Integrated proximity sensor and light sensor
First Claim
1. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:
- an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;
a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector having a sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector has a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity, and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when sensing visible light. The emitter may be disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Also, a fence having a non-IR transmissive material disposed between the emitter and the detector to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:
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an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;
a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector having a sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:
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an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;
a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector having a first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, the detector having a second sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus to sense proximity and to detect light, the apparatus comprising:
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an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;
a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector being configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, wherein the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense light;
a fence disposed between the emitter and the detector configured to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:
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emitting light from an emitter of the combined sensor when in a proximity mode;
detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed by a sensor of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured to detect light from the emitter to determine a proximity when in the proximity mode;
sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light when in an ambient light sensing (ALS) mode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:
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emitting light from an emitter of the combined sensor;
detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed by a sensor;
removing electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter using a fence disposed between the emitter and the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:
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emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor portion of a combined sensor;
detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a sensor of the proximity portion and of an overlapping ambient light sensor (ALS) portion of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;
sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light;
processing proximity data and ambient light data from the sensor to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed cause a method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:
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emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor portion of a combined sensor;
detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a sensor of the proximity portion and of an overlapping ambient light sensor (ALS) portion of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;
sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light;
processing proximity data and ambient light data from the sensor to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:
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means for emitting IR light when in a proximity mode;
means for detecting reflected IR light of the emitted IR light using a sensor of the combined sensor to determine a proximity when in the proximity mode;
means for sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitted IR light means when in an ambient light sensing (ALS) mode.
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35. The apparatus of 34 wherein the sensor comprises:
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means for converting photons into an electrical signal;
means for band passing only IR light to the converting means; and
means for band passing only IR light and visible light to the band passing only IR light means.
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36. The apparatus of 34 wherein the sensor comprises:
means for providing as an output both proximity data and ambient light data.
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37. The apparatus of 36 wherein the emitting IR light means comprises means for emitting a predetermined pattern of IR light pulses, and the detecting reflected IR light means comprises means for detecting the predetermined pattern.
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38. The apparatus of 37 further comprising:
means for comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value.
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39. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:
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means for emitting IR light, the emitted IR light passing through a cover;
means for detecting reflected IR light of the emitted IR light incident upon the cover using a sensor below the cover;
means for removing the emitted IR light from reaching the sensor, prior to the emitted IR light passing through the cover.
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40. The apparatus of 39 wherein the cover comprises means for refracting the emitted IR light passing through a cover, and further comprising:
means for prohibiting the IR light emitted by the emitter that is refracted by the cover from entering the sensor.
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41. An combined proximity and ambient light sensor comprising:
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a proximity sensor portion including an IR light transmitter to emit IR light and an IR light sensor to detect IR light from the transmitter;
ambient light sensor (ALS) portion including the IR light sensor and an IR light and visual light sensor to sense ambient light while disabling the IR light transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:
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using an infra-red (IR) light only sensor to sense a proximity of an object;
using the IR light only sensor to sense an IR part of ambient light;
subtracting the IR part of ambient light from IR and visible ambient light sensed using an IR light and visible light sensor. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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Specification