# US 12,118,165 B2 · Proximity detection device and method for detecting proximity

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- Number: US 12,118,165 B2
- Document ID: US12118165B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/466,161
- Filed: 2023-09-13
- Published: 2024-04-18
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2022-09-22
- Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Teiichi Ichikawa; Shohei Yoshida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118165B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0421: {by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters}
- G01S 7/484: Transmitters
- G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)}
- B60K 2360/141: Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
- B60K 2360/332: Light emitting diodes
- B60K 2360/48: Sensors
- B60W 2420/40: Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors
- G01S 7/4868: {Controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor}
- G06F 2203/04101: 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
- G06F 2203/04108: Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

## Abstract

A proximity detection device according to the present invention includes: a plurality of light emitting elements; a plurality of light receiving elements; a drive circuit configured to sequentially drive the plurality of light emitting elements; a measurement circuit configured to measure a light reception signal of a corresponding light receiving element when the plurality of light emitting elements are sequentially driven; and a control unit configured to i) control a drive current of a light emitting element such that a light emission amount of the light emitting element is suppressed, and ii) amplify a detection signal of a light receiving element to compensate for the suppressed light emission amount during measurement with a relatively short distance between the light emitting element and the light receiving element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A proximity detection device that detects proximity of an object by irradiating the object with light from light emitting elements and receiving reflected light by light receiving elements, the proximity detection device comprising:
a plurality of the light emitting elements;
a plurality of the light receiving elements;
a drive unit configured to sequentially drive the plurality of light emitting elements;
a measurement unit configured to measure a detection signal output from a corresponding light receiving element when the plurality of light emitting elements are sequentially driven; and,
a control unit configured to i) control a drive current of a light emitting element such that a light emission amount of the light emitting element is suppressed and, ii) amplify a detection signal of a light receiving element to compensate for the suppressed light emission amount during measurement with a relatively short distance between the light emitting element and the light receiving element;
wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are arranged substantially linearly, a first light emitting element is arranged on one side of the light receiving elements, a second light emitting element is arranged on the other side, and a distance between the first light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element is smaller than a distance between the second light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element; and,
wherein the control unit suppresses a light emission amount of the first light emitting element and amplifies a detection signal of a light receiving element corresponding to driving of the first light emitting element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The proximity detection device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement unit measures detection signals output from a light receiving element common to the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The proximity detection device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements emit infrared light, the light receiving elements receive the infrared light, and an optical member that transmits the infrared light, but blocks visible light from the outside, is arranged above the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The proximity detection device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are mounted on a substrate, a plurality of internal spaces are formed between the substrate and the optical member by a partition member having a light shielding property, and one light receiving element is arranged in one internal space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The proximity detection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes an amplifier that amplifies the detection signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The proximity detection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit amplifies the detection signal by software processing.

### Claim 7

A proximity detection device that detects proximity of an object by irradiating the object with light from light emitting elements and receiving reflected light by light receiving elements, the proximity detection device comprising:
a plurality of the light emitting elements;
a plurality of the light receiving elements;
a drive unit configured to sequentially drive the plurality of light emitting elements;
a measurement unit configured to measure a detection signal output from a corresponding light receiving element when the plurality of light emitting elements are sequentially driven; and,
a control unit configured to i) control a drive current of a light emitting element such that a light emission amount of the light emitting element is suppressed and, ii) amplify a detection signal of a light receiving element to compensate for the suppressed light emission amount during measurement with a relatively short distance between the light emitting element and the light receiving element;
wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are arranged substantially linearly, a first light emitting element is arranged on one side of the light receiving elements, a second light emitting element is arranged on the other side, and a distance between the first light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element is smaller than a distance between the second light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element; and,
wherein the measurement unit measures detection signals output from a light receiving element common to the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The proximity detection device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit suppresses a light emission amount of the first light emitting element and amplifies a detection signal of a light receiving element corresponding to driving of the first light emitting element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The proximity detection device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting elements emit infrared light, the light receiving elements receive the infrared light, and an optical member that transmits the infrared light, but blocks visible light from the outside, is arranged above the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The proximity detection device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are mounted on a substrate, a plurality of internal spaces are formed between the substrate and the optical member by a partition member having a light shielding property, and one light receiving element is arranged in one internal space.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The proximity detection device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit includes an amplifier that amplifies the detection signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The proximity detection device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit amplifies the detection signal by software processing.

### Claim 13

A proximity detection device that detects proximity of an object by irradiating the object with light from light emitting elements and receiving reflected light by light receiving elements, the proximity detection device comprising:
a plurality of the light emitting elements;
a plurality of the light receiving elements;
a drive unit configured to sequentially drive the plurality of light emitting elements;
a measurement unit configured to measure a detection signal output from a corresponding light receiving element when the plurality of light emitting elements are sequentially driven; and,
a control unit configured to i) control a drive current of a light emitting element such that a light emission amount of the light emitting element is suppressed and, ii) amplify a detection signal of a light receiving element to compensate for the suppressed light emission amount during measurement with a relatively short distance between the light emitting element and the light receiving element;
wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are arranged substantially linearly, a first light emitting element is arranged on one side of the light receiving elements, a second light emitting element is arranged on the other side, and a distance between the first light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element is smaller than a distance between the second light emitting element and a corresponding light receiving element; and,
wherein the light emitting elements emit infrared light, the light receiving elements receive the infrared light, and an optical member that transmits the infrared light, but blocks visible light from the outside, is arranged above the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The proximity detection device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit suppresses a light emission amount of the first light emitting element and amplifies a detection signal of a light receiving element corresponding to driving of the first light emitting element.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The proximity detection device according to claim 13, wherein the measurement unit measures detection signals output from a light receiving element common to the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The proximity detection device according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements and the plurality of light receiving elements are mounted on a substrate, a plurality of internal spaces are formed between the substrate and the optical member by a partition member having a light shielding property, and one light receiving element is arranged in one internal space.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The proximity detection device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit includes an amplifier that amplifies the detection signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The proximity detection device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit amplifies the detection signal by software processing.