Replies to post #16012 on Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[shlubtastic]

I don't know how far you've read into it, as I'm still reading the application in entirety, too, but the ceramic coating itself is sounding very much like a LMT-based coating, with the elements used.

Edit: Here, I'll quote near the bottom of the first document:

Various materials can be used in such a thermal spray process, including metals, ceramics and cermets. Because metals and cermets tend to be poor transmitters for RF communications, it is preferable that the thermally sprayed material for use with the present invention be a ceramic powder material. Such a ceramic can be, for example, an aluminum based powder, a chromium oxide based powder, a titania based powder or a zirconium oxide based powder, among other suitable materials.

The ceramic thermal spray process contemplated for use with the present invention can be that which is provided by any number of vendors, such as, for example, Sulzer Metco of Westbury, N.Y.; Tocalo Co., Ltd. of Kobe-shi, Japan; or Plasma Giken Koygo, Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan.(NOTE FROM ME: Let's do some research on these companies) Other vendors may also be used for this process, as may be applicable. In general, any suitable thermal spray process that involves the use of a plasma spray gun or other similar device to effectively “paint” or coat a thin layer onto a surface can be used with the present invention. In particular, such a layer should be a ceramic or other radio transparent material.

Although many typical thermal spray processes use powders having granules on the order of 100 microns in diameter, it is though that granules of this size may be too large for an aesthetically pleasing smooth surface finish on a portable computing device, as described in detail above. As such, it is contemplated that a thermal spray process using smaller granule sizes can be used with for the present invention. For example, a fine powder thermal spray can be used having granules that are about 10 or even 5 microns in diameter, on average. This can result in a smoother surface finish on the final product.

In some embodiments, particularly where granules of a larger diameter are used in the thermal spray process, a finishing step might be employed to polish or otherwise smooth out the outer surface of the thermal spray layer after it has been applied to the outer surface(s) of the outer housing component(s). For example, a diamond powder sanding process might be used to polish or smooth out the final outer surface. Such a final finishing step can improve the overall look of the portable computing device to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

[zeddcules]

This answers a lot of questions as to Asia problem and the average prices being spent on a phone. This could lead to massive sales of a phone still at a "premium" price but more in line with the middle class of China (which is just a hair above poverty).

[shlubtastic]

Hrrrm, after further digesting and understanding the patent application's wording even more, it's really looking to me that even going to just a metallic coating is not compatible with their current design due to RF-signal problems. In the paragraphs I quoted, they're describing the use of some of the elements of our IP, but also saying directly that metallic elements would not be useful because of their inherent properties of being poor RF transmitters when the signal must pass through the metal. I think this ACE may not be in their deck. Take that how you want, but according to Apple's own patent application, even a limited collector's edition as you're suggesting would induce another "Antenna Gate" with this iPhone's design.

Various materials can be used in such a thermal spray process, including metals, ceramics and cermets. Because metals and cermets tend to be poor transmitters for RF communications, it is preferable that the thermally sprayed material for use with the present invention be a ceramic powder material. Such a ceramic can be, for example, an aluminum based powder, a chromium oxide based powder, a titania based powder or a zirconium oxide based powder, among other suitable materials.

And then looking at the patent application with the company they listed as a vendor for spraying on the ceramic coating, their application states the use of just zirconium and hafnia, with other stabilizing materials of a non-significant percentage.