Devices and Methods for Adjusting Proximity Detectors

• US 20110006190A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dietrich, Aaron L., Alameh, Rachid M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters
• 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 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

There is described portable electronic devices having one or more proximity sensors with adaptive capabilities that can help reduce power consumption. The proximity sensors of the portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention may be adjusted to operate in multiple and/or different modes. These modes are environmentally and contextually driven. An adaptive sensor is dynamically adjusted based on different criteria. In particular, adjustments are based on correlations of input signals from one or more sensors of the device, data signals received from the device'"'"'s processor and/or external data signals received from an external source, which provide characterization values of environmental, contextual and/or ambient light characteristics. Adjustments are made to pulse power to affect the range of the sensor, pulse frequency, filtering of noise of the sensor input signal to attenuate interference and the spectrum of a proximity detector.

Claims

1. A method of a portable electronic device for adapting a pulse power mode a proximity sensor configured to detect light of a particular frequency range, the method comprising:

determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device;

selecting the pulse power mode of the proximity detector based on determining the environmental and contextual characteristics of the device; and

adjusting the pulse power mode of the proximity detector based on a selected pulse power mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving input signals from one or more sensors of the device; and

correlating the input signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characteristics of the device to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving data signals from a processor of the device; and

correlating the data signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characteristics of the device to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving external data signals from an external source; and

correlating the external data signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characterization to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the pulse power mode of the proximity detector of the device comprises:

receiving one or more characterization values; and

determining from a look-up table a pulse power mode based on the one or more characterization values.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the pulse power mode of the proximity detector comprises:

increasing the amplitude of a pulse of the proximity detector or lengthening the duration of a pulse of the proximity detector.

7. A method of a portable electronic device for adapting a pulse frequency mode a proximity sensor configured to detect light of a particular frequency range, the method comprising:

determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device;

selecting the pulse frequency mode of the proximity detector based on determining the environmental and contextual characteristics of the device; and

adjusting the pulse frequency mode of the proximity detector based on a selected pulse frequency mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving input signals from one or more sensors of the device; and

correlating the input signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characteristics to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving data signals from a processor of the device; and

correlating the data signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characteristics to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining environmental and contextual characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving external data signals from an external source; and

correlating the external data signals to evaluate the environment and the contextual characteristics to generate a characterization value representative of the environment and the context of the device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the pulse frequency mode of the proximity detector of the device comprises:

receiving one or more characterization values; and

determining from a look-up table pulse frequency mode based on the one or more characterization values.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the pulse frequency mode of the proximity detector comprises:

increasing the frequency of pulses of the proximity detector or reducing the frequency of pulses of the proximity detector.

13. A method of a portable electronic device for adaptive filtering of a proximity sensor configured to detect light of a particular frequency range, the method comprising:

determining ambient light characteristics of the device with respect to light of the particular frequency range;

selecting a filtering level of the proximity detector based upon determining the ambient light characteristics of the device; and

adjusting the filtering level of the proximity detector based on a selected filtering level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining ambient light characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving input signals from one or more sensors of the device; and

correlating the input signals to evaluate the ambient light characteristics to generate a characterization value.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining ambient light characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving data signals from a processor of the device; and

correlating the data signals to evaluate the ambient light characteristics to generate a characterization value.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining ambient light characteristics of the device comprises:

receiving external data signals from an external source; and

correlating the data signals to evaluate the ambient light characteristics to generate a characterization value.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein selecting a filtering level of the proximity detector of the device comprises:

receiving one or more characterization values; and

determining from a look-up table a filtering level based on the one or more characterization values.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the filtering level of the proximity detector comprises:

attenuating interference received by the proximity detector when light of the particular frequency range is determined.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the filtering level of the proximity detector comprises:

broadening or narrowing the particular frequency range of the proximity detector.