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Patent applications, be they from Apple, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Microsoft, etc., all have one thing in common - they employ hand-sketched, incredibly vague images that outline their ideas. Well, Nokia’s breaking rank with their newest patent application filing. The image you see below isn’t some poor-quality spy-shot of an N-series slider in Nokia’s pipeline, rather, it’s the image that was included in the patent application wherein Nokia outlines plans to incorporate a swiveling/rotating camera module - much like we saw used in the Nokia 5700 . The idea is that a swiveling camera-module will give users more control over the camera’s “imaging axis.” Right, that makes sense, but the swiveling camera isn’t what piques our interest here. A close look at the patent application’s included images shows what looks like a lower-resolution, grainy spy-shot of a real-life Nokia N-series slider that’s already in the works in Espoo. Even closer inspection reveals what looks like an “8 Megapixel” or “6 Megapixel” branding emblazoned on the camera module. Did someone take the time and effort to sketch a fairly-detailed, if grainy, image of a handset for the sole purpose of including an image in the patent application? We’d put our money on “no.” We’ll likely have to wait until next year, but we won’t be too surprised if Nokia drops an N-series slider with a rotating/swiveling camera module on us. FCC source [Via: Unwired View ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Apple patent application hints at theft-detecting, security-enabled power adaptors for iPhoneApple patent application hints at Apple iPhone Nano!Samsung E950 - 3 megapixel sliderSony Ericsson's patent application for dual-sliding QWERTY-keyboard and numeric keypadSamsung to launch G600 - handset with 5 MP camera

A recent patent filing by Apple gives us a possible glimpse into Apple’s future tech for their Mac computer lineup. More specifically, Apple has filed to patent a multi-touch system for their mice’s shells. The application states that, “The invention relates to a configurable mouse with an extended sensing surface, which provides the mouse a customizable, programmable or adaptable way of generating inputs.” Now, if you’re wondering how this relates to mobile tech, we’re going to justify our coverage of Apple’s mousing technology with the logic that multi-touch originated from the Apple iPhone. There, it’s kinda mobile, you happy now? Anyway, the patent application goes on to outline a system by which the outer, plastic shell of the mouse will become a programmable sensing surface - using multi-touch inputs like those seen on the iPhone. Like a normal mouse, the multi-touch mouse will include a more traditional tracking mechanism. But, the trick thing here is the use of the “multipoint detection mechanism” that effectively transforms the outer, grippable shell of the mouse into an extended sensing surface. “The mouse additionally includes a controller for processing signals generated by the position detection mechanism and multipoint touch detection mechanism” - which allows for a combination of mouse movement and finger touch-input to affect control of the interface. Moving the mouse simultaneously with a particular finger gesture might result in a specific command - while the same movement without a finger gesture would affect a different command. Furthermore, the patent provides for “an illumination source for illuminating the 3D shaped top shell, an image sensor arrangement for imaging the 3D shaped top shell when the 3D shaped top shell is illuminated, and a wide angle lens assembly that allows the substantially large portion of the 3D shaped top shell to be imaged by the image sensor arrangement...

While Palm may be working on a keyoard-less Treo, Research In Motion (RIM) has a patent application for a BlackBerry with a re-configurable keyboard. If the patent pans out, RIM will be pushing BlackBerries that can be configured for all sorts of different functions - like if you need a full keyboard, or maybe just [...]