Backlight for touchless gesture detection

• US 9,465,448 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Idzik, Jacek S., Mankowski, Peter, Geris, Ryan Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVEZ, RENEE D
• Application Number:
  US13/949,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20150028186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 250/205, 250/221, 250/214.AL, 250/214.B, 341/5, 178/18.09, 345/63, 345/77, 345/173, 345/175, 345/207, 348/602, 715/863
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A device and method to detect a gesture performed by an object in touch-less communication with the device are described. The device includes two or more ambient light sensors arranged at respective first surface locations of the device, each of the two or more ambient light sensors sensing light intensity at the respective first surface location. The device also includes one or more processors to operate one or more light sources at respective second surface locations of the device based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors, and detect the gesture based on the light intensity sensed by each of the two or more ambient light sensors.

Claims

1. A device to detect a gesture performed by an object in touch-less communication with the device, the device comprising:

two or more ambient light sensors arranged at respective first surface locations of the device, each of the two or more ambient light sensors configured to sense light intensity at the respective first surface locations; and

one or more processors configured to;

operate one or more light sources at respective second surface locations of the device based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors,

detect the gesture based on the light intensity sensed by each of the two or more ambient light sensors,

monitor an ambient light level based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors,

in response to detecting that the ambient light level is below a minimum threshold level, turn on the one or more light sources if the ambient light level remains below the minimum threshold level for a predetermined duration after detecting that the ambient light level is below the minimum threshold level, and

calibrate the two or more ambient light sensors upon turning on the one or more light sources when the ambient light level drops below the minimum threshold level.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a number of the two or more ambient light sensors is equal to a number of the one or more light sources and each respective first surface location corresponds with one of the respective second surface locations.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the two or more ambient light sensors is configured to sense a wavelength of visible light ranging from 350 nm to 700 nm.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the one or more processors monitors the one or more light sources and adjusts the control of the one or more light sources periodically.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the one or more processors monitors light intensity of each of the one or more light sources.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the two or more ambient light sensors are phase synchronized with the one or more light sources.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein a frequency at which the light intensity is sensed by each of the two or more ambient light sensors is synchronized with a frequency of the one or more light sources.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors controls the one or more light sources to be off when the ambient light level stays above a second threshold level for at least a period of time.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two or more ambient light sensors are passive sensors that do not use emitters to sense light intensity.

10. A method of detecting a gesture made by an object in touch-less communication with a device, the method comprising:

sensing, using two or more ambient light sensors arranged at respective surface locations of the device, light intensity at the respective first surface locations;

controlling, using one or more processors, one or more light sources at respective second surface locations based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors, wherein controlling the one or more light sources includes the one or more processors monitoring an ambient light level based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors;

detecting, using the one or more processors, the gesture based on the light intensity sensed by each of the two or more ambient light sensors;

detecting, using the one or more processors, that an ambient light level is below a minimum threshold level, wherein the ambient light level is based on the light intensity sensed by the two or more ambient light sensors;

using the one or more processors to turn on the one or more light sources if the ambient light level remains below the minimum threshold level for a predetermined duration in response to detecting that ambient light level is below the minimum threshold level; and

the one or more processors calibrating the two or more ambient light sensors upon turning on the one or more light sources when the ambient light level drops below the minimum threshold level.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising synchronizing the two or more ambient light sensors with the one or more light sources.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the synchronizing includes matching a frequency of sensing the light intensity by the two or more ambient light sensors with a frequency of the one or more light sources.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the one or more processors monitoring the one or more light sources.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the monitoring includes the one or more processors monitoring light intensity of each of the one or more light sources.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the one or more processors turning off the one or more light sources when the ambient light level is above a maximum threshold level for a period of time.