How Screens Change What They Show Based on Your Hand Distance
A method for changing the menu options shown on a screen depending on how close or far away your hand is hovering above it.
Original patent title: “Three-dimensional man/machine interface”
A method for changing the menu options shown on a screen depending on how close or far away your hand is hovering above it. Granted to Quickstep Technologies LLC in 2019 with 54 claims and 3 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way for a touch-sensitive interface to react to the 'hover' distance of a user's hand or finger. Instead of just knowing where you are touching, the system uses sensors to track the vertical distance (how far your hand is from the screen) and horizontal position (where your hand is over the screen). As you move your hand closer or further away, the interface automatically switches between different levels of a menu hierarchy. For example, if your hand is at a 'first distance,' the screen shows a high-level menu; if you move your hand to a 'second distance,' the screen replaces those options with more specific sub-commands without you ever needing to tap the glass.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover standard touchscreens that only detect contact (x,y coordinates) without measuring vertical distance (z-axis).
- Does not cover voice-activated command systems.
- Does not cover systems that rely solely on eye-tracking to determine menu selection.
- Does not cover simple proximity sensors that only turn a screen on or off without changing the displayed content hierarchy.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system treats the empty space above the screen as an active input layer, using the 'z-axis' (vertical distance) as a navigation tool to drill down into hierarchical menus without requiring physical contact or clicks.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Advanced automotive infotainment systems with hover-sensitive touchscreens
Industrial control panels for machinery
Touchless kiosks in sterile environments
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology aims to reduce screen clutter by hiding complex menu options until the user moves their hand closer, effectively creating a 'depth-based' user interface. It is relevant for automotive dashboard displays or specialized industrial control panels where users need to navigate complex software without taking their eyes off a task or touching the screen repeatedly.
Filed
January 30, 2012
Granted
May 28, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The technology is primarily relevant to automotive Tier 1 suppliers and manufacturers of industrial human-machine interfaces (HMI). Companies focused on gesture-control and proximity-sensing hardware continue to refine the sensor fusion required to make these depth-based interactions reliable.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing shift toward 'touchless' or 'low-touch' interfaces, which gained significant interest for hygiene reasons and driver safety. It provides a framework for managing complex data on small displays by utilizing spatial depth, helping to prevent the 'menu fatigue' often found in dense software interfaces.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way for a touch-sensitive interface to react to the 'hover' distance of a user's hand or finger. Instead of just knowing where you are touching, the system uses sensors to track the vertical distance (how far your hand is from the screen) and horizontal position (where your hand is over the screen). As you move your hand closer or further away, the interface automatically switches between different levels of a menu hierarchy. For example, if your hand is at a 'first distance,' the screen shows a high-level menu; if you move your hand to a 'second distance,' the screen replaces those options with more specific sub-commands without you ever needing to tap the glass.
The clever bit
The system treats the empty space above the screen as an active input layer, using the 'z-axis' (vertical distance) as a navigation tool to drill down into hierarchical menus without requiring physical contact or clicks.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover standard touchscreens that only detect contact (x,y coordinates) without measuring vertical distance (z-axis).
- Does not cover voice-activated command systems.
- Does not cover systems that rely solely on eye-tracking to determine menu selection.
- Does not cover simple proximity sensors that only turn a screen on or off without changing the displayed content hierarchy.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
12/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$67K – $215K
Midpoint $134K · 5.6 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
54 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Roziere, D. (2019). How Screens Change What They Show Based on Your Hand Distance (U.S. Patent No. 10,303,266). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10303266/apple-pencil
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Screens Change What They Show Based on Your Hand Distance cover?
A method for changing the menu options shown on a screen depending on how close or far away your hand is hovering above it.
Who owns patent US 10303266?
Quickstep Technologies LLC owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 28, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10303266 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology aims to reduce screen clutter by hiding complex menu options until the user moves their hand closer, effectively creating a 'depth-based' user interface. It is relevant for automotive dashboard displays or specialized industrial control panels where users need to navigate complex software without taking their eyes off a task or touching the screen repeatedly.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover standard touchscreens that only detect contact (x,y coordinates) without measuring vertical distance (z-axis).
Patent monitoring