Proximity detector in handheld device

• US 8,381,135 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steve P., Huppi, Brian Q., Strickon, Joshua A., Kerr, Duncan Robert, Ording, Bas, Chaudhri, Imran, Christie, Greg, Ive, Jonathan P., Kennedy, Peter J., Fadell, Anthony M., Robbin, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US11/240,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,699 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/810, 715/786, 715/862, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/16 for measuring distance of clearance between spaced objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

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. A method of interfacing with a device, comprising:

detecting an object in space in a position above a display associated with the device;

selecting, based on at least a particular set of x and y components of the position of the object above the display, a particular defined user interface mode from a plurality of defined user interface modes when the object is detected in the space, each of the plurality of defined user interface modes corresponding to a different set of x and y components;

displaying and enabling one or more GUI elements based on the selected user interface mode, the one or more GUI elements being virtual control devices for receiving touch input for controlling an application, and appearing in addition to any application graphics being displayed on the display, wherein the selected user interface mode is a defined data entry mode where the GUI element is a virtual keyboard, a defined edit mode where the GUI element is a tool bar or virtual keyboard, a defined control mode where the GUI element is a control panel, and a defined information mode where the GUI element is a window; and

automatically transitioning between different user interface modes and causing GUI elements to be activated and displayed, or deactivated, as the object is detected as moving over different portions of the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes the display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more GUI elements are at least partially transparent when displayed over the application graphics, enabling the application graphics to be viewed at the same time as the one or more GUI elements.

4. A method for scrolling through media items, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of media items at or on a surface;

detecting an object spaced away from the surface and over at least one of the media items that are displayed;

displaying and activating a virtual scroll wheel when the object is detected over the displayed media items, the virtual scroll wheel being a relative input device capable of being manipulated by continuous swirling movement over the virtual scroll wheel; and

moving through the plurality of media items based on detected swirling movement of the object over the virtual scroll wheel.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein moving through the plurality of media items includes moving a selector bar linearly through the media items in accordance with the swirling movement detected over the virtual scroll wheel.

6. A device operable to cause a display to display images, wherein the device is further operable to:

detect an object in space in a position above a display associated with the device;

select, based on at least a particular set of x and y components of the position of the object above the display, a particular defined user interface mode from a plurality of defined user interface modes when the object is detected in the space, each of the plurality of defined user interface modes corresponding to a different set of x and y components;

display and enable one or more GUI elements based on the selected user interface mode, the one or more GUI elements being virtual control devices for receiving touch input for controlling an application, and appearing in addition to any application graphics being displayed on the display, wherein the selected user interface mode is a defined data entry mode where the GUI element is a virtual keyboard, a defined edit mode where the GUI element is a tool bar or virtual keyboard, a defined control mode where the GUI element is a control panel, and a defined information mode where the GUI element is a window; and

automatically transition between different selected user interface modes and cause GUI elements to be activated and displayed, or deactivated, as the object is detected as moving over different portions of the display.