Integrated proximity sensor and light sensor

• US 7,728,316 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Pantfoerder, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn; Seung C
• Application Number:
  US11/600,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 250/559.38, 250/201.1, 250/214.AL, 250/214.B, 340/628
• US Class Current: 250/559.38
• 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: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• 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 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• 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: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, and the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation of this embodiment, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus to sense proximity and to detect light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;

a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector being configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, wherein the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than an emitter of electromagnetic radiation of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

processing logic coupled to the emitter and to the detector, the processing logic configured to turn off the emitter when configuring the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation through the detector of the proximity sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the detector is configured to detect light in the wavelengths of light emitted by the emitter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wavelengths are infrared wavelengths.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter comprises an ambient IR light level and represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter placed over the emitter to disable the emitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled to the emitter, and a switch to disconnect the power source from the emitter to disable the emitter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source other than the emitter of electromagnetic radiation of the apparatus is a source other than a proximity sensor emitter of electromagnetic radiation of the apparatus.

11. The data processing system as in claim 6 wherein the data comprises data representing proximity and data representing an ambient light measurement, and wherein the emitter is turned off when the detector performs an ambient light measurement, and wherein the detector is configured to detect light in the wavelengths of light emitted by the emitter.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a proximity sensor to sense a proximity and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than an emitter of electromagnetic radiation of the data processing system when the proximity sensor is not sensing proximity, the proximity sensor comprising an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity;

a display;

an input device;

at least one processor coupled to the input device and to the display and to the proximity sensor, the processor configured to determine, based upon data from the proximity sensor, whether to modify a setting of the data processing system.

10. The data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the data processing system is portable and wherein the processor compares the data from the proximity sensor to at least one threshold value in order to interpret the data to predict activity of a user relative to the data processing system.

12. The data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the processor modifies the setting which is at least one of a setting of a display illuminator, a setting of a sound input or output parameter, a setting of processing of inputs from an input device, a setting of a mode of the data processing system, and wherein the data from the proximity sensor indicates an activity of a user.

13. The data processing system as in claim 9 further comprising:

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device being configured to store media for playback on the data processing system.

14. The data processing system as in claim 13 further comprising:

a wheel input interface coupled to the storage device, the wheel input interface being configured to allow a user to select a particular content in the media for playback and to scroll through a list of the media.

15. The data processing system as in claim 13 wherein the wireless transceiver is a mobile telephone and wherein the media comprises at least one of audio or video or audio and video together.

16. The data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the display occupies at least 75 percent of a surface of a housing of the data processing system.

17. The data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the input device comprises a touch input panel having a selected area on the touch input panel for each key representing at least one alphanumeric character and wherein the touch input panel is integrated with the display.

18. The data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the input device comprises a multi-touch input panel which is integrated with the display and which is capable of determining multiple, separate concurrent touches on the multi-touch input panel and wherein the multi-touch input panel provides touch data derived from one or more touches to the multi-touch input panel and wherein when the data from the proximity sensor indicates a first state, the touch data is processed as an intentional user input and when the data from the proximity sensor indicates a second state, the touch data is not processed as an intentional user input.

19. The data processing system as in claim 10 wherein the second state occurs when the data processing system is proximate to a user'"'"'s ear.

20. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the detected electromagnetic radiation when the proximity sensor is not sensing proximity comprises an ambient IR light level and represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

21. The data processing system of claim 9, further comprising a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter placed over the emitter to disable the emitter.

22. The data processing system of claim 9, further comprising a power source coupled to the emitter, and a switch to disconnect the power source from the emitter to disable the emitter.

24. The data processing system as in claim 16 wherein the data processing system is portable, and wherein the data from the integrated sensor comprises data representing proximity and data representing an ambient light level, and wherein the detector is configured to detect light from the emitter when the integrated sensor is sensing proximity, and wherein the processor modifies the state of the data processing system automatically in response to a user activity as indicated by the data from the integrated sensor.

