Camera of an electronic device used as a proximity detector
AssigneeSony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
InventorsFredrik Palmqvist, Goran W. Schack
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Abstract
A portable electronic device includes an optical input device operative to capture image data, at least one subsystem for controlling at least one operating parameter of the electronic device, and a proximity detection circuit operatively coupled to said optical input device and said subsystem. The proximity detection circuit is operative to determine if an object is within a predetermined distance of the electronic device based on the captured image data and, based on the determination, command the at least one subsystem to change the least one operating parameter.
Claims19
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- an optical input device operative to capture image data;
- at least one subsystem for controlling at least one operating parameter of the electronic device;
- and
- a proximity detection circuit operatively coupled to said optical input device and said subsystem, said proximity detection circuit operative to determine if an object is within a predetermined distance of the electronic device based on the captured image data and, based on the determination, command the at least one subsystem to change the least one operating parameter.
A method for controlling at least one subsystem of a portable electronic device, said electronic device including an optical input device, comprising:
- capturing image data via the optical input device;
- detecting if an object is within a predetermined distance of the electronic device based on the captured image data;
- and
- controlling the at least one subsystem based on whether or not the object is within the predetermined range of the electronic device.
The method according to claim 19, wherein the object is a carrying case of the electronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.