Motorola patents the solar-powered cell phone

A new patent awarded to Motorola features solar panels layered beneath the external LCD screen on a mobile handset, indicating the potential for a solar-powered cell phone at some point in the future.

The “Display and Solar Cell Device” patent allows a cell phone to be powered directly by the solar cell, as well as route power to the internal battery for a quick recharge.

While we’re not likely to see anything like this too soon, it’s nice to imagine a day when our cell phones could receive a supplementary power boost from a built-in solar panel. Chances are, a traditional battery will remain with us for quite some time as the primary power source, but solar power could definitely provide a short-term recharge in case of emergency.

Of course, that won’t help much when your phone dies after sundown, but it’s a start.