Apple Touchscreen Patent Application Supports iTablet Rumors

A patent application filed in June 2009 details Apple's concept for a multi-touch surface that enables "unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device." Word among the industry insiders is that any Apple Tablet device would not be released or announced until early 2010.

The voluminous patent document states that the keyboard, mouse, stylus and voice recognition software used in various user interface modes are not versatile enough for the varied uses of todays computers. "Many attempts have been made to embed pointing devices in a keyboard so the hands do not have to leave typing position to access the pointing device... The limited movement range and resolution of these devices, leads to poorer pointing speed and accuracy than a mouse, and they add mechanical complexity to keyboard construction," according to the application. "Thus there exists a need in the art for pointing methods with higher resolution, larger movement range, and more degrees of freedom yet which are easily accessible from typing hand positions."

The patent application contains several unique inventions, including ways to integrate and distinguish different input types through different configurations of the hands, an ergonomically contoured multi-touch surface, "flesh proximity" images mapped to different sensors to distinguish hand configuration, knowing when the user intends to produce cursor motion, and when to ignore commands when user deceleration is detected, among other UI features. The main thrust of the concept seems to be integrating keyboard and mouse input into a new paradigm.