Vivo - the Chinese smartphone manufacturer that's in the same family as OnePlus and Oppo - is working on some unusual "reverse notch" designs as another creative solution to having an all-screen smartphone. 

The images revealed in the patents were uncovered by LetsGoDigital, and indicate two unique possible designs. One features a gentle arch shape protruding from the top edge and housing two cameras, while the other has two individual protrusions, and looks quite frog-like. 

The aim, it would seem, behind this move would be to have a phone with no interruptions on the screen panel at all. There's no notch cutting into the top edge, or punch hole camera blocking out a small space in the corner. 

Until now, the solution to this particular problem has been to build a pop-up mechanism of some kind. In fact, Vivo was one of the first companies to introduce such a mechanism. 

We've since seen the approach taken by OnePlus and Oppo in devices like the OnePlus 7 Pro and the Oppo F11 Pro, which both feature a small pop up camera that protrudes from the top. 

Other approaches from the likes of Xiaomi and Honor have seen the return of the sliding mechanism, with the Mi Mix 3 and the Honor Magic 2. 

What all of these have in common, however different the approach, is that they all mean there's a smooth, seamless edge to the smartphone. With cameras protruding from the top in a fixed/permanent fashion, that no longer exists. 

We don't know much else about these smartphones Vivo is working on, or indeed, if they will ever become a final product available for consumers to buy. We'll keep you update if more is revealed.