Ultrasonic touch sensor-based virtual button
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsSaurav Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Eliza Yingzi Du
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus including an electronic device is configured with an ultrasonic touch sensor-based virtual button. The ultrasonic sensor is disposed behind a first portion of an exterior surface of the electronic device. A processor associated with one or both of the electronic device and the ultrasonic sensor is configured to: (i) process a signal received from the ultrasonic sensor so as to acquire image data of a surface or substance in contact with the first portion of the exterior surface; and (ii) make a first determination whether or not the acquired image data is related to an intended control touch on the first portion by determining whether or not the image data is characteristic of a fingerprint or a patterned stylus.
Claims30
An apparatus comprising:
- an electronic device including a first exterior surface;
- an ultrasonic sensor disposed behind a first portion of the first exterior surface;
- and
- a processor, the processor being associated with one or both of the electronic device and the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- process a signal received from the ultrasonic sensor so as to acquire image data of a surface of an object or substance in contact with the first portion of the first exterior surface and so as to determine whether or not the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface;
- and
- make a first determination, only upon determining that the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface, that the image data results from a deliberate contact of the surface with the first portion of the first exterior surface.
A method comprising:
- receiving, at a processor of an electronic device that includes a first exterior surface, a signal from an ultrasonic sensor disposed behind a first portion of the first exterior surface, and, with the processor:
- processing the signal received from the ultrasonic sensor so as to acquire image data of a surface of an object or substance in contact with the first portion of the first exterior surface and so as to determine whether or not the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface;
- and
- making a first determination, only upon determining that the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface, that the image data results from a deliberate contact of the surface with the first portion of the first exterior surface.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for causing a processor of an electronic device to:
- process a signal received from an ultrasonic sensor disposed behind a first portion of a first exterior surface of an electronic device so as to acquire image data of a surface of an object or substance in contact with the first portion of the first exterior surface and so as to determine whether or not the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface;
- and
- make a first determination, only upon determining that the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface, that the image data results from a deliberate contact of the surface with the first portion of the first exterior surface.
An apparatus comprising:
- an electronic device including a first exterior surface;
- an ultrasonic sensor disposed behind a first portion of the first exterior surface;
- and
- means for:
- processing the signal received from the ultrasonic sensor so as to acquire image data of a surface of an object or substance in contact with the first portion of the first exterior surface and so as to determine whether or not the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface;
- and
- make a first determination, only upon determining that the acquired image data of the surface is characteristic of a structurally textured surface, that the image data results from a deliberate contact of the surface with the first portion of the first exterior surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.