PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8981302-B2
Application Number: US-201313740081-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Infrared sensors for electronic devices

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with proximity sensor capabilities for monitoring for the presence of nearby external objects. The electronic device may make temperature measurements such as measurements involving the monitoring of nearby objects for emitted blackbody light indicative of whether or not the external object is a heat-emitting object such as a human body part. The same sensor that is used in gathering temperature readings may be used in gathering proximity sensor data or separate temperature sensor and proximity sensor detector structures may be used. Motion sensor capabilities may be provided using sensor structures having an array of heat sensing elements. Signals from the array of heat sensing elements may be used in making temperature measurements and in gathering proximity sensor readings. Sensor structures may operate at wavelengths longer than 3 microns such as wavelengths from 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a light source operable at wavelengths longer than 3 microns; 
 a light detector operable at wavelengths longer than 3 microns; 
 control circuitry that modulates the light source to produce modulated light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns that reflects from external objects and is detected by the light detector to produce a proximity sensor signal, 
 wherein the light detector comprises an array of multiple heat sensing elements and wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect motion of the external object by processing signals from the multiple heat sensing elements; and 
 a silicon lens that gathers light for the light detector. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the external object is a human body part that emits blackbody light and wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the light detector to detect the blackbody light. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light source comprises a microelectromechanical systems light source. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the light source is configured to emit light at a wavelength of 10-15 microns. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light source comprises a semiconductor device. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the light source is configured to emit light at a wavelength of 3-5 microns. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light detector is configured to detect light at a wavelength of 3-5 microns. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light detector is configured to detect light at a wavelength of 10-15 microns. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the light detector comprises a bolometer. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a display, wherein the control circuitry is configured to inhibit touch screen functionality in the display based on the proximity sensor signal. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather signals from a first subset of the multiple heat sensing elements to make a temperature measurement, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather signals from a second subset of the multiple heat sensing elements to make motion detector measurements. 
     
     
       12. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a display mounted in the housing; 
 a light sensor that is mounted under an inactive area in the display and that is configured to detect light at a wavelength longer than 3 microns; and 
 control circuitry configured to measure blackbody light signals at wavelengths longer than 3 microns using the light sensor, wherein the light sensor comprises an array of multiple heat sensing elements and wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather signals from a first subset of the multiple heat sensing elements to make a temperature measurement, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather signals from a second subset of the multiple heat sensing elements to make motion detector measurements. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  further comprising a sensor window in the inactive area, wherein the light sensor is aligned with the sensor window and receives the light through the sensor window. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  further comprising a light-based proximity sensor having a near infrared light source that is modulated by the control circuitry and a corresponding near infrared light detector. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  further comprising:
 a visible light ambient light detector; and 
 a light source that is modulated by the control circuitry to produce a light signal having a wavelength longer than 3 microns. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein the light sensor is configured to measure light at wavelengths of 10-15 microns. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the light sensor comprises a bolometer. 
     
     
       18. A method of monitoring for external objects within the vicinity of an electronic device, comprising:
 modulating a light source in the electronic device to emit modulated light; 
 monitoring for reflections of the emitted modulated light using a mid-infrared light detector, wherein the mid-infrared light detector comprises a bolometer having an array of heat sensing elements; and 
 detecting motion in the external objects using the array of heat sensing elements, wherein detecting motion in the external objects comprises detecting a hand gesture command from a user&#39;s hand using the array of heat sensing elements. 
 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the mid-infrared light detector comprises a light sensor configured to detect signals at a wavelength of 10-15 microns and wherein monitoring for reflections of the emitted modulated light comprises demodulating signals detected with the light detector to produce proximity sensor data.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with infrared light sensors. 
     Devices such as cellular telephones are sometimes provided with sensors. Light-based proximity sensors can be used to detect whether or not an external object is in the vicinity of a device. Temperature sensors can be used to monitor the temperature of a device&#39;s environment. Ambient light sensors may measure visible light in the surroundings of a device. 
     Using sensors such as these, a cellular telephone can monitor its surroundings and take suitable actions. For example, operation of electrical components in a device such as display components can be controlled based on sensor readings. 
