Microsoft applies for high-performance touchscreen patent.

Remember when Microsoft got us all salivating with a proof-of-concept demo that took touchscreen lag from 100ms to 1ms? Well, Redmond is protecting the product of its tireless research by applying for a patent. The claim focuses heavily on the use of a predictive system that takes an educated guess as to where you’re going to move next, and does some serious preprocessing to minimize lag. The result is a smooth moving UI, so long as you don’t surprise the predictive algorithms. Do something completely unanticipated and all those preloaded animations must be flushed, resulting in some graphical stutter. We wouldn’t get too excited just yet, though, the broad patent, seems like it’s a long way out from landing in a smartphone or tablet. The clip we saw in March (embedded after the break) is little more than a white splotch that follows your finger. But, if even some of this tech makes into future Windows products, expect your touchscreen experience to be a much smoother one.