The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a newly granted patent for Google last week that covered a possible new feature being considered for their Pixel smartphone. Google states in their filing that "It would be advantageous to have an improved touch sensitive surface that offers additional modes of operation." Google's patent describes a new back side touch surface area and a distinct recessed touchpad as noted in our cover graphic. Of course Google could always license their patented idea to other Android OEM partners that show an interest in this feature that could distinguish provide an advantage to the iPhone or other competitors.

Specifically, Google describes that a "touch sensitive surface includes a recessed surface feature disposed along a portion of the touch sensitive surface. In one embodiment, the recessed surface feature includes a concave surface element relative to the areas of the touch sensitive surface that are complementary to the recessed surface feature, e.g., those portions of the touch sensitive surface extending beyond a perimeter of the element.

The touch sensitive surface may be disposed along a housing of an electronic device. For example, in one embodiment the touch sensitive surface is disposed along a rear major face of a device housing. This configuration permits the front major face of the device to accommodate a display. The user can control the device, and data presented on the display, by interfacing with the touch sensitive surface disposed on the backside of the device. Placing the touch sensitive surface on the rear of the device both provides for simpler user operation in one embodiment and leaves the entire front side of the device available for the display so that a finger does not need to occlude the touch sensitive display to interact with the images on the display."

Further into the patent filing, Google notes that "In one embodiment, the touch sensitive surface includes a capacitive touchpad that spans the touch sensitive surface. While a capacitive touchpad is one technology suitable for use with the touch sensitive surface, those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will understand that other technologies can be used as well. For example, the touch sensitive surface can detect touch, in one or more embodiments, using a resistive touch sensor, a surface acoustic wave touch sensor, a surface capacitance sensor, a projected capacitance sensor, a mutual capacitance sensor, a self-capacitance sensor, an infrared grid sensor, an infrared acrylic projection sensor, an optical imaging sensor, a dispersive signal sensor, an acoustic pulse recognition sensor, and so forth."

Google's patent FIG. 4 noted above illustrates a user manipulating an explanatory touch sensitive surface of an electronic device; FIG. 5 illustrates the concave area for the touchpad; and FIG. 8 illustrates yet another explanatory method of controlling an electronic device.

The back side touchpad will be able to perform many tasks depending on the app that the user is currently in. It could be used to control music volume in a music app, zoom in or out when surfing the web or using a camera app. Users will be able to scroll a webpage of document without touching the front side display or getting in your way when reading.

The concave area is also surrounded by a general touch area which could also accept controlled gesture that user could assign to specific functions. A user could draw a circle gesture with their finger on the back side of the phone and perform a particular function. The gesture area could be seen in patent FIG. 3 in the square outline of area #100.

Google's granted patent was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week. Google filed for their patent exactly a year ago in June 2016.

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