Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and VP Greg Heart have patented an idea to protect dropped phones from damage using airbags.
A patent filing discovered by The Register details:
A method for protecting a portable device that includes an airbag deployable from a side of the portable device, comprising: detecting that the portable device will impact a surface; prior to impact with the surface, determining if a risk of damage to the portable device from the impact exceeds a damage threshold; when the risk of damage to the portable device exceeds the damage threshold: altering the orientation of the portable device such that the air bag first impacts the surface; and deploying the airbag prior to impact with the surface.
Variations on this concept using airbags, springs, and thrusters as the protection system are also detailed in the filing.
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Comments (7)
Comments are closed for this article.
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David - August 14, 2011 at 12:40pm
This patent is obviously a insult from Amazon to Apple mocking how fragile the iPhone is. Imagine designing such a beautiful product only to see billions being made by third party iPhone cover/protector companies that cover and uglify your precious design. Instead of making the iPhone ever so much faster, I personally wish Apple would put some effort into making it water-resistant and shatter-resistent.
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Buggsy2 - August 13, 2011 at 3:48am
Shouldn't this be dated April 1?
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MikeKrotch - August 12, 2011 at 11:08pm
How about a hover iPhone. Like back to the future. Lol
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Mr. Sunshine - August 12, 2011 at 9:57pm
note to self: stop buying shit from amazon. if this is the best idea a CEO can come up with, i'm done. How about you just hold onto your phone better?! I'd rather see robots cleaning our entire house before something like this. How about that, Amazon? Can you make robots that clean everything in our houses yet?
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David - August 14, 2011 at 12:44pm
I think you missed the irony of this absurd patent.
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Mr yogi - August 12, 2011 at 7:15pm
It'll probably be out in the iPhone 8
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PeterZ - August 12, 2011 at 6:44pm
Lmao! Thrusters! How amazing would it be if you drop your iPhone and 8 repulsers shoot out to force a soft landing.
Hoverboard, anyone?
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