Using ambient light sensor to augment proximity sensor output

• US 8,600,430 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Herz, Scott M., Yepez, Roberto G., Westerman, Wayne C., Hotelling, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/096,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20110201381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/66.1, 455/67.11, 455/90.1, 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity of an object and operate a proximity sensor of a portable device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output, and altering, based on the ALS output, an effect of a proximity sensor output on control of a proximity determination. The ALS sensor and the proximity sensor may be located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device. In some cases, the proximity determination may be a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect may include changing the proximity of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. A method of sensing proximity, the method comprising:

generating a proximity determination from an output of a proximity sensor;

receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output; and

altering, in response to the ALS output, the proximity determination wherein a system comprises the proximity sensor and the ALS and wherein the system is configured to alter the proximity determination with a first change based on an ALS output that has a first value and is configured to alter the proximity determination with a second change when the ALS output has a second value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ALS output is a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the proximity sensor output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity determination is a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect comprises changing the proximity determination of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold and wherein the first value represents less ambient light than the second value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity determination is an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the generated output from the proximity sensor;

wherein altering the proximity determination comprises determining, based on the ALS output that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect; and

wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, the estimated distance value using the ALS output.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, an estimated proximity distance value using the ALS output.

6. A machine readable non-transitory storage medium containing instructions which when executed cause a system to perform a method of sensing proximity, the method comprising:

generating a proximity determination from an output of a proximity sensor;

receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output; and

altering, in response to the ALS output, the proximity determination wherein a system comprises the proximity sensor and the ALS and wherein the system is configured to alter the proximity determination with a first change based on an ALS output that has a first value and is configured to alter the proximity determination with a second change when the ALS output has a second value.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the ALS output is a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the proximity sensor output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.

8. The medium of claim 6, wherein the proximity determination is a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect comprises changing the proximity determination of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold and wherein the first value represents less ambient light than the second value.

9. The medium of claim 6, wherein the proximity determination is an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the generated output from the proximity sensor;

wherein altering the proximity determination comprises determining, based on the ALS output that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect; and

wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, the estimated distance value using the ALS output.

10. The medium of claim 6, wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, an estimated proximity distance value using the ALS output.

11. A data processing system comprising:

means for generating a proximity determination from an output of a proximity sensor;

means for receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output; and

means for altering, in response to the ALS output, the proximity determination wherein a system comprises the proximity sensor and the ALS and wherein the system is configured to alter the proximity determination with a first change based on an ALS output that has a first value and is configured to alter the proximity determination with a second change when the ALS output has a second value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the ALS output is a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the proximity sensor output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the proximity determination is a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect comprises changing the proximity determination of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold and wherein the first value represents less ambient light than the second value.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the proximity determination is an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the generated output from the proximity sensor;

wherein altering the proximity determination comprises determining, based on the ALS output that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect; and

wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, the estimated distance value using the ALS output.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and the second change comprise changing, by a data processing system, an estimated proximity distance value using the ALS output.

16. A method of sensing proximity, the method comprising:

receiving a first intensity level output from a proximity sensor;

determining an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the received first intensity level output from the proximity sensor;

receiving a second intensity level output from an ambient light sensor (ALS);

determining, based on the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect;

changing, by a data processing system, the estimated distance value by a first change using a first value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor; and

changing, by the data processing system, the estimated distance value by a second change using a second value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second intensity level output corresponds to a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the first intensity level output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.

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

receiving a first intensity level output from a proximity sensor;

determining an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the received first intensity level output from the proximity sensor;

receiving a second intensity level output from an ambient light sensor;

determining, based on the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect;

changing, by a data processing system, the estimated distance value by a first change using a first value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor; and

changing, by the data processing system, the estimated distance value by a second change using a second value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second intensity level output corresponds to a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the first intensity level output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.

20. A portable data processing device comprising:

hardware logic for;

receiving a first intensity level output from a proximity sensor;

determining an estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and a surface of an object based on the received first intensity level output from the proximity sensor;

receiving a second intensity level output from an ambient light sensor;

determining, based on the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor that the estimated distance value between the proximity sensor and the surface of the object is incorrect;

changing, by the data processing system, the estimated distance value by a first change using a first value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor; and

changing, by the data processing system, the estimated distance value by a second change using a second value of the second intensity level output from the ambient light sensor.

21. The portable data processing device of claim 20, wherein the second intensity level output corresponds to a visible light level of ambient light received by an ALS sensor adjacent to a proximity sensor that provides the first intensity level output, and the ALS sensor and the proximity sensor are located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device.