Andromeda
Concept Courtesy: Harry

A patent published recently has revealed new details about Microsoft’s potential next hardware project, internally codenamed Andromeda. The patent has revealed how a  foldable tablet hybrid device could use self-adaptive antenna systems and the drawing in the patent is of three-way foldable computing device.

First spotted by us, the patent titled ‘Self-adaptive antenna systems for electronic devices having multiple form factors’ was published by USPTO on January 29, 2019, and filed by Microsoft way back in late 2015.

The patent in the question shows off a three-way foldable device. In the claims section of the patent application, Microsoft says that the patented foldable electronic device could be switched to tablet mode, phablet mode and even phone mode. The device has three-layers that allow it to switch between form factors by wrapping one portion over another.

The drawing embedded below shows off a three-way foldable device in a “tablet mode” which has a self-adaptive RF antenna system in accordance with an embodiment.

Tablet mode

Interestingly, there is also a drawing showing off the device in phone and phablet modes. Microsoft has clearly mentioned “phone” mode in the patent application and drawing embed below shows off the three-layer foldable electronic device in a “phone” mode.

Phone mode

The patent also explains the implementation of RT antennas on either side of the device to determine the form factor and operating system’s interface.

“The antenna adaptation element is configured to, in the second operating mode, passively counteract or mitigate a shifting of a resonant frequency of the RF antenna that would otherwise occur as a result of the electronic device being transitioned from the first operating mode to the second operating mode. The RF antenna and the antenna adaptation element thus comprise a self-adaptive antenna system for the electronic device. Additional antenna adaptation elements can be added to the system to support additional operating modes and form factors,” Microsoft explains.

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Mayank Parmar

Mayank Parmar is Windows Latest's owner, Editor-in-Chief and entrepreneur. Mayank has been in tech journalism for over seven years and has written on various topics, but he is mostly known for his well-researched work on Microsoft's Windows. His articles and research works have been referred to by CNN, Business Insiders, Forbes, Fortune, CBS Interactive, Microsoft and many others over the years.