     It can be challenging to provide an electronic device with sensors. Space constraints and performance issues may be concerns. If care is not taken, a device may not be able to accurately discriminate between different types of operating scenarios or may contain undesirably complex and bulky sensor components. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved sensor configurations for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with proximity sensor capabilities for monitoring for the presence of nearby external objects. Proximity sensor data may be used to control the operation of components in the electronic device. For example, operation of a touch sensor array in a display may be inhibited in response to determining that a user&#39;s head is resting against the surface of the display. 
     The electronic device may also make temperature measurements. For example, the electronic device may monitor nearby objects for emitted blackbody light indicative of whether or not the external object is a heat-emitting object such as a human body part. By gathering temperature information in addition to proximity sensor information, the electronic device may be able to discriminate between situations in which an inanimate object that does not emit heat is in the vicinity of the electronic device and situations in which a human body part that is emitting heat is in the vicinity of the electronic device. 
     To save space and reduce the number of components in a device, the same sensor that is used in gathering temperature readings may be used in gathering proximity sensor data. A device may also be provided with separate temperature sensor and proximity sensor detector structures. Light sources for emitting light at the longer wavelengths that are associated with heat measurements such as wavelengths longer than 3 microns can be formed using semiconductor devices or microelectromechanical systems devices (as examples). 
     The electronic device may include a motion sensor formed from light sensor structures having an array of heat sensing elements. Signals from the heat sensing elements may also be used in making discrete temperature measurements and in gathering proximity sensor readings. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with sensors in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with sensor circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic device showing how sensor structures may be mounted under a portion of a display such as a display cover layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing how sensor structures such as light sources and light detectors may be used in monitoring external objects and ambient light in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device having a multi-element detector of the type that may be used for motion sensing and other sensing functions in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in using an electronic device with sensor circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device may be provided with electronic components such as sensors. The sensors may include, for example, proximity sensors, ambient light sensors, temperature sensors, and motion sensors. To conserve resources, it may be desirable to perform multiple sensing functions using shared resources. 
     As an example, a proximity sensor may be formed using a modulated light source that emits light at an infrared wavelength of longer than 3 microns. The proximity sensor may have a corresponding light detector that detects reflected modulated light at a wavelength longer than 3 microns. Control circuitry can demodulate the detected signals to produce proximity sensor data. When it is desired to make temperature measurements, the light detector may make temperature measurements from received light signals (i.e., signals other than demodulated reflected infrared signals associated with the proximity sensor light source). 
     As another example, a motion detector may be formed from an array of infrared detectors. The array of infrared detectors may be used as a detector of reflected modulated light in a light-based proximity sensor or may be used as a temperature sensor. 
     Using sensors that measure the temperature of external objects such as a user&#39;s head, that measure the proximity of nearby objects, that measure ambient light levels, and/or that measure motion in objects such as a user&#39;s hand, control circuitry can control the operation of an electronic device. For example, the functionality of the electronic device may be controlled based on how far the electronic device is located from external objects such as a user&#39;s head. When the electronic device is not in the vicinity of the user&#39;s head, for example, the electronic device can be operated in a normal mode in which a touch screen display is enabled. In response to detection of the presence of the electronic device in the vicinity of the user&#39;s head, the electronic device may be operated in a mode in which the touch screen is disabled or other appropriate actions are taken. Disabling touch sensing capabilities from the electronic device when the electronic device is near the user&#39;s head may help avoid inadvertent touch input as the touch sensor comes into contact with the user&#39;s ear and hair. Disabling display functions in the touch screen display when the electronic device is near the user&#39;s head may help conserve power and reduce user confusion about the status of the display. 
     An illustrative electronic device that may be provided with sensors is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic devices such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be cellular telephones, media players, other handheld portable devices, somewhat smaller portable devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, or other wearable or miniature devices, gaming equipment, tablet computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, televisions, computer monitors, computers integrated into computer displays, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  may include a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may be mounted in a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may have upper and lower portions joined by a hinge (e.g., in a laptop computer) or may form a structure without a hinge, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). 
     Display  14  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. 
     Display  14  may include an array of display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic display pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. The brightness of display  14  may be adjustable. For example, display  14  may include a backlight unit formed from a light source such as a lamp or light-emitting diodes that can be used to increase or decrease display backlight levels (e.g., to increase or decrease the brightness of the image produced by display pixels) and thereby adjust display brightness. Display  14  may also include organic light-emitting diode pixels or other pixels with adjustable intensities. In this type of display, display brightness can be adjusted by adjusting the intensities of drive signals used to control individual display pixels. 
