Integrated proximity sensor and light sensor

• US 20080006762A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pantfoerder, Achim, Fadell, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/201.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4242 Modulated light, e.g. for synchronizing source and detector circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector has a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity, and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when sensing visible light. The emitter may be disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Also, a fence having a non-IR transmissive material disposed between the emitter and the detector to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;

a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector having a sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

processing logic coupled to the emitter and to the sensor, the process logic configured to subtract the radiation from the source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the emitter is configured to emit IR light modulated with a first waveform at a first frequency, and further comprising:

processing logic to distinguish between IR light modulated with the first waveform or at the first frequency and ambient IR light when the apparatus is sensing proximity.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the processing logic to distinguish comprises processing logic to one of time division multiplex, timeslice multiplex, frequency filter, and passband filter between IR light modulated by the first waveform or at the first frequency and ambient IR light when the apparatus is sensing proximity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

processing logic coupled to the emitter and to the detector, the processing logic configured to turn off the radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the sensor is a first sensor having a first bandpass filter that only passes infra-red (IR) light, the detector further comprising:

a second sensor having a second passband filter that only passes both IR light and visible light.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second passband filter is a cover over the first sensor and the second sensor, and further comprising:

processing logic to scale and subtract ambient IR light detected by the first sensor from ambient visible light and ambient IR light detected by the second detector when the apparatus is sensing light.

8. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;

a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector having a first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, the detector having a second sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

processing logic coupled to the emitter and to the detector, the process logic configured to subtract the radiation from the source other than the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, the processing logic configured to one of subtract, turn off, and cover the radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing light.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the emitter is configured to emit IR light modulated with a first waveform at a first frequency, and wherein the first sensor includes one of a processor, processing logic, a frequency filter, a waveform filter, and a time division multiplexer to distinguish between IR light having the first waveform or at the first frequency and ambient IR light having a different second waveform and at a different second frequency.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the emitter is configured to emit modulated IR light, wherein the first sensor comprises a first filter having a passband that only passes infra-red (IR) light, and wherein the first sensor comprises a waveform generator and a multiplexer configured to time-slice and multiplex between sensing the ambient IR light and the modulated emitted IR light.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first sensor is configured to detect light having one of a modulation frequency of a modulated light signal emitted by the emitter and a waveform of the modulated light signal emitted by the emitter.

13. An apparatus to sense proximity and to detect light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of electromagnetic radiation;

a detector of electromagnetic radiation, the detector being configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, wherein the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense light;

a fence disposed between the emitter and the detector configured to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a covering over the emitter and detector; and

wherein the fence between the emitter and the detector is configured to prohibit electromagnetic radiation from the emitter that is refracted by the covering from entering the detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the covering comprises an anti-glare covering or hardcoat on the outside of the apparatus having refractive properties to cause IR from the emitter to reflect back into the detector, and wherein the fence comprises a non-IR transmissive material configured to prohibit IR light emitted by the emitter and refracted by the cover from reaching the detector.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the fence extends from a surface the emitter is mounted on to touch the covering.

17. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of the combined sensor when in a proximity mode;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed by a sensor of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured to detect light from the emitter to determine a proximity when in the proximity mode;

sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light when in an ambient light sensing (ALS) mode.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein the sensor comprises:

a phototransistor;

an IR light passband filter covering the phototransistor; and

an IR light and visible light passband filter covering the IR light passband filter.

19. The method as in claim 17 wherein the sensor provides as an output both proximity data and ambient light data and wherein the light from the emitter is an infrared band of wavelengths.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the emitter emits light in a predetermined pattern and the detector is coupled to a processor which is configured to detect the predetermined pattern in an output from the detector.

21. The method as in claim 20 further comprising:

comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value.

22. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of the combined sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed by a sensor;

removing electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter using a fence disposed between the emitter and the sensor.

23. The method as in claim 22 further comprising:

covering the emitter with an IR light refractive cover; and

prohibiting the IR light emitted by the emitter that is refracted by the cover from entering the sensor.

24. A method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor portion of a combined sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a sensor of the proximity portion and of an overlapping ambient light sensor (ALS) portion of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;

sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light;

processing proximity data and ambient light data from the sensor to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system.

25. The method as in claim 24 further comprising:

switching the combined sensor between a proximity mode and an ALS mode;

emitting modulated light from the emitter when in the proximity mode;

detecting at a first phototransistor, ambient IR light and modulated light from the emitter reflected by an object when in the proximity mode;

prohibiting emission of modulated light from the emitter when in the ALS mode;

detecting at the first phototransistor, ambient IR light when in the ALS mode;

detecting at a second phototransistor, ambient IR light and ambient visible light when in the ALS mode.

26. The method as in claim 25 further comprising:

distinguishing the reflected modulated light from the ambient IR light when in the proximity mode;

determining a proximity of the object from the distinguished reflected modulated light when in the proximity mode;

scaling the ambient IR light detecting at the first phototransistor to have an intensity equal to an intensity of the ambient IR light detected at the second phototransistor when in the ALS mode;

subtracting the scaled ambient IR light from the ambient IR light and ambient visible light detected at the second phototransistor to determine a detected visible light when in the ALS mode;

determining a visible light intensity from the visible light detected when in the ALS mode.

27. The method as in claim 26 wherein determining a proximity comprises comparing the distinguished reflected modulated light to a first threshold value, and wherein determining the visible light intensity comprises comparing the visible light detected to a second threshold value.

