A patent application recently filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suggests that Apple may be looking to expand its touch based horizons beyond just the iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone.

According to the application, the company is looking towards implementing “transitioning between a high-resolution input mode, such as a mouse-based interface, and a low-resolution input mode, such as a touch-based interface” into its iMac range.

If the requisite images are anything to go by, Apple’s next iMac range may allow users to quickly switch between using a mouse and a keyboard to using a touch based interface by simply tilting the screen upwards.

The report also suggests how the movement might be detected by the device.

“Transitioning between the two input modes and corresponding user interfaces (UIs) is based on the detected change of orientation. A change of orientation can be detected with one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer, position sensors, etc.”

Although we can’t be completely sure that Apple is actively pursuing such a device it does suggest in which direction the company may take its desktop and notebook range.

Apple's Patent Application Diagram