     Display  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass or clear plastic. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . An opening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate ports such as speaker port  18 . 
     In the center of display  14  (e.g., in the portion of display  14  within rectangular region  22  of  FIG. 1 ), display  14  may contain an array of active display pixels. Region  22  may therefore sometimes be referred to as active area AA of display  14 . The rectangular ring-shaped region that surrounds the periphery of active display region  22  may not contain any active display pixels and may therefore sometimes be referred to as inactive area IA of display  14 . 
     The display cover layer or other display layers in display  14  may be provided with an opaque masking layer in the inactive region to hide internal components from view by a user. Windows such as illustrative window  20  may be formed in the opaque masking layer to accommodate light-based components. The windows may be free of opaque masking material so that light of all wavelengths may pass or may be covered with an ink or other material that is opaque in one part of the light spectrum while being transparent in another part of the light spectrum. For example, a window such as window  20  may be provided in an opaque masking layer that is formed from black ink or other material that is opaque in infrared and visible portions of the light spectrum. This window may be filled with an ink or other material that is transparent to infrared light but that is sufficiently opaque to visible light to block internal component in device  10  from view by a user. 
     A schematic diagram of device  10  showing how device  10  may include sensors and other components is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , electronic device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Storage and processing circuitry  40  may include one or more different types of storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used in controlling the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on a processor such as a microprocessor and other suitable integrated circuits. With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, software for capturing and processing images, software implementing functions associated with gathering and processing sensor data, software that makes adjustments to display brightness and touch sensor functionality, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include wired and wireless communications circuitry  34 . Communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include input-output devices  36  such as button  16  of  FIG. 1 , joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, a touch screen such as display  14  of  FIG. 1 , other touch sensors such as track pads or touch-sensor-based buttons, vibrators, audio components such as microphones and speakers, image capture devices such as a camera module having an image sensor and a corresponding lens system, keyboards, status-indicator lights, tone generators, key pads, and other equipment for gathering input from a user or other external source and/or generating output for a user. 
     Sensor circuitry such as sensors  38  of  FIG. 2  may include an ambient light sensor for gathering information on ambient light levels. Ambient light sensor circuitry may include one or more semiconductor detectors (e.g., silicon-based detectors) or other light detection circuitry. Sensors  38  may also include proximity sensor components. Sensors  38  may, for example, include a light source for generating a modulated light signal and a light detector for measuring how much of the modulated light from the light source is reflected from nearby objects. Sensors  38  may include temperature-sensitive structures such as single-element or multi-element infrared detectors. An infrared detector such as a detector that senses light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns may be used to perform proximity sensor light detection functions and temperature sensor functions. A multi-element infrared detector (e.g., an infrared detector array that is configured to measure light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns) may serve as a motion sensor. Detector structures within an infrared detector array may be used as part of a temperature sensor or a proximity sensor (e.g., in scenarios in which the infrared detector array is configured to measure light at infrared wavelengths longer than about 3 microns). 
     A cross-sectional side view of electronic device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  may be mounted in housing  12 . Display structures  44  such as a liquid crystal display module, an organic light-emitting diode display layer, or other display structures that include an array of active display pixels may be formed under active area AA of display cover layer  42 . Display cover layer  42  may be formed from a clear glass layer, a layer of transparent plastic, or other cover layer material. A layer of ink (e.g., black ink or white ink or ink of other colors) such as opaque masking layer  43  may be formed on the underside of display cover layer  42  in inactive area IA. 
     One or more sensor windows such as sensor window  20  may be formed in opaque masking layer  43 . Sensor window  20  may be devoid of opaque masking material or may be filled with a layer of material that is transparent at some wavelengths (e.g., infrared wavelengths) while being opaque at other wavelengths (e.g., visible wavelengths). 
     Sensor structures  38  such as light sources, light detectors, and other structures may be mounted under opaque masking material  43  in alignment with windows such as window  20 . Communications paths such as metal lines on dielectric substrates may be used in interconnecting sensor structures  38  with processing circuitry in device  10 . As an example, sensors  38  may be mounted on a substrate such as substrate  46 F. Substrate  46 F may be coupled to additional substrates in device  10  such as illustrative substrate  46  using connectors such as connector  50  (e.g., a board-to-board connector or other connection structures). 
