Microsoft Hopes To Patent An 'inconspicuous Mode' For Phones

[Spartan]

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/01/microsoft-inconspicuous-patent.jpg[/img]

We've all seen That Person in the movie theater: the one whose compulsive texting guarantees a distraction for everyone through the bright screen. Microsoft might not change that disruptive behavior, but it could save us from noticing through a new [url="http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/10/microsoft-hopes-to-patent-an-inconspicuous-mode-for-phones/#"]patent application[/url]. The team in Redmond is exploring an "inconspicuous mode" that would dial down not just the screen brightness and sound, but also the information on the display -- it could remove a bright background and limit the number of attention-grabbing notifications. The technique could even detect certain conditions, such a very dark bedroom, and invoke the mode without having to ask. Like with most patents, we don't know if Microsoft plans to use the technology in earnest; we've reached out, just in case a similar mode has previously lurked in the background. When the patent filling is crafted with [url="http://www.engadget.com/tag/WindowsPhone/"]Windows Phone[/url] in mind, however, we wouldn't be surprised if some future version of the mobile OS learns to mind its manners.

[desire4me04]

[quote name='ChittiNaidu' timestamp='1357866391' post='1303088557']
[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/01/microsoft-inconspicuous-patent.jpg[/img]

We've all seen That Person in the movie theater: the one whose compulsive texting guarantees a distraction for everyone through the bright screen. Microsoft might not change that disruptive behavior, but it could save us from noticing through a new [url="http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/10/microsoft-hopes-to-patent-an-inconspicuous-mode-for-phones/#"]patent application[/url]. The team in Redmond is exploring an "inconspicuous mode" that would dial down not just the screen brightness and sound, but also the information on the display -- it could remove a bright background and limit the number of attention-grabbing notifications. The technique could even detect certain conditions, such a very dark bedroom, and invoke the mode without having to ask. Like with most patents, we don't know if Microsoft plans to use the technology in earnest; we've reached out, just in case a similar mode has previously lurked in the background. When the patent filling is crafted with [url="http://www.engadget.com/tag/WindowsPhone/"]Windows Phone[/url] in mind, however, we wouldn't be surprised if some future version of the mobile OS learns to mind its manners.
[/quote]patents = power=money