Estimating a baseline of a proximity sensor

• US 9,632,179 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2012
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Carmel-Veilleux, Tennessee, Garber, Andrew Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US13/541,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 702181, 702189, 702183, 702127
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/945 Proximity switches H03K17/96 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94026 Automatic threshold calibration; e.g. threshold automatically adapts to ambient conditions or follows variation of input
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

Described are methods and systems for estimating a baseline of a proximity sensor on an electronic device comprising: collecting proximity sensor data at the electronic device using the proximity sensor; collecting second data using a second source at the electronic device; obtaining a sample of the proximity sensor data at the electronic device when it is determined that no object is proximal to a first face of the electronic device based on the proximity sensor data and based on the second data; and approximating the baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing accuracy of outputs of a proximity sensor on an electronic device, the method comprising:

generating proximity sensor data at the electronic device using the proximity sensor;

determining a current value of an angle of the electronic device relative to the ground using an orientation sensor;

comparing the current value of the angle with a predefined range of angles that is consistent with a state of the electronic device in which there is no object proximal to a first face of the electronic device;

determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device based on both the generated proximity sensor data and the comparison of the current value of the angle of the electronic device with the predefined range of angles;

in response to determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device, setting the proximity sensor to obtain a sample of proximity sensor data at the electronic device by gathering at least one burst of a predetermined number of proximity sensor readings;

obtaining an estimate of the current baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample, and

resetting the baseline of the proximity sensor based on the estimate of the current baseline.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device based on the proximity sensor data comprises determining that the proximity sensor data is below a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device comprises evaluating whether one of the proximity sensor data or the proximity sensor are being accessed by a component associated with the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device comprises determining that no components associated with the electronic device are accessing one of the proximity sensor data or the proximity sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device comprises collecting ambient light readings using a light sensor at the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device further comprises determining that the ambient light readings are consistent with predetermined conditions indicating that an object is not proximal to the first face of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sample of the proximity sensor data further comprises gathering a predetermined number of ambient light readings and wherein the proximity sensor readings are validated based on the ambient light readings.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a sample of the proximity sensor data at the electronic device further comprises obtaining a predetermined number of valid bursts of proximity sensor readings and obtaining corresponding ambient light readings, and wherein obtaining an estimate of the current baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample comprises calculating an estimate of the baseline based on the proximity sensor readings and the ambient light readings.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining an estimate of the current baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample comprises averaging weighted proximity sensor readings.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the samples of the valid bursts of proximity sensor readings are weighted based on the ambient light readings.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising deriving, for each of the predetermined number of valid bursts of proximity sensor readings, a proximity metric, P_B, and a weight value for the proximity metric based on an ambient light metric, L_B.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the estimate of the current baseline is obtained based on a set of M valid bursts of proximity sensor readings by computing

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating proximity sensor data at the electronic device using the proximity sensor comprises measuring, at the electronic device, a reflection of an infrared light beam emanating from the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor data comprises the intensity of infrared light measured at the proximity sensor.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current value of an acceleration of the electronic device relative to the ground using an orientation sensor; and

comparing the current value of the acceleration with a predefined range of accelerations that is consistent with a state of the electronic device in which there is no object proximal to a first face of the electronic device,

wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device is based also on comparison of the current value of the acceleration of the electronic device with the predefined range of accelerations.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a memory;

a proximity sensor for generating proximity sensor data;

an orientation sensor; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the proximity sensor, and the orientation sensor, the processor to execute instructions to configure the processor to;

generate proximity sensor data at the electronic device using the proximity sensor;

determine a current value of an angle of the electronic device relative to the ground using an orientation sensor;

compare the current value of the angle with a predefined range of angles that is consistent with a state of the electronic device in which there is no object proximal to a first face of the electronic device;

determine that no object is proximal to a first face of the electronic device based on both the generated proximity sensor data and the comparison of the current value of the angle of the electronic device with the predefined range of angles;

in response to determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device, set the proximity sensor to obtain a sample of proximity sensor data at the electronic device by gathering at least one burst of a predetermined number of proximity sensor readings and validating the proximity sensor readings of the at least one burst;

obtain an estimate of a current baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample, and

reset the baseline of the proximity sensor based on the estimate of the current baseline.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device comprises collecting ambient light readings using a light sensor at the electronic device and determining that the ambient light readings are consistent with predetermined conditions indicating that an object is not proximal to the first face of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a current value of an acceleration of the electronic device relative to the ground using an orientation sensor; and

compare the current value of the acceleration with a predefined range of acceleration that is consistent with a state of the electronic device in which there is no object proximal to a first face of the electronic device,

wherein determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device is based also on comparison of the current value of the acceleration of the electronic device with the predefined range of accelerations.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to:

generate proximity sensor data at an electronic device using a proximity sensor;

determine a current value of an angle of the electronic device relative to the ground using an orientation sensor;

compare the current value of the angle with a predefined range of angles that is consistent with a state of the electronic device in which there is no object proximal to a first face of the electronic device;

determine that no object is proximal to a first face of the electronic device based on both the generated proximity sensor data and the comparison of the current value of the angle of the electronic device with the predefined range of angles;

in response to determining that no object is proximal to the first face of the electronic device, set the proximity sensor to obtain a sample of proximity sensor data at the electronic device by gathering at least one burst of a predetermined number of proximity sensor readings and validating the proximity sensor readings of the at least one burst;

obtain an estimate of a current baseline of the proximity sensor using the obtained sample, and

reset a baseline of the proximity sensor based on the estimate of the current baseline.