The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 57 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover a couple of Apple's Force Touch granted patents covering their Magic Trackpad 2 and their new MacBook. Apple notes on the website that the new "MacBook comes with a different way to experience a trackpad. The Force Touch trackpad is engineered to deliver a responsive, uniform click no matter where you press the surface. And underneath, force sensors detect how much pressure you're applying. You can now use a Force click to enable useful capabilities, like quickly looking up the definition of a word or previewing a file just by clicking and continuing to press the trackpad. Our report also covers several key design patents for devices and icons and we wrap up this week's granted patent report as always with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Granted Patents: Force Touch

Apple's two newly granted patents noted further below cover their invention relating to Force Touch on both MacBooks and the Magic Trackpad 2. Apple notes on their website that the "Redesigned and rechargeable, Magic Trackpad 2 includes a built-in battery and brings Force Touch to the desktop for the first time. Four force sensors underneath the trackpad surface allow you to click anywhere, and detect subtle differences in the amount of pressure you apply, bringing increased functionality to your fingertips and enabling a deeper connection to your content.

In Apple's patent FIG. 5A we're able to see that the intensity of the contact #504 on the MacBook's trackpad or the Magic Trackpad 2 is below a first intensity threshold.

When the intensity of the contact increases from an intensity below the first intensity threshold to an intensity above the first intensity threshold, the device expands icon 510-1 to show an animation of converting icon 510-1 into preview interface (not shown).

In Apple's patent FIG. 5B we're able to see that in response to the detection of increase in intensity of contact #504 above the first intensity threshold, the device shows the animation of converting icon 510-1 into preview interface 512 (not shown).

Apple's patent FIG. 3G noted below provides us with an overview of the Force Touch or 'Contact Intensity' Module.

Apple's first Force Touch granted patent 9,507,459 titled "Device, Method, and User Interface for Processing Intensity of Touch Contacts" was filed in September 2015. Apple's second Force Touch granted patent 9,507,455 titled "Portable Multi-Touch Input Device" was filed in January 2015.

Apple Granted 9 Design Patents Today

Apple was granted 9 design patents today covering the Magic Trackpad 2, Magic Keyboard, iPhone 5s, Apple Pencil tip, an iPad back plate and a few icons including the Apple Watch Activity app circles and one for the iCloud download icon.

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

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Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.