A new patent filed by Apple engineers suggests that future MacBooks could come with an added extra: an in-built pico-projector.
According to filings acquired by Patently Apple, the patent – US Patent Number 2,0100,079,653 – describes a “portable computing system with a secondary image output [...] a system for image projection” – in other words, an integral image projection device.
With so-called pico-projectors – ultra-portable projection devices, usually powered by a battery and designed for connection to smartphones or notebooks for impromptu presentations on the go – rising in popularity, it makes sense for a manufacturer to plan in-built models. With this patent under its wings, Apple could well have a head start over its rivals.
The diagrams included in the patent show a projector lens located on the rear of the laptop, below the screen – meaning that the in-built projector can be used even while the screen is unfolded fully up for use.
Interestingly, a second diagram included in the patent filing shows another MacBook with in-built pico-projector, but this time arranged so the image is projected from the side of the notebook rather than the rear. While at first it seems a trifle counter-intuitive, such a layout makes sense for those making a presentation as it allows the user to at least partially face the audience while using the laptop rather than having his or her back to them with a rear-facing projector.
The patent also covers a method for correcting the image if the projection surface – most likely a plain wall rather than a specialist screen – is not at a ninety degree angle to the notebook, along with techniques for ensuring image quality if the projection surface is uneven.
While pico-projectors certainly have their uses – and having one built into your notebook would be undeniably useful – they do have their drawbacks, not least of which is a limited resolution and small image size. Without the large lamps and high-resolution panels of a professional stand-alone projector, it’s hard to get an image of a size and brightness that can be seen by more than a few people at once. That said, for impromptu presentations the technology certainly beats crowding around a notebook display.
Apple has a tendency to file patents for products it isn’t necessarily going to develop immediately, but with pico-projectors currently something of a hot topic it wouldn’t be too surprising to see this technology gracing the next generation of MacBook Pro in the near future.
