# US 2019/0171804 A1 · Electronic device and method for controlling activation of camera module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171804 A1 - Document ID: US20190171804A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,132 - Filed: 2017-07-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Woo-Yong LEE; Jun-Ho AN; Hye-Jin KANG; Min-Sheok CHOI; Jong-Hun WON; Ki-Huk LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171804A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints - G01J 5/48: Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means - G06V 10/143: Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths - G06V 40/19: Sensors therefor - G06V 40/197: {Matching; Classification} - H04M 1/724631: {by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad} - H04N 23/20: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04M 1/67: by electronic means - H04M 2250/52: including functional features of a camera - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present invention provides an electronic device and method for controlling the activation of a camera module. An electronic device according to various examples comprises: a sensor module; a first camera module including a first camera and a light emitting part; a second camera module; and a processor electrically connected to the sensor module, the first camera module, and the second camera module, wherein the processor determines whether an object is positioned within a first distance through the sensor module, inactivates the light emitting part or the first camera and the light emitting part of the first camera module if the object is positioned within the first distance, determines the distance between the object and the electronic device by using the second camera module, activates the light emitting part or the first camera and the light emitting part if the determined distance is greater than or equal to a second distance, and can perform iris authentication by using the first camera module. In addition, other examples are possible. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: a sensor module; a first camera module comprising a first camera and a light-emitting unit; a second camera module; and a processor electrically connected with the sensor module, the first camera module, and the second camera module, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether an object is located within a first distance, using the sensor module; deactivate the light-emitting unit of the first camera module or both the first camera and the light-emitting unit when the object is located within the first distance; determine a distance between the object and the electronic device, using the second camera module; and activate the light-emitting unit or both the light-emitting unit and the light-emitting unit and perform iris authentication using the first camera module, when the determined distance is greater than or equal to a second distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the first camera module and perform iris authentication using the first camera module, when the object is not located within the first distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to deactivate the first camera module upon elapse of a threshold time from when the first camera module is activated and the object is detected using the second camera module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the second camera module, determine whether the object is detected from image data output through the second camera module, and activate the first camera module when the object is detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to deactivate the first camera module when the object is not detected from the image data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the first camera module and the second camera module and deactivate the second module when determining, using the sensor module, that the object is located within the first distance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to perform iris authentication using the second camera module when the object is not located within the first distance. ### Claim 8 A storage medium having stored therein instructions that cause, when executed by at least one processor, the at least one processor to perform at least one operation which comprises: determining whether an object is located within a first distance, using a sensor module; deactivating a light-emitting unit of a first camera module, which comprises a first camera and the light-emitting unit, or both the first camera and the light-emitting unit, when the object is located within the first distance; determining a distance between the object and the electronic device, using a second camera module; and activating the light-emitting unit or both the light-emitting unit and the light-emitting unit and perform iris authentication using the first camera module, when the determined distance is greater than or equal to a second distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one operation further comprises: activating the first camera module when the object is not located within the first distance; and performing iris authentication using the first camera module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one operation further comprises deactivating the first camera module upon elapse of a threshold time from when the first camera module is activated and the object is detected using the second camera module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one operation further comprises: activating the second camera module; determining whether an object is detected from image data output through the second camera module; and activating the first camera module when the object is detected from the image data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one operation further comprises deactivating the first camera module when the object is detected from the image data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one operation further comprises: activating the first camera module and the second camera module; and deactivating the second camera module when determining, using the sensor module, that the object is located within the first distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the at least one operation further comprises: performing iris authentication using the second camera module when the object is not located within the first distance; ### Claim 15 An operation method for an electronic device, the operation method comprising: determining whether an object is located within a first distance, using a sensor module; deactivating a light-emitting unit of a first camera module, which comprises a first camera and the light-emitting unit, or both the first camera and the light-emitting unit, when the object is located within the first distance; determining a distance between the object and the electronic device, using a second camera module; and activating the light-emitting unit or both the light-emitting unit and the light-emitting unit and perform iris authentication using the first camera module, when the determined distance is greater than or equal to a second distance.