Flip Mute Control via Front Camera Image Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling a mobile phone to mute through flip are prone to erroneous judgments due to external environmental factors, such as movement or inclined placement, leading to inconvenience in situations where the phone fails to recognize the flip action.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using a front-facing camera to acquire image data and determine if it is all-black, transmitting this data to the base band chip, and switching the phone to mute mode only when a change from non-all-black to all-black is detected, thereby accurately recognizing the flip action regardless of the phone's orientation or environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If gravity sensor or direction sensor is used to detect flip action, then the mute control function can be implemented, but erroneous judgment occurs due to external environmental factors such as movement or inclined placement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemute control through flipVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical sensing system (gravity sensor, direction sensor, accelerometer) with an optical sensing system (camera). Instead of detecting physical orientation and acceleration, the camera captures images of the operating interface to determine phone orientation. This substitution eliminates the harmful effect of mechanical sensors being susceptible to environmental interference such as vehicle movement or inclined surfaces, while maintaining the ease of flip-based mute control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If camera is used to detect flip action by capturing operating interface, then detection accuracy improves in moving or inclined states, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the front-facing camera, which is already a standard component in modern smartphones for video calls and selfies. By repurposing this existing multi-functional component for flip detection, the system achieves improved detection accuracy without significantly increasing device complexity. The camera serves both its traditional functions and the new flip detection function, making efficient use of existing hardware resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the phone's own existing camera component to perform the detection function, rather than requiring external or specialized sensors. The camera, processor, and operating system work together using resources already present in the device, allowing the flip detection feature to be implemented without adding external complexity to the hardware architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If camera captures images continuously to detect flip, then flip detection accuracy is high, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflip detection precisionVSAvoidcamera energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous image capture, the system uses periodic sampling by triggering the camera only at relevant moments (when a call is incoming and the phone is in use). The camera captures images at specific intervals or events rather than continuously, maintaining sufficient detection precision while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2892215B1Method for controlling mobile phone to be mute through flip, and mobile phone
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMM CO LTD
  • EP2892215B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2892215B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2892215B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a method for controlling a mobile phone to be mute through flip, and a mobile phone. The method comprises the steps: when a mobile phone receives a call, detecting a situational pattern of the mobile phone; if the situational pattern is a ringing pattern, controlling a front-facing camera to acquire image data every preset time; and if the current image data is all-black image data and image data acquired in the previous time is not all-black image data, switching the situational pattern of the mobile phone into a mute pattern, and controlling the front-facing camera to stop acquiring image data. By means of the present invention, a user can conveniently and quickly switch a situational pattern of a mobile phone into a mute pattern by just flipping over the mobile phone.