ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120274839A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: YOU, QIANG
• Granted Patent: US 8,643,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/372
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes an image capturing unit and a processor. The processor controls the image capturing unit to periodically capture an image in front of the electronic device, and analyzes the captured image to determine whether a user is using the electronic device, and further controls the electronic device to be in a working state if a user is using the electronic device. A method for controlling an electronic device is also provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an image capturing unit; and

a processor for controlling the image capturing unit to periodically capture an image in front of the electronic device, and analyzing the captured image to determine whether a user is using the electronic device, and further controlling the electronic device to be in a working state if a user is using the electronic device.

2. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processor further control the electronic device to be in a power-saving state if no one is using the electronic device.

3. The electronic device as described in claim 2, further comprising a keypad, wherein the keypad is in an unlocked state when the electronic device is in the working state, and is in a locked state when the electronic device is in the power-saving mode.

4. The electronic device as described in claim 2, further comprising a backlight module, wherein the backlight module is in an on state when the electronic device is in the working state, and in an off state when the electronic device is in the power-saving mode.

5. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processor compares the captured image with a pre-stored image to determine whether a difference between the captured image and the pre-stored image matches a preset value, and determine that a user is using the electronic device if the difference matches the preset value, the processor determine that no one is using the electronic device if the difference between the captured image and the pre-stored image does not match the preset value.

6. The electronic device as described in claim 5, wherein the pre-stored image is an image of a human face without eyes, if the difference matches the preset value, the processor determines that the captured image comprises eyes, and determine that a user is using the electronic device.

7. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether a human facial feature is in the captured image, and determine that a user is using the electronic device if the captured image comprises a human facial feature, and determine that no one is using the electronic device if the captured image does not comprise a human facial feature.

8. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the image capturing module is arranged on a front of the electronic device.

9. A method for controlling an electronic device, the electronic device comprising an image capturing module, the method comprising:

controlling the image capturing module to periodically capture an image in front of the electronic device;

analyzing the captured image to determine whether a user is using the electronic device; and

controlling the electronic device to be in a working state if a user is using the electronic device.

10. The method as described in claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the electronic device to be in a power-saving state if no one is using the electronic device.

11. The method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of analyzing the captured image to determine whether a user is using the electronic device comprises:

comparing the captured image with a pre-stored image to determine whether a difference between the captured image and the pre-stored image matches a preset value;

determining that a user is using the electronic device if the difference matches the preset value; and

determining that no one is using the electronic device if the difference between the captured image and the pre-stored image does not match the preset value.

12. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the pre-stored image is an image of a human face image without eyes, if the difference matches the preset value, the captured image is determined to comprise eyes, and a user is determined to be using the electronic device.

13. The method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of analyzing the captured image to determine whether a user is using the electronic device comprises:

analyzing the captured image to determine whether any human facial feature is in the captured image;

determining that a user is using the electronic device if the captured image comprises a human facial feature; and

determining that no one is using the electronic device if the captured image does not comprise a human facial feature.