Electronic device with gesture detection system and methods for using the gesture detection system

• US 9,213,102 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid Mohsen, Cauwels, Patrick J., Paitl, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US14/098,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20150069248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0407 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0818 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/12 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/34 using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/50 Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method in an electronic device, the method includes projecting infrared (“IR”) light from a plurality of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) disposed proximate to the perimeter of the electronic device, detecting, by a sensor, IR light originating from at least two of the plurality of LEDs reflected from off of a person, and carrying out a function based on the relative strength of the detected IR light from the LEDs.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

projecting infrared (“

IR”

) light from a first light emitting diode (“

LED”

) disposed proximate to the perimeter of the electronic device;

projecting IR light from a second LED disposed proximate to the perimeter of the electronic device;

detecting, by a sensor disposed closer to the first LED than the second LED, reflected IR light from off of a person;

carrying out a voting function based on the detected IR light; and

determining whether to deactivate a touch screen of the device based on the results of the voting function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

if the detected IR light originates from the second LED, detecting that the person is approaching the device; and

if the detected IR light originates from the first LED, deactivating the touch screen of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second LED has a longer range than the first LED.