Apple has applied for a patent that describes a method the Cupertino, Calif., company could use to improve the accuracy of the touchscreen on its iPad and iPhone devices.
The patent, which was published Thursday, is called "Gesture and Touch Input Detection Through Force Sensing." The system described in the patent would incorporate the use of forces sensors that could be located within the frame of the iPad, commonly referred to as the bezel.
The bezel's force sensors would be capable of detecting how much pressures users put on the touchscreen of their device with their fingers.
The ability to calculate the amount of pressure that is being applied would allow the Apple device to distinguish between an intended touch gesture and a finger that may simply be resting on the screen.
In the patent application, Apple says the force sensor system could be applied to any type of computing devices, meaning this could benefit the iPhone and iPad or even Apple's laptops as well.
However, consumers may end up never experiencing this technology. Apple and other tech companies frequently apply for patents whose technologies never wind up being used in finished products.
©2014 Los Angeles Times
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