Proximity sensor
First Claim
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1. A proximity sensor for detecting a presence of an object within a first distance of an exterior surface of a protective layer of a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a light emitting device arranged to emit light at a primary frequency in a direction outward and away from the portable electronic device;
a light detecting device arranged to detect light at least at the primary frequency;
a collimator placed between the light detecting device and the light emitting device, the collimator causing a substantial portion of the light emitted by the light emitting device to impinge the protective layer of the portable electronic device at a low angle of incidence thereby reducing an amount of emitted light that reflects from the interior surface of the protective layer and detected by the light detecting device;
a filtering layer applied to the interior surface of the protective layer arranged to filter out frequencies of light other than the primary frequency, thereby substantially reducing the likelihood of the light detecting device from detecting light other than that of the primary frequency; and
a uniform transparent structure applied to an inner surface of the filtering layer, the uniform transparent structure having a size and shape in accordance with the proximity sensor, the uniform transparent structure arranged to absorb substantially all light incident thereon, thereby reducing an amount of light detected by the light detecting device not associated with light reflected from the object.
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Abstract
A proximity sensor for use in a portable computing device is described. In particular various embodiments of a proximity sensor which fit in an extremely small portion of a cellular phone, and accurately determine the presence of a user'"'"'s head in close proximity to a surface of the cellular phone.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A proximity sensor for detecting a presence of an object within a first distance of an exterior surface of a protective layer of a portable electronic device, comprising:
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a light emitting device arranged to emit light at a primary frequency in a direction outward and away from the portable electronic device; a light detecting device arranged to detect light at least at the primary frequency; a collimator placed between the light detecting device and the light emitting device, the collimator causing a substantial portion of the light emitted by the light emitting device to impinge the protective layer of the portable electronic device at a low angle of incidence thereby reducing an amount of emitted light that reflects from the interior surface of the protective layer and detected by the light detecting device; a filtering layer applied to the interior surface of the protective layer arranged to filter out frequencies of light other than the primary frequency, thereby substantially reducing the likelihood of the light detecting device from detecting light other than that of the primary frequency; and a uniform transparent structure applied to an inner surface of the filtering layer, the uniform transparent structure having a size and shape in accordance with the proximity sensor, the uniform transparent structure arranged to absorb substantially all light incident thereon, thereby reducing an amount of light detected by the light detecting device not associated with light reflected from the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing a proximity sensor for use in a portable electronic device having a protective layer, the proximity sensor used to detect the presence of an object within a first distance of an exterior surface of the protective layer, comprising:
providing a substrate; attaching a light emitting device to the substrate, the light emitting device arranged to emit light at a primary frequency in a direction outward and away from the portable electronic device; attaching a light detecting device to the substrate in proximity to the light emitting device, the light detecting device arranged to detect light at least at the primary frequency; attaching a collimator to the substrate between the light emitting device and the light detecting device, the collimator causing a substantial portion of the light emitted by the light emitting device to impinge an interior surface of the protective layer at a low angle of incidence; placing a filtering layer on the interior surface of the protective layer, the filtering layer arranged to filter out frequencies of light other than the primary frequency, thereby substantially reducing the likelihood of the light detecting device from detecting light other than that of the primary frequency; and applying a uniform transparent structure to an inner surface of the filtering layer, the uniform transparent structure having a size and shape in accordance with the proximity sensor, the uniform transparent structure arranged to absorb substantially all light incident thereon, thereby reducing an amount of light detected by the light detecting device not associated with light reflected from the object. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification