The rumor circulating the web about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 this week related to a three-sided YOUM OLED screen. 

An image supposedly from Samsung's patent file for the successor to the Note 3 would seem to confirm that rumor.

The image on GSMArena points to a radically different design from the current Note 3 which just has a standard flat display and metal rim casing. 

If the image is correct, it looks like Samsung has gone back to the drawing board to reimagine a more design-defining device.  

It shows what appears to be curved edges with the YOUM display stretching over the sides.

Of course, a patent application doesn't necessarily mean that this is the design Samsung is going to go with but it does suggest the South Korean company is giving full consideration to the possibility of doing something pretty different with the Note 3's successor. 

GSMArena notes that a tri-sided screen curving over the edge of the device will also impact on the look and feel of the user interface as the patent shows the app and setting shortcuts positioned right on the curved sides.  

That would also match up with comments from the Samsung leadership that it is looking to make devices with a "new form factor".

But we're still a long way away from the Note 4 releasing as its not likely the announcement for the device will come before the IFA technology show taking place in Berlin in September.

And of course we can't do more than speculate about what the final product will actually look like, but the rumors certainly make the prospect of its release quite tantelising.

So far it's been rumored the device will come with a larger display, 5.9 or even 6 inches, over the Note 3's 5.7 inches.

And it may be that Samsung is going to build the stylus into the device's security by using handwriting recognition to unlock the screen or even access areas of the phone like contact lists.

It's also rumored to run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, which supports a 4k resolution screen.

All of that combined with a slick design incorporating a curved display would make for a pretty cool smartphone.