25. The data processing system as in claim 24 wherein the data representing proximity comprises at least one of data representing a distance and data representing a change of distance, and wherein the processor compares the data from the integrated sensor to at least one threshold value in order to interpret the data from the integrated sensor to predict the user activity.

26. The data processing system as in claim 25 further comprising:

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device being configured to store media for playback on the data processing system.

23. A data processing system comprising:

an integrated sensor to sense proximity and to sense ambient light when not sensing proximity, the integrated sensor comprising an emitter of light and a detector of light, wherein the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect light from a source other than the emitter;

an input device;

at least one processor coupled to the input device and to the integrated sensor, the processor configured to determine, based at least upon data from the integrated sensor, whether to modify a state of the data processing system.

27. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the light from a source other than the emitter comprises an ambient IR light level and represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

28. The data processing system of claim 23, further comprising a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter placed over the emitter to disable the emitter.

29. The data processing system of claim 23, further comprising a power source coupled to the emitter, and a switch to disconnect the power source from the emitter to disable the emitter.

30. A method of operating a proximity sensor to provide light sensor functionality, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of the proximity sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a detector of the proximity sensor, and the detector being configured in a proximity mode to detect light from the emitter to determine a proximity;

sensing light at the detector from a source other than an emitter of electromagnetic radiation of an apparatus comprising the emitter, the sensor and the detector, while disabling the emitter from emitting light.

31. The method as in claim 30 wherein the proximity sensor provides as an output both proximity data and ambient light data and wherein the light from the emitter is an infrared band of wavelengths.

32. The method as in claim 31 wherein the emitter emits light in a predetermined pattern and the detector is coupled to a processor which is configured to detect the predetermined pattern in an output from the detector.

33. The method as in claim 32 further comprising:

comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein sensing light at the detector while disabling the emitter comprises sensing an ambient IR light level that represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising placing a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter over the emitter to disable the emitter.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising disconnecting a power source coupled to the emitter to disable the emitter.

37. A method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a detector of the proximity sensor, and the detector being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;

sensing ambient light at the detector while disabling the emitter from emitting light;

processing a proximity data and ambient light data from the proximity data to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system.

38. The method of claim 37, the method further comprising:

modifying, automatically in response to the processing, a setting of the data processing system in response to a user activity, relative to the data processing system, as indicated by the proximity data and the ambient light data.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the processing comprises comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value in order to interpret data relating to the user activity.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of (a) changing a power level of a display device;

(b) changing a manner of processing input data from an input device;

(c) changing a sound output or sound input parameter;

or (d) changing a wireless transmission setting.

41. The method of claim 40, the method further comprising:

playing back media stored on a storage device of the data processing system.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein sensing ambient light at the detector while disabling the emitter comprises sensing an ambient IR light level that represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising placing a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter over the emitter to disable the emitter.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising disconnecting a power source coupled to the emitter to disable the emitter.

45. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed cause a method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a detector of the proximity sensor, and the detector being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;

sensing ambient light at the detector while disabling the emitter from emitting light;

processing a proximity data and ambient light data from the proximity data to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system.

46. The medium of claim 45, the method further comprising:

modifying, automatically in response to the processing, a setting of the data processing system in response to a user activity, relative to the data

processing system, as indicated by the proximity data and the ambient light data.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein the processing comprises comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value in order to interpret data relating to the user activity.

48. The medium of claim 46 wherein the modifying comprises at least one of (a) changing a power level of a display device;

(b) changing a manner of processing input data from an input device;

(c) changing a sound output or sound input parameter;

or (d) changing a wireless transmission setting.

49. The medium of claim 48, the method further comprising:

playing back media stored on a storage device of the data processing system.

50. The medium of claim 45, wherein sensing light at the detector while disabling the emitter comprises sensing an ambient IR light level that represents ambient light levels at wavelengths other than IR.

51. The medium of claim 45, the method further comprising placing a mechanical shutter or electrical shutter over the emitter to disable the emitter.

52. The medium of claim 45, the method further comprising disconnecting a power source coupled to the emitter to disable the emitter.