Handheld device with surface reflection estimation

• US 9,012,846 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Almalki, Nazih
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US13/684,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20140146304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/339.11, 356/237.2, 356/3, 356/445, 356/601
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity

Abstract

Estimating reflectance of a surface adjacent a handheld electronic device having a orientation sensor and a light sensor, including estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to the surface in dependence on information from the orientation sensor; measuring light from the surface with the light sensor; and estimating a reflectance of the surface in dependence on the estimated location and measured light.

Claims

1. A method of estimating reflectance of a surface adjacent a handheld electronic device having an orientation sensor and a light sensor, comprising:

estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to the surface in dependence on information from the orientation sensor;

measuring light reflected from the surface with the light sensor;

estimating a reflectance of the surface in dependence on the estimated location and measured light; and

displaying at least one of an image and text on a display screen of the handheld electronic device so that a reflection of the at least one of the image and text can be viewed from the surface, in dependence on the estimated reflectance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating a location comprises estimating a distance of at least a portion of the handheld electronic device to the surface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating a location comprises estimating a distance of the light sensor to the surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to the surface comprises estimating a tilt angle of a display screen of the device relative to the surface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring light reflected from the surface comprises emitting light towards the surface from a light emitter located on the device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the light emitter comprises an infrared (IR) emitter on the device.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the light emitter comprises the display screen of the device.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the light emitter comprises a camera flash of the device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the light sensor comprises an IR sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the light sensor comprises a pair of IR sensors.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the light sensor comprises a camera sensor.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising displaying further information on the display screen of the device in dependence on the estimated reflectance.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of an orientation, brightness or position of the displayed information is determined in dependence on the estimated reflectance.

14. A handheld electronic device comprising:

an orientation sensor;

a display screen;

a light sensor; and

a processor configured for;

estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to a surface in dependence on information from the orientation sensor;

measuring light reflected from the surface with the light sensor;

estimating a reflectance of the surface in dependence on the estimated location and measured light; and

displaying at least one of an image and text on the display screen so that a reflection of the at least one of the image and text can be viewed from the surface, in dependence on the estimated reflectance.

15. The handheld electronic device of claim 14 wherein estimating a location comprises estimating a distance of at least a portion of the handheld electronic device to the surface.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 15 wherein estimating a location comprises estimating a distance of the light sensor to the surface.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 14 wherein estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to the surface comprises estimating a tilt angle of a display screen of the device relative to the surface.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 14 wherein measuring light reflected from the surface comprises emitting light towards the surface from a light emitter located on the device.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 18 wherein the light emitter comprises an infrared (IR) emitter on the device.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having tangibly stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a handheld electronic device, cause the handheld electronic device to:

estimate a location of the handheld electronic device relative to a surface adjacent the handheld electronic device, in dependence on information from an orientation sensor of the handheld electronic device;

measure light reflected from the surface with a light sensor of the handheld electronic device;

estimate a reflectance of the surface in dependence on the estimated location and measured light; and

display at least one of an image and text on a display screen of the handheld electronic device so that a reflection of the at least one of the image and text can be viewed from the surface, in dependence on the estimated reflectance.