Electronic devices and corresponding methods enabling control operation performance in response to user input motion detected by an image capture device

An electronic device, comprising:

• at least one image capture device configured as a camera to either capture images of front-facing subjects or rear-facing subjects relative to the electronic device;
• at least one display;
• and
• one or more processors operable with the at least one image capture device and the at least one display;
• wherein:
• the one or more processors are configured, using signals from the at least one image capture device, to detect an object interacting with the at least one image capture device in accordance with a user input motion by contacting a surface of the electronic device where the at least one image capture device is situated and perform, in response to the object interacting with the at least one image capture device, a control operation associated with the user input motion;
• the electronic device comprises a first device housing that is pivotable relative to a second device housing between a closed position and an axially displaced open position;
• and
• the one or more processors are configured to perform, in response to the object interacting with the at least one image capture device, the control operation associated with the user input motion only when the electronic device is in the closed position.

A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

• detecting, with an image capture device that is one of a wide field of view camera or a telephoto camera and that is exposed both when a first device housing that is pivotable about a hinge relative to a second device housing between an axially displaced open position and a closed position are in the axially displaced open position and in the closed position, user input from an object interacting with the image capture device while the first device housing is pivoted relative to the second device housing to the closed position;
• controlling, by one or more processors, content presented on a display that is also exposed both when the first device housing and the second device housing are in the axially displaced open position and the closed position in accordance with the user input;
• and
• confirming, by the one or more processors, that the object is interacting with the image capture device by determining a distance between a surface of the electronic device where the image capture device is situated and the object.

A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

• detecting, with an image capture device that is one of a wide field of view camera or a telephoto camera and that is exposed both when a first device housing that is pivotable about a hinge relative to a second device housing between an axially displaced open position and a closed position are in the axially displaced open position and in the closed position, user input from an object interacting with the image capture device while the first device housing is pivoted relative to the second device housing to the closed position;
• controlling, by one or more processors, content presented on a display that is also exposed both when the first device housing and the second device housing are in the axially displaced open position and the closed position in accordance with the user input;
• and
• precluding, by the one or more processors, the controlling unless other predefined user input was received prior to the user input transitioning the image capture device to a user interface control mode of operation.