Electronic device and method for operating and electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device comprises a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, a laser diode adapted to direct a laser beam at the inner surface, a detection unit adapted to capture a time-resolved self-mixing interferometry (SMI) signal of the laser diode, and a controller unit adapted to evaluate the SMI signal to detect a touch gesture on the outer surface. The wall is elastically deformable. The outer surface forms a touch area that extends along a swipe direction. A thickness of the wall between the inner surface and the outer surface is variable along the swipe direction.

Description

[0001] ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AND ELECTRONIC

[0002] DEVICE

[0003] DESCRIPTION

[0004] The present invention relates to an electronic device and to a method for operating an electronic device .

[0005] This patent application claims the priority of German patent application 10 2023 131 701 . 6 , the disclosure content of which is hereby incorporated by reference .

[0006] Electronic devices having user interfaces capable o f detecting touch gestures are known in the state of the art . In wearable devices , it is known to use capacitive touch sensors that measure a change in capacitance caused by a user touching a sensor pad .

[0007] It is an obj ect of the present invention to provide an electronic device . It is a further obj ect of the present invention to provide a method for operating an electronic device . These obj ectives are achieved by an electronic device and by a method for operating an electronic device according to the independent claims . Further variants are disclosed in the dependent claims .

[0008] An electronic device comprises a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface , a laser diode adapted to direct a laser beam at the inner surface , a detection unit adapted to capture a time-resolved SMI signal of the laser diode , and a controller unit adapted to evaluate the SMI signal to detect a touch gesture on the outer surface . The wall is elastically deformable . The outer surface forms a touch area that extends along a swipe direction . A thickness of the wall between the inner surface and the outer surface is variable along the swipe direction . The varying thickness of the wall of this electronic device leads to a varying sti f fness of the wall along the swipe direction which creates an asymmetry that al- lows detecting a touch gesture with only one single SMI sensor . This allows for a compact and economic design of the electronic device and ensures a low power consumption .

[0009] In a variant of the electronic device , the thicknes s of the wall changes continuously along the swipe direction . Advantageously, this allows for a particularly simple design of the wall of the electronic device .

[0010] In a variant of the electronic device , the inner surface comprises a depression . This leads to a reduced thickness of the wall in the area of the depression which in turn leads to a reduced sti f fness of the wall in the area of the depression .

[0011] In a variant of the electronic device , the depression is arranged of f-centre with respect to the touch area in the swipe direction . Advantageously, an of f-centre arrangement of the depression creates an asymmetry in the thickness and sti f fness of the wall along the swipe direction .

[0012] In a variant of the electronic device , the outer surface comprises a bump that is elevated above other portions of the outer surface . Advantageously, the bump creates a variation in the thickness of the wall and leads to a distinct deformation of the wall when the touch area is touched in the area of the bump .

[0013] In a variant of the electronic device , the bump is arranged off-centre with respect to the touch area in the swipe direction . Advantageously, this creates an asymmetry that may allow to distinguish several gestures .

[0014] In a variant of the electronic device , the bump is oriented perpendicular to the swipe-direction . Advantageously, this creates a distinct signal feature when a touch gesture includes swiping over the bump . In a variant of the electronic device , the laser beam is directed to an impact position at the inner surface . The impact position is arranged of f-centre with respect to the touch area in the swipe direction . Advantageously, an of f-centre arrangement of the impact position creates an asymmetry that may allow to distinguish several touch gestures .

[0015] In a variant of the electronic device , the bump is arranged at a bump position on the outer surface . The bump position is directly opposite to the impact position . Advantageously, this arrangement creates a particularly pronounced signal when the touch area is touched in the area of the bump .

[0016] In a variant of the electronic device , the controller unit comprises a classi fier based on machine learning . Such a classi fier allows for a robust detection of a touch gesture .

[0017] In a variant of the electronic device , the controller unit is adapted to detect at least one of a tap gestures and a swipe gesture . The controller unit may be adapted to detect several dif ferent touch gestures on the outer surface of the wall of the electronic device . Advantageously, this may create a rich and intuitive user interface .

[0018] In a variant of the electronic device , the controller unit is adapted to detect a swipe gesture along the swipe direction and a swipe gesture opposite to the swipe direction . The variable thickness of the wall along the swipe direction advantageously creates an asymmetry that allows for a detection of the direction of a swipe gesture .

