Whether it's about the hardware or the software, user interfaces are Apple's secret sauce. While competitors sometimes manage to get it right, bar the corners left on their wheels, Cupertino's interface designers usually know to take those corners off. The user experience is the central experience. With this in mind, Apple's developing new technologies which could make future iPods, iPhones and other devices almost sentient-seeming.

Following on from Apple's published patent pertaining to the 'Intelligent Bezel" this week comes another, this time describing "Cool Sense Line Controls". Which sounds pretty impressive, but what does it mean?

Like those craftily intelligent bezels these sensor technologies can be used to control your player - volume, track choice, skip forward/back - and all controlled discreetly with no moving parts and no need for line of sight.

Or, as Patently Apple puts it, "These sensors located behind the mask can be separate from a touch sensor panel used to detect objects on or near the touch screen display, and can be used to enhance or provide additional functionality to the device. Apple refers to these additional functions as "functional components.""

One of the simplest examples that the patent provides us with is noted in FIG. 1 shown below. The media player could perform an action related to earpiece 110 when sensor 116 detects an object in proximity to earpiece. Such an action can include turning on the earpiece or adjusting a volume control of the earpiece. In addition, the media player could perform an action when sensor 116 does not detect an object in proximity to the earpiece - such as turn off the earpiece or adjust the volume control.

Take a look at the previous intelligent bezel filing here.