METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH SENSING COMPONENTS, AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS

• US 20150268378A1
• Filed: 01/19/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chin, Ssu-Po, Saxena, Abhishek, Pan, Sheng-Yang
• Granted Patent: US 9,977,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/072 Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Abstract

A method for controlling an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided, where the electronic device includes a proximity sensor for performing proximity detection, and the method includes the steps of: determining whether a first condition is satisfied according to an application status; performing a proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition when the first condition is satisfied, to obtain an adjusted proximity sensor threshold for the proximity sensor; and performing proximity detection by utilizing the proximity sensor according to the adjusted proximity sensor threshold. The step of determining whether the first condition is satisfied according to the application status may further include: when a specific application is running in the foreground or launched, determining that the first condition is satisfied. For example, when the specific application is running in the foreground, the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the specific application can be performed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic device, which comprises a proximity sensor for performing proximity detection, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a first condition is satisfied according to an application status;

performing a proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition when the first condition is satisfied, to obtain an adjusted proximity sensor threshold for the proximity sensor; and

performing proximity detection by utilizing the proximity sensor according to the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the first condition is satisfied according to the application status further comprises:

when a specific application is running in the foreground or launched, determining that the first condition is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific application is within a predetermined set of applications, and all applications within the predetermined set of applications are utilized as triggers for causing the first condition to be satisfied.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the first condition is satisfied according to the application status further comprises:

when another application within the predetermined set of applications is running in the foreground, determining that the first condition is satisfied.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of performing the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition further comprises:

when the specific application is running in the foreground, performing the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the specific application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of performing the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition further comprises:

when the specific application is running in the foreground, applying a specific offset that is associated to the specific application to a proximity sensor threshold of the proximity sensor to obtain the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the specific offset is equal to a positive value or a negative value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the specific application is within a predetermined set of applications, and all applications within the predetermined set of applications are utilized as triggers for causing the first condition to be satisfied;

and the step of performing the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition further comprises;

when another application within the predetermined set of applications is running in the foreground, applying another offset that is associated to the other application to the proximity sensor threshold of the proximity sensor to obtain the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the other offset is equal to a positive value or a negative value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the first condition is satisfied according to the application status further comprises:

when at least one status of at least one other sensor within the electronic device is detected, determining that the first condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one other sensor comprises one or a combination of an accelerometer sensor, a touch sensor and a hall sensor.

11. An apparatus for controlling an electronic device, the apparatus comprising at least one portion of the electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a proximity sensor arranged for performing proximity detection; and

a control circuit, coupled to the proximity sensor, arranged for controlling operations of the electronic device, wherein the control circuit determines whether a first condition is satisfied according to an application status, performs a proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the first condition when the first condition is satisfied, to obtain an adjusted proximity sensor threshold for the proximity sensor, and performs proximity detection by utilizing the proximity sensor according to the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control circuit comprises a processor arranged for running program codes to control operations of the electronic device;

and when a specific application is running in the foreground or launched, the processor determines that the first condition is satisfied.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the specific application is within a predetermined set of applications, and all applications within the predetermined set of applications are utilized as triggers for causing the first condition to be satisfied.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when another application within the predetermined set of applications is running in the foreground, the processor determines that the first condition is satisfied.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein when the specific application is running in the foreground, the control circuit performs the proximity sensor threshold adjustment operation corresponding to the specific application.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein when the specific application is running in the foreground, the control circuit applies a specific offset that is associated to the specific application to a proximity sensor threshold of the proximity sensor to obtain the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the specific offset is equal to a positive value or a negative value.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the specific application is within a predetermined set of applications, and all applications within the predetermined set of applications are utilized as triggers for causing the first condition to be satisfied;

and when another application within the predetermined set of applications is running in the foreground, the control circuit applies another offset that is associated to the other application to the proximity sensor threshold of the proximity sensor to obtain the adjusted proximity sensor threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the other offset is equal to a positive value or a negative value.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when at least one status of at least one other sensor within the electronic device is detected, the control circuit determines that the first condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one other sensor comprises one or a combination of an accelerometer sensor, a touch sensor and a hall sensor.