Apple Patents: Apple Pressure Sensitive Housing Patent

Apple Inc. (AAPL) to be Added to Several WisdomTree ETFsApple Patents: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) never wastes time when it comes to filing a patent. The Cupertino-based company is serious about providing the best technology, and to do this they must protect themselves at every turn of the road.

Apple is actually the smart money’s second favorite publicly traded company (see why it’s important to pay attention to hedge fund activity).

Most recently, Apple was issued the following patent: Sensing capacitance changes of a housing of an electronic device

As complicated as this may sound, the abstract of the patent clears things up a bit:

“Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that allow measurement of a user’s interaction with the housing of an electronic device. Some embodiments may measure the electrical characteristics of a housing of an electrical device, where the housing is capable of being temporarily deformed by the user’s interaction. By measuring the electrical characteristics of the housing, such as the housing’s capacitance, the user’s interaction with the housing can be measured in a manner that is independent of the user’s electrical characteristics and/or in a manner that may allow the pressure applied to the housing to be quantified.”

It is safe to say that this technology could be used in a variety of products, including the iPhone, iPad and laptops.

A portion of the summary lends more information on what the patent covers:

“Embodiments are disclosed that allow measurement of a user’s interaction with the housing of an electronic device. Some embodiments may measure a change in the electrical characteristics of a housing of an electrical device when the housing is temporarily stressed, and thus at least slightly deformed, by the user’s interaction with the housing. By measuring the electrical characteristics of the housing, such as the housing’s capacitance, both before and during user interaction, the user’s interaction can be sensed in a manner that is independent of the user’s electrical characteristics and/or in a manner that may allow a pressure applied to the housing by the user to be quantified.”

Whether or not this technology ever makes its way into Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices is unknown. That being said, it appears to have a lot of promise.

The patent was originally filed on August 17, 1999. The inventors are listed as Aleksandar Pance, Nicholas Vincent King, Duncan Kerr and Brett Bilbrey.

Check back here for more updates on Apple Patents.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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