Apple wants its Magic Mouse to have extended capabilities as evidenced by a newly granted patent for “Electronic Devices With Extended Input-output Capabilities.”
In the patent Apple says that, while the use of a pointing device such as a mouse facilitates interactions with the computer, computer mice are generally limited in their input-output capabilities. This may make it difficult or impossible for a user to supply desired input to a system or to receive appropriate output.
Apple’s idea is to provide a light source that illuminates a portion of a surface that is overlapped by the mouse and a light sensor configured to monitor movement of the electronic pointing device across the surface based on reflected light from the illuminated portion.
The mouse may have an array of sensors on a housing sidewall configured to gather information on the location of a finger of the user in an area that is laterally adjacent to the electronic pointing device. This would allow, among other things, the mouse to detect and respond to three-dimensional gestures;
The mouse may also be able able to project images with selectable labeled virtual keys and/or other selectable visual elements. What’s more, accelerometers may measure user finger input vibrations that are conveyed to an electronic device through the surface; hHaptic output devices may be used in providing haptic feedback through the surface.
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