Apple applies for multi-touch mouse patent

Ooo la la, what's this? Apple filed a patent application for a "mouse with optical sensing surface." That's right, a multi-touch mouse building upon the touch-sensitive mouse patent app we've already seen from Apple. This beast would allow for a buttonless pointing device which could sense the position of your digits for a myriad of gestural and positional control. Whether this is a patent to safeguard a brewing idea or actual product in the pipeilne is anybody's guess. Surely this filing, along with those for a backside touch interface and touch sensitive bezel give us a clue as to Apple's product mindset. Multi-touch MacBook touchpads anyone?

[Via PC Joint]

[Lars @ Jul 5th 2007 6:41AM]

Amazing the lengths some people go to avoid making a two-button mouse.

[Michael @ Jul 5th 2007 7:40AM]

Damn, you stole my fire.

[Yago Bal @ Jul 5th 2007 7:41AM]

Apple has multi-button mouses for a long time: you must update your cliches.

[Paul @ Jul 5th 2007 8:44AM]

@Yago I suppose, but they are a pain to use. They have those technically two button monstrosities up at school. They look like they are one button, but it is supposed to detect which side of the mouse you push down on. It works.... sometimes.

[Prasand J. @ Jul 5th 2007 9:00AM]

Well considering that almost any USB two button mouse will work on a Mac, I don't think the desire is to avoid using one. If they wanted to avoid using two fingers, it wouldn't be "multi"-touch.

Apple provides visually simplified methods to appeal to the other crowd. If someone doesn't want the visually simple mouse that came with their computer, they can always use another. However, while this may be another move towards their "out of sight, out of mind" approach, to simplify things ... it does indeed complicate matters (since people like visual cues, and the gestures are elaborate).

I think from a manufacturing perspective it might be more cost effective long-term. Sensors replace click registers on typical mouses. The lack of separate plastics means less assembly, and less molds (though the plastic itself may be more expensive). The lack of crevaces means less dirt and damage ... also @ less damage ... less movable parts == less wear and tear.

Though in the end they may merely be attempting trying to stretch their "revolutionize input" hats. I dunno, just wanted to provide possible alternate perspectives.

[widgetware @ Jul 5th 2007 6:34AM]

This is Awesome! Not as good as a multi touch display but it gives you the ability of soo cool stuff, like pinching or actually making a gesture for magic in games^^

Have a nice Day

[fontendet24 @ Jul 5th 2007 8:03AM]

WOW!

"Use the mouse as identification device (by scanning the fingerprints and other characteristics of the palm)"
Very interesting!

[jilie @ Jul 5th 2007 6:34AM]

it will be called..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Imouse!

[daftmoo.org @ Jul 5th 2007 6:58AM]

Or perhaps "Mighty Mouse"? That'd be a shocker.

[Prasand J. @ Jul 5th 2007 8:42AM]

The Mightier Mouse. =P

[JC @ Jul 6th 2007 7:49AM]

Maybe iRat?

[Danny @ Jul 5th 2007 6:43AM]

This doesn't necessarily mean that a multitouch mouse is in the works. Remember, Apple like to patent everything.

[jilie @ Jul 5th 2007 6:43AM]

btw the images looks soo 1400ac

[Nova @ Jul 5th 2007 6:44AM]

Another extremely confortless apple mouse.

[ajmiarka @ Jul 5th 2007 6:49AM]

How can you say that when you have never even used it?

[Miles @ Jul 5th 2007 12:10PM]

Because they are the same basic shape as the Mighty Mouse.

Also, comfortless?

HAHAHAHAHA, go back to your logishitec and Microsuck mice then.

[Nova @ Jul 5th 2007 6:03PM]

Cause working in photoshop or any big applications are something like impossible with an apple mouse. And anyway, the shape of this mouse is more basic than the most microsoft basic mouse. This is my opinion.