     Device  10  may have electrical components such as components  48 . Components  48  may include integrated circuits, buttons, connectors, sensors, and other circuitry of the type shown in  FIG. 2 . Components  48  may be mounted on one or more substrates such as substrate  46  and/or substrate  46 F. Substrates  46  and  46 F may be dielectric carriers such as molded plastic carriers or may be printed circuits. For example, substrates  46  and  46 F may be printed circuits such as rigid printed circuit boards formed from a material such as fiberglass-filled epoxy or flexible printed circuits formed from sheets of polyimide or other flexible polymer layers. 
     During operation of device  10 , external objects such as external object  52  may be placed in the vicinity of device  10 . External object  52  may be a human body part. For example, in a scenario in which a user is placing device  10  in the vicinity of the user&#39;s head (e.g., within 5 cm, within 3 cm, or within other distances, external object  52  may be an ear on the side of the user&#39;s head. External object  52  may also be a human body part such as a finger or hand of a user (e.g., in a configuration in which a user is making a hand motion in the vicinity of device  10  to supply a command to device  10 ). 
     Sensors  38  may monitor the external object. For example, a proximity sensor may detect whether or not the external object is present in the vicinity of device  10  (e.g., within a given distance of sensors  38 ). Device  10  may, for example, determine whether device  10  is being held against the ear of a user. As another example, sensors  38  may include a detector array that senses heat and motion associated with external object  52 . This may allow sensors  38  to track movement of a user&#39;s hand during a hand gesture command. 
     Sensors  38  may operate using light. The light that is used in operating sensors  38  may be ultraviolet light, visible light, and/or infrared light. Infrared light for sensors  38  may be light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns such as near infrared light (e.g., light with a wavelength shorter than about 5 microns such as light at wavelengths of 3-5 microns) or mid-infrared light (e.g., light with a wavelength of 5 microns to about 25-40 microns). Sensor configurations that are based at least partly on infrared light such as light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns and/or mid-infrared light can be used to gather temperature information as well as proximity and/or motion information and are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Air contains water vapor that tends to absorb infrared light. There are windows in the water vapor absorption spectrum at 3-5 microns and 8-14 microns in wavelength. In these wavelength ranges, light for sensors  38  is able to propagate through air without excessive absorption by water vapor. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , sensor structures  38  may contain one or more light sources such as light source(s)  38 A and one or more detectors such as light detector(s)  38 B. Light sources  38 A may include lasers, lamps, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) light sources (sometimes referred to as MEMS light bulbs), parametric oscillators, light-emitting diodes, or other light sources. For example, light sources  38 A may include a light-emitting diode or laser diode formed from gallium arsenide that operates at a wavelength of 850 nm, may be an InAsSbP light-emitting diode or laser that operates at a wavelength of about 3-4 microns (as an example), may be an optical parametric oscillator based on semiconductor such as CdSe that emits light at a wavelength of about 10 microns, or may be a MEMS light source (MEMS light bulb) that emits light at a wavelength of about 10-15 microns. Light-emitting diodes and lasers may be formed from gallium arsenide, InAsSbP, CdSe or other semiconductors. 
     Light detectors  38 B may include silicon detectors for detecting 850 nm light and other infrared light, light detectors based on HgTe or CdTe for detecting 10 micron light, detectors using other semiconductor materials, heat sensing structures such as bolometers (e.g., single-element bolometers or microbolometer arrays), or other infrared light detectors. 
     When used as part of a light-based proximity sensor, control circuitry  40  may modulate one or more of light sources  38 A and may monitor one or more of light detectors  38 B. Detected signals from detectors  38 B may be demodulated (e.g., using the same type of modulation scheme used in modulating light  100 ). The process of modulating light  100  from light source  38 A may help control circuitry  40  discriminate between light  102  (which is reflected modulated light from external object  52  that is indicative of whether or not external object  52  is in the vicinity of sensors  38 B) and other light received by detectors  38 B. 
     Particularly at longer wavelengths (e.g., wavelengths of 3-15 microns), infrared light is associated with heat. By monitoring for the presence of wavelengths from 3-5 microns and/or 10-15 microns or other suitable wavelengths using detectors  38 B, detectors  38 B can make temperature measurements on external object  52 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, external object  52  may emit blackbody radiation in the form of infrared light  104  (e.g., light from 3-15 microns in wavelength or other heat wavelengths). The temperature of object  52  can be measured by detecting blackbody light  104 . Light  100  and reflected light  102  may be infrared light in a different wavelength range than light  104  or light  100 ,  102 , and  104  may include light at the same wavelengths. Light sources such as sun  108  produce ambient light  106 . If desired, detectors  38 B may be used in monitoring ambient light  106  (e.g., in the visible portion of the spectrum). 
