Proximity detector in handheld device

• US 20060161871A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Ive, Jonathan P., Ording, Bas, Fadell, Anthony M., Kennedy, Peter J., Robbin, Jeffrey L., Kerr, Duncan Robert, Hotelling, Steve P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Proximity based systems and methods that are implemented on an electronic device are disclosed. The method includes sensing an object spaced away and in close proximity to the electronic device. The method also includes performing an action in the electronic device when an object is sensed.

Claims

1. An I/O platform, comprising:

an I/O surface having one or more I/O devices selected from input devices and output devices;

a proximity detection system configured to detect when a finger is in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface.

2. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein the proximity detection system is further configured to detect when a finger is in close proximity to but not contacting a particular I/O device of the I/O surface.

3. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein the I/O surface includes a touch panel and a display.

4. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein a display is affected in a non trivial manner when an object is detected.

5. The I/O platform as recited in claim 4 wherein the display presents a graphical user interface and wherein a particular graphical content is brought into view on the graphical user interface when the object is detected.

6. The I/O platform as recited in claim 5 wherein the particular graphical content is a graphical user interface element including one or more onscreen options.

7. The I/O platform as recited in claim 6 wherein the graphical user interface element is a virtual scroll wheel.

8. The I/O platform as recited in claim 6 wherein the graphical user interface element provides onscreen input tools and controls.

9. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein the proximity detection system is an optically based system, capacitively based system or an ultrasonic based system.

10. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein the proximity detection system generates a one or more sensing fields above the I/O surface and produces signals when an object disturbs the one or more sensing fields.

11. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein a single sensing field that substantially covers the entire I/O surface is generated.

12. The I/O platform as recited in claim 11 wherein a single sensing field that only covers a portion of the I/O surface is generated.

13. The I/O platform as recited in claim 11 wherein multiple sensing fields that together substantially cover the entire I/O surface are generated.

14. The I/O platform as recited in claim 11 wherein multiple sensing fields that together only cover a portion of the I/O surface are generated.

15. The I/O platform as recited in claim 1 wherein the I/O platform is operated by:

generating a proximity sensing field above one or more I/O devices; and

detecting disturbances in the proximity sensing field;

translating disturbances to mean an object is present in the proximity sensing field; and

generating a proximity control signal base on the presence of an object in the proximity sensing field.

16. A portable computing device, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface including one or more I/O devices, each of which is positioned at a surface of the housing; and

a proximity detection system configured to detect when an object is in close proximity but not touching the periphery of the portable computing device.

17. The portable computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein the proximity detection system is configured to detect an object above a first surface of the housing.

18. The portable computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein the proximity detection system includes a single sensing node.

19. The portable computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein the proximity detection system includes multiple sensing nodes.

20. The portable computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein at least one of the I/O devices is altered when an object is detected.

21. The portable computing device as recited in claim 20 wherein the user interface includes a display and wherein a GUI element is brought into view on the display when an object is detected.

22. The portable computing device as recited in claim 21 wherein the GUI element is an onscreen control box.

23. The portable computing device as recited in claim 21 wherein the GUI element is a virtual scroll wheel.

24. The portable computing device as recited in claim 16 wherein the user interface includes a touch panel that is distinct from the proximity detection system and wherein the proximity detection system detects objects above the touch panel.

25. A portable computing device, comprising:

a display configured to display a graphical user interface;

an input means configured to provide inputs to the portable computing device;

a proximity detector configured to detect objects in space above the display device; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display device, input means and the proximity detector, the processor instructing the display device to display one or more GUI elements in response to detected object, and performing actions associated with the GUI element when an input is made at the GUI element via the input means.

26. A proximity based method implemented on a portable electronic device, comprising:

sensing an object spaced away and in close proximity to the portable electronic device; and

performing an action in the portable electronic device when an object is sensed.

27. The method as recited in 26 wherein the sensing is performed over an entire side of the electronic device.

28. The method as recited in 26 wherein the sensing is performed regionally at particular locations of the electronic device

29. The method as recited in 26 wherein multiple areas are sensed in order to monitor the motion of an object.

30. The method as recited in 26 wherein performing an action includes displaying and enabling a graphical user interface element on a display.

31. The method as recited in 26 wherein performing an action includes activating some portion of a user interface.

32. The method as recited in 26 wherein a second action is performed when the object is no longer detected.

33. The method as recited in 26 wherein sensing is performed above a user interface.

34. The method as recited in 33 wherein performing an action includes

displaying and enabling a particular graphical user interface element on a display portion of the user interface;

monitoring input features of the user interface for user inputs related to the particular graphical user interface element; and

performing one or more actions in the particular graphical user interface element based on the user inputs.

35. The method as recited in 34 wherein monitoring input features includes monitoring a touch sensing device for touches and differentiating between light touch interactions and hard touch interactions.

36. The method as recited in 26 wherein the portable electronic device is a handheld portable electronic device.

37. The method as recited in 26 wherein the handheld portable electronic device is a media player.

38. A method performed on a user operated electronic device having a display and a proximity detector, the method comprising:

determining if an object is detected in space above the electronic device,

monitoring and analyzing the current operating conditions when an object is detected,

activating a first GUI element for a first set of operating conditions, and

activating a second GUI element for a second set of operating conditions.

39. The method as recited in claim 38 wherein the display is a touch screen display, wherein the step of determining includes detecting an object in space above the touch screen display of the electronic device, and further comprising monitoring a touch event at the touch screen, linking the touch event to the active GUI element, and controlling the GUI element with the touch event.