Proximity sensing based on ratio change detection

Abstract

This disclosure describes a method and apparatus for determining whether an object is near an electronic device. When the object is not near the electronic device, the arrangement of two sensors at different distances from a light emitter results in a higher intensity of reflected signal received in the sensor closer to the light emitter and a lower intensity of reflected signal received in the sensor farther from the light emitter. The system uses this difference in reflected signals to calculate the ratio between the signals reflected to the two sensors and uses this ratio to determine whether the object is near the electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to proximity sensing. Background Technology

[0002] Some electronic devices are able to detect objects in their vicinity and take action based on that detection. For example, some mobile phones can detect (e.g., during a phone call) that a user's ear or face is very close and turn off the touchscreen, thus preventing the user from issuing accidental commands to the smartphone. Some electronic devices use infrared (“IR”) transmitters and measure the returned signal when the IR transmitter emits a signal. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Some proximity sensors are placed behind display elements to increase the usable screen area. In these cases, the proximity sensors may suffer from very high reflections from components of the display element (e.g., film layers), which interferes with the detection of reflections from objects (e.g., people) at a greater distance. Due to the interference with reflections from the object, the presence of the object cannot be accurately determined. This disclosure solves this problem by using two sensors (e.g., receiving diodes) placed at different distances from the emitter (e.g., light emitter).

[0004] When no object is present within a certain distance of the host device (e.g., a smartphone or other portable computing device), the arrangement of the two sensors results in a higher intensity of the reflected signal received in the sensor closer to the light emitter and a lower intensity of the reflected signal received in the sensor farther from the light emitter. The system uses this difference in reflected signals to calculate the ratio between the signals reflected to the two sensors. When system parameters (e.g., the intensity of the emitted signal and / or the reflective material of the electronic device) change, the effect is similar for both sensors, and the ratio remains constant. When an object is present, reflections from the object within the range of interest result in reflections to both sensors with similar energy values. This causes the ratio to shift towards a value of 1. The calculated ratio is compared to one or more thresholds to determine whether an object is present and whether an action (e.g., turning off the display) is required.

[0005] The various actions described in this disclosure are described as being performed by an electronic control unit (“ECU”). In some embodiments, the ECU may be used in conjunction with software to perform some of the actions described in this disclosure. In these and other embodiments, the ECU is coupled to a light emitter, a first sensor, and a second sensor. As described above, the first and second sensors are located at different distances from the light emitter. The ECU causes signal emission (e.g., instructs the light emitter to emit light pulses) that is reflected from the display assembly (e.g., a film layer) and an object (if an object is present at a specific distance). The first and second sensors detect the reflected signals, and the ECU receives the corresponding energy levels. The ECU calculates (e.g., using the corresponding energy levels) a ratio between the first and second signals and compares this ratio to an object presence threshold. In some embodiments, the object presence threshold is a ratio indicating the presence of an object (e.g., derived based on tests). If the ratio meets the object presence threshold, the ECU determines that an object is present. For example, if the ratio is close to a value of 1, the ECU determines that an object is present. Thus, the first and second signals indicate a combination of reflections from the object (if present) and reflections from the display layer.

[0006] The ECU is operable to perform actions (e.g., turning off the display and / or touch interface) based on the determination of an object's presence. In some embodiments, the ECU, light emitter, first sensor, and second sensor are mounted on an electronic device including a display with a touch panel. In these and other embodiments, the ECU turns off the display and touch panel to prevent the user from sending unwanted commands via the touch panel.

[0007] In some implementations, the presence threshold is determined based on a ratio calculation performed in the presence of a test object. Specifically, when a test object is present, the ECU induces emission using a light emitter. The ECU receives detection signals from a first sensor and a second sensor (as a result of signals reflected from the test object and the display assembly) and calculates a ratio between these signals. Based on this ratio, the ECU determines the object presence threshold. In some implementations, the ECU performs these actions multiple times to determine the median, average, and / or mode value of the presence threshold. Based on these values, the ECU generates the presence threshold. For example, the ECU may generate a presence threshold within a specific amount of the calculated ratio (e.g., within 10%, 20%, 25%, or another suitable amount).