     At longer wavelengths (e.g., wavelengths from 3-15 microns, the emissivity of objects at room temperature such as object  52  of  FIG. 4  tends to grow relative to other sources of light such as ambient light source  108 . This allows detectors  38 B to measure the temperature of external objects using light  104 . Temperature measurements may be used to help discriminated between the presence of a user&#39;s ear (or other body part) and the presence of inanimate (colder) objects. Device  10  is able to take appropriate action in response to detection of external objects  52  when device  10  is able to accurately ascertain the identity of external objects  52  using temperature measurements in addition to or instead of using proximity sensor measurements that do not reveal information on the temperature of the external objects. 
     To reduce the amount of circuitry within device  10 , it may be desirable to consolidate multiple light processing functions within a device. Consider, as an example, a scenario in which light source  38 A is formed from a MEMS light source (i.e., a MEMS light bulb) that emits light  100  at a wavelength of 10-15 microns. Detector  38 B may be a bolometer that detects light at a wavelength range of 10-15 microns. Control circuitry  40  may modulate the MEMS light source at a frequency of about 10-100 Hz (as an example). When external object  52  is present in the vicinity of device  10 , modulated light  100  will reflect from object  52  as shown by reflected light  102  of  FIG. 4 . Control circuitry may use information on the modulation scheme being used to transmit light  100  to accurately demodulate the reflected light and thereby measure how much reflected light  102  is being received at sensors  38 B. 
     When it is desired to gather temperature information, control circuitry  40  may turn off light source  38 A to stop the production of modulated light  100  and reflected modulated light  102  or may filter out detected modulated light signals. In this way, detector  38 B (i.e., the bolometer in this example) may detect blackbody light  104  and may use this information to determine the temperature of external object  52 . The detected blackbody light (light  104 ) is preferably distinguishable from ambient light  106  due to the relatively long wavelength of light  104  (e.g., 3-15 microns) that is emitted from external object  52 . 
     If desired, detector  38 B may be an infrared sensor array (e.g., a bolometer formed from a grid of heat sensor elements such as detector  38 B of  FIG. 5 , which has a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of heat sensing elements  38 B′). Lens  110  may be formed from one or more individual lenses. To ensure that heat measurements can be made using sensor  38 B, lens  110  may be formed from a material that is transparent to infrared light with a wavelength of 3-15 microns such as silicon. 
     Control circuitry  40  may modulate light source  38 A to form modulated light  100 . Light source  38 A may, for example, be a MEMS light bulb that produces modulated light  100 . Reflected modulated light  102  may be detected by all of sensor elements  38 B′ of sensor  38 B or may be detected using a subset of sensor elements (heat-sensing elements) such as subset  112  of sensor elements  38 B′ (e.g., a single one of sensor elements  38 B′ or a group of multiple elements  38 B′). This allows light source  38 A and light detector  38 B of  FIG. 5  to serve as a light-based proximity sensor using light  102  from light source  38 A. 
     Blackbody light  104  may also be detected by one or more of sensor elements  38 B′ (i.e., sensor  38 B of  FIG. 5  may serve as a temperature sensor). 
     When multiple heat sensor elements  38 B′ of sensor  38 B are available to control circuitry  40 , sensor  38 B may used in detecting motion in object  52  relative to device  10 . Sensor  38 B may, for example, detect motion of object  52  when object  52  is a user&#39;s hand being used to supply device  10  with a hand gesture command (as an example). 
     The light source and detector structures of  FIG. 5  may therefore be used in light-based proximity functions (e.g., by modulating light source  38 A and demodulating corresponding received light  102  from detector  38 B), in making temperature measurements from external light  104  (e.g., using subset  112  of heat sensing elements  38 B′ in detector  38 ), and/or in making motion detector measurements (e.g., using the array of elements  38 B′ in detector  38 B. It is not necessary to provide numerous separate light sensing structures in device  10 . 
