Microsoft's new patent describes the touch and pen input for the Surface Neo

Microsoft is expected to launch the Surface Neo next year. The company has been working on the device for a while now and it showed off a prototype last year.

As Microsoft is nearing to the launch of the dual-screen devices, the company is also perfecting the different aspects of the devices. According to a new patent (via WindowsUnited), Microsoft is working on improving touch and pen input for Surface Neo and maybe the future dual-screen Surface devices. The patent was filed on November 26, 2019, and was published today.

The disclosed technologies address various technical and user experience problems by augmenting the functionality provided by virtual on-screen trackpads without requiring users to switch between modes. In this way, users can access extended functionality without interfering with expected traditional trackpad functionality (e.g. moving a cursor, clicking, and scrolling). In particular, technologies are disclosed for modeless digital pen input to a virtual trackpad, modeless gestures for summoning user interfaces, modeless gestures utilizing position relative to adjacent user interfaces, and modeless cursor control and interaction with virtual touch targets.

– Microsoft

The patent describes the virtual trackpad and pen input and should improve the overall experience on the Surface Neo. That being said, Microsoft has filed several patents related to the Surface Neo and the future dual-screen phones. As with every patent, there’s a chance that this might not make it to a real product.