Samsung's trips to the US Patent and Trademark Office have been well documented. Last month, publications were filled with news of BRITECELL, a patent Samsung filed early in November and is purported to enhance its new handset camera, a 20MP camera sensor that uses a RWB pixel arrangement. Earlier this week, Samsung made another trip, but this time, it's for the Duo Pixel's patent application.
It is yet to be clear what the Duo Pixel is or what it does but based on the specified status details of the Duo Pixel's patent number 86833892, it can be used for an array of devices, from mobile phones down to 3D eye glasses. Samsung is listed as the trademark owner with Stephen R. Barrese of Dilworth & Barrese, a law firm based in New York, as the attorney.
Some speculate that the Duo Pixel is likely to be used on Samsung's 12 MP sensor that uses dual-photodiode technology.
"Samsung may be prepping for mass production, a new kind of focusing system to replace phase-detection AF, or even a dual-lens camera that Samsung was rumored to be toying with," Phone Arena says.
All this buzz around Samsung at the moment is courtesy of the much anticipated launch of the Galaxy S7, which will likely be on March 2016. The next flagship is rumored to sport a "revolutionary" new main camera.
The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 5's main snappers are said to be some of the best in the current generation of flagships. DxoMark rates the S6's main camera at 86, which puts it just below Sony Xperia Z5 that tops that list with its 87.
Others see different possibilities for Duo Pixel, aside from the S7. Slash Gear suggests that it has possible implementations on virtual/augmented reality with Samsung's Gear VR, as well as a stand-alone camera just like the Ricoh Theta.
Samsung is yet to give any statement regarding Duo Pixel and as such, everything that is not stated on patent 86833892 should be taken with a grain of salt.
