Passive proximity detection

• US 9,674,625 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Armstrong-Muntner, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Murphy, Daniel L
• Application Number:
  US14/685,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 367118, 367124, 367129, 381 56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/003 Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

Techniques and devices are disclosed for utilizing passively received audio signals to determine proximity of devices to other objects. In one embodiment, a method of passive proximity detection is provided that includes sensing a first sound wave using a first audio transducer and generating a first signal representative of the first sound wave. A second sound wave is also sensed and a second signal is generated. The method includes comparing characteristics of the first and second signals using a processor to determine if differences between the first and second signals indicate the first audio transducer is proximately located to another object.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

with a first microphone in the electronic device, measuring ambient noise at a first surface of the electronic device;

with a second microphone in the electronic device, measuring ambient noise at a second surface of the electronic device;

with processing circuitry coupled to the first and second microphones, determining that the first surface of the electronic device is proximate to an external object based on the measured ambient noise; and

in response to determining that the first surface of the electronic device is proximate to the external object, generating an alert with the electronic device before transmitting an outgoing wireless communication from the electronic device.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein determining that the first surface of the electronic device is proximate to the external object comprises comparing the ambient noise measured by the first microphone to the ambient noise measured by the second microphone.

3. The method defined in claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the first surface is proximate to the external object in response to different ambient noise measurements from the first and second microphones.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the ambient noise measurements from the first and second microphones each include peaks at a given frequency, the method further comprising:

determining that the first surface is proximate to the external object in response to determining that the amplitude of the peak measured by the first microphone is greater than the amplitude of the peak measured by the second microphone.

5. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a baseline ambient noise measurement with at least one of the first and second microphones; and

determining that the first surface is proximate to the external object by comparing an ambient noise measurement from the first microphone to the baseline ambient noise measurement.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the baseline ambient noise measurement has a peak at a given frequency, the method further comprising:

determining that the first surface is proximate to the external object in response to determining that the amplitude of the peak at the given frequency in the baseline ambient noise measurement is greater than the amplitude of a peak at the given frequency in the ambient noise measured by the first microphone.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the ambient noise originates from a source external to the electronic device.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first microphone receives the ambient noise while the second microphone receives the ambient noise.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a first microphone that measures ambient noise through a first opening in a first sidewall surface of the electronic device;

a second microphone that measures ambient noise through a second opening in a second sidewall surface of the electronic device opposite the first sidewall surface;

processing circuitry coupled to the first and second microphones that is configured to determine that at least one of the first and second sidewall surfaces of the electronic device is proximate to an external object based on the ambient noise measured by the first and second microphones; and

a housing in which the first and second microphones are mounted, wherein the housing forms the first sidewall surface, the second sidewall surface, and a front surface of the electronic device in which a display is mounted.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9, further comprising:

a back surface opposite the front surface.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to compare the ambient noise measured by the first microphone to the ambient noise measured by the second microphone to determine that the at least one of the first and second sidewall surfaces of the electronic device is proximate to the external object.

12. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

with a first audio transducer positioned at a first location in the electronic device, making a first ambient noise measurement;

with a second audio transducer positioned at a second location in the electronic device, making a second ambient noise measurement, wherein the first and second ambient noise measurements are made in response to user input at the electronic device, and wherein the user input comprises dialing an outgoing telephone call;

with processing circuitry in the electronic device, determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to an external object based on differences between the first and second ambient noise measurements; and

canceling the outgoing telephone call in response to determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to the external object.

13. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising:

disabling at least one of the first and second audio transducers in response to determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to the external object.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to an external object comprises determining that an aperture in the electronic device through which at least one of the first and second audio transducers receives the ambient noise is covered by the external object.

15. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising:

generating an alert before connecting the outgoing telephone call in response to determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to the external object.

16. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first and second locations is proximate to the external object based on an outgoing ring associated with the outgoing telephone call.

17. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

with a first microphone in the electronic device, generating ambient noise signals in response to measuring ambient noise through a first opening in a first surface of the electronic device;

with a second microphone in the electronic device, generating additional ambient noise signals in response to measuring ambient noise through a second opening in a second surface of the electronic device;

with processing circuitry coupled to the first and second microphones, determining that the first surface of the electronic device is proximate to an external object based on the ambient noise signals and the additional ambient noise signals; and

in response to determining that the first surface of the electronic device is proximate to the external object when an outgoing telephone call is dialed, taking an alternative action instead of connecting the outgoing telephone call.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein taking the alternative action comprises generating an alert.

19. The method defined in claim 17, wherein taking the alternative action comprises asking a user of the electronic device if the outgoing telephone call should be connected.

20. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the ambient noise signals and the additional ambient noise signals are generated before the outgoing telephone call is dialed.