[0008] In some implementations, the ECU performs tests even when the object is not present. That is, the ECU calculates a ratio based on the test that relates to reflections originating solely from the display components. Based on the calculated ratio, the ECU calculates a threshold to determine whether the object is absent or no longer exists. In some implementations, the presence threshold is a fixed value defined during pre-series evaluations.

[0009] In some implementations, the ECU considers the amount of ambient light present. Before the first emission, the ECU causes a first sensor and a second sensor to perform ambient light measurements and subtracts data representing the corresponding ambient light measurement from the first and second signals. Thus, when the ECU receives a signal representing reflections from the display component, it isolates these reflections. In some implementations, the light emitter is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser emitter that emits an infrared or visible beam of light reflected from an object (if present) near the display component and device. Sensors (e.g., a first sensor and a second sensor) detect this reflection and the ambient light (e.g., ambient light containing the same type of light). Based on the ambient light measurement, the ECU subtracts the ambient light component that received the energy.

[0010] In some implementations, the ECU performs a ratio calculation to determine when an object is no longer present near the electronic device. Specifically, after a first emission, the ECU induces another emission using a light emitter and receives another signal corresponding to the reflection of the second emission from a first sensor and yet another signal corresponding to the reflection of the second emission from a second sensor. The ECU calculates the ratio between the two signals received as a result of the second emission and compares this ratio to a threshold indicating that no object is present. Based on this comparison, the ECU determines that no object is present and performs another action based on this determination. For example, if the user has moved the smartphone away from their ear, the ECU detects a ratio indicating that the received signals representing reflections from the two light emitters favor the closer light emitter, thus indicating that no object is present. In this case, the ECU may perform actions such as reactivating the display and enabling the touch panel. Therefore, the fifth and sixth signals indicate reflections from the reflective layer of the display screen when no object is present.

[0011] In some implementations, the ECU calculates the ratio based on the received energy of the reflected light. Specifically, the ECU calculates a first amount of light received in a first sensor for a first signal, and a second amount of light received in a second sensor for a second signal. The ECU subtracts the signal indicating ambient light from the first and second amounts of light and calculates the energy ratio between the first and second amounts of light.

[0012] In some embodiments, each emission includes multiple light emitter pulses, and each reflection includes a reflection from the multiple light emitter pulses. In these and other embodiments, the ECU subtracts a signal indicating ambient light energy from the energy received as a result of each of the multiple light emitter pulses. When the ambient light energy is subtracted, the multiple light emitter pulses are filtered. That is, the ECU filters the energy in each of the first and second reflections received as a result of each of the multiple light emitter pulses. In some embodiments, filtering includes averaging the energy of the multiple light emitter pulses, and in some embodiments, filtering includes summing the energy of a defined number of the multiple light emitter pulses. The ECU calculates the ratio between the filtered energy of each of the first and second reflections.

[0013] Details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 An example of an electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) is shown.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of determining the presence of an object near an electronic device and taking action based on that determination.

[0016] Figure 3 An example is shown of signals received by two sensors when an object is present near an electronic device.

[0017] Figure 4 An example is shown of signals received by two sensors when there is no object nearby the electronic device.

[0018] Figure 5 An example of a comparator module is shown.

[0019] Figure 6 The graph shows how the ratio changes relative to the object distance. Detailed Implementation

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, a host device 10, such as a portable computing device (e.g., a smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop, or wearable device), includes an OLED or other display screen 12 that can be disposed directly beneath a front glass 20, which may include multiple reflective layers. Sensors 14 and 22 are disposed directly beneath a portion of the display screen 12 and are operable to sense ambient light and reflections from objects near the display and host device 10. Sensors 14 and 22 may include one or more photodiodes or other light-sensing elements, each photodiode or light-sensing element being sensitive to a corresponding wavelength or wavelength range (which should be as similar to each other as possible).

