Samsung patents phone filter that cleans itself using light
Samsung describes an electronic device with a special filter inside its housing that uses light to break down pollutants. A fan pulls air through this filter, while sensors inside and outside the device compare air quality to determine when the filter is clogged or dirty. The system then automatically cleans or recycles the filter to keep the internal air fresh.
In the filing’s own words
An electronic device includes a housing, a photocatalyst filter, at least one first sensor provided in the housing, a blower fan configured to introduce air into the housing, a light source configured to emit light to the photocatalyst filter, and a processor configured to control the blower fan and the light source, determine a degree of contamination of the photocatalyst filter based on a difference in sensor values between the at least one first sensor provided in the housing and at least one second sensor outside of the housing or a rate of change in sensor values between the at least one first sensor provided in the housing and the at least one second sensor outside the housing, and recycle the photocatalyst filter based on the determined degree of contamination of the photocatalyst filter.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An electronic device comprising: a housing; a photocatalyst filter; a first sensor provided in the housing and configured to measure a quality of air inside the electronic device; a blower fan configured to introduce air into the housing; a light source configured to emit light to the photocatalyst filter; and a processor configured to: control the blower fan and the light source, determine a degree of contamination of air inside the electronic device based on a first sensor value of the first sensor for a predetermined time period; determine a degree of contamination of air outside the electronic device based on a second sensor value of a second sensor that is provided outside of the housing for the predetermined time period; and recycle the photocatalyst filter based on an amount of increase of the first sensor value being larger than an amount of increase of the second sensor value over the predetermined time period, or based on an amount of decrease of the first sensor value being smaller than an amount of decrease of the second sensor value over the predetermined time period, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to measure a concentration of a same contaminant in air.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- Photocatalyst filter and electronic device comprising same
- Patent number
- US12734266B2
- Application number
- 18123686
- Filed
- Mar 20, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 7
- Claims
- 15
Classified under
A61L 9/205 Human necessitiesA61L 9/014 Human necessitiesB01D 53/007 Operations & transportB01D 53/0446 Operations & transportB01D 53/0454 Operations & transportB01D 53/8696 Operations & transportMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
- Samsung patents chip that combines camera and screen Oct 13, 2026
- Samsung patents faster chip testing using machine learning Sep 1, 2026
- Samsung patents radar method to pinpoint target direction more accurately Sep 1, 2026
- Samsung patents memory chip that searches data by content, not address Sep 1, 2026
- Samsung patents chip design that skips empty data to speed up AI Sep 1, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.