# US 10,119,864 B2 · Display viewing detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,864 B2 - Document ID: US10119864B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/444,206 - Filed: 2014-07-28 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-11 - Assignees: Google Technology Holdings LLC - Applicants: Google Technology Holdings LLC - Inventors: Rachid M. Alameh; William S. Hede; Hisashi D. Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119864B2 ## CPC - G01J 5/027: {making use of sensor-related data, e.g. for identification of sensor parts or optical elements} - G01J 5/10: using electric radiation detectors - G06F 1/1605: {Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones} - G06F 1/1694: {the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer} - G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users - G06F 1/3265: {Power saving in display device} - H04M 1/67: by electronic means - H04M 1/72454: according to context-related or environment-related conditions - H04R 1/08: Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor - H04W 52/0254: {detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device} - G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging} - G01J 2005/106: {Arrays} - G06F 2200/1637: Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer - H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion - H04M 2250/52: including functional features of a camera - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract In embodiments of display viewing detection, a presence module, implemented on an electronic device, enables a first sensor to detect an object responsive to detecting audio via one or more microphones of the electronic device. The first sensor generates data that is used by the presence module to determine that the object is within a viewing range of the electronic device and that movement of the object is below a predetermined threshold. The presence module then enables at least a second sensor to confirm the object is viewing a display of the electronic device. When the object is detected by the second sensor, the presence module enables the display for viewing by the object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method carried out by an electronic device that includes one or more microphones and a first sensor, the method comprising: detecting, by the one or more microphones, audio indicating a presence of a user; in response to detecting the audio indicating the presence of the user, enabling the first sensor to detect the user; determining that the user is within a viewing range of the electronic device based at least in part on data received from the first sensor; determining a pause in a movement of the user by determining that the movement of the user is below a predetermined threshold based at least in part on the data received from the first sensor; in response to determining that the user is within the viewing range of the electronic device and in response to determining the pause in the movement of the user, enabling at least one second sensor of the electronic device to confirm the user is viewing a display of the electronic device; and enabling the display of the electronic device for viewing by the user when the user is detected by the at least one second sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein prior to detecting the audio, the method further comprises determining that the electronic device is stationary based on data received from an accelerometer, wherein the first sensor and the at least one second sensor are disabled when the electronic device is stationary. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a wide beam heat sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the wide-beam heat sensor comprises multiple heat sensors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising adjusting a coverage of the wide beam heat sensor by enabling and disabling different ones of the multiple heat sensors, wherein the adjusting is based on a distance of the user from the electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one second sensor comprises a narrow-beam heat sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one second sensor comprises a narrow-beam infrared sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one second sensor comprises an imager to recognize the user who is an actual owner of the electronic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the at least one second sensor comprises: enabling a first narrow-beam sensor; when the user is detected by the first narrow-beam sensor, enabling a second narrow-beam sensor; and wherein enabling the display further comprises enabling the display of the electronic device for viewing when the user is detected by both the first narrow-beam sensor and the second narrow-beam sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second narrow-beam sensor is not enabled when the user is not detected by the first narrow-beam sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the first narrow-beam sensor comprises a narrow-beam infrared sensor, and wherein the second narrow-beam sensor comprises a narrow-beam heat sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the first narrow-beam sensor comprises a narrow-beam heat sensor, and wherein the second narrow-beam sensor comprises a narrow-beam infrared sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting the user by the at least one second sensor comprises enabling an imager to confirm that the at least one second sensor has detected a face of the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the display comprises one or more of powering on the display, lighting up the display, and rendering information on the display. ### Claim 15 An electronic device, comprising: one or more microphones configured to detect audio indicating a presence of a user; a wide-beam sensor configured to detect the user and generate data based on the user; a narrow-beam sensor configured to detect the user and generate data based on the user; a display having one or more portions for viewing by the user; and at least a memory and a processor to implement a presence module, the presence module configured to: detect the audio indicating the presence of the user via the one or more microphones; in response to detecting the audio indicating the presence of the user, enable the wide-beam sensor to detect the user; determine that the user is within a viewing range of the electronic device based on the data from the wide-beam sensor; determine a pause in a movement of the user by determining that the movement of the user is below a predetermined threshold based on the data from the wide-beam sensor; in response to determining that the user is within the viewing range of the electronic device and in response to determining the pause in the movement of the user, enable the narrow-beam sensor to detect the user; and enable at least one of the one or more portions of the display in response to the narrow-beam sensor detecting the user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device as recited in claim 15, further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the presence module is further configured to, prior to enabling the wide beam sensor, determine that the electronic device is stationary based on data received from the accelerometer, wherein the wide-beam sensor and the narrow-beam sensor are disabled when the electronic device is stationary. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electronic device as recited in claim 15, wherein the presence module is configured to enable the narrow-beam sensor by enabling a narrow-beam infrared sensor and a narrow-beam heat sensor, and wherein the presence module is configured to enable the display for viewing when the user is detected by both the narrow-beam infrared sensor and the narrow-beam heat sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic device as recited in claim 15, wherein the presence module is configured to enable the narrow-beam sensor to confirm the user is viewing the display of the electronic device by: enabling a first narrow-beam sensor; when the user is detected by the first narrow-beam sensor, enabling a second narrow-beam sensor; and wherein enabling the display further comprises enabling the display of the electronic device for viewing when the user is detected by both the first narrow-beam sensor and the second narrow-beam sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device as recited in claim 18, wherein the presence module does not enable the second narrow-beam sensor when the user is not detected by the first narrow-beam sensor. ### Claim 20 A method carried out by an electronic device, the method comprising: detecting an audio signal indicating a presence of a user via one or more microphones of the electronic device; in response to detecting the audio signal indicating the presence of the user, detecting the user at a wide-beam sensor and generating data based on the user; determining that the user is within a viewing range of the electronic device based on the data from the wide-beam sensor; determining a pause in a movement of the user by determining that the movement of the user is below a predetermined threshold based on the data from the wide-beam sensor; in response to determining that the user is within the viewing range of the electronic device and in response to determining the pause in the movement of the user, enabling a narrow-beam sensor to detect the user, and enabling one or more portions of a display of the electronic device in response to the narrow-beam sensor detecting the user.