28. The method as in claim 27 further comprising:

decreasing a setting of a display illuminator if the distinguished reflected modulated light is greater than the first threshold value;

decreasing a setting of a display illuminator if the visible light detected is less than the second threshold value.

29. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed cause a method of operating a data processing system, the method comprising:

emitting light from an emitter of a proximity sensor portion of a combined sensor;

detecting light from the emitter, the detecting being performed in a sensor of the proximity portion and of an overlapping ambient light sensor (ALS) portion of the combined sensor, and the sensor being configured, when sensing proximity, to detect light from the emitter;

sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitter from emitting light;

processing proximity data and ambient light data from the sensor to determine whether to modify a setting of the data processing system.

30. The medium of claim 29, the method further comprising:

switching the combined sensor between a proximity mode and an ALS mode;

emitting modulated light from the emitter when in the proximity mode;

detecting at a first phototransistor, ambient IR light and modulated light from the emitter reflected by an object when in the proximity mode;

prohibiting emission of modulated light from the emitter when in the ALS mode;

detecting at the first phototransistor, ambient IR light when in the ALS mode;

detecting at a second phototransistor, ambient IR light and ambient visible light when in the ALS mode.

31. The medium of claim 30, the method further comprising:

distinguishing the reflected modulated light from the ambient IR light when in the proximity mode;

determining a proximity of the object from the distinguished reflected modulated light when in the proximity mode;

scaling the ambient IR light detecting at the first phototransistor to have an intensity equal to an intensity of the ambient IR light detected at the second phototransistor when in the ALS mode;

subtracting the scaled ambient IR light from the ambient IR light and ambient visible light detected at the second phototransistor to determine a detected visible light when in the ALS mode;

determining a visible light intensity from the visible light detected when in the ALS mode.

32. The medium of claim 31, wherein determining a proximity comprises comparing the distinguished reflected modulated light to a first threshold value, and wherein determining the visible light intensity comprises comparing the visible light detected to a second threshold value.

33. The medium of claim 32, the method further comprising:

decreasing a setting of a display illuminator if the distinguished reflected modulated light is greater than the first threshold value;

decreasing a setting of a display illuminator if the visible light detected is less than the second threshold value.

34. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:

means for emitting IR light when in a proximity mode;

means for detecting reflected IR light of the emitted IR light using a sensor of the combined sensor to determine a proximity when in the proximity mode;

means for sensing ambient light at the sensor while disabling the emitted IR light means when in an ambient light sensing (ALS) mode.

35. The apparatus of 34 wherein the sensor comprises:

means for converting photons into an electrical signal;

means for band passing only IR light to the converting means; and

means for band passing only IR light and visible light to the band passing only IR light means.

36. The apparatus of 34 wherein the sensor comprises:

means for providing as an output both proximity data and ambient light data.

37. The apparatus of 36 wherein the emitting IR light means comprises means for emitting a predetermined pattern of IR light pulses, and the detecting reflected IR light means comprises means for detecting the predetermined pattern.

38. The apparatus of 37 further comprising:

means for comparing at least one of the proximity data and the ambient light data to at least one threshold value.

39. An apparatus to sense proximity and to sense light, the apparatus comprising:

means for emitting IR light, the emitted IR light passing through a cover;

means for detecting reflected IR light of the emitted IR light incident upon the cover using a sensor below the cover;

means for removing the emitted IR light from reaching the sensor, prior to the emitted IR light passing through the cover.

40. The apparatus of 39 wherein the cover comprises means for refracting the emitted IR light passing through a cover, and further comprising:

means for prohibiting the IR light emitted by the emitter that is refracted by the cover from entering the sensor.

41. An combined proximity and ambient light sensor comprising:

a proximity sensor portion including an IR light transmitter to emit IR light and an IR light sensor to detect IR light from the transmitter;

ambient light sensor (ALS) portion including the IR light sensor and an IR light and visual light sensor to sense ambient light while disabling the IR light transmitter.

42. The sensor of claim 41 further comprising:

processing logic to process proximity data and ambient light data from the IR light sensor to determine whether to modify a setting of a data processing system.

43. The sensor of claim 41 wherein the IR light transmitter emits IR light in a predetermined pattern, and the IR light sensor detects the IR light in the predetermined pattern during a first period of time and ambient IR light not in the predetermined pattern during a second period of time.

44. The sensor of claim 42 further comprising:

a first comparator to compare to compare the IR light in the predetermined pattern with a first threshold; and

a subtractor to subtract the ambient IR light from ambient IR light and ambient visible light detected by a second sensor of the ALS portion.

45. A method of operating a combined sensor to sense proximity and ambient light, the method comprising:

using an infra-red (IR) light only sensor to sense a proximity of an object;

using the IR light only sensor to sense an IR part of ambient light;

subtracting the IR part of ambient light from IR and visible ambient light sensed using an IR light and visible light sensor.

46. The method as in claim 45 further comprises:

using the IR light and visible light sensor to sense the IR and visible ambient light.

47. The method as in claim 45 wherein the proximity of an object is sensed during a proximity mode and the IR part of ambient light is sensed during an ambient light sensing (ALS) mode.

48. The method as in claim 45 wherein using an infra-red (IR) light only sensor to sense a proximity of an object further comprises:

using an IR light emitter to emit emitted IR light;

using the IR light only sensor to sense the emitted IR light reflected by the object.