Technology giant Apple on Tuesday was granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its new proximity sensing feature, which will allow users to operate its devices by hovering their fingers over them. According to Apple Insider, the company calls this its “proximity and multi-touch sensor detection and demodulation" technology, which means that specially designed hardware will be able to detect a user’s presence over the screen without them actually touching it.

The hovering technology will combine with the multi-touch functions that are already available on Apple’s newest iPhone to create all kinds of possibilities for using its devices. This will include using gestures to lock and unlock the screen, changing apps, adjusting brightness and so on. For instance, hovering over a particular button could cause it to light up, showing users that it will be pressed if pushed down, similar to a cursor on a computer.

To achieve this, Apple has used proximity sensors that have infrared LEDs along with photodiodes, which detect lights and alter electric currents accordingly. This allows the device to detect users by bouncing infrared lights off their fingers, and reacting to gestures by the way the light’s pattern changes. At the moment, though, Apple has not confirmed which device this new technology will be used on, or whether it will even be used at all. Major technology company often apply for all kinds of patents to protect minute advancements, but do not necessarily use them in their devices.