Edible Apple

Patently Apple reports:

Apple has been granted a crucial Multi-Touch patent relating to Master and Slave controllers used primarily in Apple’s iOS based devices. Technically speaking, however, the principles could theoretically extend to Apple’s new Magic Mouse and Trackpad as well.

Apple’s patent FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary touch surface device. The patent states that the design could relate to a touch based desktop, laptop, handheld or tablet computer. Apple’s patent FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a touch surface system having Master and Slave controllers which represents the heart of this patent.

The importance of this multi-touch patent is that it could relate to other devices beyond those which Apple sells. Apple could therefore be thinking of licensing their technology to other kinds of OEMs. Apple’s patent states that “the computer system could also be a public computer system such as an information kiosk, automated teller machine (ATM), point of sale machine (POS), industrial machine, gaming machine, arcade machine, vending machine, airline e-ticket terminal, restaurant reservation terminal, customer service station, library terminal, learning device, etc.”