Further Patent Findings for Apple’s Tablet Plans

Further patent findings have popped up on the internet, although considerably older (September 2005), the patent clearly shows OS X with one of the diagrams.

Below are some interesting extracts from the filing;

"A computer-implemented method of generating a display on a touch screen of a computer, the display including an application display, associated with an application executing on the computer, and a virtual input device display for a user to provide input to the application executing on the computer via the touch screen, the method comprising: in response to a virtual input device initiation event, determining initial characteristics of the virtual input device display; based on characteristics of the application display and the characteristics of the virtual input device display, determining initial characteristics of a composite display image including the application display and the virtual input device display; and causing the composite display to be displayed on the touch screen."

Here's how Apple has described the patent filing;

"The present patent application relates to touch screen user interfaces and, in particular, relates to placement of a virtual input device, such as a virtual keyboard or other virtual input device, on a touch screen user interface."

"A touch screen is a type of display screen that has a touch-sensitive transparent panel covering the screen, or can otherwise recognize touch input on the screen. Typically, the touch screen display is housed within the same housing as computer circuitry including processing circuitry operating under program control. When using a touch screen to provide input to an application executing on a computer, a user makes a selection on the display screen by pointing directly to graphical user interface (GUI) objects displayed on the screen (usually with a stylus or a finger)."

Some of the pictures from the patent with explanations;

"illustrates an example touch screen displays where the spatial aspect of the application display is modified in accommodation of a virtual input device display."

"illustrates an example touch screen display in which an indication of the input appears in a portion of the display associated with a virtual input device."

"illustrate a virtual input device display in various states of having been scrolled.

Looks like Apple is gaining a plethora of past and recent patents, from the looks of things it looks like Apple is planning to release a touch-screen tablet computer but will make use of some very modern technologies to try and out do the competition. Tablet computers have always received scepticism due to the poor touch-screen systems but Apple's use of multi-touchscreen displays could make using a tablet computer a common part of the future.