     If desired, light source  38 A of  FIG. 5  may be a light source operating at 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns, an InAsSbP light-emitting diode or laser operating in a wavelength range of 3-5 microns, a parametric oscillator operating at 10 microns, a MEMs light source, or other light source, and light detector  38 B may be a detector that is sensitive to light at 3-5 microns such as a photodetector formed from the InAsSb/InAsSbP materials system, a bolometer, a light detector that is sensitive to light in a wavelength range of 10-15 microns, a detector that is sensitive to light at 10 microns such as a solid state HgTe or CdTe detector, a detector array, or other infrared light sensor. 
     Illustrative steps involved in using information from sensor structures  38  in operating device  10  are shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     At step  112 , one or more light sources  38 A may, if desired, transmit light  100 . One or more light sources  38 A may be included in structures  38 . For example, structures  38  may include semiconductor laser structures, semiconductor light-emitting diode structures, MEMs light sources (i.e., MEMs “light bulbs”), parametric oscillators, lamps, light sources that operate at near infrared wavelengths such as 850 nm, light sources that operate at near infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths such as at 3-5 microns and 10-15 microns, light sources that produce visible light in addition to or instead of producing infrared light, or light sources that produce other types of light. 
     Transmitted light  100  may be reflected from nearby objects such as external object  52  as reflected light  102 . When object  52  is not present in the vicinity of device  10 , light  100  will propagate in free space without being reflected back towards device  10  and sensor structures  38 . As a result, device  10  will not detect reflected light  102  and can conclude that external object  52  is not in the vicinity of device  10  (i.e., object  52  is more than 10 cm or other distance from device  10 ). When object  52  is present, reflected light  102  can be detected by detector  38 B. 
     To ensure that control circuitry  40  can satisfactorily discriminate reflected proximity sensor light  102  from other sources of light, it may be desirable to modulate light  100  during the light transmission operations of step  112 . Light  100  may be modulated using a sine wave modulation scheme, using square wave modulation, using a pseudorandom modulation code or other binary modulation pattern, or using any other suitable modulation technique. The bandwidth of light source  38 A and therefore the ability of light source  38 A to be modulated at a desired frequency may be dictated by the type of structures that are used in implementing light source  38 A. As an example, semiconductor structures such as laser and light-emitting diode structures may be modulated at relatively higher frequencies (e.g., 1-1000 kHz or more) whereas lamps and MEMs light sources may have bandwidths that dictate use of modulation frequencies of 10-100 Hz (as an example). 
     During the operations of step  114 , device  10  may use detector structures to detect incoming light in the vicinity of device  10 . Control circuitry  40  may process the light that is detected during the operations of step  114  at step  120  and may take appropriate action based on the detected light signals at step  122 . Processing may then loop back to steps  112  and  114 , as indicated by line  124   
     Device  10  may include one or more light detectors  38 B for detecting light during the operations of step  114 . For example, device  10  may contain a near infrared transmitter  38 A such as a light-emitting diode that emits light  100  at 850 nm (as part of the operations of step  112 ) and may have a corresponding near infrared detector  38 B that is configured to detect reflected modulated infrared light  102  at 850 nm (as part of the operations of step  114 ). The 850 nm light source and 850 nm detector in this type of scenario serve as a proximity sensor. The 850 nm optical detector may have optical filtering structures that block visible light and that block infrared light at wavelengths other than 850 nm. The optical filtering structures may enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of received 850 nm signals, so that accurate proximity data is produced. The 850 nm transmitter may be modulated and control circuitry  40  may demodulate detected signals for reflected light  102  as part of the processing operations of step  120 . 
     In configurations in which device  10  is provided with an 850 nm proximity sensor of this type, detector structures  38 B are preferably provided with at least one longer-wavelength detector such as a detector operating at a wavelength longer than 3 microns (e.g., wavelengths of 3-5 microns or at 10-15 microns) so that temperature measurements may be made at step  114 . In particular, control circuitry  40  may use a detector operating at wavelengths longer than 3 microns such as wavelengths of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns to measure heat (blackbody light  104 ) from nearby objects such as external object  52 . During the operations of step  120 , control circuitry  40  can process the 850 nm proximity sensor signals and heat signals. By comparing proximity sensor signals associated with an 850 nm proximity sensor and heat measurements, control circuitry  40  can discriminated between nearby inanimate objects that produce relatively small amounts of heat and animate objects such as an ear, hand, or other body parts that tend to emit detectable amounts of heat (blackbody light  104 ). Ambient light  106  can be detected using a separate visible light ambient light detector. Ambient light  106  that is incident on the heat detector (i.e., the sensor  38 B that is sensitive to light with a wavelength longer than 3 microns such as light at wavelengths of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns) will generally produce small (e.g., negligible) amounts of detected signal compared to nearby heat-emitting objects such as human body parts. 
