Apple Inc. (AAPL) Multi-Touch Patents: Not the Last of this Technology

When it comes to multi-touch technology, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is known as top dog. Cupertino knows a thing or two about this technology. Cupertino will also do whatever it takes to ensure that its technology is protected, which includes filing patents with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

From time to time, we will come across Apple patents that don’t make much sense. And of course, we also come across those that have quite a bit to offer and could easily make their way into future products.

Most recently, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was granted three patents related to multi-touch technology.

Below, you will find the patents of all three, complete with a link to the official US Patent and Trademark Office filing, along with the abstract (which is shared by the three patents):

Multi-touch contact motion extraction

Contact tracking and identification module for touch sensing

Identifying contacts on a touch surface

“Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.”

You may be confused as you begin to make your way through the three patents granted to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), being that these share the same basic details including the abstract and summary.

That being said, as you read through each one in its entirety you will find that the patent claims are unique for each one. For example, United States Patent 8466883 has 45 claims while the others have 66 (Contact tracking and identification module for touch sensing) and 63 (Multi-touch contact motion extraction) claims respectively.

The most important thing to realize is that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) continues to spend time, money, and resources on patents related to multi-touch technology. Of course, this should not be a big surprise as this is a large part of what Cupertino offers in its devices. It is a large part of what sets Apple devices apart from the crowd.

These three Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) multi-touch patents are well worth reading from start to finish. You may be surprised at what you find.

On the following page, you will find an image associated with the Multi-touch contact motion extraction patent: