Time-of-flight determination of user intent

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to selectively perform a predefined action by carrying out operations comprising:

• transmitting a wireless signal;
• receiving a wireless-return signal associated with an object;
• determining a range between the electronic device and the object, based at least in part on the wireless-return signal;
• and
• performing, when the range between the electronic device and the object satisfies a threshold value:
• performing, when a rate of change of the range satisfies a second non-zero threshold value, the predefined action, wherein the threshold value corresponds to
• a time for the electronic device to transition from a first state to a second state and corresponds to the rate of change of the range;
• wherein the predefined action comprises transitioning the electronic device from the first state to the second state;
• and
• wherein the transitioning comprises transitioning a first component in the electronic device at different time than the transitioning of a second component in the electronic device based at least in part on different respective times for the first and second components to transition from the first state to the second state;
• and
• modifying the threshold value based at least in part on an environment of the electronic device that impacts multi-path or interference signals.

A method for selectively performing a predefined action, comprising:

• by an electronic device:
• transmitting a wireless signal;
• receiving a wireless-return signal associated with an object;
• determining a range between the electronic device and the object, based at least in part on the wireless-return signal;
• and
• when the range between the electronic device and the object satisfies a threshold value:
• performing, when a rate of change of the range satisfies a second non-zero threshold value, the predefined action, wherein the threshold value corresponds to a time for the electronic device to transition from a first state to a second state and corresponds to the rate of change of the range;
• wherein the predefined action comprises transitioning the electronic device from the first state to the second state;
• and
• wherein the transitioning comprises transitioning a first component in the electronic device at different time than the transitioning of a second component in the electronic device based at least in part on different respective times for the first and second components to transition from the first state to the second state;
• and
• modifying the threshold value based at least in part on an environment of the electronic device that impacts multi-path or interference signals.