# US 9,519,077 B2 · Proximity sensors with optical and electrical sensing capabilities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,077 B2 - Document ID: US9519077B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/739,526 - Filed: 2015-06-15 - Published: 2015-10-01 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-25 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur; Anant Rai; David Lukofsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519077B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0448: {Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality} - G01V 8/00: Prospecting or detecting by optical means - G06F 1/1684: {Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675} - G06F 1/169: {the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes (G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033)} - G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)} - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/0443: {using a single layer of sensing electrodes} - H03K 17/941: {using an optical detector (H03K17/968 takes precedence)} - H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector - G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection - H03K 2017/9602: {characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes} - H03K 2217/94108: making use of reflection - H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion - H04W 52/0254: {detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device} - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to user hair color and smudges on the proximity sensor can be accommodated by using an electrical sensing mechanism in addition to the light sensing mechanism. The proximity sensor may include a pair of capacitive electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the device. The presence of a user's head can sufficiently disturb the electric field so as to produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Proximity sensor circuitry, comprising: optical proximity sensor circuitry configured to generate optical proximity sensor data; electrical proximity sensor circuitry configured to generate capacitive proximity sensor data; and an output on which an integrated sensor output signal containing the optical proximity sensor data and the capacitive proximity sensor data is provided, wherein: the optical proximity sensor circuitry comprises a light emitter element having a light-emitting diode (LED) and a light detector element having a photodiode (PD); the electrical proximity sensor circuitry comprises at least a pair of capacitive electrodes; the light-emitting diode has a first terminal that receives a power supply voltage and a second terminal that is coupled to a first capacitive electrode in the pair of capacitive electrodes; and the photodiode has a first terminal that receives the power supply voltage and a second terminal that is coupled to a second capacitive electrode in the pair of capacitive electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 1, wherein the optical proximity sensor circuitry comprises: optical isolation material interposed between the light emitter element and the light detector element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 1, wherein the pair of capacitive electrodes comprises a pair of coplanar conductive structures. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 1, wherein the pair of capacitive electrodes comprises ring-shaped conductive structures. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 1, wherein the pair of capacitive electrodes laterally surrounds the optical proximity sensor circuitry. ### Claim 6 An electronic device with proximity sensor circuitry, the proximity sensor circuitry comprising: optical proximity sensor circuitry configured to output optical proximity sensor data, wherein the optical proximity sensor circuitry comprises a light emitter element having a light-emitting diode and a light detector element having a photodiode; electrical proximity sensor circuitry configured to generate capacitive proximity sensor data, wherein the electrical proximity sensor circuitry comprises first and second capacitive electrodes; a mixer that receives an integrated sensor signal with both the optical proximity sensor data and the capacitive proximity sensor data at an input; a signal generator that outputs a control signal, wherein the mixer receives the control signal at an additional input; and a transistor that receives the control signal, wherein the control signal is configured to alternately activate and deactivate the transistor, wherein the light-emitting diode emits light when the transistor is activated, and wherein the light-emitting diode is coupled to the first capacitive electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electronic device defined in claim 6, the proximity sensor circuitry further comprising a switch interposed between the additional input of the mixer and the signal generator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic device defined in claim 7, the proximity sensor circuitry further comprising a phase shifter interposed between the switch and the signal generator, wherein the switch has a first switch port that is coupled to the additional input of the mixer, a second switch port that is coupled directly to the signal generator, and a third switch port that is coupled to the phase shifter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the phase shifter is configured to shift the control signal by 90°. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the switch couples the first switch port to the second switch port in a first detection mode, and wherein the switch couples the first switch port to the third switch port in a second detection mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The electronic device defined in claim 6, wherein the control signal determines an amount of voltage applied to the light-emitting diode and the first capacitive electrode. ### Claim 12 Proximity sensor circuitry, comprising: a light emitter element having a light-emitting diode, wherein the light-emitting diode has a first terminal that is coupled to a first power supply voltage and a second terminal that is coupled to a second power supply voltage; a light detector element having a photodiode, wherein the photodiode outputs optical proximity sensor data on a signal line; and first and second coplanar conductive structures adjacent to the light emitter element and the light detector element, wherein the second conductive structure outputs capacitive proximity sensor data to the signal line, wherein the proximity sensor circuitry outputs an integrated sensor output signal on the signal line, wherein the optical proximity sensor data is a first component of the integrated sensor output signal, wherein the capacitive proximity sensor data is a second component of the integrated sensor output signal, and wherein the first conductive structure is coupled to the second terminal of the light-emitting diode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 12, further comprising an optical isolation material interposed between the light emitter element and the light detector element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 12, wherein the first conductive structure partially surrounds the light emitter element and the light detector element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 14, wherein the second conductive structure completely laterally surrounds the first conductive structure, the light emitter element, and the light detector element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 12, wherein the photodiode has a first terminal that is coupled to a third power supply voltage and a second terminal that is coupled to the second conductive structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The proximity sensor circuitry defined in claim 12, wherein the first conductive structure is directly coupled to the second terminal of the light-emitting diode via a conductive path.