[0019] In a variant of the electronic device , the controller unit is adapted to detect a touch force of a tap gesture . Di f ferent touch forces of the tap gesture create di f ferent de formations of the wall that allow for a detection of the touch force . Advantageously, this may create a rich and intuitive user interface . In a variant , the electronic device is a wearable device . Advantageously, the touch area creates a compact and intuitive user interface for the wearable device .

[0020] In a variant , the electronic device is an earphone . Advantageously, the touch area creates an intuitive user interface despite the limited room available on an earphone .

[0021] A method for operating an electronic device that comprises a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface , wherein the wall is elastically deformable , wherein the outer surface forms a touch area that extends along a swipe direction, wherein a thickness of the wall between the inner surface and the outer surface is variable along the swipe direction, comprises directing a laser beam emitted by a laser diode at the inner surface , capturing a time-resolved SMI signal of the laser diode , and evaluating the SMI signal to detect a touch gesture on the outer surface . A touch gesture performed on the touch area creates an elastic deformation of the wall that can be detected in the SMI signal which allows for a detection of the touch gesture . An asymmetry created by the variable thickness of the wall along the swipe direction may lead to di f ferent patterns in the SMI signal created by di fferent touch gestures performed on the touch area . This may allow to detect and distinguish several di f ferent touch gestures performed on the touch area .

[0022] In a variant of the method, the controller unit comprises a classi fier based on machine learning . The method comprises providing a set of samples , wherein each sample comprises a time-resolved SMI signal and a gesture label , and training the classi fier using the set of samples . Advantageously, a classi fier based on machine learning may allow for a robust detection of several di f ferent touch gestures . It i s a particular advantage that samples for training the classifier can easily be created by performing the relevant touch gestures on the touch area of the electronic device . The above-described properties , features , and advantages of the inventions , as well as the way in which they are achieved, will become more clearly and comprehensively understandable in connection with the following description of exemplary variants , which will be explained in more detail in connection with the drawings , in which, in schematic representation :

[0023] Figure 1 shows a first variant of an electronic device ;

[0024] Figure 2 shows samples for training a classi fier based on machine learning; and

[0025] Figure 3 shows a second variant of an electronic device .

[0026] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a first variant of an electronic device 100 . The electronic device 100 may be a portable or wearable device , for example . The electronic device 100 may be an earphone ( earpod, in-ear speaker ) , for example .

[0027] The electronic device 100 comprises a housing 110 . The housing 110 has a wall 200 having an inner surface 210 and an outer surface 120 that is opposed to the inner surface 110 . The wall 200 is made of an elastically deformable material , for example a plastic material .

[0028] The outer surface 220 of the wall 200 forms or comprises a touch area 230 that extends along a swipe direction 240 . The touch area 230 forms a user interface that allows a user of the electronic device 100 to control the electronic device 100 through touch gestures . These touch gestures may include a swipe gesture in the swipe direction 240 , a swipe gesture in a direction opposite to the swipe direction 240 , and a tap gesture of variable force , for example . The touch gestures may include other gestures , as well . The electronic device 100 comprises a laser diode 120 arranged in the housing 110 . The laser diode 120 is adapted to direct a laser beam 125 at the inner surface 210 of the wall 200 . The laser beam 125 hits the inner surface 210 of the wall 200 at an impact position 127 .

[0029] At least a part of the light of the laser beam 125 is reflected at the inner surface 210 and goes back into the laser diode 120 , where it interferes with the light in the cavity of the laser diode 120 . This generates a time-resolved SMI ( sel f-mixing interferometry) signal 300 that can be captured with a detection unit 130 of the electronic device 100 .

[0030] The detection unit 130 may include a photodiode , for example , that detects a brightness of the laser beam 125 emitted by the laser diode 120 . Alternatively, the detection unit 130 may be adapted to sense a voltage across the laser diode 120 . The detection unit 130 may be arranged in the housing 110 of the electronic device 100 .

[0031] The time-resolved SMI signal 300 varies with a variation of a distance 129 between the laser diode 120 and the impact position 127 on the inner surface 210 of the wall 200 . A touch gesture performed on the touch area 230 at the outer surface 220 of the wall 200 elastically deforms the wall 200 which leads to a change of the distance 129 , which in turn leads to a detectable change in the time-resolved SMI signal 300 . Di fferent touch gestures performed on the touch area 230 generate di f ferent temporal patterns of the variation of the distance 129 , which lead to di f ferent patterns in the time- resolved SMI signal 300 .

