Sony patents PSP phone concept

Sony-Ericsson believes it can negotiate the balance between serious gaming and phones, according to a patent just granted to the company. Although titled a "Mobile Information Terminal Apparatus" in the description, the patent describes a device similar in shape to the Sony PSP game system but with a unique swiveling screen similar to that of the Samsung i7. The LCD could rotate either 90 or 180 degrees to move the attached directional pad to a more comfortable position for gaming or (at the mid-point) a widescreen display for movies. A second directional pad would sit among the buttons with a layout that prevents accidental number presses during game sessions.

Software would also play into the advancement. The phone would always monitor incoming calls and could pause a game to handle the conversation, Sony says. Code could optionally be written to provide different resume options, including both the immediate pause point, the start of the current level, or shutting down the game entirely if the phone call prompts a change in plans.

Although Sony-Ericsson hasn't provided any immediate indications that it will release a phone based on the patent, the filing would allow the company to do so without worries about copies. It would also reflect Sony-Ericsson's current approach to phones, which has produced numerous phones based on the Bravia and Cyber-shot lines from Sony. [via Unwired View]