Apple patent hints at Surface-like research

Come one, come all, and let us once again look into the hazy crystal ball that is the United States Patent and Trademark Office database. What's this, here? A newly published patent filing hinting that Apple is working on Surface-like interfaces? Close your eyes and let your wildest fanboy fantasies unfold -- yeah, it's yet another incredibly dry Apple patent filing, we're just trying to spice things up a bit. The latest details a larger touch system than we've previously seen from Cupertino, designed to be used by two hands at once and supporting different actions depending on the location of your palms. Since the details are mostly to do with the actual touch interactions and not direct applications, this is basically a nerd Rorscharch test -- we see, oh, a touchscreen iMac, maybe, or possibly a large, lap-based tablet. Or is that a giant Cintiq-like display? Too bad, your time's up -- Ms. Cleo doesn't do free.

[Pismodude @ Feb 21st 2008 7:05PM]

Yeah, yeah... (been on Macrumors for hours)

[Samurai Jack @ Feb 21st 2008 7:08PM]

Nilay, I know you've seen "Minority Report". It sounds more like that to me...

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Feb 21st 2008 7:08PM]

whats with all the alien hands in apple patents

[Joe_Templeman @ Feb 21st 2008 7:21PM]

...because you dont have 5 fingers...?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Feb 21st 2008 7:24PM]

no, I mean the hands don't look very human compared to other patnents

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Feb 21st 2008 7:25PM]

*patents

[DBrim @ Feb 21st 2008 7:55PM]

Joe,

Last I checked, my fingers weren't rectangular...

[Joe_Templeman @ Feb 21st 2008 8:23PM]

Dbrim,


Last time I checked a sketch doesn't have to be anatomically correct.

[brodie @ Feb 21st 2008 10:06PM]

aliens is right....they've reverse engineered tech from the roswell crash site finally!!! compare with this proof:

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/1075/roswrak.gif

[Neal @ Feb 21st 2008 7:15PM]

/sarcasm on

What? So all they know how to do is copy Microsoft?

/sarcasm off

[Bassir @ Feb 21st 2008 7:24PM]

Thanks for warning us about your oh-so-witty sarcasm.

[Pismodude @ Feb 21st 2008 7:35PM]

iPhone, on! (someday, my friend. Someday)

[Jizzle @ Feb 21st 2008 8:28PM]

I'm not being sarcastic when i say thanks for telling us about the sarcasm. really, people should do that more often.

[Reid @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:18AM]

But Apple has copied our big-ass table!

[aaa @ Feb 21st 2008 7:39PM]

Isn't that one of the patents of fingerworks (I think it was called that), a company that apple silently bought years ago

[Aguiluz @ Feb 21st 2008 7:38PM]

Patents will clash. Period.

Somebody tried to patent joysticks. Clashed.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/10/company-sues-sony-microsoft-and-nintendo-over-joystick-patent/

Some jerk patented Smartphones. Everyone sued!
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/25/patent-granted-on-smartphones-everyone-sued/

And a Vague patent clips Big N and Sony.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/12/sony-and-nintendo-pegged-with-lawsuit-from-vague-controller-pate/

P.S: Weird. At those back issues, my name has a small "a." Now, it is a capital "A." Yay!

[Swordth @ Feb 21st 2008 7:56PM]

How exciting, yet another apple patent. Everyone was so eagerly awaiting the next tiny bit of news about apple that has surfaced.
This just in, Job's gets a haircut, is he planning the iPod cut? Rumor Time!

Seriously, no one cares. Post some real news

[ReggieXuk @ Feb 21st 2008 7:54PM]

Apple can go away and not comeback until they have something 100% new and unheard of

[Chris @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:59PM]

So... nothing ever again from Apple?

[R @ Feb 21st 2008 7:59PM]

This is actually quite a patent. Unlike MS's Surface which requires a bathtub and hidden camera, this stands to be super thin, applied in any number of forms, and actually useful to people outside of restaurants, hotel lobbies, or casinos.

[michael @ Feb 22nd 2008 7:13AM]

At the same time, I don't think it would be right for ONLY Apple to make such devices. Surface could become something else better later. Another tech company could bring in this kind of goodie as well.

But letting only one company have control on this doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

[HemAme @ Feb 21st 2008 8:44PM]

It says "Proximity Image" so does that means you do not even have to touch the surface.. just make gestures.. and do the control...

[KangMin @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:37AM]

maybe its that high tech gizmo from minority report that tom cruise uses...

[Wormbolt @ Feb 21st 2008 10:27PM]

It was only a matter of time until Microsoft stole this idea from Apple in advance of Apple creating it.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:35AM]

Apple should patent using the hands and fingers. I believe they invented those too. So the future is touch something or make a gesture to do everything. We might be able to have sign language input someday. I like it.

[brutha-man @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:45AM]

As the iFanatics will no doubt claim...Apple,always completely original ideas.

[guerilla779 @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:47AM]

finally some apple news , I had been wondering what happened to engadgets favorite fruit.

[Stallone @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:43AM]

You know what would be awesome?

Just to have like a rectangle glass like surface, it can turn into a virtual keyboard and you can move your hands on it and control the mouse on screen. Move your fingers on the surface to enlarge pictures like the iphone etc.

Doesn't necessarly mean i want my screen on the desk..get rid of the keyboard and mouse and have this surface device. Maybe even something like the top image

[freakmarket @ Feb 22nd 2008 8:34AM]

From the picture i think Apple is preparing to fire torpedoes at attacking Warbirds.

[ma5t3rw1tt @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:32AM]

Hmmmm I'm thinking this might be a competitor to the microsoft surface that microsoft has, but then again maybe not. Only time will tell when Apple is baking in that little oven of theirs. So far, with everything Apple has released, I am very impressed on each new thing they release, new technology is built inside. If only Microsoft was like that, oh wait, thats right, their operating system. I think Apple needs to take their iMacs and make them all touchscreen, thats my suggestion. Yeah sure, touchscreen is the new thing these days, but I still think apple needs to put multitouch in all their products(well except for the lower ipods)