Electronic device with a touch sensor and method for operating the same

• US 9,411,446 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lombardi, Michael J., Pierce, Amber M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONYEKABA, AMY
• Application Number:
  US14/071,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1312 direct reading, e.g. contactless acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 : including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 : with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 : Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 : Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

An electronic device has a combination touch sensor (such as a fingerprint reader) and mechanical switch (actuated, for example, by a button press). The electronic device carries out various functions according to whether the touch sensor is being touched, the mechanical switch is being actuated, the electronic device is face up or face down, the state of the electronic device (awake or in sleep mode), and the function that the electronic device is currently carrying out.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a proximity sensor on a front side of an electronic device, a signal indicating whether the proximity sensor is covered or uncovered;

receiving, from a fingerprint reader on a rear side of the electronic device, a signal indicating a touch of a user; and

responsive to determining that the received signal indicates the proximity sensor is covered and that a finger of the user is recognized as a fingerprint of the user;

receiving an indication of a voice command; and

outputting a response to the voice command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an action based on a mode in which the electronic device is operating, wherein the action comprises at least one of receiving the indication or outputting the response.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mode is chosen from a group consisting of a media playing mode, an idle mode, an incoming call mode, and a speakerphone mode.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the action is a first action, the method further comprising:

responsive to determining that the received signal indicates that the proximity sensor is covered, selecting the first action;

or

responsive to determining that the received signal indicates that the proximity sensor is uncovered, selecting a second action.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the proximity sensor is uncovered and a swipe toward a first side of the electronic device on the touch sensor is detected, performing a first action;

if the proximity sensor is uncovered and a swipe toward a second side of the electronic device on the touch sensor is detected, performing a second action;

if the proximity sensor is covered and a swipe toward the first side of the electronic device on the touch sensor is detected, performing the second action;

if the proximity sensor is covered and a swipe toward the second side of the electronic device on the touch sensor is detected, performing the first action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an action comprises at least one of receiving the indication or outputting the response, the method further comprising:

receiving a signal from a mechanical switch coupled to a button-located on the second side,

wherein the button overlaps the touch sensor; and

selecting the action further based on the signal from the mechanical switch.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an action comprises at least one of receiving the indication or outputting the response, the method further comprising:

receiving a signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the electronic device is moving or stationary; and

selecting the action further based on whether the electronic device is moving or stationary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an action comprises at least one of receiving the indication or outputting the response, the method further comprising:

receiving a signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the electronic device is face up or face down; and

selecting the action further based on whether the electronic device is face up or face down.

9. An electronic device having a front side and a rear side, the electronic device comprising:

a proximity sensor disposed on the front side of the electronic device;

a fingerprint sensor disposed on the rear side of the electronic device; and

a processor configured to;

receive, from the proximity sensor, a signal indicating whether the proximity sensor is covered or uncovered;

receive, from the fingerprint sensor, a signal indicating a touch of a user; and

responsive to determining that the received signal indicates the proximity sensor is covered and that a finger of the user is recognized as the fingerprint of that user;

responsive to the electronic device detecting a first swipe on the fingerprint sensor toward a first end of the electronic device, perform a first action;

or

responsive to the electronic device detecting a second swipe on the fingerprint sensor toward a second end of the electronic device, perform a second action, wherein the second end is opposite the first end.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the front side of the electronic device includes a touchscreen display, the rear side of the electronic device includes a surface opposite to and substantially parallel with the front side, the proximity sensor is disposed on the front side, and the fingerprint sensor is disposed on the rear side.

11. The electronic device claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select at least one of the first action or the second action based additionally on a mode in which the electronic device is operating.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the mode is chosen from a group consisting of a media playing mode, an idle mode, an incoming call mode, and a speakerphone mode.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to:

if the proximity sensor is uncovered and the electronic device detects a third swipe toward the first end of the electronic device, perform a third action;

or

if the proximity sensor is uncovered and the electronic device detects a fourth swipe toward the second end of the electronic device, perform a fourth action.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the electronic device is moving or stationary; and

select at least one of the first action or the second action further based on whether the electronic device is moving or stationary.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising an accelerometer wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the electronic device is face up or face down; and

select at least one of the first action or the second action further based on whether the electronic device is face up or face down.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a mechanical switch coupled to a button located on the rear side, wherein the button overlaps the fingerprint sensor, wherein the processor is further configured to select the first action further based on whether the mechanical switch is being actuated.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of an electronic device to:

receive, from a proximity sensor on a front side of the electronic device, a signal indicating whether the proximity sensor is covered or uncovered;

receive, from a fingerprint reader on a rear side of the electronic device, a signal indicating a touch of a user; and

select, based on a finger of the user being recognized as a fingerprint of the user, an action to be carried out by the electronic device based on the signal from the proximity sensor and the signal from the fingerprint reader.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the least one processor of the electronic device to:

before the action is selected, determine that the electronic device is receiving an incoming call; and

responsive to determining that the electronic device is receiving the incoming call, output information identifying the caller, as the selected action.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the electronic device to:

before the action is selected, determine that the electronic device is receiving an incoming call; and

responsive to determining that the electronic device is receiving the incoming call, ignore the call as the selected action.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the electronic device to:

before the action is selected, determine that the electronic device is in a speakerphone mode; and

wherein to select the action, the non-transitory computer-readable memory further comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to change, based at least in part on the determination that the electronic device is in the speakerphone mode, a volume of a speaker of the electronic device, as the selected action.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the electronic device to:

before the action is selected, determine that the electronic device is in a speakerphone mode; and

wherein to the select the action, the non-transitory computer-readable memory further comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to terminate, based at least in part on the determination that the electronic device is in the speakerphone mode, an ongoing phone call at the electronic device.