With the iPhone picking up quite nicely for both fans and non-fans, what's Apple got in store for us in the near future? A recently filed document at the United States Patent Application office indicates that the company may be taking another look at its laptop lines. The patent in question is for a back-lit touch pad.

The list reproduced below enumerates the first three claims of Apple's new patent:

1. An illuminated input device, the illuminated input device comprising: an object sensing mechanism capable of sensing a user input over an input surface; and a visual feedback system configured to illuminate the input surface in association with a user input.
2. The input device as recited in claim 1 further including a controller that is operatively coupled to the object sensing mechanism and the visual feedback system, the controller monitoring signals generated at the object sensing mechanism, the controller selectively controlling the illumination provided by the visual feedback system
3. The input device as recited in claim 1 wherein the object sensing mechanism includes a touch panel capable of sensing touches in localized areas of the input surface, and wherein the visual feedback system includes a light panel capable of emitting light in localized areas of the input surface.
   

If we're reading this properly, the back-light system is designed to react according to the user's input - line 3 further implies that the lights will only be isolated to the portion of the pad being touched by the user. Better yet, perhaps even leaving an illuminated trail of where your finger's been on the pad.

Of course, this is speculation on our part, but it does hint at what possible new innovations Apple has planned in the upcoming months. Stay tuned in case we pick up more info.