# US 12,222,416 B2 · Electronic device for identifying attribute of object by using millimeter wave and control method therefor

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- Number: US 12,222,416 B2
- Document ID: US12222416B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/668,528
- Filed: 2022-02-10
- Published: 2022-05-26
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-16
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hyunkee Min; Chiho Kim; Junghun Lee; Taehun Lim; Junsu Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222416B2

## CPC

- G01S 13/08: Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46)
- G01S 7/006: {using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas (G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence)}
- G01S 7/41: using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
- G01S 13/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S13/46)
- G01S 13/867: {Combination of radar systems with cameras}
- G06F 3/00: Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence)
- G06F 21/31: User authentication
- G06V 40/11: {Hand-related biometrics; Hand pose recognition}
- G06V 40/113: {Recognition of static hand signs}
- G06V 40/172: {Classification, e.g. identification}
- G06V 40/28: {Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113)}
- G06V 40/40: Spoof detection, e.g. liveness detection
- G08C 17/02: using a radio link
- H01Q 21/08: the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)}
- G01S 13/288: {phase modulated}
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device using a millimeter wave comprises: a first antenna array; a second antenna array; a communication circuit; and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor may be configured to: control the communication circuit to output a first signal through the first antenna array; when a first reflected signal acquired from the first signal reflected by an object is received through the second antenna array, determine the range between the object and the electronic device on the basis of the first reflected signal; determine an output period of a second signal on the basis of the determined range; control the communication circuit to output the second signal through the first antenna array according to the determined output period; and when a second reflected signal acquired from the second signal reflected by the object is received through the second antenna array, identify an attribute of the object on the basis of the second reflected signal. Various other embodiments may be possible.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device, comprising:
a first antenna array;
a second antenna array;
a communication circuit;
a camera;
at least one hardware processor, and
memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to:
control the communication circuit to output a first signal through the first antenna array,
receive, through the second antenna array, a first reflection signal of the first signal reflected by an object,
determine a distance between the object and the electronic device based on the first reflection signal,
based on the distance, determine whether the distance is less than a first threshold distance,
based on the distance being equal to or less than the first threshold distance:
determine whether an angle of incidence of the first reflection signal is equal to or less than a threshold angle, wherein the angle of incidence of the first reflection signal includes a maximum angle among angles of incidence detected with respect to the camera,
when the angle of incidence of the first reflection signal is equal to or less than the threshold angle, determine an output period of a second signal as a first output period,
set a mode of the electronic device to a gesture recognition mode configured to identify a gesture of the object, after determining the first output period of the second signal, and
output the second signal based on the first output period of the second signal in the gesture recognition mode,
based on the distance being greater than the first threshold distance:
determine whether the distance is less than a second threshold distance longer than the first threshold distance,
based on the distance is equal to or less than the second threshold distance, determine whether the object corresponds to a face of a user,
based on the object corresponding to the face of the user, determine the output period of the second signal as a second output period shorter than the first output period,
set the mode of the electronic device to an authentication mode configured to identify the face of the user, after determining the second output period of the second signal, and
output the second signal based on the second output period of the second signal in the authentication mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein an authentication function in the authentication mode is performed based on an image of the object obtained from the camera and an attribute of the object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the attribute of the object comprises at least one of a position of the object, a material of the object, an angle of the object, an area of the object, a shape of the object, a direction of a movement of the object, or a speed of the movement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to:
detect an occurrence of an event on the electronic device, and
control the communication circuit to output the first signal, in response to detecting the occurrence of the event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the event comprises at least one of turn-on of a display, execution of a predesignated application, or reception of sensing data from a sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to determine the first output period for outputting the second signal and the second output period for outputting the second signal, based on at least one of a type of a running application, a type of an occurring event, or sensing data obtained from a sensor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to:
identify an operation state of the electronic device,
determine an output period of the first signal based on the identified operation state, and
control the communication circuit to output the first signal according to the determined output period of the first signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to:
determine at least one of time duration or a number of repetitions for outputting the second signal, based on the distance between the object and the electronic device, and
control the communication circuit to output the second signal according to at least one of the first output period of the second signal, the second output period of the second signal, the time duration, or the number of repetitions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the electronic device to identify the attribute of the object based on at least one a time-of-flight (ToF) identified from the second reflection signal, a channel impulse response, an amplitude, a phase, or an angle of reception.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory storage medium storing one or more program, the one or more program comprising computer-executable instructions, when executed by at least one processor an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
control a communication circuit of the electronic device to output a first signal through a first antenna array of the electronic device,
receive, through a second antenna array of the electronic device, a first reflection signal of the first signal reflected by an object,
determine a distance between the object and the electronic device based on the first reflection signal,
based on the distance, determine whether the distance is less than a first threshold distance,
based on the distance being equal to or less than the first threshold distance:
determine whether an angle of incidence of the first reflection signal is equal to or less than a threshold angle, wherein the angle of incidence of the first reflection signal includes a maximum angle among angles of incidence detected with respect to the camera,
when the angle of incidence of the first reflection signal is equal to or less than the threshold angle, determine an output period of a second signal as a first output period,
set a mode of the electronic device to a gesture recognition mode configured to identify a gesture of the object, after determining the first output period of the second signal, and
output the second signal based on the first output period of the second signal in the gesture recognition mode,
based on the distance being greater than the first threshold distance:
determine whether the distance is less than a second threshold distance longer than the first threshold distance,
based on the distance is equal to or less than the second threshold distance, determine whether the object corresponds to a face of a user,
based on the object corresponding to the face of the user, determine the output period of the second signal as a second output period shorter than the first output period,
set the mode of the electronic device to an authentication mode configured to identify the face of the user, after determining the second output period of the second signal, and
output the second signal based on the second output period of the second signal in the authentication mode.