Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a customizable trackpad that Apple refers to as a "Dynamic Input Surface." Today we learn that in one version of this next-gen feature, the trackpad could be an OLED display. Such a new design is more likely to occur with the new 'Apple Silicon' where Apple is better able to control and deliver next-gen features such as the one covered today.

As an overview, Apple notes in their filing that Increasing the size of the dynamic input surface allows a user more space for scrolling gestures, which may eliminate the need of a user having to lift their fingers from the input surface to continue scrolling. Additionally, changing the position or shape of the dynamic input surface allows a user to move dynamic input surface to a preferred side of the casing for easier or more comfortable use of the dynamic input surface and/or to move the dynamic input surface to a side when the dynamic input surface is not being utilized by a user interacting with the electronic device. The dynamic input surface may function as a track pad, for example, or other input device.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 below illustrates a bottom view of a portion of a MacBook including a possible future dynamic input surface, a haptic feedback module, a touch detection module and a touch frequency module.

Today's patent filing is known as a "continuation patent" wherein Apple is adding something to a granted patent. Apple was granted this patent back in May of this year.

So, what has Apple changed or added to their granted patent? Apple has cancelled the original 20 patent claims and replaced them with 20 new ones. In order for the granted patent to remain viable, Apple begins the numbering of the patent claims at #21-40 instead of 1-20. Below are the 20 new claims to protect Apple's invention, as follows:  

1-20. (canceled)

21. A laptop computer comprising: an upper portion comprising: a display case; and a display enclosed by the display case; and a lower portion coupled to the upper portion and comprising: a keyboard; a casing at least partially enclosing the keyboard and having an outer layer that defines an exterior surface of the lower portion positioned along a side of the keyboard; a light source positioned below the outer layer of the casing and configured to produce an illuminated boundary of a track pad region; and a force sensor positioned below the outer layer of the casing and configured to detect an input within the track pad region, wherein: the laptop computer is configured to dynamically modify the illuminated boundary of the track pad region in response to a gesture input along the exterior surface of the lower portion.

22. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein: the gesture input includes a first finger contact positioned at a first corner of the illuminated boundary and a second finger contact positioned at a second corner of the illuminated boundary; and a size of the illuminated boundary is increased in accordance with an increase in distance between the first finger contact and the second finger contact.

23. The laptop computer of claim 22, wherein the size of the illuminated boundary is reduced in accordance with a decrease in distance between the first finger contact and the second finger contact.

24. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein: the gesture input includes a first finger contact and a second finger contact; and a location of the illuminated boundary is modified in accordance with a movement of the first finger contact and the second finger contact in a same direction.

25. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein: the outer layer is formed from a metal material; the metal material defines an array of holes; and the illuminated boundary is produced by emitting light through a subset of holes of the array of holes.

26. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein: the input causes a localized deformation of the outer layer of the casing; and the force sensor is configured to detect the localized deformation by detecting a change in capacitance.

27. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein the force sensor comprises: a drive layer positioned below the outer layer of the casing; a sense layer positioned below the outer layer of the casing; and a compliant layer positioned between the drive layer and the sense layer.

28. The laptop computer of claim 27, wherein the compliant layer comprises an array of gel dots positioned between the drive layer and the sense layer.

29. The laptop computer of claim 21, further comprising a haptic actuator configured to produce haptic feedback in response to the input received within the track pad region.

30. The laptop computer of claim 21, wherein the light source comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting display (OLED), or an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

31. An electronic device comprising: a display case housing a display; a keyboard assembly; a casing at least partially surrounding the keyboard assembly and defining an input area adjacent the keyboard assembly; a sensor positioned within the casing and configured to detect a location and an amount of force of a contact along the input area; and a light source configured to produce an illuminated boundary along the input area; wherein: the electronic device is configured to change the illuminated boundary in response to a gesture input detected by the sensor.

32. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the gesture input includes a first contact that is stationary and a second contact that is moving relative to the first contact.

33. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein a size of the illuminated boundary is changed in accordance with a distance between the first contact and the second contact.

34. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the light source is further configured to produce a visual path that corresponds to a path of the contact along the input area.

35. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the input area extends to an edge of the casing.

36. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein: the sensor comprises: a drive layer positioned within the casing; and a sense layer positioned within the casing; and the sensor detects the location and the amount of force of the contact using a change in capacitance between the drive layer and the sense layer.

37. A computing device comprising: an upper portion comprising a display; and a lower portion coupled to the upper portion and comprising: a casing defining an exterior surface of the lower portion; a keyboard assembly positioned at least partially within the casing; a sensor positioned within the casing and configured to detect a contact along the exterior surface; and a light source positioned within the casing and configured to display an illuminated boundary of a dynamic input region, wherein the computing device is configured to modify the illuminated boundary in response to a gesture input along the exterior surface.

38. The computing device of claim 37, wherein: the gesture input comprises a first contact and a second contact; and a size of the illuminated boundary increases in accordance with an increase in distance between the first contact and the second contact.

39. The computing device of claim 38, wherein the size of the illuminated boundary decreases in accordance with a decrease in distance between the first contact and the second contact.

40. The computing device of claim 37, wherein: the gesture input comprises a first contact and a second contact; and a location of the illuminated boundary changes in accordance with a simultaneous movement of the first contact and the second contact.

Apple's patent application 20200257375 that was published today by the U.S. Patent Office was filed back in Q2 2020. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.