“A fairly new filing from Apple discusses the advantages of using proximity sensors more generously to aid its multi-touch technology on devices larger than the iPhone, which would allow certain functions to be invoked without the user having to physically touch the display,” Sam Oliver reports for AppleInsider.
“More specifically, the electronics maker believes the combination of these two different types of sensors — multi-touch and proximity — could be used to detect the presence of one or more fingers, body parts or other objects hovering above a touch-sensitive surface,” Oliver reports.
“The detection of fingers, palms or other objects hovering near the touch panel is desirable, Apple says, because it can enable the computing system to perform certain functions without necessitating actual contact with the touch panel,” Oliver reports.
“The proximity sensors could be composed of IR transmitters for transmitting IR radiation, and IR receivers for receiving IR radiation reflected by a finger or another object in proximity to the panel. To detect the location of touch events at different positions relative to the panel, multiple IR receivers can be placed along the edges touch-screen’s blackened display bezel, like those on the latest iMacs and MacBooks, the company says,” Oliver reports.
More info and patent application illustrations in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Crabs” for the heads up.]