Xiaomi Modular Phone Patent
According to LetsgoDigital’s reports, Xiaomi modular phone’s new patent outflow, patent was released on April 29, 2021, and has been included in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) database, to protect the patent technology around the world.
The patent shows that the Xiaomi modular phone consists of three main modules: the first module (the top part) contains the PCB (motherboard) and the camera, the second module (the middle part) holds the battery, and the third module (the bottom part) contains the interface and the speaker. To better showcase the phone, graphic designer Jermaine Smit a.k.a. Concept Creator has created a set of product renders based on Xiaomi’s patent.
The patent document shows that the Xiaomi modular phone is a full-screen design with a shell made of metal or plastic material. The modules can be slid together and taken apart through a rail system. In addition, the patent document also shows that at least two modules are connected to form a complete large screen, it is worth mentioning that the patent document mentions that there is no obvious seam in the middle of the spliced screen.
The patent also shows and describes two different kinds of camera modules. The first module is a square camera system consisting of three cameras and a flash, while the second module is a vertical camera system consisting of four cameras. It is worth noting that the lens at the bottom is square, which indicates that the camera module has a periscopic zoom camera.
For Xiaomi in the front of the phone front camera used which scheme, from the patent documents do not show, the current screen opening front camera scheme is widely used, but Xiaomi recently applied for a patent for a rotating under-screen camera, so it does not rule out that Xiaomi will use the under-screen camera scheme on this phone.
Of course, Xiaomi could also add a front camera solution by releasing multiple modules: one with a simple on-screen open-hole front camera and one with an under-screen front camera.