Apple Patents Hover Sensing Technology For Gesture Based Input Without Touching The Screen

Apple was granted 35 patents recently, of which one would let them identify fingers hovering in close proximity to the screen but not quite in contact. This patent is titled Proximity and multi-touch sensor detection and demodulation, and is the opposite of 3D touch introduced in iPhone 6S. 3D touch determines how hard you press the screen and based on the pressure applied, performs an action. Hover allows users to not touch the screen at all, and still perform some gesture based actions.

apple-patented-hover-sensing-technology

This technology is a lot like 3D motion capture, but without the use of cameras. AppleInsider states that PrimeSense, the Israeli firm Apple acquired back in 2013 brought this 3D motion capture technology that is independent of cameras. The technology includes infrared LEDs and photodiodes. LEDs emit infrared light, and when a finger hovers above, the light bounces back which is detected by the photodiodes. This is Apple's second patent on hover sensing technology, and the first one was awarded in 2011.

The patent document explains that by having this LED-photodiode combo embedded in every pixel of the screen, combined with the proximity sensor to ensure the right distance form the screen, fingers hovering can be detected. But there already is a system for 3D touch, which has infiltrated every pixel space. In order to use real estate and power efficiently, Apple might combine the two functions into a single system.

This hover sensing ability has applications beyond the iPhone and iPad. Apple would definitely want to incorporate it into MacBook and even iMac, and an image from their patent document hints at that. But it might not be put into production right away because the Apple developer ecosystem is still yet to leverage the 3D touch.

With Apple being rumored to be working secretly on augmented reality, this touching without actually touching could significantly elevate the experience they provide compared to other virtual and augmented reality devices. Few other notable patents were regarding iPad 2, Apple Watch and Beats Audio.

Source: Apple patents hover-sensing multitouch display | AppleInsider

Replies

  • Charan V
    Charan V
    Looks like another way to implement hover sensing tech which was there in Samsung Galaxy

You are reading an archived discussion.

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