Patently Apple

Apple Patent Details Advanced Light & Laser Pens for Tablets

  
Are you still a Doubting Thomas when it comes to Apple's intentions of eventually introducing a stylus to the iPhone or future tablets? Well, perhaps you should rethink that position. It appears by this current patent that surfaced yesterday, that Apple is seriously thinking of reinventing the stylus by introducing us to an advanced Light Pen or even a Laser Light, states the patent. Just a few weeks back there was another very sophisticated touch screen patent that touched on future touchscreens for the iPhone and future MacBook Tablet. Today's patent is equally sophisticated. This patent introduces us to a futuristic light pen that has a cylindrical tubular tip that is both extendable and retractable when pressed against the touch display. It also discusses a light emitting diode that provides a beam of light that is channeled through an optical path. This capability, states the patent, is particular useful for pressure sensitive applications, such as Photoshop by Adobe. As noted in the illustration, the light pen appears to be tethered to the device in some way. The patent doesn't explain if the wire from the pen is retractable in some way or if it's simply a plug-in accessory. Time will tell.  This patent report focuses on references to the light pen and not on the touch screen technology itself.    

 

Apple Files Tablet Computer Patent for Handwriting & Forms

 
On November 12, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a new patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced pen-based Tablet. Interestingly Apple won their first ink engine patent this past July. In that particular report you'll be able to find other links to a tablet related patent that illustrates a classic notebook/tablet combination design. Today's patent closely relates to their recently granted patent but provides us with a little more insight into the tablet's future usage with apps such as pen-based notations, musical scores or even business forms. The oddity to this patent perhaps, lies in the speed in which it became public. The patent was only filed in July of this year and published in less than three months: Is Apple in a hurry? In late September Apple rehired one of their original Newton developers Michael Tchao. Although Apple's groundbreaking Newton ultimately failed, the fact is that it was a pen based tablet computer. In context, today's patent data has to be added to the facts that Apple is indeed working on a new type of tablet computer that may in fact include an ink based engine that could use a stylus-like pointer.

 

Apple Wins Key Ink Engine Patent for Future Tablet Applications

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of nine newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. The notables within this group include several industrial design wins for Apple covering Airport Extreme, earphones, Universal Dock and iPhone's retail packaging. Yet the one that hits a homerun today covers an Ink Phase Termination Engine that supports Apple's Inkwell technology and a future Tablet device supporting handwriting applications. The evidence for an Apple based Smartbook-Tablet hybrid device is certainly mounting.