[0032] To this end, a thickness 205 of the wall 200 measured between the inner surface 210 and the outer surface 220 is variable along the swipe direction 240 . The variable thickness 205 of the wall 200 leads to a variable sti f fness of the wall 200 along the swipe direction 240 which leads to a variable deformation of the wall 200 depending on the position where a touch gesture is performed on the touch area 230 on the outer surface 220 .

[0033] Additionally, a bump 225 is arranged on the outer surface 220 of the wall 200 . The bump 225 is oriented perpendicular to the swipe direction 240 and is arranged at a bump position 227 that is of f-centre with respect to the touch area 230 in the swipe direction 240 . The bump 225 leads to a sharp variation of the distance 129 when a user performing a swipe gesture swipes over the bump 225 , and hence to a detectable response in the time-resolved SMI signal 300 . Since the bump 225 is arranged of f-centre in the touch area 230 , the temporal position of this event will depend on the direction of the swipe gesture . This allows to distinguish a swipe gesture performed in the swipe direction 240 from a swipe gesture performed in the opposite direction .

[0034] The impact position 127 where the laser beam 125 emitted by the laser diode 120 hits the inner surface 210 of the wall 200 is also arranged of f-centre with respect to the touch area 230 in the swipe direction 240 in the variant of the electronic device 100 depicted in figure 1 . This asymmetry also leads to di f ferent temporal patterns in the time-resolved SMI signal 300 generated by swipe gestures performed in dif ferent directions .

[0035] The electronic device 100 comprises a controller unit 140 that is adapted to evaluate the time-resolved SMI s ignal 300 to detect a touch gesture 400 performed on the touch area 230 on the outer surface 220 of the wall 200 . The controller unit 140 may conveniently be arranged in the housing 110 .

[0036] The controller unit 140 may comprise a classi fier 145 based on machine learning . The classi fier 145 may comprise a neural network such as a CNN . The classi fier 145 may run on a microcontroller of the controller unit 140 , for example . The controller unit 140 may be adapted to detect at least one of a tap gesture and a swipe gesture . The controller unit 140 may be adapted to detect a swipe gesture along the swipe direction 140 and a swipe gesture opposite to the swipe direction 140 .

[0037] Tap gestures performed with di f ferent forces create dif ferent deformations of the wall 200 leading to di f ferent patterns in the time-resolved SMI signal 300 . This may allow the controller unit 140 to also detect a touch force of a tap gesture .

[0038] Operating the electronic device 100 includes directing the laser beam 125 emitted by the laser diode 120 at the inner surface 110 of the wall 200 , capturing the time-resolved SMI signal 300 of the laser diode 120 with the detection unit 130 , and evaluating the SMI signal 300 with the controller unit 140 to detect a touch gesture 400 performed on the outer surface 120 .

[0039] The method may also include training the classi fier 145 .

[0040] Training the classi fier 145 may include providing a set of samples 500 , as schematically depicted in figure 2 . Each sample 500 comprises a time-resolved SMI signal 510 and a corresponding gesture label 520 . Each SMI signal 510 is obtained by performing a touch gesture on the touch area 230 on the outer surface 220 of the electronic device 100 and capturing the resulting SMI signal 300 with the detection unit 130 . The corresponding gesture label 520 denotes the type of the respective touch gesture .

[0041] The set of samples 500 is then used to train the classi fier 145 .

[0042] The controller unit 140 may preprocess the SMI signal 300 before applying the classi fier 145 . In this case , the same preprocessing is also carried out on the SMI signal 510 of the samples 500 before using the samples 500 for training the classi fier 145 . Preprocessing may include trans forming the time resolved SMI signal 300 into the frequency domain, for example . Preprocessing may also include an extraction of features . Feature extraction may be performed in hardware or in software .

[0043] Figure 3 shows a schematic depiction of a second variant of the electronic device 100 . The variant of the electronic device 100 depicted in figure 3 is similar to the variant depicted in figure 1 . The following description is focused on dif ferences between the variants of figures 3 and 1 . Otherwise , the description of the variant of figure 1 al so applies to the variant of figure 3 .

[0044] In the variant of figure 3 , as in the variant of figure 1 , the thickness 205 of the wall 200 is variable along the swipe direction 240 . However, the thickness 205 of the wall 200 does not change continuously along the swipe direction 240 . Instead, the inner surface 210 comprises a depression 215 . In the area of the depression 215 , the thickness 205 o f the wall 200 is smaller than in areas outside of the depress ion 215 . The depression 215 is arranged of f-centre with respect to the touch area 230 in the swipe direction 240 . This asymmetry leads to di f ferent patterns in the SMI signal 300 depending on the direction of a swipe gesture performed on the touch area 230 on the outer surface 220 .

