Patent for LCD Solar Cell Screen
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Originally Posted by Paul Martin
The patent describes a method for obtaining partial or full power for the device through the LCD.
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Rather ironic, since the LCD is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, power guzzler in most portable devices these days. Short of spinning hard drives, that is.
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04-28-2007, 02:40 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,221
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Re: Motorola Receives Patent for LCD Solar Cell Screen
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Rather ironic, since the LCD is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, power guzzler in most portable devices these days. Short of spinning hard drives, that is.
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If the LCD could at least offer a zero sum power drain, it would sure help; that and I could pump my beautiful VGA screen up to high!
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04-29-2007, 12:22 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 93
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Casio currently makes a line of Solar Powered (Charged) digital watches in the G series. I have a couple of them and they work great. Quasar also makes a solar powered Analog watch. The solar cell on the Casio watches is the ring that runs around the face with the functions, etc written on it. Really a neat way to do it that could be applied to Pocket PCs/SmartPhones. The Quasar's entire face is a solar cell and is a milky white.
I really like the concept of solar powered or at least solar assisted devices. It would be great if one or more of the makers of Pocket PCs would add this feature, similar to the Casino watches.
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05-02-2007, 02:14 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 125
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i agree - this is a great idea for future devices. a 2.6 inch+ solar collector built into the screen, or even the back of the device would be quite handy. Just leaving it on your office desk or at home (upright or turned upside down) during the day would give you a nice incremental boost.
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05-05-2007, 01:44 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 142
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Re: Motorola Receives Patent for LCD Solar Cell Screen
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Originally Posted by Paul Martin
...it looks like someone needs to invent a faster approval process!
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And no one's mentioned how we see "patent pending" on products all the time?
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Paul Martin
Rather ironic, since the LCD is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, power guzzler in most portable devices these days. Short of spinning hard drives, that is.
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If the LCD could at least offer a zero sum power drain, it would sure help; that and I could pump my beautiful VGA screen up to high! |
Well, here's a thought...on flip phones, the external LCD (caller ID, cutesy little images, etc) usually takes a fairly small portion of one side of the phone. Why not make the whole solar panel/external LCD fill a larger area of that side, but only use a small portion of the panel for actually displaying anything, yet use its whole area for solar energy collection. This would actually cause the panel to provide power for more than just the LCD...
*edit*
Granted, that wouldn't do as much for "candybar" phones, or Dell Axim / HP iPaq -sized phones, but still...gotta take those extra gains where we can...
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