Sensor controlled user interface for portable communication device

A smartphone comprising:

• a housing having a first side and first and second ends;
• a speaker bezel formed in the first side proximate to the first end;
• a microphone aperture formed in the first side proximate to the second end;
• a substantially rectangular opening formed in the first side between the speaker bezel and the microphone aperture, the substantially rectangular opening having an area no less than approximately twenty-five percent of an area of the first side;
• a display positioned in the substantially rectangular opening, the display having first and second layers, the first layer comprising a touch screen, the second layer comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD), the first layer being substantially transparent to facilitate viewing of the LCD;
• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver section positioned in the housing;
• a processing section positioned in the housing and coupled to the RF transceiver section, the processing section, in response to an input signal, to control the smartphone to perform one of a radiotelephone function and a personal computer or personal digital assistant function;
• a touch screen driver circuit positioned in the housing and coupled to the processing section, the touch screen driver circuit to communicate the input signal to the processing section in response to an actuation of the touch screen;
• and
• a sensor positioned on the first side, the sensor coupled to the processing section and the touch screen driver circuit, the sensor to disable the touch screen driver circuit from communicating the input signal to the processing section when the smartphone is positioned in close proximity to a user.