     In another illustrative embodiment, light sensors  38 B contain an ambient light detector such as a visible light detector for detecting ambient light  106  and contain a detector  38 B that is sensitive to light at wavelengths longer than 3 microns such as wavelengths of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns, but do not necessarily contain a separate proximity sensor detector operating at 850 nm. In this situation, detector  38 B can be use to make heat measurements (measurements of blackbody light  104 ) as well as proximity sensor measurements using modulated light at a wavelength of longer than 3 microns (e.g., wavelengths of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns). During the operations of step  112 , control circuitry  40  can modulate a transmitter  38 A that is operating at a wavelength of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns or other wavelengths greater than 3 microns. When external object  52  is in the vicinity of device  10 , the modulated light  100  that is transmitted from transmitter  38 A will be reflected from object  52  as light  102 . Detector  38 B (i.e., sensor structures that are responsive to light at wavelengths of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns or other wavelengths longer than 3 microns) will detect reflected modulated light  102  and blackbody light  104 . Reflected signals  102  can be extracted from the total detected signals from sensor structures  38 B by using control circuitry  40  to perform signal demodulation operations during step  120  (e.g., using a demodulation scheme corresponding to the modulation scheme used in transmitting modulated light  100 ). This allows control circuitry  120  to discriminate between proximity sensor signals (i.e., reflected light signals  102  that are modulated when transmitted during step  112 ) and blackbody light  104 , which is emitted by nearby objects such as human body parts that give off heat. Ambient light  106  contains relatively small amounts of light at wavelengths of 3-5 and 10-15 microns and can therefore be ignored when processing the signals from the sensor structures  38 B that are sensitive to light at wavelengths of 3-5 microns, 10-15 microns, or other wavelengths longer than 3 microns. 
     As described in connection with  FIG. 5 , sensors such as sensor  38 B of  FIG. 5  may be provided with multiple sensing elements  38 B′. Each sensing element  38 B′ may, for example, be sensitive to light at a wavelength of 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns. During the operations of step  114 , sensor  38 B can gather data from all elements  38 B′ and/or from a subset of elements  38 B′. During the operations of step  120 , the gathered data can be processed to discriminate between proximity sensor data (i.e., modulated light  102 ) and blackbody light  104  such as light from a human body part or other external object  52  that emits heat. If desired, a subset of one or more of sensor elements  38 B′ may be used to as a detector for detecting proximity sensor (modulated light  102 ) and/or blackbody light  104 . Because sensor  38 B contains an array of elements  38 B′ (in this example) control circuitry  40  can capture thermal images of external object  52  and/or can otherwise gather multi-element data of the type that can be used to detect motion in object  52  relative to device  10 . When processing sensor data to detect motion, control circuitry  40  preferably uses signals from multiple elements  38 B′ (e.g., all elements in the sensor array). 
     Regardless of the particular hardware configuration used for sensor structures  38  of device  10 , device  10  may, during the operations of step  120  use data form sensor structures  38  in performing functions such as proximity sensing functions (i.e., determining whether or not external objects  52  are present in the vicinity of device  10 ), temperature sensing functions (i.e., monitoring infrared light to determine whether a heat-emitting external object is nearby), motion sensing functions (i.e., determining whether a user is providing motion-based gesture input to device  10 ), and/or ambient light sensing functions. 
     During the operations of step  122 , device  10  can take actions based on the measured and processed data from sensor structures  38 . As an example, control circuitry  40  in device  10  may inhibit touch sensor functionality in touch screen display  14  when it is determined that device  10  is in close proximity to the user&#39;s head, device  10  may adjust the brightness of display  14  based on ambient light levels, device  10  may respond to a motion-based hand command from the user, etc. As indicated schematically by line  124 , the steps of  FIG. 6  may be performed continuously during the operation of device  10  (as an example). 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20130111
Publication Date: 20150317
Grant Date: 20150317
Priority Date: 20130111
Inventors: YANG HENRY H.
LAST MATTHEW E.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04M1/724631", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/72577", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/32", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3231", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3265", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/724631", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02D10/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3265", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3231", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3231", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3265", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/32", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02D10/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 51164476