Back in December 2006, we shared with you Apple Corporation's patent for a "hybrid lower computer mouse" which is basically an upgrade of its wireless mouse. As development for the accessory continues, it's becoming imminent that the patent is not just to fix the short battery life of the said peripheral because as you will see, it's capable of a whole lot more.

According to Brian Huppi, the same brilliant designer behind iPhone's interface, the next-generation Apple mouse design can switch between operational modes based on the way a user holds the device's enclosures. Huppi further explained,

The method generally comprises first sensing in which hand position the mouse is being held, each hand position indicating a corresponding mode of operation of the mouse. If the mouse is being held in a first hand position, the mouse performs according to a first mode of operation, whereas if the mouse is being held in a second hand position, the mouse performs according to a second mode of operation.

Brian Huppi then shared that Apple is thinking that the first mode of operation is going to be cursor-based where cursor movements can be seen and used on the display screen. The second mode, on the other hand, could be a scrolling and/or panning movements on the display screen.

Now, if you're wondering how the heck the mouse is going to figure in all of those, Huppi mentioned that the new mouse is configured in such a way to provide command information. This will inform your Mac as to which mode of operation (GUI movements) will be implemented. The designer took note,

The command information is generally provided by a switch arrangement that is actuated by the user during manipulation of the mouse, i.e., the user may switch between cursor movements and scroll/pan movements," he wrote. "For example, the switch arrangement may activate the cursor movements when the hand is positioned proximate the modal areas and it may activate the scroll/pan movements when the hand is positioned away from the modal areas (or vice versa).