[0021] The light emitter 24 is also positioned directly below a portion of the display screen 12 and is operable to emit light of a specific wavelength or wavelength range (e.g., visible light, infrared light, or other suitable types of light). Although this disclosure relates to a light emitter and a sensor for receiving the light signal, other types of electromagnetic signals may also be used. In some embodiments, the emitter may be an acoustic signal emitter (e.g., capable of emitting ultrasonic signals), and the sensor may be designed to detect those signals. In some embodiments, the light emitter is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (“VCSEL”). Sensor 22 is closer to the light emitter 24 than sensor 14. Therefore, when there is no object near the device 10, the ratio of the signal due to reflection from the display screen 12 favors sensor 22 (the sensor closer to the light emitter). As mentioned in this disclosure, an object near the device refers to an object within the path of the emitted light signal (e.g., from the light emitter). As mentioned in this disclosure, an object not near the device refers to an object not within the path of the emitted light signal (e.g., from the light emitter) that would cause the object to reflect the signal from the emitter to the sensor.

[0022] Electronic control unit (ECU) 16 is configured to send commands to light emitter 24. Commands may include commands to emit one or more pulses or other suitable emission commands. ECU 16 is also configured to receive, process, and analyze signals from sensors 14 and 22. ECU 16 may be, for example, a processor in a sensor hub, or some other processor in portable computing device 10. ECU 16 may also be coupled to memory 18. Memory 18 may be any of random access memory, read-only memory, and other suitable memory. In some embodiments, ECU 16 may be configured to perform related... Figure 2 The action is specifically designed with hard-wired logic.

[0023] In some implementations, the above-described components are used to determine whether an object is near an electronic device. Figure 2This is a block diagram illustrating an example of determining that an object is near an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 10) and taking action based on that determination. At 202, the ECU uses a light emitter (e.g., light emitter 24) to initiate emission. To initiate emission, the ECU may send a command to the light emitter. The light emitter receives the command and initiates light emission.

[0024] At 204, the ECU receives a first signal corresponding to a first reflection of the emission detected by the first sensor from a first sensor, and a second signal corresponding to a second reflection of the emission detected by the second sensor from a second sensor. When the ECU starts the light emitter to emit, the ECU records the signals received from both the first and second sensors. When an object is present near the electronic device (e.g., at a distance of 60 mm), the sensors (e.g., sensors 14 and 22) detect signals representing reflections from both the display component and the object. The signals are processed in the sensors, and the processed data is transmitted to the ECU (e.g., ECU 16).

[0025] At 206, the ECU calculates the ratio between the first signal and the second signal. If an object is present near the electronic device (e.g., electronic device 10), the signals received by each of the two sensors (e.g., sensor 14 and sensor 22) are approximately equal in intensity because the reflection from the object is stronger than the reflection from the display component. Therefore, in this case, the first signal and the second signal indicate the combination of the reflection from the object and the reflection from the layer of the display screen.

[0026] However, if no object is present near the electronic device, the signal received by the sensor closer to the light emitter (e.g., sensor 22), representing reflection from the display component, is stronger than that received by the sensor farther from the light emitter (e.g., sensor 14) because each sensor is at a different distance from the light emitter. Therefore, the signal strength ratio favors the sensor closer to the light emitter. In some embodiments, the distance between the farthest sensor and the light emitter is twice the distance between the nearest sensor and the light emitter. In these and other embodiments, the two-dimensional dispersion ratio is approximately 2, resulting in a signal strength ratio of approximately 4.

[0027] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates signals detected by two sensors (e.g., sensor 1 (304) and sensor 2 (306)) when an object is present near an electronic device. Sensor package 302 includes a first sensor 304 and a second sensor 306. Furthermore, sensor package 302 includes a light emitter 308. The first sensor 304 is positioned closer to the light emitter 308 than the second sensor 306. Figure 3 Object 310 is shown near display 312. Figure 3 The reflections from object 310 to sensors 304 and 306 are shown. Reflections from components of display 312 are not shown in this figure. These signals are not dominant compared to the intensity of the signals reflected from object 310. Therefore, the ratio shifts towards a value of 1.

[0028] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates signals received by two sensors when no object is near the electronic device. Figure 400 shows an assembly of display 410 reflecting a light emitter signal 402 toward sensor 406. Because no object is near the electronic device, additional signals received by sensor 406 are not shown in Figure 400. Figure 420 shows a signal 422 from light emitter 424 reflected toward sensor 426. Similar to Figure 400, because no object is near the electronic device, additional signals received by sensor 426 are not shown in Figure 420. The strength of the signal received by sensor 406 is higher than that of the signal received by sensor 426, therefore, the ratio of the two signal strengths favors the sensor closer to the light emitter (e.g., sensor 406).

[0029] At step 208, the ECU compares this ratio to an object presence threshold. In some implementations, the object presence threshold is stored on the electronic device and retrieved by the ECU for comparison. The threshold can be a number close to 1 and has a certain range of variation to reflect environmental conditions. In some implementations, the ECU determines the object presence threshold by performing one or more tests. When an object is present, the ECU induces emission using a light emitter. For example, the ECU can receive input from a user indicating the presence of an object near the electronic device and induce emission.

[0030] The ECU receives a signal corresponding to a reflected emission detected by the first sensor and a signal corresponding to a reflected emission detected by the second sensor. Based on the received signals, the ECU calculates a ratio between the two signals and determines an object presence threshold based on this second ratio. In some embodiments, the ECU stores this ratio as the presence threshold. In some embodiments, the ECU sets the threshold below this ratio to allow for some variation in the environment. In some embodiments, the threshold is a fixed number.

[0031] At 210, the ECU determines the presence of an object based on this comparison. If the calculated ratio meets a threshold, the ECU (e.g., ECU 16) determines that an object is present near the electronic device (e.g., electronic device 10). At 212, the ECU performs an action based on the determination of the presence of an object. If the electronic device is a smartphone, the ECU may turn off the device's display screen. In some embodiments, the ECU disables the touch panel to prevent accidental command initiation. In some embodiments, the ECU generates a notification on the electronic device to perform an action upon determining the presence of an object. Based on this notification, the electronic device may perform an action (e.g., turn off the display screen and / or disable touch input on the display screen).

[0032] In some implementations, the ECU considers ambient light when determining the presence of an object near the electronic device. For example, if the light emitter uses a certain frequency or frequency range (e.g., in the infrared spectrum, visible spectrum, or other suitable frequencies), ambient light of the same frequency and / or frequency range can be detected by the sensor and mistakenly interpreted as a signal indicating reflection from an object near the device. In some implementations, the ECU determines the amount of ambient light that can affect the sensor. For example, the ECU can have a first and a second sensor perform ambient light measurements before calculating a ratio. To perform the ambient light measurement (e.g., for an appropriate frequency), the ECU measures the amount of light detected by the sensor in the absence of emission. The measurement can be performed over a period of time and adjusted for the timing of the emission. For example, if the emission is a VCSEL pulse of a certain duration, the ECU measures the ambient light detected by the sensor for that duration. In some implementations, the ECU performs multiple measurements to determine the amount of ambient light detected by the sensor and averages the determined amount over an appropriate duration.

[0033] The ECU subtracts the corresponding ambient light measurement data from the first and second signals. For example, when a sensor detects a signal generated as a result of reflection from a light emitter, in some cases, this signal may be in the form of an energy level, combined with reflections from objects near the host device. The ECU subtracts the energy contributed by ambient light, which was measured by the ECU before emission, from the detected energy level.

