INTEGRATED INFRARED RECEIVER AND EMITTER FOR MULTIPLE FUNCTIONALITIES

• US 20080219672A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tupman, David, Hotelling, Steve, Tam, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/130
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9631 using a light source as part of the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods to detect and emit various infrared (IR) and ambient light signals using an integrated sensor and emitter device. Embodiments include a sensor to sense proximity, to sense IR data signals, and to sense ambient light; and an emitter of an IR proximity signal. The sensor detects the IR proximity signal from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, detects IR data signals when the apparatus is detecting IR data, and detects ambient light when the apparatus sensing light. The IR data signals may include IR remote control (IR RC) and/or IR data association (IRDA) signals. The signals may be detected simultaneously and may be in different frequency bands. According to embodiments, such an emitter may also emit an IR data signals, such as IR RC and/or IRDA signals. These signals may be emitted simultaneously and may be in different frequency bands.

Claims

1. An apparatus to sense proximity, to sense infrared (IR) data signals, and to sense ambient light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of an IR proximity signal;

a sensor configured to detect the IR proximity signal from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, to detect IR data signals when the apparatus is detecting IR data, and to detect ambient light when the apparatus is sensing ambient light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detected IR data signals include an IR remote control (RC) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRRC signals, and an IR data association (IRDA) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRDA signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor is further configured to simultaneously detect the IR proximity signal from the emitter, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the emitter is configured to emit the IR proximity signal when the apparatus is detecting proximity and emit IR data signals when the apparatus is emitting IR data signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the emitted IR data signals include an IR remote control (RC) signal when the apparatus is emitting an IRRC signal and an IR data association (IRDA) signal when the apparatus is emitting an IRDA signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the emitter is further configured to simultaneously emit the IR proximity signal, IRRC signal, and IRDA signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the emitted IR proximity signal, the emitted IRRC signal, and the emitted IRDA signal are in a different frequency band.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter coupled to the sensor, the filter configured to:

pass the detected IR proximity signal when the apparatus is sensing proximity,

pass the detected IR data signals when the apparatus is sensing IR data, and

pass the detected ambient light when the apparatus is sensing ambient light.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the detected IR proximity signal, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light are in a different frequency band, wherein the filter further comprises one of a plurality of frequency division multiplexing different frequency band filters and a single time division multiplexing filter;

and wherein the single time division multiplexing filter comprises a programmable filter coupled to the sensor, a programmable demodulator/amplitude detector coupled to the programmable filter, a timing sequenced controller coupled to the programmable demodulator/amplitude detector, and a microcontroller coupled to the timing sequenced controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the filter further comprises:

a first band pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected IR proximity signal,

a second band pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected IR data signals, and

a low pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected ambient light.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the detected IR data signals include an IR remote control (RC) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRRC signals, and an IR data association (IRDA) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRDA signals;

and wherein the filter further comprises;

a first band pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected IR proximity signal,

a second band pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected IRRC signal,

a third band pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected IRDA signal, and

a low pass filter coupled to the sensor and configured to pass the detected ambient light.

12. A method of operating an integrated sensor and emitter device to sense proximity, to sense infrared (IR) data signals, and to sense ambient light, the method comprising:

emitting an IR proximity signal from an emitter;

detecting the IR proximity signal from the emitter with a sensor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing proximity;

detecting IR data signals with a sensor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is detecting IR data; and

detecting ambient light with a sensor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing ambient light.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the IR data signals further comprises:

detecting an IR remote control (RC) signal with a sensor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRRC signals;

detecting IR data association (IRDA) signal with a sensor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRDA signals;

simultaneously detecting the IR proximity signal from the emitter, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light with a sensor.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

emitting IR data signals from the same emitter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is emitting IR data signals, wherein emitting the IR data signals further comprises;

emitting an IR remote control (RC) signal from the same emitter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is emitting an IRRC signal;

emitting an IR data association (IRDA) signal from the same emitter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is emitting an IRDA signal; and

simultaneously emitting the IR proximity signal, IRRC signal, and IRDA signal from the same emitter.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

passing the detected IR proximity signal through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing proximity,

passing the detected IR data signals through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IR data, and

passing the detected ambient light through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing ambient light;

wherein passing the detected IR proximity signal, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, further comprises one of frequency division multiplexing and a time division multiplexing each of the detected IR proximity signal, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light; and

wherein time division multiplexing further comprises;

selecting between a frequency band of the detected IR proximity signal, a frequency band of the IRRC signal, a frequency band of the IRDA signal, and a frequency band of the ambient light; and

selecting between a period of time of the detected IR proximity signal, a period of time of the IRRC signal, a period of time of the IRDA signal, and a period of time of the ambient light; and

demodulating the period of time of the detected IR proximity signal, the period of time of the IRRC signal, the period of time of the IRDA signal, and/OR the period of time of the ambient light.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein passing the detected IR data signals through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IR data further comprises:

passing a detected IRRC signal through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRRC signals,

passing the detected IRDA signal through a filter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRDA signals;

simultaneously passing the detected IR proximity signal, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

processing the passed IR proximity signal using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing proximity,

processing the passed IR data signals using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IR data, and

processing the passed ambient light using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing ambient light;

simultaneously processing the passed IR proximity signal, the IRRC signal, the IRDA signal, and the ambient light;

emitting an IR remote control (RC) signal from the same emitter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is emitting an IRRC signal; and

emitting an IR data association (IRDA) signal from the same emitter when the integrated sensor and emitter device is emitting an IRDA signal;

wherein processing the passed IR data signals using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IR data further comprises;

processing the passed IRRC signal using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRRC signals, and

processing the passed IRDA signal using a processor when the integrated sensor and emitter device is sensing IRDA signals.

18. A single integrated circuit (IC) chip to sense proximity, to sense infrared (IR) data signals, and to sense ambient light, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of an IR proximity signal;

a sensor configured to detect the IR proximity signal from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, to detect IR data signals when the apparatus is detecting IR data, and to detect ambient light when the apparatus is sensing ambient light, wherein the detected IR data signals include an IR remote control (RC) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRRC signals, and an IR data association (IRDA) signal that the sensor is configured to detect when the apparatus is sensing IRDA signals.

19. The IC chip of claim 18, further comprising a filter coupled to the sensor, the filter configured to:

pass the detected IR proximity signal when the apparatus is sensing proximity,

pass the detected IR data signals when the apparatus is sensing IR data, and

pass the detected ambient light when the apparatus is sensing ambient light, wherein the filter further comprises one of a plurality of frequency division multiplexing different frequency band filters and a single time division multiplexing filter.

20. A single integrated circuit (IC) chip to transmit an IR proximity signal and an IR data signal, the apparatus comprising:

an emitter of IR radiation configured to transmit an IR proximity signal and IR data signals; and

a sensor configured to detect the IR proximity signal from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity.

21. The IC chip of claim 20, wherein the IR data signals comprises and IRRC signal and an IRDA signal.

22. A phone comprising:

an integrated sensor;

an integrated wireless transceiver data, when the phone is communicating by telephony,

wherein the sensor is configured to detect RC commands from a remote control (RC) signal to control the phone.

23. The phone of claim 22, wherein the sensor is configured to detect IRDA signals to provide data to the phone.

24. The phone of claim 22, wherein the phone includes personal digital assistant (PDA) capabilities.

25. The phone of claim 22, wherein the phone comprises at least one of a portable device and a hand held phone, wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless cellular transceiver.