The US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has granted Apple a patent covering a new technology to build curved touch screens, hinting that its future device could feature the patented technology.
The new "Curved touch sensor" patent covers a manufacturing method to build accurate, curved touch surfaces without bending or deformation.
USPTA said in a statement that the method can include depositing and patterning a conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form at least one touch sensor pattern, while the flexible substrate is in a flat state.
"According to certain embodiments, the method can include supporting the flexible substrate in the flat state on at least one curved forming substrate having a predetermined curvature; and performing an anneal process, or an anneal-like high-heat process, on the conductive thin film, wherein the anneal process can cause the flexible substrate to conform to the predetermined curvature of the at least one curved forming substrate," the agency said.
"According to an embodiment, the curved forming substrate can include a first forming substrate having a first predetermined curvature and a second forming substrate having a second predetermined curvature complementing the first predetermined curvature."
The patent also allows using the technology in displays, touch pads and touch mice among other devices, according to AppleInsider.
Reports also revealed that the display technology would be used to build displays with multiple curves and ripples.
Currently, several curved-screen devices have been launched, including Samsung Round, as well as LG’s G Flex concave-display device.
