Apple granted patent on capacitive multitouch displays

US patent organization just granted Apple a patent filed back in 2004 on capacitive multitouch displays. Patent #7,663,607 describes a "transparent capacitive sensing medium configured to detect multiple touches or near touches that occur at the same time" by way of two sandwiched layers of conductive lines hooked up to an appropriate circuit, and also covers a specific type of multitouch display with a similar two-layer capacitive sensor made of glass.

There are other types of capacitive sensors on the market, but Apple's touchscreen is still the best. While the implications of this patent are still unclear, it's certainly gives hard times for many Apple's competitors.

[via]