Coming out of the creative labs of Apple, is yet another invention spotted through its patent application. Apple has filed its patent application under the name ‘Force-sensitive fingerprint sensing input’.
The proposed working model of the technology reveals that the force-sensitive Touch ID requires a mutual capacitance sensor to work. This sensor is positioned underneath a fingerprint sensor to carry out the operation. When a user presses on the Touch ID button, the capacitance is increased depending on the force applied and the input is received.
The force-sensitive fingerptint sensing input technology, whose basic design has been revealed in the application, ha a similar working mechanism to the 3D Touch technology currently used in iPhone 6S and 6S Plus models. Another product from Apple, the Apple Watch also has a Force Touch, but this technology uses separate electrodes to gauge the input unlike the 3D Touch which uses capacitive sensors.
When a user presses on the 3D Touch panel, the force is measured and the input is tallied with data received from the touch screen and accelerometer to generate the final input.
Unlike the regular Touch ID technology, the new force sensitive sensing hardware relies on an array of features to determine the input and hence delivers an enriched experience for the user.
So where could this invention find an application? Well, it appears Apple might integrate the technology in the future models of iPhone and iPad. The new technology can be used to unlock the device using a nimble touch, whereas a long press will take directly to the home screen of the intended task, such as an app.
Users might also get to determine the apps that open based on the pressure applied or the tasks that can be carried out. The force-sensitive technology might soon find its way into various Apple devices such as the Apple Watch, MacBook, iPhone and iPad.
The patent for the force-sensitive fingerprint sensing input technology was initially applied by Apple in 2013.
