Indoor/outdoor detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. For use in controlling the operation of an electronic device, a sensor arrangement comprising:
- a light sensor circuit configured and arranged to provide at least one output corresponding to an intensity of light incident upon the light sensor circuit, the light sensor circuit including;
a first light sensor configured and arranged to respond predominantly to light incident upon the light sensor circuit and in the visible spectrum, anda second light sensor configured and arranged to respond predominantly to light incident upon the light sensor circuit and in the infrared spectrum; and
a controller circuit configured and arranged todetermine the presence of artificial light based upon the at least one output, bydetermining a ratio between a response of the first light sensor and a response of the second light sensor,determining a color temperature of light incident on the light sensor circuit based upon the determined ratio,filtering, for light incident on the light sensor circuit, direct current (DC) components of light intensity variations from the at least one output of the light sensor circuit to produce a filtered output, anddetecting, using the filtered output, the presence of an artificial source by correlating variations in the intensity, for light incident on the light sensor circuit, to variations in intensity resulting from a corresponding type of artificial source, andselectively operate circuits in the electronic device in response to determining the presence of artificial light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light sensor is used to detect ambient light conditions. According to an example embodiment, a light sensor (112) detects color temperature and, in some instances, intensity characteristics of ambient light (120, 130, 140) in an environment and uses these detected characteristics (116) to determine the location of the sensor relative to natural and artificial light sources. This location determination is used to selectively operate circuits in a device such as a hand-held telephone, computer device or personal data assistant (PDA).
64 Citations
22 Claims
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1. For use in controlling the operation of an electronic device, a sensor arrangement comprising:
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a light sensor circuit configured and arranged to provide at least one output corresponding to an intensity of light incident upon the light sensor circuit, the light sensor circuit including; a first light sensor configured and arranged to respond predominantly to light incident upon the light sensor circuit and in the visible spectrum, and a second light sensor configured and arranged to respond predominantly to light incident upon the light sensor circuit and in the infrared spectrum; and a controller circuit configured and arranged to determine the presence of artificial light based upon the at least one output, by determining a ratio between a response of the first light sensor and a response of the second light sensor, determining a color temperature of light incident on the light sensor circuit based upon the determined ratio, filtering, for light incident on the light sensor circuit, direct current (DC) components of light intensity variations from the at least one output of the light sensor circuit to produce a filtered output, and detecting, using the filtered output, the presence of an artificial source by correlating variations in the intensity, for light incident on the light sensor circuit, to variations in intensity resulting from a corresponding type of artificial source, and selectively operate circuits in the electronic device in response to determining the presence of artificial light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An indoor/outdoor electronic control circuit arrangement to selectively control indoor and outdoor electrical functionality of a portable electronic device, the arrangement comprising:
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an ambient light sensor arrangement configured and arranged to provide, for ambient light, color and intensity data indicative of variations in intensity; and a control circuit to receive and process the color and intensity data to generate an indoor control signal for operating the portable electronic device under indoor conditions in response to the intensity, and to generate an outdoor control signal for operating the portable electronic device under outdoor conditions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for controlling the operation of an electronic device according to ambient light conditions, the method comprising:
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detecting the presence of at least one of artificial light and natural light based upon light color and variations in light intensity; in response to the step of detecting, determining the location of the electronic device as being one of;
an indoor location and an outdoor location;operating a first set of circuits in the electronic device in response to determining that the location of the electronic device is an indoor location; and operating a second set of circuits in the electronic device in response to determining that the location of the electronic device is an outdoor location. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification