Method and apparatus for proximity sensing in a portable electronic device

• US 20060093161A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3026 the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A portable electronic device that automatically detects its mode of use and alters a characteristic of its user interface to match the mode of use. A mobile telephone is described as an example of a portable electronic device. The telephone is equipped with a proximity sensor that may indicate whether the telephone is held close or far from the user'"'"'s face. Based on the proximity to the user'"'"'s face, gains in the audio interface are adjusted. The gain is reduced when the device is held close to a user'"'"'s face and increased when the device is moved away from the user'"'"'s face. This approach is well suited for use in connection with portable devices that use voice command interfaces.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an audio interface having a gain control input;

a sensor having a sensor output indicating proximity of the sensor to a human body part; and

a control circuit having an input connected to the sensor output and a control output connected to the gain control input of the audio interface, the control circuit setting a signal level on the control output selectively in response to a signal level on the control circuit input.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the audio interface comprises a speaker.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the audio interface comprises a microphone.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control circuit comprises a processor programmed with voice command recognition software.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the device is a portable electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

7. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the device is a pocket PC.

8. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the device is a music player.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a housing and the sensor and the audio interface are in the housing.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device further comprises a video display, and wherein the video display is in the housing.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

an audio interface mounted in the housing, the audio interface having a gain control input;

a sensor mounted in the housing, the sensor having a sensor output representative of a mode of use of the electronic device; and

a control circuit having an input connected to the sensor output and a control output connected to the gain control input of the audio interface, the control circuit setting a signal level on the control output selectively in response to a signal level on the control circuit input.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive proximity sensor.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the audio interface comprises a speaker and a variable gain amplifier.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the audio interface comprises a microphone and a variable gain amplifier.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the control circuit comprises a processor programmed with voice recognition software.

13. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the housing has at least one surface and the electronic device additionally comprises a display screen mounted adjacent the at least one surface.

18. A method of operating an electronic device, comprising acts performed by the device of:

detecting the proximity of the device to a human body part; and

automatically adjusting at least one operating characteristic of a user interface in the electronic device based on the detected proximity to a human body part.

19. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 18, wherein the electronic device has a surface with the audio interface therein and the act of detecting the proximity of the device to a human body part comprises detecting the proximity of a human body part to the surface.

20. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 19, wherein the act of detecting the proximity of a human body part to the surface comprises sensing the proximity of a human body part with a sensor mounted in the surface.

21. The method of operation an electronic device of claim 18, wherein the act of automatically adjusting an operating characteristic of a user interface comprises adjusting a gain of an audio interface.

22. The method of operation an electronic device of claim 21, wherein the act of automatically adjusting a gain of an audio interface comprises reducing the gain of the audio interface when a human body part is detected in proximity to the electronic device.

23. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 18, wherein the act of automatically adjusting at least one operating characteristic comprises adjusting the gain of a microphone.

24. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 18, wherein the act of adjusting at least one operating characteristic comprises adjusting the volume of a speaker.

25. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 24, wherein the act of adjusting at least one operating characteristic additionally comprises adjusting the gain of a microphone.

26. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 24, additionally comprising an act of receiving from a user of the device a volume setting for the speaker, the received volume setting having a gain for the speaker associated therewith.

27. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 26 wherein the device operates in one of at least two modes, the at least two modes comprising a close mode and a far mode, and the method of operating the electronic device further comprises setting the operating mode based on the detected proximity to a human body part.

28. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 27 wherein the act of adjusting the volume of a speaker comprises, when the device is operating in the close mode, setting the gain to the minimum of the gain associated with the received user volume setting and a predetermined gain.

29. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 28, wherein the act of receiving from a user of the device a volume setting for the speaker comprises receiving from the user of the device a volume setting for the speaker while the device is in the close mode.

30. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 27 wherein the act of adjusting the volume of a speaker comprises, when the device is operating in the close mode, setting the gain to the minimum of the gain associated with the received user volume setting compensated by a predetermined amount and a predetermined gain.

31. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 30, wherein the act of receiving from a user of the device a volume setting for the speaker comprises receiving from the user of the device a volume setting for the speaker while the device is in the far mode.

32. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 30 wherein the act of setting the gain to a predetermined gain comprises setting the gain to a gain associated with a sound pressure level at the output of the speaker that does not cause discomfort for a user when the speaker is held to the user'"'"'s ear.

33. A method of operating an electronic device having a plurality of user interfaces, comprising the acts of:

measuring at least one value relating to a use environment of the device;

determining a mode of use of the electronic device form the at least one measured value; and

exchanging information with a user through at least one of the plurality of user interfaces selected based on the determined mode of use.

34. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 33, wherein the at least one value relates to proximity and wherein the act of determining the mode of use comprises determining a mode of use based on the proximity of the electronic device to a user'"'"'s face.

35. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 33 wherein the act of determining the mode of use comprises determining whether the device is in a close mode or a far mode.

36. The method of operating an electronic device of claim 35 wherein the electronic device comprises a graphical user interface and an audio user interface and the act of exchanging information with a user through a user interface selected based on the determined mode of use comprises providing information to the user through the graphical interface when the determined mode of use is a far mode and providing information to the user through the audio interface when the determined mode of use is a close mode.