Nokia’s been beavering away on an iPhone-style multi-touch interface for a while, but aside from a few basics, we don’t really know anything about S60 Touch – until now.

Yep, the good folks over at Unwired View have got their mitts on a Nokia patent, which reveals that the big-brained Finns have done far more than simply ape Apple’s multi-touch system – they’ve actually innovated in some rather mind-blowing ways.

As well as basic multi-touch commands such as the ability to recognise various one, two and three-finger gestures on the screen, the patent also details a “touchless” 3D control interface that actually detects where your fingers are in relation to the device! How? By shooting out ultrasonic rays that bounce back off your digits, that’s how.

Put simply, this means that you can control the phone through 3D gestures with your hand. Grabbing motions, waving, pointing, pinching – all these actions will perform different functions. Take that, Apple!

So it seems like Nokia’s got a truly world-beating interface on the way. Potentially, at least – we’ve got to remember that this is just a patent document, and that the tech it describes is not necessarily going to become a reality any time soon. But we’ll keep our fingers crossed…