Handheld Device Surface Reflectance Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld electronic devices face challenges in efficiently estimating the reflectance of surfaces they are facing, which affects the privacy and visibility of notification messages, especially when the device is tilted or positioned in various orientations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system in a handheld electronic device that uses a combination of sensors, including accelerometers and IR emitters/sensors, to estimate the reflectance of a surface and adjust the display modes based on the surface texture and tilt angles, allowing for private and efficient viewing of notification messages by reflecting the image onto the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the device uses sensors and emitters to estimate surface reflectance, then the privacy and visibility of notification messages is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses existing sensors (accelerometers, IR emitters/detectors) originally designed for other functions (proximity sensing, ambient light detection) and applies them to surface reflectance estimation. This allows the device to gain new functionality without adding dedicated hardware components, thus improving privacy/visibility while minimizing increases in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs self-characterization by automatically estimating surface reflectance properties using its own sensors and emitters. The system analyzes the reflected IR light from the surface to determine reflectance characteristics, enabling the device to adapt to different surfaces without external input or manual configuration
2Ease of operation
If the device tilts to reflect images on surfaces for private viewing, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision of surface reflectance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the reflected light intensity from the surface using IR detectors and uses this feedback to estimate surface reflectance properties. By analyzing the intensity of reflected IR light at different tilt angles, the device can dynamically adjust its measurements and compensate for angular variations, maintaining measurement precision while enabling easy tilted viewing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic tilt angle detection using accelerometers to track device orientation changes. The system adapts the reflectance estimation process based on the current tilt angle, adjusting measurement parameters and compensation algorithms in real-time to maintain precision across different viewing configurations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables discreet viewing of notification messages by reflecting the image onto the surface, maintaining privacy and improving visibility, while reducing physical interaction with the device, thus minimizing wear on the user interfaces.
Implementation Method 1
an IR emitter to emit IR light
Implementation Method 2
an IR sensor to detect reflected IR light from the surface
Implementation Method 3
detect reflected IR light from the surface
Data Source
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AI summary
Estimating reflectance of a surface adjacent a handheld electronic device having a orientation sensor and a light sensor, including estimating a location of the handheld electronic device relative to the surface in dependence on information from the orientation sensor; measuring light from the surface with the light sensor; and estimating a reflectance of the surface in dependence on the estimated location and measured light.