ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING OPERATIONS ACCORDING TO PROXIMITY OF EXTERNAL OBJECT

• US 20170140644A1
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Ho-Chul, Jang, Dong-Ho, Kim, Moon-Soo, Lee, Yo-Han, Cho, Chi-Hyun, Kim, Min-Jung
• Granted Patent: US 10,726,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

Provided are an electronic device and method for performing an operation based on proximity of an external object with respect to the electronic device. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a plurality of sensors including first, second, and third sensor sets. A processor configured to determine a proximity state of an external object using the first sensor set, wherein the proximity state indicates whether the external object exists near the electronic device and includes a first proximity state and a second proximity state. In response to the external object being in the first proximity state, determine a detailed proximity state of the external object using the second sensor set, and in response to the external object being in the second proximity state, determine the detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device using the third sensor set.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of sensors including a first sensor set, a second sensor set, and a third sensor set; and

a processor configured to;

determine a proximity state of an external object with respect to the electronic device using the first sensor set, wherein the proximity state indicates whether the external object exists near the electronic device and includes a first proximity state and a second proximity state,

in response to the external object being in the first proximity state, determine a detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device using the second sensor set, and

in response to the external object being in the second proximity state, determine the detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device using the third sensor set.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the external object at least based on the detailed proximity state.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the proximity state of the external object from another electronic device located outside the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the detailed proximity state of the external object at least based on the proximity state.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one sensor-in-pixel included in a display of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform a function of the electronic device based on the determined detailed proximity state.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor and configured to operate in at least one of a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode; and

a processor configured to;

determine a proximity state of an external object with respect to the electronic device using at least the first sensor operating in the first mode, wherein the proximity state indicates whether the external object exists near the electronic device and includes the at least a first proximity state and a second proximity state,

in response to the external object being in the first proximity state, determine a detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device using at least the second sensor operating in the second mode, and

in response to the external object being in the second proximity state, determine the detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device using at least the third sensor operating in the third mode.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one microphone included in the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to recognize at least one of a location, a type, and a number of external objects located near the electronic device, by using the plurality of sensors.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to determine the proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device, by using one of the plurality of sensors.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to determine the detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device, by using the plurality of sensors.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises two or more types of sensors.

13. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to determine the proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device, by using a partial function of at least one of the plurality of sensors.

14. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to determine the detailed proximity state of the external object with respect to the electronic device, by using a function of at least one of the plurality of sensors.

15. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to perform a function of the electronic device corresponding to the determined detailed proximity state.

16. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

sensing a first proximity of an external object with respect to the electronic device by using a first sensor of a plurality of sensors included in the electronic device;

determining a second sensor of the plurality of sensors by using context information of the electronic device;

sensing a second proximity of the external object with respect to the electronic device by using the determined second sensor; and

performing a function of the electronic device based on the sensed second proximity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensing of the first proximity comprises determining whether the electronic device is located within a first proximity region by using the first sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the second sensor comprises determining the second sensor configured to determine a detailed proximity for operating a function of the electronic device, wherein the detailed proximity is based on the context information comprising at least one of location information, orientation state information, time information, or schedule information of the external object.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein sensing the second proximity comprises determining whether the electronic device is located within a second proximity region by using the second sensor.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein performing the function of the electronic device comprises:

determining a third sensor based on the sensed second proximity;

sensing, using the determined third sensor, a detailed proximity for performing the function of the electronic device; and