Wireless 'Desk Free' Computer System with Projection Display Detailed in New Apple Patent

Apple has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via AppleInsider) detailing a wireless "desk-free" computer system that consists of only a computer housing with a built-in unique smart projector including advanced capabilities.

The patent, which was filed in 2008, details a computer system housing a unique projector with advanced technology that would hold the same power as a desktop or laptop. The smart projector would also allow the "computer" to be set up anywhere, allowing any suitable surface to be used for a display screen.

smartprojectorpatent22

The computer systems and methods described herein may achieve a synergy that is not possible with conventional computers and projectors, which may be realized in terms of the operating system, system interaction, and/or performance. This may stem, for example, from the computer system's knowledge of the computer system's projection output and the surface on which it is projecting. The operating system may be designed to include larger icons and/or text and/or a different style based on the knowledge that the user is likely further away from the displayed image than conventional computer experiences.

smartprojectorpatent1
In detail, the projector would also be configurable to run solely for certain purposes, such as turning off all components except the DVD drive and the projector to run as a mobile cinema, or turning off certain components to run like a normal computer. The projector itself would also be able to automatically calibrate and perform keystoning on itself to provide the best picture possible based on sensor data, even going as far to color correct and discard lesser pixels to display a high-resolution image.

smartprojectorpatent3
Meanwhile, Apple describes the computer system as also allowing for peripherals such as a wireless mouse or keyboard to be connected, with the device as a whole being powered in a number of potential ways, such as having a single power cord to connect to a power supply or through the inclusion of an inductive wireless charge system or integrated batteries.

It is unknown whether Apple plans to create such a product or not, but the company has researched unique projector technology before. A patent in 2011 revealed the company's interest in developing a pico projector that would be able to take advantage of built-in cameras to automatically recognize and adjust gestures and shadows, which would result in interactive uses for situations such as presentations. Apple also currently includes a section for presentation accessories in its online store, where it sells various projectors from manufacturer Epson.

Tag: Patent

Top Rated Comments

pavinder Avatar
121 months ago
So is this actually a new or revolutionary idea, or is it simply like putting a Mac Mini and a projector into one box?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Matthew Yohe Avatar
121 months ago
5 years ago.

A lot changes in technology in 5 years. Example: the relevance of projectors today.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jamez1502 Avatar
121 months ago
Oh good, another patent that will never see the light of day. (I'm going to look like an idiot if this gets announced)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Oflife Avatar
121 months ago
Nothing new!

I began to use my smartphone as a computer years ago, and today have a Galaxy Note 3, a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard and a tiny ASUS LED Video Projector. I hook the lot together using the Samsung MHL microUSB cable to pump 1080P video via HDMI into the projector, fire up the keyboard and Bob's your uncle. The keystoning in the projector works a treat. The whole lot take up less space than the smallest MacBook or Windows laptop. Best of all, the 'computer' components (the Snapdragon 800 powered Note 3), fits in my pocket, shoots 4K video, takes 13MP photos and I can talk on it.

(Typing this on my MacBook Pro 15" Retina with 1TB of SSD, because until Adobe port their suite across to Android or the cloud, a Mac still has it's uses! Namely, creating the content that I display on the aforementioned setup.)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
121 months ago
The projector that just works. How very Apple. Today's projectors (or at least the ones I've tried) are a PITA to set up.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BornAgainApple Avatar
121 months ago
Future Apple TV?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Apple Music Classical

Apple Explains Why It Launched an iPhone App Dedicated to Classical Music

Monday March 27, 2023 8:54 pm PDT by
Apple today published a support document explaining why it decided to release a standalone Apple Music Classical app for classical music. In short, Apple says the app was designed to support classical music's complex metadata:Classical music is different. It has longer and more detailed titles, multiple artists for each work, and hundreds of recordings of well-known pieces. The Apple Music...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5

Tuesday March 28, 2023 10:15 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the launch of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4. Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an...
home upgrade available feature

PSA: Apple Has Made Its New Home Architecture Update Available Again

Tuesday March 28, 2023 1:50 am PDT by
Apple has made the option to upgrade to new Home architecture available again with the release of iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, after it temporarily pulled the update in December. After updating Apple devices to the latest software, users can once again opt to upgrade any homes set up in the Home app to the new Home architecture, which Apple says brings faster, more reliable ...