Proximity sensors with smudge detection capabilities

• US 9,098,124 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Holenarsipur, Prashanth S. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US13/738,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/559.4, 250/227.22, 250/556, 250/559.44, 345173-178, 345102-104, 385 8- 14, 385145-156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor attached underneath a display layer. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user'"'"'s head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user'"'"'s head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to smudges on the proximity sensor can be detected by providing the proximity sensor with an additional light source. The additional light source may be used to inject light into the display layer. The injected light may be guided within the display layer by total internal reflection. In the presence of smudge, the internally reflecting light may deviate from its normal propagation path.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display layer having a surface;

a proximity sensor mounted under the display layer, wherein the proximity sensor has a first light source that is configured to emit a first light signal and a light detector configured to receive reflections of the first light signal; and

a second light source that is configured to emit a second light signal that travels within the display layer by total internal reflection, wherein the light detector is configured to measure the second light signal to monitor smudges on the surface of the display layer.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a touch screen display that is controlled based on measurements gathered using the light detector.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the second light source comprises a laser-based light-emitting diode.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

light collimating material interposed between the display layer and the proximity sensor, wherein the light collimating material is configured to guide the second light signal into the light detector, and wherein the light collimating material has a refractive index that is greater than that of the display layer.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the display layer includes a notch configured to receive the second light signal from the second light source.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5, further comprising:

material formed in the notch, wherein the material prevents passage of visible light.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the display layer includes a notch positioned over the light detector, and wherein the second light signal exits the display layer into the light detector via the notch.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

signal processing circuitry configured to receive a sensor output signal from the proximity sensor, wherein the associated signal processing circuitry includes an adjustable filter circuit for performing selective band-pass filtering operations on the sensor output signal.

22. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the light detector is a photodiode.

23. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the first light signal is configured to exit the display layer through the surface and be reflected off of an external object, and wherein the reflections of the first light signal are configured to be transmitted through the surface of the display layer to the light detector.

9. A method of operating an electronic device having a display layer, a proximity sensor mounted under the display layer, and a light source, the method comprising:

gathering proximity sensor data by emitting first light signals and detecting corresponding reflected light signals with the proximity sensor, wherein the first light signals exit the display layer and are reflected off of an external object to generate the corresponding reflected light signals; and

emitting second light signals into the display layer using the light source, wherein the second light signals are guided within the display layer by total internal reflection within the display layer.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the display layer has a surface, the method further comprising:

detecting smudges on the surface of the display layer by measuring the second light signals guided within the display layer.

11. The method defined in claim 10, wherein measuring the second light signals comprises measuring the second light signals guided within the display layer with a light detector in the proximity sensor.

12. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the electronic device further includes a touch screen display and control circuitry, the method further comprising:

with the control circuitry, controlling the touch screen display based on measurements gathered using the proximity sensor.

13. The method defined in claim 9, wherein emitting the first light signals comprises emitting the first light signals having a first frequency, and wherein emitting the second light signals comprises emitting the second light signals having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

14. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the display layer has a surface, the method further comprising:

detecting smudges on the surface of the display layer by monitoring for the absence of the second light signals when smudge is present on the surface of the display layer above the proximity sensor.

15. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the display layer has a surface, the method further comprising:

detecting smudges on the surface of the display layer by monitoring for the presence of the second light signals when smudge is present on the surface of the display layer above the proximity sensor.

16. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device further includes signal processing circuitry, the method further comprising:

with the proximity sensor, generating an output signal;

during a first time period, filtering the output signal by applying band-pass filtering at the first frequency using the signal processing circuitry; and

during a second time period, filtering the output signal by applying band-pass filtering at the second frequency using the signal processing circuitry.

17. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device further includes signal processing circuitry, the method further comprising:

with the proximity sensor, generating an output signal;

converting the output signal to digital signals with the signal processing circuitry; and

performing fast Fourier transform operations on the digital signals.

24. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the first light signals are detected with the proximity sensor without being totally internally reflected within the display layer.

18. A method for operating an electronic device having a display layer, a proximity sensor mounted under the display layer, and a light source, the method comprising:

gathering proximity sensor data by emitting first light signals and detecting corresponding reflected first light signals with the proximity sensor;

gathering additional data by emitting second light signals with the light source and detecting corresponding reflected second light signals with the proximity sensor; and

determining whether an external object is in the vicinity of the electronic device based on the gathered proximity sensor data and the additional data.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein emitting the second light signals comprises injecting the second light signals into the display layer so that the second light signals are guided within the display layer by total internal reflection.

20. The method defined in claim 19, wherein emitting the first light signals comprises emitting the first light signals having a first frequency with an additional light source in the proximity sensor, and wherein emitting the second light signals comprises emitting the second light signals having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency with the light source.

21. The method defined in claim 18, wherein the electronic device further includes another light source and wherein the display layer has a surface, the method further comprising:

emitting third light signals with the another light source and detecting corresponding reflected third light signals with the proximity sensor, wherein the second and third light signals are guided within the display layer by total internal reflection, wherein the second light signals strike the surface of the display layer at a first angle of incidence, and wherein the third light signals strike the surface of the display layer at a second angle of incidence that is different than the first angle of incidence.