FT on the future of the mobile phone.
The Financial Times reports on patents that may predict the development of the mobile phone (Special report on Innovations, June 8, 2005, p. 17):
- Mobile phones boost their power output when network signal is low, and on aircraft phones are at their maximum trying to reach a base station. By placing a small 'pico-cell' on-board, phones use a small amount of power which reduces interference. Base stations on the ground also have less difficulty tracking one high-speed cell passing by.
- MCI's 1995 patent for locating a caller from GPS improves on the ability of network operators to locate callers by cell triangulation.
- A private patent filed in 1997 describes a disposable phone which could, for example, be purchased from vending machines by travelers arriving in a country.
- Manhattan Scientifics has patented methanol-based device which could be used to recharge mobile phone batteries.
- British Airways has a UK patent on using text messaging to issue boarding passes to customers.
- LG Electronics has developed a TV receiver for mobile phones. Plugging the device in allows reception of local TV boradcasts (South Korean patent, 2003).
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