Thursday, January 24,2008 @ 4:30pm
Apple files more touch screen patents
Apple has filed two more patents related to its touch screen technology, which follow a patent filing discovered earlier today. The new patents, titled 'Touch pad for handheld device' and 'Techniques for interactive input to portable electronic devices' cover scrolling features found in a touch pad as well as techniques for providing user input to interactive multitasking environments.
The first patent details a touch pad configured to receive input from a sliding motion or a tapping motion of a finger, controlling the movement of a visual indicator through a group of media items. The tapping motion of the finger, meanwhile, selects the specific media item designated by the visual indicator. Apple is already using this technology in its iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Air products.