Devices and methods of sensing combined ultrasonic and infrared signal

• US 9,798,372 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kitchens, II, Jack Conway, Schneider, John Keith, Burns, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Pontius, James
• Application Number:
  US14/137,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20140354823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52085 Details related to the ultrasound signal acquisition, e.g. scan sequences control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices A61B8/54
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/52 RGB geometrical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/811 the classifiers operating on different input data, e.g. multi-modal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/066 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method is disclosed, including obtaining an infrared representation based on a detected infrared signal and obtaining a combined representation based on a detected combined ultrasonic and infrared signal. An output representation is generated from the infrared representation and the combined representation. The output representation can be generated from a comparison between the combined representation and the infrared signal representation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an infrared signal with a piezoelectric device;

obtaining an infrared signal representation based on the detected infrared signal;

detecting a combined ultrasonic and infrared signal with the piezoelectric device;

obtaining a combined representation based on the detected combined ultrasonic and infrared signal;

generating an output representation based on the infrared signal representation and the combined representation; and

transmitting an ultrasonic signal with the piezoelectric device in response to the detected infrared signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the combined representation to the infrared signal representation;

wherein the output representation is generated from the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the following is an image:

the combined representation, the infrared signal representation, and the output representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric device includes one or both of an ultrasonic transmitter and a receiver that can act as an ultrasonic receiver and an infrared receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising focusing ultrasonic energy or infrared energy onto the piezoelectric device with a lens.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric device includes a receiver that can act as an ultrasonic receiver and an infrared receiver.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising controlling a display in response to the detected infrared signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the piezoelectric device is located in the display.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting a frame rate of the piezoelectric device in response to the detected infrared signal.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining movement of an object relative to the piezoelectric device based upon the detected infrared signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the detected infrared signal corresponds to detecting heat from an object.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting an ultrasonic signal with the piezoelectric device in response to the detected heat from the object.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a location of the object relative to the piezoelectric device based upon the detected infrared signal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the object has moved away from the piezoelectric device; and

determining not to send an additional ultrasonic signal in response to the determination that the object has moved away from the piezoelectric device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an ultrasonic signal with an ultrasonic transmitter of the piezoelectric device;

detecting a reflected ultrasonic signal arising from the transmitted ultrasonic signal with the piezoelectric receiver of the piezoelectric device;

forming the combined representation from the detected reflected ultrasonic signal; and

storing the combined representation in a memory.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a display in response to the output representation.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a biometric measurement from the output representation.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

detect an infrared signal with a piezoelectric device;

transmit an ultrasonic signal with the piezoelectric device in response to the detected infrared signal;

obtain an infrared signal representation based on the detected infrared signal;

obtain a combined representation based on a detected ultrasonic signal and the detected infrared signal; and

display an output representation from the infrared signal representation and the combined representation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to compare the infrared signal representation to the combined representation;

wherein the output representation is displayed from the comparison.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising the piezoelectric device in communication with the processor, the piezoelectric device configured to detect an infrared signal, transmit an ultrasonic signal, and detect a reflected ultrasonic signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to form the infrared signal representation and the combined representation from signals detected with the piezoelectric device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a lens configured to focus ultrasonic energy or infrared energy onto the piezoelectric device.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting an infrared signal and transmitting an ultrasonic signal in response to the detected infrared signal; and

a processor configured to

obtain an infrared signal representation based on the detected infrared signal;

generate an output representation from the infrared signal representation and the combined representation; and

control a display in response to the detected infrared signal;

wherein

the piezoelectric device is located in the display.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to compare the combined representation to the infrared signal representation;

and the output representation is generated from the comparison.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to store the combined representation, the infrared signal representation, or the output representation.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the detected ultrasonic signal is a reflected ultrasonic signal arising from the transmitted ultrasonic signal; and

the processor is configured to form the combined representation.