Control Method, Control Device and Electronic Device

• US 20110115821A1
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Tang, Wing-Kai, Huang, Hao-Jan, Lee, Tzung-Yuan
• Application Number:
  US12/687,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9618 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard

Abstract

A control method for an electronic device includes detecting a distance between an object and a reference point of the electronic device, and generating a control command for the electronic device according to the distance between the object and the reference point, in order to control the electronic device to perform a corresponding function.

Claims

1. A control method for an electronic device comprising:

detecting a distance between an object and a reference point of the electronic device; and

generating a control command for the electronic device according to the distance between the object and the reference point, to control the electronic device to perform a corresponding function.

2. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is starting to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than a predefined value.

3. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is starting to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when a switch of the electronic device is triggered.

4. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is utilizing an infrared sensing method, for sensing thermal energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

5. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is utilizing an ultrasonic sensing method, for emitting an ultrasonic signal from the electronic device to the object, and receiving a signal reflected by the object at the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

6. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is utilizing an electromagnetic sensing method, for sensing electromagnetic energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

7. The control method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device is utilizing an optical sensing method, for sensing optical reflection or optical waves of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

8. The control method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a screen, and the control command is utilized for controlling a size of a picture displayed by the screen.

9. The control method of claim 8, wherein the control command is utilized for magnifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and minifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

10. The control method of claim 8, wherein the control command is utilized for minifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and magnifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

11. The control method of claim 8, wherein the control command is utilized for minifying the picture when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and magnifying the picture when the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

12. The control method of claim 8, wherein the control command is utilized for magnifying the picture when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and minifying the picture when the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

13. A control device for an electronic device comprising:

a distance measuring unit, for detecting a distance between an object and a reference point of the electronic device, to generate a detection result; and

a command generating unit, for generating a control command for the electronic device according to the detection result, to control the electronic device to perform a corresponding function.

14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than a predefined value.

15. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value.

16. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than a predefined value.

17. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device when a switch of the electronic device is triggered.

18. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit is an infrared detector, utilizing an infrared sensing method, for sensing thermal energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

19. The control device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises an ultrasonic emitter, for emitting an ultrasonic signal to the object, and the distance measuring unit is an ultrasonic detector, utilizing an ultrasonic sensing method, for receiving a signal reflected by the object at the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

20. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit is an electromagnetic detector, utilizing an electromagnetic sensing method, for sensing electromagnetic energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

21. The control device of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring unit is an optical detector, utilizing an optical sensing method, for sensing optical reflection or optical waves of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point of the electronic device.

22. The control device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises a screen, and the command generating unit generates the control command, to control a size of a picture displayed by the screen.

23. The control device of claim 22, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for magnifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for minifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

24. The control device of claim 22, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for minifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for magnifying the picture when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

25. The control device of claim 22, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for magnifying the picture when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for minifying the picture when the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

26. The control device of claim 22, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for minifying the picture when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for magnifying the picture when the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

27. An electronic device, capable of enhancing operating efficiency, comprising:

an operating circuit;

a screen; and

a control device, comprising;

a distance measuring unit, for detecting a distance between an object and a reference point of the screen, to generate a detection result; and

a command generating unit, for generating a control command for the operating circuit according to the detection result, to control the operating circuit to perform a corresponding function.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point when the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than a predefined value.

29. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value.

30. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point when a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than a predefined value.

31. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit starts to detect the distance between the object and the reference point when a trigger switch of the electronic device is triggered.

32. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit is an infrared detector, utilizing an infrared sensing method, for sensing thermal energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point.

33. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the operating circuit comprises an ultrasonic emitter, for emitting an ultrasonic signal to the object, and the distance measuring unit is an ultrasonic detector, utilizing an ultrasonic sensing method, for receiving a signal reflected by the object at the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point.

34. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit is an electromagnetic detector, utilizing an electromagnetic sensing method, for sensing electromagnetic energy of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point.

35. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the distance measuring unit is an optical detector, utilizing an optical sensing method, for sensing optical reflection or optical waves of the object from the reference point, to detect the distance between the object and the reference point.

36. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for controlling a size of a picture displayed by the screen.

37. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for magnifying the picture when the detection result indicates the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for minifying the picture when the detection result indicates the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

38. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for minifying the picture when the detection result indicates the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for magnifying the picture when the detection result indicates the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

39. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for magnifying the picture when the detection result indicates a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for minifying the picture when the detection result indicates the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.

40. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the control command generated by the command generating unit is utilized for minifying the picture when the detection result indicates a variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is greater than a predefined value, and utilized for magnifying the picture when the detection result indicates the variation of the distance between the object and the reference point is smaller than the predefined value.