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Apple's proposed interface would unite tablets and computers in a system with multiple displays

An Apple patent proposal was approved this week in the United States that reveals new methods for controlling the operation of devices such as tablets, through an interaction with conventional computers. The invention suggests that a tablet could communicate with a PC and be manipulated through devices that are part of its user interface, such as a keyboard and mouse.

Although the company does not encourage anything other than iPad interaction with fingers, there are apparently different techniques for controlling a device like this that exploit other types of interfaces, not only the traditional keyboard and mouse, but also a special pen, something it has rejected in the past. Applications for tablets would take advantage of multiple possibilities for interacting with computers to expand their functionality, based on the larger useful space for the graphical interface.

The system also suggests that a tablet could communicate with multiple monitors without the explicit presence of a computer managing everything in the background, that is, it would be possible to manipulate content in several workspaces without the main focus of the user's interaction being no longer the touch screen. This would be similar to installing a second monitor on a common desktop.

In addition to this patent, another ten were granted Apple this week, covering in particular the Mac OS X shortcut system and some application design projects.