[0034] In some implementations, the ECU performs the following actions in the ratio calculation: The ECU calculates a first amount of light received in the first sensor for a first signal, and calculates a second amount of light received in the second sensor for a second signal. For example, both sensors can be configured (e.g., by using filters) to sense light within a specific frequency range. The light emitter can also be configured to emit light within the same frequency range. It is advantageous for the sensor to have a filter that provides the highest sensitivity at the wavelength emitted from the emitter. Various frequency ranges can be used, including the visible light spectrum, the infrared light spectrum, or other suitable frequency ranges.

[0035] Because ambient light can interfere with system operation, the ECU subtracts the signal indicating ambient light from the first and second light quantities. Depending on the environment, ambient light typically includes light across a wide range of frequencies. For example, if the electronic device is outdoors (e.g., in sunlight), the light energy from the sun can contribute to the detected quantity. In another example, if the electronic device is indoors with various artificial light sources, the light energy from these sources can contribute to the detected quantity. The ECU then calculates the energy ratio between the first and second light quantities after subtracting the ambient light component.

[0036] In some implementations, the ECU determines when an object is no longer present near the electronic device. To achieve this, the ECU induces another emission using a light emitter after the initial emission. The ECU receives signals reflected from a first and a second sensor corresponding to this particular emission and calculates a ratio between these received signals. If no object is present near the electronic device, the received signals will have a ratio tilted towards the sensor closest to the light emitter. Therefore, this ratio will not be as close to 1 as it would be if an object were present near the electronic device. The ECU compares this ratio to an object absence threshold (e.g., a ratio indicating the absence of an object) and determines that no object is present based on this comparison.

[0037] This ratio can be stored on the electronic device and retrieved for comparison. To derive this ratio, the ECU can perform one or more tests again when there is no object near the electronic device. In some implementations, the ECU prompts the user to perform a test when no object is near the host device. The ECU can perform the test multiple times to determine a absence threshold. Based on the determination that no object is present, the ECU performs another action. For example, when the ECU determines that no object is present, the ECU can turn on the display screen and / or enable the touch panel on the electronic device. When it is determined that no object is present, the ECU can generate a notification to the electronic device to perform an action. Thus, these two signals indicate the reflection from the reflective layer of the display screen when no object is present. In some implementations, the absence threshold is a fixed number.

[0038] In some implementations, the ECU causes the light emitter to emit periodically, for example, every 100 milliseconds when no object is detected and every 50 milliseconds when an object is detected. In this case, the ratio calculation and threshold comparison occur after each emission. When the ECU determines that an object is now near the electronic device, the ECU can change the emission rate to a smaller period (e.g., from 100 milliseconds to 50 milliseconds). After each emission, the ECU continuously calculates the ratio and compares it to an object absence threshold. If the ECU determines that the object absence threshold has been met, the ECU performs another action (e.g., turning on the display and / or enabling the touch panel of the electronic device). In some implementations, the ECU can change the emission rate less frequently (e.g., from 50 milliseconds to 100 milliseconds). Therefore, in these cases, the emission can include multiple light emitter pulses, and reflections from multiple light emitter pulses can be aggregated.

[0039] In some implementations, the ratio calculation and action determination are performed by a comparator module. The comparator module may include one or more circuits (e.g., various gates). In some implementations, the comparator module includes software and hardware components (e.g., control circuitry) and may be included in an ECU (e.g., ECU 16). Figure 5 An example of comparator module 500 is shown. Comparator module 500 receives signal data 504 from a sensor closer to the light emitter and signal data 502 from a sensor farther from the light emitter. In some embodiments, the received data 502 and data 504 have been adjusted to remove detected ambient light. Data 502 and data 504 are received in a ratio divider 506, where a ratio between data 504 and data 502 is calculated. The calculated ratio is compared to a ratio on limit 508 to determine whether an object is detected near the electronic device. The comparator module compares this ratio to a ratio off limit 510 to determine whether an object is no longer detected near the electronic device.

