Electronic device with sensing assembly and method for detecting basic gestures
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a specified pattern of movement of an external object relative to an electronic device, the method comprising:
- providing as part of the electronic device a sensing assembly including;
a photoreceiver with a center reception axis,a first phototransmitter with a first center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis,a second phototransmitter with a second center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis and the first center transmission axis, anda third phototransmitter with a third center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis, the first center transmission axis, and the second center transmission axis;
emitting first infrared light from the first phototransmitter during a first time period;
generating a first measured signal indicative of an amount of the first infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the first time period;
emitting second infrared light from the second phototransmitter during a second time period;
generating a second measured signal indicative of an amount of the second infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the second time period;
emitting third infrared light from the third phototransmitter during a third time period;
generating a third measured signal indicative of an amount of the third infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the third time period, wherein the first, second, and third time periods occur sequentially; and
evaluating the first measured signal, the second measured signal, and the third measured signal to detect the specified pattern of movement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device and method detects a predefined gesture. The electronic device includes a sensing assembly including at least one photoreceiver and a plurality of phototransmitters, where each phototransmitter is positioned to emit infrared light away from the electronic device about a corresponding central transmission axis, and where each central transmission axis is oriented in a different direction with respect to the others. Further, the emission of infrared light by each of the phototransmitters is controlled during each of a plurality of sequential time periods to facilitate detecting the gesture.
144 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a specified pattern of movement of an external object relative to an electronic device, the method comprising:
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providing as part of the electronic device a sensing assembly including; a photoreceiver with a center reception axis, a first phototransmitter with a first center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis, a second phototransmitter with a second center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis and the first center transmission axis, and a third phototransmitter with a third center transmission axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis, the first center transmission axis, and the second center transmission axis;
emitting first infrared light from the first phototransmitter during a first time period;generating a first measured signal indicative of an amount of the first infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the first time period; emitting second infrared light from the second phototransmitter during a second time period; generating a second measured signal indicative of an amount of the second infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the second time period; emitting third infrared light from the third phototransmitter during a third time period; generating a third measured signal indicative of an amount of the third infrared light that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver during the third time period, wherein the first, second, and third time periods occur sequentially; and evaluating the first measured signal, the second measured signal, and the third measured signal to detect the specified pattern of movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for detecting a specified pattern of movement of an external object relative to an electronic device, the method comprising:
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providing as part of the electronic device a sensing assembly including; a phototransmitter with a center transmission axis, a first photoreceiver with a first center reception axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center transmission axis, a second photoreceiver with a second center reception axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center transmission axis and the first center reception axis, and a third photoreceiver with a third center reception axis oriented in a different direction with respect to the center transmission axis, the first center reception axis, and the second center reception axis;
emitting first infrared light from the phototransmitter during a first time period;generating a first measured signal indicative of an amount Of the first infrared light which originated from the phototransmitter during the first time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the first photoreceiver; emitting second infrared light from the phototransmitter during a second time period; generating a second measured signal indicative of an amount of the second infrared light which originated from the phototransmitter during the second time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the second photoreceiver; emitting third infrared light from the phototransmitter during a third time period wherein the first, second, and third time periods occur sequentially; generating a third measured signal indicative of an amount of the third infrared light which originated from the phototransmitter during the third time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the third photoreceiver; and evaluating the first measured signal, the second measured signal, and the third measured signal to detect the specified pattern of movement. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic device for detecting a specified pattern of movement of an external object relative to the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:
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a sensing assembly including; a photoreceiver having a center reception axis; a first phototransmitter configured to emit first infrared light so that first transmitted infrared light including the emitted first infrared light is directed outward away from the electronic device about a first center transmission axis that is oriented in a different direction with respect to the center reception axis; a second phototransmitter configured to emit second infrared light so that second transmitted infrared light including the emitted second infrared light is directed outward away from the electronic device about a second center transmission axis that is oriented in a different direction with respect to the first center transmission axis and the center reception axis; and a third phototransmitter configure to emit third infrared light so that third transmitted infrared light including the emitted third infrared light is directed outward away from the electronic device about a third center transmission axis that is oriented in a different direction with respect to the first center transmission axis, the second center transmission axis, and the center reception axis; and a processor in communication with the sensing assembly that is configured for actuating the first phototransmitter to emit the first infrared light during a first time period , for actuating the second phototransmitter to emit the second infrared light during a second time period, and for actuating the third phototransmitter to emit the third infrared light during a third time period, wherein the first, second, and third time periods are sequential time periods; wherein the electronic device is further configured to operate so that the photoreceiver generates a first measured signal indicative of an amount of the first infrared light emitted from the first phototransmitter during the first time period that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver, the photoreceiver generates a second measured signal indicative of an amount of the second infrared light emitted from the second phototransmitter during the second time period that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver, and the photoreceiver generates a third measured signal indicative of an amount of the third infrared light emitted from the third phototransmitter during the third time period that was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver, and wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate the first, second, and third measured signals to detect the specified pattern of movement. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification