We're big fans of MultiTouch here at MY iTablet, and it looks like Apple feels the same way.  Three patents first filed shortly after the iPhone's US launch indicate that the technology is developing from the small-scale screens of their cellphone and its iPod Touch cousin into something more suitable for larger displays.  Unlike the current touchscreen, which can recognise multiple finger contact-points, the new patents describe a touch-panel that can recognise a full hand in contact, then filter out the palm and track the finger movements and gestures.

Current binary touchscreens recognise touch or no-touch; Apple is developing panels which can identify multiple levels of pressure and accurately monitor movements such as rolling, smudging and tilting.  The precision could also be used to recognise, say, the position of fingers as if holding a stylus (though without an actual stylus being present) - which Apple call "pengrip detector" - as well as chording that could switch an input surface between browsing and on-screen typing modes.

We're unlikely to see any products introduced in the near future, but it's inevitable that these patents will be linked to the persistent Apple Tablet rumors.