Patent ID: 9678603
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: G06F

Claim:
1. An electronic device comprising: a transmitter and a receiver for periodically transmitting first ultrasonic signals and receiving reflections of the transmitted first ultrasonic signals from an input object respectively, wherein the electronic device is configured to use said reflected signals as part of a user control interface and to control a function of the electronic device in dependence on said reflected signals, said device being further configured so as to: detect ultrasonic signals transmitted by a further electronic device that detects corresponding reflected ultrasonic signals from a corresponding input object to control a function thereof, as potentially interfering signals reaching the electronic device; adjust timing of subsequent ultrasonic signal transmissions by the electronic device based on the detected ultrasonic signals transmitted by the further electronic device, so that a timing difference between the transmissions of the electronic device and the transmissions of the further electronic device is reduced such that a time window corresponding to the round-trip time of flight for a signal transmitted by the electronic device and reflected from the input object terminates before a potentially interfering transmitted ultrasonic signal from the further electronic device can reach the electronic device in each period.