[rudebo @ Jul 5th 2007 6:53AM]

lol the only way this could be usefull is in some erotic Apple OS touching game

[L. Cyphre @ Jul 5th 2007 7:18AM]

A mouse without tactile feedback? I don't like the idea at all to be honest.

[luke @ Jul 5th 2007 7:39AM]

uh..."multi-touch touchpad'?

itunes. coverflow. two fingers. already there.

[Grahame @ Jul 5th 2007 10:25AM]

would be cool using a mouse as a numeric keypad, or for gaming

[simon @ Jul 5th 2007 7:57AM]

Those Moixa folks who launched those USBCELLs Batteries (http://www.usbcell.com ) are so way ahead of this - with earlier better examples of 2D and 3D multi-point mice.....

http://v3.espacenet.com/textdraw?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2006176277&F=0&QPN=US2006176277

http://v3.espacenet.com/textdraw?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP1751733&F=0&RPN=WO2005114624

[Darren @ Jul 5th 2007 8:03AM]

Apple users have more than one finger???

[mustharshid @ Jul 5th 2007 8:35AM]

PC users have only 1 finger?

[mustharshid @ Jul 5th 2007 8:32AM]

PC users have only 1 finger?

[riggs @ Jul 5th 2007 3:40PM]

yall have fingers?

[Nate @ Jul 5th 2007 4:37PM]

Apple has multi-button mouses for a while, and even on their touchpads, there is a very easy way to right-click. As for me, I just plug in a nice Logitech wireless laptop mouse and it works really well.

Also, I have a multi-touch touchpad right in front of me. I scroll with two fingers. Granted, this is not full blown multi touch (it would be cool if you could pinch-zoom with the pad) but it's pretty useful anyways.

[Snitty @ Jul 5th 2007 8:47AM]

The mouse uses frustrated total internal reflection, just like the wicked multi-touch screen demo we saw floating around the internet a year ago. Pretty cool.

[brian Pope @ Jul 5th 2007 9:48AM]

I'm not sure this patent will fly--Apple may have another patent infringement suit on their hands:

The Asgard have been using this technology for thousands of years.

[Natedog @ Jul 5th 2007 8:53AM]

Think of all the possibilities for things like photo editing, all the little gestures you could do. Even simple, cross-app things like scrolling, although I'm not sure it would necessarily be better than a wheel. Certain gestures could go forward or backward in your browser. Heck, why not use the top surface of the mouse to guide the cursor to a general area of the screen, then use the mouse set at a very low resolution to pinpoint the cursor. It would have a learning curve, but it would be pretty cool for high-res displays.

Unfortunately, it also makes me kinda sad that it may or may not ever be made, yet it's patented anyway. It's just once again killing competition and innovation.

[Cnostgek @ Jul 5th 2007 8:53AM]

Might be cool. However, if you have to lift your finger from your mouse to tap, it might not.

[Prasand J. @ Jul 5th 2007 9:15AM]

lol@me trying to raise my finger to click and test. Yeah, that did feel uncomfortable. I can't imagine clicking like that through numerous items for an extended period of time.

[DracheMitch @ Jul 5th 2007 9:48AM]

Apple never uses these patents the way they appear in their filings. My bet is that the tech is to be used in a trackpad for MacBooks.

[Stephen Levinson @ Jul 5th 2007 11:44AM]

Damn you apple! Just come out with a touch screen computer already!!

[Larry @ Jul 5th 2007 3:42PM]

Flash on iPhone within a few months?!
http://www.ministryoftech.com/2007/07/05/flash-on-iphone-in-a-couple-of-months/

[roach @ Jul 5th 2007 5:34PM]

Apple first concentration on making their mouse comfortable.

Apple Mouse = 80 design 10 function 10 junk technology

[mike @ Jul 9th 2007 7:53AM]

For everyone talking about the revolutionary new gesture mice that could be produced, see http://www.fingerworks.com, the people Apple bought the technology from (I think)