Portable electronic device with proximity sensors for gesture control and contact detection

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a housing having at least one major face. One or more processors are operable in the device. At least two discrete signal emitters are disposed along the at least one major face. At least two discrete signal receivers are also disposed along the at least one major face. A first discrete signal emitter is proximately located with a first discrete signal receiver to form a first discrete signal emitter-receiver pair, while a second discrete signal emitter is proximately located with a second discrete signal receiver to form a second discrete signal emitter-receiver pair. The first discrete signal emitter-receiver pair is distally located along the at least one major face from the second discrete signal emitter-receiver pair, and can receive gesture input in a first mode of operation and proximity input in a second mode of operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.