[0045] In the variant of the electronic device 100 depicted in figure 3 , the bump position 227 of the bump 225 is directly opposite to the impact position 127 . This arrangement generates a particularly strong change of the distance 129 between the laser diode 120 and the impact position 127 when a user swipes over the bump 225 . In other variants of the electronic device 100 , however, the bump position 227 does not need to be directly opposite to the impact position 127 . The bump 225 may be entirely omitted in both the variants of figures 1 and 3 .

[0046] The invention has been illustrated and described in more de- tail with the aid of exemplary variants . The invention is not , however, restricted to the examples disclosed . Rather, other variants may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art .

[0047] REFERENCE SYMBOLS electronic device housing laser diode laser beam impact position distance detection unit controller unit classi fier wall thickness inner surface depression outer surface bump bump position touch area swipe direction

[0048] SMI signal touch gesture s amp 1 e

[0049] SMI signal gesture label

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electronic device (100) comprising a wall (200) having an inner surface (210) and an outer surface (220) , a laser diode (120) adapted to direct a laser beam (125) at the inner surface (210) , a detection unit (130) adapted to capture a time-resolved SMI signal (300) of the laser diode (120) , and a controller unit (140) adapted to evaluate the SMI signal (300) to detect a touch gesture (400) on the outer surface (220) , wherein the wall (200) is elastically deformable, wherein the outer surface (220) forms a touch area (230) that extends along a swipe direction (240) , wherein a thickness (205) of the wall (200) between the inner surface (210) and the outer surface (220) is variable along the swipe direction (240) .

2. An electronic device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thickness (205) of the wall (200) changes continuously along the swipe direction (240) .

3. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the inner surface (210) comprises a depression (215) .

4. An electronic device (100) according to claim 3, wherein the depression (215) is arranged off-centre with respect to the touch area (230) in the swipe direction (240) .

5. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the outer surface (220) comprises a bump (225) that is elevated above other portions of the outer surface (220) .

6. An electronic device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the bump (225) is arranged off-centre with respect to the touch area (230) in the swipe direction (240) .

7. An electronic device (100) according to one of claims 5 and 6, wherein the bump (225) is oriented perpendicular to the swipe direction (240) .

8. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the laser beam (125) is directed to an impact position (127) at the inner surface (210) , wherein the impact position (127) is arranged off-centre with respect to the touch area (230) in the swipe direction (240) .

9. An electronic device (100) according to claim 8 and one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the bump (225) is arranged at a bump position (227) on the outer surface (220) , wherein the bump position (227) is directly opposite to the impact position (127) .

10. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the controller unit (140) comprises a classifier (145) based on machine learning.

11. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the controller unit (140) is adapted to detect at least one of a tap gesture and a swipe gesture.

12. An electronic device (100) according to claim 11, wherein the controller unit (140) is adapted to detect aswipe gesture along the swipe direction (240) and a swipe gesture opposite to the swipe direction (240) .

13. An electronic device (100) according to one of claims 11 and 12, wherein the controller unit (140) is adapted to detect a touch force of a tap gesture.

14. An electronic device (100) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the electronic device (100) is a wearable device.

15. An electronic device (100) according to claim 14, wherein the electronic device (100) is an earphone.

16. A method for operating an electronic device (100) , wherein the electronic device (100) comprises a wall(200) having an inner surface (210) and an outer surface (220) , wherein the wall (200) is elastically deformable, wherein the outer surface (220) forms a touch area (230) that extends along a swipe direction (240) , wherein a thickness (205) of the wall (200) between the inner surface (210) and the outer surface (220) is variable along the swipe direction (240) , the method comprising:- directing a laser beam (125) emitted by a laser diode (120) at the inner surface (210) ;- capturing a time-resolved SMI signal (300) of the laser diode (120) ;- evaluating the SMI signal (300) to detect a touch gesture (400) on the outer surface (220) .

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the controller unit (140) comprises a classifier (145) based on machine learning, wherein the method comprises:- providing a set of samples (500) , wherein each sample(500) comprises a time-resolved SMI signal (510) and a gesture label (520) ;- training the classifier (145) using the set of samples (500) .

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