New Apple touch display patent

Patently Apple has the news that Apple has filed for another touchscreen display patent, but here's the catch: this one's probably not for a tablet! Or at least, not for the tablet we're expecting. The patent, which covers the idea of a thinner and brighter touchscreen display by combining the touch and pixel display elements (basically including the capacitive and pixel elements in the same hardware), could actually be used in any of Apple's devices, from the iPhone and iPod touch, to future versions of their laptops. And yes, it could be used in a potential tablet, but really, this is more of a way to create touchscreens anywhere rather than specifically a tablet-only function.

Note that this is also different from the dynamic tactile display Apple patented a little while ago. Personally, I'd rather see the much more inventive tactile display used in the hopefully soon-to-be-unveiled tablet -- I'd love to finally get some touchable feedback from touchscreens. But of course Apple will use what they think is best. Having a quicker and brighter display to go along with a multitouch screen wouldn't be a bad thing, either.

Thanks, Mitch Wagner!

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Source: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/01/apple-re…

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Hardware Odds and ends Apple

Patently Apple has the news that Apple has filed for another touchscreen display patent, but here's the catch: this one's probably not for...

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GadgetGav

Before we all get too excited, does anyone remember the patent from years ago where the display pixels were interleaved with camera pixels? Remember how everyone was saying there would be cameras in the screens of the next gen displays. Well, there were, but they were just ordinary cameras at the top of the screen, not embedded into the display.
Apple has a very broad patent portfolio, most of which never makes it to a product.

January 08 2010 at 10:39 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

omarcktell

What if Apple released a MacBook Touch? No keyboard, flip it open and it's two 10" touch screens and you can switch between two modes. When it is open and sits on your lap, the bottom screen now becomes a keyboard and the top screen a 10" laptop screen. When held vertically, it's an eBook.

Interesting patent.

January 08 2010 at 6:26 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

SuperCharly

Can't wait for the Slate !

www.stevejobs.fr

January 08 2010 at 5:41 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Casey Becking

That is awesome!

January 08 2010 at 12:55 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David

What's more interesting to me is the writing at the top. "Macbook Tablet." I'd prefer that name over iSlate.

January 08 2010 at 12:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to David's comment

Taylor

Or maybe just 'MacTablet'. I'd much prefer that over 'iSlate'.

January 08 2010 at 7:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

sandman2k12

THis is great.
http://www.islater.net

January 08 2010 at 12:04 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jarrett

Technically that is true, although since Apple has an applied date they would have first right to the patent as long as no one filed for a similar patent any earlier.

http://www.applebythehour.com

January 07 2010 at 11:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to jarrett's comment

ron

Technically, they get no particular rights and may actually be infringing another patent UNTIL a patent is granted. Indeed, they may be "willfully infringing" once they are made aware of any prior art, for which they get to pay an extra 200% (3X damages if willfulness is demonstrated).

But hey, that's just technically. Apple is so super-cool that they would never do that...

January 08 2010 at 11:21 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Gravy

Please note that the document described in the article is a published patent application, not an issued patent. It grants Apple no IP rights. The first sentence of the article accurately states that Apple "has filed for" a patent, but later on refers to "the patent," when in fact no patent has issued.

January 07 2010 at 11:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply