“The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 37 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“One of today’s more interesting granted patents presents a future iPhone that will be able to use its backside camera as a unique input interface allowing users to simply use swiping gestures over the camera’s lens to control certain iPhone functionality,” Purcher reports. “In addition, the new methodology will also be able to enhance one-handed navigation of web pages, documents, a contact list or your iTunes library by simply swiping the camera lens in different swiping motion combinations.”
Purcher reports, “In the future, the iPad may be able to take advantage of this feature as well if the camera is positioned correctly.”
Much more, including Apple’s patent application illustrations and diagrams, in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Who cares? If it ever gets implemented it will be copied immediately. Years will pass before any legal resolution and by then the technology will be too pervasive to restrict and any infringing devices in the lawsuit will be out of production. Rinse and repeat.
Skeptics are a bore. I doubt that Apple’s Crazy Ones worry about competitors copying them. It’s the just the way it is. They create great ideas to be first at something new and refreshing for Apple’s hardware.
An over the top skeptic. Who cares?
So the camera is going to be “on” all the time? Huh.
Probably the cover glass on the lens will be the dame material used in touch screens. The camera doesn’t necessarily have to be on all the time.
That makes a lot of sense.
“In the future, the iPad may be able to take advantage of this feature as well if the camera is positioned correctly.”
This has nothing to do with iPhone control. This is Apple’s interface for controlling your iTV. That takes the bulky, unwieldy remote away (and the daily “where did the kids put the remote” hunt).
The iPhone is only mentioned as a misdirection for those examining Apple’s patents to see where the company is headed.