[0040] In some implementations, when the object is very close to (e.g., about 5 mm) an electronic device, the ratio calculation is supplemented by comparing energy detections from the sensor. Figure 6Including graph 600, which shows how the ratio of data values ​​from the first and second sensors changes with the distance between the electronic device and the object. Curve 602 represents data representing the energy detected by the sensor closer to the light emitter, while curve 604 represents data representing the energy detected by the sensor farther from the light emitter. After a distance of approximately 7 mm, the curve shows a steadily increasing ratio between the data from the closer and farther sensors, which is barely visible on curves 602 and 604. Therefore, curve 606 shows a constant increase in the ratio value relative to the object distance. However, when the object is very close to the electronic device (e.g., less than 5 mm), the curve shows that this ratio may not be a reliable indicator of the object's presence near the electronic device. In this case, the ECU can use direct reflection readings to determine if there is an object near the electronic device. One scenario that could be useful is when a user holds the electronic device to their ear from the side rather than from a certain distance. Therefore, once an object is detected, it is at a very close distance to the electronic device.

[0041] Figure 5 A comparator can also be used in this scenario. Therefore, in some embodiments, sensor 2 data 502 is sent to a running sum module 512, which continuously sums a predetermined number of the latest samples of the received data. Sensor 1 data 504 is sent to a running sum module 514, which continuously sums a predetermined number of the latest samples of the received data. In some embodiments, the running sum modules 512 and 514 may use filters (e.g., additive filters, averaging filters, or other suitable filters) to modify the data in preparation for threshold comparison.

[0042] Dynamically summed data from dynamic summing module 514 (which includes data from sensors closer to the light emitter) is compared to a close-on limit 516 (e.g., an object presence threshold) to determine whether the signal indicating a reflection from the object detected by the closer sensor is so strong that the object is very close (e.g., 5 mm) to the electronic device. If the close-on limit 516 satisfies dynamic summing 514, dynamically summed data from dynamic summing module 512 is compared to a far-on limit 526 to determine whether the signal indicating a reflection from the object detected by sensors farther from the light emitter is so strong that the object is very close (e.g., 5 mm) to the electronic device. In some embodiments, the determination of whether two thresholds are met is provided to AND gate 532 to determine whether the object is near the electronic device. If, based on the sensor data, both sensors indicate that the object is very close to the electronic device, AND gate 532 returns a true result. In some embodiments, instead of AND gate 532, an OR gate may be added to the comparator module. In this scenario, if one or both sensors indicate that an object is near the electronic device, the gate returns a true result. The result of AND gate 532, or in some embodiments, the result of OR gate, is provided together with the result of ratio threshold comparison gate to OR gate 528 to finally determine whether there is an object near the electronic device.

[0043] The comparator module uses a similar method to determine whether an object is no longer near the electronic device. Dynamically summed data from dynamic summing module 514 is compared to the close-off limit 518 to determine whether the object is no longer very close to the electronic device based on signals detected by sensors closer to the light emitter. Dynamically summed data from dynamic summing module 512 is compared to the far-off limit 520 to determine whether the object is no longer very close to the electronic device based on signals detected by sensors farther from the light emitter. The results of the two comparisons are provided to AND gate 522. If data from both sensors indicate that the object is no longer very close to the electronic device, AND gate 522 provides a true result. Otherwise, AND gate 522 provides a false result. In some embodiments, AND gate 522 is replaced by an OR gate. If one or both sensors (based on sensor data) indicate that the object is no longer near the electronic device, the OR gate provides a true result. The result of this gate is provided to gate 524, where the final determination of whether the object is no longer near the electronic device is made. In other words, if the ratio is determined or the result of gate 524 is true, the comparator module determines that the object is no longer near the electronic device.

