Google Inc. (GOOG) Files Patent for Backplate Touch Controls

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) – one of the most popular stock plays among hedge funds we track – has apparently been working on a way to crate some new opportunities to use smartphones and tablets, especially with the touchscreen tech in place now. Everyone knows that it is pretty easy to smudge touchscreens with dirty fingers or thumbs, and sometimes there are certain functions that might use more controls than what fits on a the front of a tablet or smartphone. So, Google seems to be working on a concept to make the backplate more functional than just ornamental.

There is a patent application that was recently published, that showed Google Inc. filing for a patent for a way to operate a smartphone or tablet with controls on the backplate – controls that would produce many of the same operations as what would be available on the touchscreen or front of the device. According to the patent application, the backplate touch sensors can not only detect touches, swipes or other gestures, but it can also make the determination whether a touch is intentional or is just a way for the user to hold the device. This is apparently written as a secondary input; for example, the user could open a browser as the primary function on hte front of the device, and the user could use the backplate to scroll within the browser.

The patent application, which was filed by Google Inc. in August but was published this month, showed a diagram that seemed to indicate the backplate being segmented into four sections where touch actions can be registered – two of which seemed to indicate forward and backward functions.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts about Google Inc. and this latest patent application in the comments section below.

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