INPUT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100045628A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gettemy, Shawn R., Wong, Yoon Kean
• Application Number:
  US12/612,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A proximity input detection system for an electronic device. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes an inductive field sensor to detect a change in a magnetic field when an input device with a coil is within a threshold distance. In another embodiment, the present invention utilizes a capacitive sensor which can locate the position of an electrically conductive object which is within a threshold distance. The capacitive sensor can also be used, for example, as a switch to activate the device if a user picks it up. The present invention allows user inputs to be detected without actually touching the electronic device. The present invention can also be used to detect inputs through intervening non-metallic layers such as a protective cover or another display of the device without using additional input sensors.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing;

a display device coupled with said housing;

a sensor disposed within said housing and operable to detect an object in proximity to said housing; and

wherein said processor is operable to initiate an operation responsive to a detection of said object by said sensor.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a capacitive sensor.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a MultiTouch sensor.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a metal, a stylus, a hand of a user, and a finger of said user.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said object comprises a body part of a user, and wherein said sensor is further operable to detect a gesture made with said body part.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is further operable to detect said object in proximity to a portion of said housing outside of a display area associated with said display device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is further operable to detect said object in proximity to a back portion of said housing.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of making said display device active, making said display device inactive, and changing a color of said display device.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of powering up said portable electronic device and powering down said portable electronic device.

10. A method of operating a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

detecting, using a sensor of said portable electronic device, an object in proximity to a housing of said portable electronic device, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a display device; and

initiating an operation in response to said detecting said object.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor is a capacitive sensor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensor is a MultiTouch sensor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a metal, a stylus, a hand of a user, and a finger of said user.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said object comprises a body part of a user, and wherein said detecting further comprises detecting a gesture made with said body part.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting further comprises detecting said object in proximity to a portion of said housing outside of a display area associated with said display device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting further comprises detecting said object in proximity to a back portion of said housing.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of making said display device active, making said display device inactive, and changing a color of said display device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of powering up said portable electronic device and powering down said portable electronic device.

19. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing;

a display device coupled with said housing;

a sensor disposed within said housing and operable to detect handling of said housing by a user; and

wherein said processor is operable to initiate an operation responsive to a detection of said handling of said housing.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said sensor is a capacitive sensor.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said sensor is a MultiTouch sensor.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said sensor is further operable to detect an object in proximity to said housing, and wherein said object is selected from a group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a metal, a stylus, a hand of a user, and a finger of said user.

23. The portable electronic device of claim 22, wherein said object comprises a body part of a user, and wherein said sensor is further operable to detect a gesture made with said body part.

24. The portable electronic device of claim 22, wherein said sensor is further operable to detect said object in proximity to a portion of said housing outside of a display area associated with said display device.

25. The portable electronic device of claim 22, wherein said sensor is further operable to detect said object in proximity to a back portion of said housing.

26. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of making said display device active, making said display device inactive, and changing a color of said display device.

27. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein said operation is selected from a group consisting of powering up said portable electronic device and powering down said portable electronic device.