Apple brought us multitouch, Retina displays, and 3D Touch, and according to a new patent filing, it is gearing up to make touchscreens even smarter. The company has developed a way in which it can create displays that detect hovering fingers for special gestures.
Published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week, “Proximity and multi-touch sensor detection and demodulation” describes ways in which photodiodes or other proximity-sensing hardware can be used to detect fingers hovering above a display’s surface.
“Like current iOS devices, the invention includes in part a capacitive sensing element disposed throughout an LCD display with multiple piggybacked proximity sensors,” explains AppleInsider. “This hybrid solution provides a more complete “image” of touch inputs by delivering hover gesture detection.”
Apple suggests combining the capacitive sensor with infrared LEDs and photodiodes, which could detect fingers in close proximity with the display by registering the light bouncing off them. By also reading the amount of light, it could distinguish between individual and multiple fingers, and even an entire palm.
Apple proposes using this technology in iPhone and other iOS devices, and even in Macs. Using hover gestures, users could interact with virtual buttons and other elements onscreen. For example, swiping your palm over the screen could allow you to switch apps.
Samsung has already implemented gestures like this in its own devices using different technologies. On certain Galaxy smartphones, users can hover their finger over emails and messages to preview them. On the Galaxy Note series, similar gestures can be carried out with the S Pen.
Like any Apple patent, this is just a glimpse at what the company is working on behind the scenes, and not a guarantee of things to come. Hover gestures could be somewhat confusing alongside the existing multitouch and 3D Touch gestures we already have.
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