[0044] In some implementations, the comparator module includes a persistence module 530. The persistence module 530 determines whether the calculation results from gates 528 and / or 524 indicate a change in state. For example, whether an indication that an object is near the device is different from the last indication. If the indication is not different, the persistence module 530 does not initiate output. However, if the indication differs for a defined number of consecutive samples, the persistence module 530 initiates output.

[0045] The design of smartphones and other host computing devices referenced in this disclosure may include one or more processors, one or more memories (e.g., RAM), storage (e.g., disk or flash memory), user interfaces (which may include, for example, a keyboard, a TFT LCD or OLED display, touch or other gesture sensors, a camera or other optical sensors, a compass sensor, a 3D magnetometer, a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, one or more microphones, etc., together with software instructions for providing a graphical user interface), interconnections between these components (e.g., buses), and interfaces for communicating with other devices (which may be wireless (e.g., GSM, 3G, 4G, CDMA, WiFi, WiMax, Zigbee, or Bluetooth) and / or wired (e.g., via an Ethernet LAN, a T-1 Internet connection, etc.)).

[0046] The subject matter and various aspects of functional operation described in this disclosure can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents, or in combinations thereof. An electronic control unit (ECU) includes digital control circuitry configured to perform actions required to detect an object near the device and to perform actions based on that detection. In some embodiments, the ECU includes one or more of software, firmware, or other hardware to facilitate the operation of this disclosure. Furthermore, aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer-readable medium for execution by or control of the operation of a data processing apparatus. The computer-readable medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a storage device, a combination of substances influencing machine-readable propagation signals, or a combination thereof. In addition to hardware, the apparatus may include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, for example, code constituting processor firmware.

[0047] While this specification contains numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in certain combinations, and even initially claimed in this way, in some cases, one or more features in a claimed combination may be removed from that combination, and a claimed combination may refer to a sub-combination or a variation thereof.

[0048] Similarly, although the operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order or sequence shown, or requiring all the operations shown to obtain the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0049] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, some steps described above may be order-independent and can therefore be performed in a different order than described.

[0050] Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A device for proximity sensing, comprising: Light emitter; The first sensor is located at a first distance from the light emitter; A second sensor is located at a second distance from the light emitter, wherein the second distance is different from the first distance, and wherein each of the first and second sensors is operable to detect a signal emitted by the light emitter; and The electronic control unit is capable of operating for: The light emitter is used to induce a first light emission; Receive a first signal corresponding to a first reflection of the first light emitted by the first light detected by the first sensor from the first sensor, and receive a second signal corresponding to a second reflection of the first light emitted by the second sensor from the second sensor; Calculate the first ratio between the first signal and the second signal; Compare the first ratio with the object presence threshold; Based on the comparison, the existence of an object is determined; and Actions are performed based on the existence of a known object. The object presence threshold is determined based on a ratio as the median, average, and / or mode, and the device further includes a display screen, wherein the first signal and the second signal indicate a combination of reflections from the object and reflections from a layer of the display screen. The electronic control unit is also capable of operating for: When the object is near the device, the light emitter induces a second light emission; Receive a third signal from the first sensor corresponding to a third reflection of the second light emission detected by the first sensor, and receive a fourth signal from the second sensor corresponding to a fourth reflection of the second light emission detected by the second sensor; Calculate the second ratio between the third signal and the fourth signal; and The existence threshold of the object is determined based on the second ratio.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The display screen includes a touch panel, wherein the action includes turning off the display screen and the touch panel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic control unit is also configured to: Before the first light emission, the first sensor and the second sensor perform ambient light measurement; and Subtract the data representing the corresponding ambient light measurement in the ambient light measurement from the first signal and the second signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic control unit is also configured to: After the first light emission, the light emitter is used to induce a third light emission; The first sensor receives a fifth signal corresponding to a fifth reflection of the third light emission, and the second sensor receives a sixth signal corresponding to a sixth reflection of the third light emission. Calculate the third ratio between the fifth signal and the sixth signal; The third ratio is compared with the threshold for the absence of an object; as well as Based on the comparison, it is determined that the object no longer exists; and Perform another action based on the determination that the object no longer exists.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The fifth and sixth signals indicate reflections from the reflective layer of the display screen when the object is not near the device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic control unit is operable to calculate the first ratio between the first signal and the second signal in the following manner: For the first signal, calculate the first amount of light received in the first sensor; For the second signal, calculate the second amount of light received in the second sensor; Subtract the signal indicating ambient light from the first light quantity and the second light quantity; as well as Calculate the energy ratio between the first light quantity and the second light quantity.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The first light emission includes a plurality of light emitter pulses, and each of the first reflection and the second reflection includes a reflection from the plurality of light emitter pulses.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The electronic control unit is operable to calculate the first ratio between the first reflection and the second reflection in the following manner: Subtract the signal indicating ambient light energy from the energy received as a result of each of the plurality of light emitter pulses; The energy in each of the first reflection and the second reflection received as a result of each of the plurality of light emitter pulses is filtered; as well as Calculate the ratio between the filtering energy in each of the first reflection and the second reflection.

