Portable electronic device with dual, diagonal proximity sensors and mode switching functionality

• US 10,504,361 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid, Cauwels, Patrick J, Steuer, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherwin, Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US16/154,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20190043346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing and one or more processors. At least one proximity sensor component is operable with the one or more processors and can include an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to the housing. The one or more processors can operate the at least one proximity sensor component at a first sensitivity until the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object, and then operate the at least one proximity sensor component at a second sensitivity after the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object. A motion detector can be actuated when the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object at the first distance.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

one or more processors;

at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing;

the one or more processors;

operating the infrared signal receiver at a first sensitivity until the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object;

transitioning the infrared signal receiver from the first sensitivity to a second sensitivity in response to the infrared signal receiver receiving the infrared emission from the object; and

operating the infrared signal receiver at the second sensitivity after the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object;

the second sensitivity less than the first sensitivity.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a motion detector operable with the one or more processors, the one or more processors activating the motion detector when the at least one proximity sensor component operates at the first sensitivity and the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, the one or more processors operating the infrared signal receiver at the second sensitivity only after the motion detector detects motion of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, the motion detector comprising an accelerometer.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more processors transitioning the infrared signal receiver from the first sensitivity to the second sensitivity by reducing a gain of the infrared signal receiver.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more processors transitioning the infrared signal receiver from the first sensitivity to the second sensitivity by increasing a detection threshold of the infrared signal receiver.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more processors transitioning the infrared signal receiver from the second sensitivity to the first sensitivity when the infrared emission is not received for a predetermined amount of time.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, the first sensitivity detecting the infrared emission from greater than five feet.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, the second sensitivity detecting the infrared emission from less than one foot.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

one or more processors;

at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to the housing; and

the one or more processors;

causing the at least one proximity sensor component to be operable to receive the infrared emission from a first distance;

upon the infrared signal receiver receiving the infrared emission from the object causing the at least one proximity sensor component to receive the infrared emission from a second distance;

the second distance less than the first distance.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a motion detector and a microphone, each operable with the one or more processors, the one or more processors, upon the motion detector detecting movement of the housing, actuating the microphone.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a motion detector and a display, each operable with the one or more processors, the one or more processors, upon the motion detector detecting movement of the housing, actuating the display.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, the one or more processors causing the display to enter a low power or sleep mode when the infrared signal receiver is not receiving the infrared emission.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, the one or more processors operating the at least one proximity sensor component while the display is in a low-power or sleep mode.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, the one or more processors receiving user input controlling one or more functions of the electronic device from the infrared emission received from the second distance.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising an accelerometer operable with the one or more processors.

17. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, with at least one proximity sensor component comprising an infrared signal receiver operating at a first sensitivity, an infrared emission from an object external to a housing;

actuating a motion detector in response to receiving the infrared emission; and

in response to detecting motion with the motion detector, transitioning the infrared signal receiver to a second sensitivity.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the electronic device with the infrared emission when the infrared signal receiver is operating at the second sensitivity.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising, in response to detecting motion with the motion detector, actuating one or more of a display or a microphone.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising transitioning the at least one proximity sensor component from the second sensitivity to the first sensitivity in absence of the infrared emission.