Input detection system for a portable electronic device

• US 9,489,018 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gettemy, Shawn R., Wong, Yoon Kean
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/612,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,561 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A proximity input detection system for an electronic device. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes an inductive field sensor to detect a change in a magnetic field when an input device with a coil is within a threshold distance. In another embodiment, the present invention utilizes a capacitive sensor which can locate the position of an electrically conductive object which is within a threshold distance. The capacitive sensor can also be used, for example, as a switch to activate the device if a user picks it up. The present invention allows user inputs to be detected without actually touching the electronic device. The present invention can also be used to detect inputs through intervening non-metallic layers such as a protective cover or another display of the device without using additional input sensors.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

one or more wireless communication components;

a housing containing the processor, the memory, and the one or more wireless communication components therein;

a first display coupled with the housing;

a second display coupled with the housing;

display control circuitry disposed within the housing and capable of activating the first display and the second display;

a sensor coupled to the first display device, the sensor configured to detect an object in proximity to the housing;

wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a proximity of the object based on input from the sensor;

determine to activate the first display or the second display, based upon the determined proximity of the object; and

in response to determining to activate the first display or the second display, activate the first display device or the second display device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first display resides on a first surface of the portable electronic device and the second display resides on a second surface of the portable electronic device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first display is capable of operating in monochrome and color display modes.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first display changes from the color display mode to the monochrome display mode when entering an inactive state.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first display changes from the monochrome display mode to the color display mode when entering an active state.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first display and the second display are both viewable on a single surface of the portable electronic device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a touch screen sensor operable to receive touch inputs to the first display.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an object in contact with the portable electronic device.

9. A method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

causing each of a first display and a second display of the portable electronic device to display images, wherein the images of the first display are shown in color;

receiving an input from a sensor of the portable electronic device;

determine a proximity of an object based on the input from the sensor;

determine to cause the first display to enter an inactive mode, based upon the determined proximity of the object; and

in response to determining to cause the first display to enter an inactive mode, causing the first display to enter the inactive mode, wherein, in the inactive mode, the images of the first display are shown in monochrome.

10. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 9, further comprising, in response to receiving a user input:

causing the first display to enter an active mode, and

causing the second display to enter the inactive mode, wherein, in the inactive mode, the images of the second display are shown in monochrome.

11. A method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

causing at least one of a first display or a second display of the portable electronic device to enter an inactive mode;

receiving an input from a sensor of the portable electronic device, the sensor configured to detect an object in proximity to the portable electronic device;

determine a proximity of the object to the portable electronic device based on the input received from the sensor;

determine to activate the at least one of the first display or the second display of the portable electronic device, based upon the determined proximity of the object; and

in response to determining to activate the at least one of the first display or the second display of the portable electronic device, activating the at least one of the first display or the second display of the portable electronic device.

12. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first display resides on a first surface of the portable electronic device and the second display resides on a second surface of the portable electronic device.

13. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 11, further comprising operating the at least one of the first display or the second display in monochrome and color display modes.

14. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the first display or the second display changes from the color display mode to the monochrome display mode when entering an inactive mode.

15. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein activating the at least one of the first display or the second display of the portable electronic device causes the at least one of the first display or the second display of the portable electronic device to change from the monochrome display mode to the color display mode when entering an active state.

16. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 11 wherein the sensor is a touch screen sensor, the method further comprising receiving touch inputs to the first display from the touch screen sensor.

17. The method of changing display modes of a portable electronic device of claim 11, further comprising detecting, with the sensor, that the object is in contact with the portable electronic device.