9. A method for proximity sensing, comprising: This triggers the first light emission from the light emitter; A first signal corresponding to a first reflection of the first light emission detected by the first sensor is received from a first sensor that is closer to the light emitter than the second sensor, and a second signal corresponding to a second reflection of the first light emission detected by the second sensor is received from the second sensor; The electronic control unit is used to calculate a first ratio between the first signal and the second signal; Compare the first ratio with the object presence threshold; Based on the comparison, it was determined that the object was near the host device; and Actions are performed based on the existence of a known object. The object presence threshold is determined based on a ratio as the median, average, and / or mode, wherein the first and second signals indicate a combination of reflections from the object and reflections from the display layer. The method further includes: When the object is near the host device, the light emitter causes a second light emission; Receive a third signal from the first sensor corresponding to a third reflection of the second light emission detected by the first sensor, and receive a fourth signal from the second sensor corresponding to a fourth reflection of the second light emission detected by the second sensor; Calculate the second ratio between the third signal and the fourth signal; and The existence threshold of the object is determined based on the second ratio.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The action includes turning off the display screen and touch panel of the host device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: Before the first light is emitted, the first sensor and the second sensor perform ambient light measurements; as well as Subtract the data representing the corresponding ambient light measurement in the ambient light measurement from the first signal and the second signal.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: After the first light emission, the light emitter is used to induce a third light emission; The first sensor receives a fifth signal corresponding to a fifth reflection of the third light emission, and the second sensor receives a sixth signal corresponding to a sixth reflection of the third light emission. Calculate the third ratio between the fifth signal and the sixth signal; The third ratio is compared with the threshold indicating that the object does not exist. as well as Based on the comparison, it is determined that the object no longer exists; and Perform another action based on the determination that the object no longer exists.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The fifth and sixth signals indicate reflections from the reflective layer of the display screen when the object is not present.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein, Calculating the first ratio between the first signal and the second signal includes: For the first signal, calculate the first amount of light received in the first sensor; For the second signal, calculate the second amount of light received in the second sensor; Subtract the signal indicating ambient light from the first light intensity and the second light intensity; and Calculate the energy ratio between the first light quantity and the second light quantity.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein, The first light emission includes a plurality of light emitter pulses, and each of the first reflection and the second reflection includes a reflection from the plurality of light emitter pulses.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, Calculating the first ratio between the first reflection and the second reflection includes: Subtract the signal indicating ambient light energy from the energy received as a result of each of the plurality of light emitter pulses; The energy in each of the first and second reflections received as a result of each of the plurality of light emitter pulses is filtered; as well as Calculate the ratio between the filtering energy in each of the first reflection and the second reflection.

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