3D Touch後，蘋果一新懸空操作專利

人：蘋果

事：獲得一US 9250734 的專利

時：2016/2

地：USPTO

物：「Proximity and multi-touch sensor detection and demodulation（近距離和多點觸摸感測器檢測與解調）」，由 Steven P. Hotelling 和 Christoph H. Krah 發明，蘋果公司於 2015 年 3 月提交專利申請

摘要：

配合著近距離感應硬體，檢測非接觸性手勢，讓使用者可以在螢幕之外用多點觸摸操控手機。也就是說，允許用戶對手機進行懸空操作。此專利建議近距離感應硬體使用紅外線 LED 和光電二極體，如此專利之圖4A。光電二極體能捕獲 LED 產生照射在用戶手指上返回的光。透過使用多個感測器，這項技術可以檢測到懸浮在手機螢幕上空的手指、手掌等。

值得一提的是，早在 2012 年Sony 回歸手機市場時，Xperia Sola MT27i 就已經支持了懸空操作此一功能。到最新的旗艦 Xperia Z5 上市時，Sony 手機的懸空操作被冠上了「手套模式」之名。

說到較早解決用戶在冰天雪地中使用電容式觸控螢幕手機難題的產品，就不能不提到諾基亞 Lumia 920。這款手機推出時獨樹一幟的「超靈敏觸控」功能，可以說貨真價實地解決了戴手套的用戶如何在冬天正常使用電容式觸控螢幕手機這一大難題。

Note:

We still remember the movie from 2002 that Tom Cruise stared in Minority Report. Tom Cruise uses a real life version of the "spatial operating environment" interface. The spatial operating environment interface is a hot topic from 2002 to now.

PS. US 9250734

The use of one or more proximity sensors in combination with one or more touch sensors in a multi-touch panel to detect the presence of a finger, body part or other object and control or trigger one or more functions in accordance with an “image” of touch provided by the sensor outputs is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more infrared (IR) proximity sensors can be driven with a specific stimulation frequency and emit IR light from one or more areas, which can in some embodiments correspond to one or more multi-touch sensor “pixel” locations. The reflected IR signal, if any, can be demodulated using synchronous demodulation. In some embodiments, both physical interfaces (touch and proximity sensors) can be connected to analog channels in the same electrical core.

Original Data: 

http://technews.tw/2016/02/03/apple-patents-hover-sensing-multitouch-display/