Patent ID: 8599265

Claim:
A method of controlling a user interface of a computing device including a controller by using a camera having an infrared image sensor and an infrared illuminator, the method comprising: detecting, by the controller, at least one predetermined user gesture which is designated to switch a first power mode of the camera to a second power mode, from a first infrared image which is recognized by the infrared image sensor by using a first infrared illumination with a first illumination intensity provided by the infrared illuminator, in the first power mode of the camera; switching an operation mode of the camera to the second power mode according to the detected at least one predetermined user gesture while controlling an illumination intensity of the infrared illuminator, wherein the infrared illuminator has the first illumination intensity in the first power mode, the infrared illuminator has a second illumination intensity in the second power mode, and the second illumination intensity is higher than the first illumination intensity, and wherein the second power mode allows detection of more user gestures than the first power mode; detecting, by the controller, one or more different gestures of a user, from a second infrared image which is recognized by the infrared image sensor by using a second infrared illumination with the second illumination intensity provided by the infrared illuminator, in the second power mode of the camera; and controlling the computing device according to the detected one or more different gestures of the user, wherein the first and second power modes are a low power mode and a high power mode, respectively.