Control method of an apparatus for activating one or more functionalities of the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12050501-B2
Application number	US-202217867170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2022
Priority date	Jul 26, 2021
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A control method of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a control unit coupled to a proximity sensor to detect a first distance of a user in a field of view, and coupled to a charge variation sensor to detect an electric/electrostatic charge variation caused by the user in a detection region. The control method includes acquiring a charge variation signal and generating charge variation parameters as a function of the charge variation signal. The control method further includes determining whether a condition on charge variation parameters is verified, and if the condition on charge variation parameters is verified, activating the proximity sensor and acquiring a proximity signal. Proximity parameters are generated as a function of the proximity signal. If a condition on proximity parameters is verified, one or more functionalities of the apparatus are activated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control method of an apparatus for activating one or more functionalities of the apparatus,
the apparatus being usable by a user and comprising a control unit operatively coupled to:
a proximity sensor configured to detect, when the user is in a field of view of the proximity sensor, a first distance of the user from the proximity sensor correlated to a second distance of the user from the apparatus; and
a charge variation sensor configured to detect an electric or electrostatic charge variation caused by the presence of the user in a detection region of the charge variation sensor,
the control method comprising:
acquiring, by the control unit and through the charge variation sensor, a charge variation signal indicative of the presence or absence of the user in the detection region;
generating, by the control unit, one or more charge variation parameters as a function of the charge variation signal;
determining, by the control unit, whether a condition on charge variation parameters is verified, the condition on charge variation parameters being indicative of the presence of the user in the detection region;
in response to the condition on charge variation parameters being verified, activating the proximity sensor and acquiring, by the control unit and through the proximity sensor, a proximity signal indicative of the presence or absence of the user in the field of view of the proximity sensor and of the first distance;
generating, by the control unit, one or more proximity parameters as a function of the proximity signal;
determining, by the control unit, whether a condition on proximity parameters is verified, the condition on proximity parameters being indicative of the user being in the field of view of the proximity sensor and in a use position of the apparatus; and
in response to the condition on proximity parameters being verified, activating, by the control unit, said one or more functionalities of the apparatus.

2. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more charge variation parameters comprises calculating a number of peaks or valleys of the charge variation signal in a first time interval, and calculating a first variance of the charge variation signal in the first time interval, and
wherein determining whether the condition on charge variation parameters is verified comprises verifying whether the number of peaks or valleys of the charge variation signal in the first time interval is greater than a threshold number or whether the first variance of the charge variation signal in the first time interval is greater than a first threshold variance.

3. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more proximity parameters comprises:
calculating, as a function of the proximity signal in a second time interval, the first distance; and
calculating a first variance of the proximity signal in the second time interval.

4. The control method according to claim 3 , wherein determining whether the condition on proximity parameters is verified comprises determining whether a first condition on proximity parameters is verified and, in response to the first condition on proximity parameters being verified, determining whether a second condition on proximity parameters is verified,
wherein the first condition on proximity parameters is indicative of the presence of the user in the field of view of the proximity sensor, and
wherein the second condition on proximity parameters is indicative of said use position of the user, wherein the apparatus is usable by the user.

5. The control method according to claim 4 , wherein determining whether the first condition on proximity parameters is verified comprises verifying whether the first variance of the proximity signal in the second time interval is greater than a second threshold variance and whether the first distance in the second time interval is lower than a first threshold distance.

6. The control method according to claim 5 , wherein determining whether the second condition on proximity parameters is verified comprises verifying whether the first distance in the second time interval is lower than the first threshold distance for a time period being greater than a threshold period.

7. The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising, subsequently to the activating said one or more functionalities of the apparatus:
a. acquiring, by the control unit and through the charge variation sensor and the proximity sensor, the charge variation signal and the proximity signal in a wait interval;
b. generating, by the control unit, one or more mixed parameters as a function of the proximity signal and of the charge variation signal;
c. determining, by the control unit, whether a condition on mixed parameters is verified, the condition on mixed parameters being indicative of the user being in the use position of the apparatus during the wait interval; and
d. in response to the condition on mixed parameters being verified, maintaining active, by the control unit, said one or more functionalities of the apparatus.

8. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein generating one or more mixed parameters comprises calculating a second variance of the charge variation signal in the wait interval and calculating a second variance of the proximity signal in the wait interval, and
wherein determining whether the condition on mixed parameters is verified comprises verifying whether the second variance of the charge variation signal is greater than a third threshold variance and whether the second variance of the proximity signal is greater than a fourth threshold variance.

9. The control method according to claim 7 , further comprising, in response to the condition on proximity parameters not being verified:
performing said steps a. to c.; and
in response to the condition on mixed parameters being verified, activating, by the control unit, said one or more functionalities of the apparatus.

10. The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the condition on charge variation parameters being verified:
determining, by the control unit and as a function of the charge variation signal, a third distance of the user from the charge variation sensor correlated to the second distance of the user from the apparatus; and
determining, by the control unit, whether an initial distance condition is verified, the initial distance condition being indicative the third distance being lower than a second threshold distance,
wherein the activating the proximity sensor and acquiring the proximity signal are performed in response to the initial distance condition being verified.

11. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein activating said one or more functionalities of the apparatus comprises at least one of the following: switching of the apparatus from a standby state to a use state; switching on of a screen of the apparatus; automatic access to documents present in the apparatus; automatic start of activities by the apparatus; activation of a biometric recognition by the apparatus; deactivation of a screen saver of the apparatus; enabling or disabling of energy saving functions of the apparatus.

12. A computer program product storable in a control unit of an apparatus usable by a user and operatively coupled to:
a proximity sensor configured to detect, when the user is in a field of view of the proximity sensor, a first distance of the user from the proximity sensor correlated to a second distance of the user from the apparatus; and
a charge variation sensor configured to detect an electric or electros

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Alessi Enrico Rosario
• Passaniti Fabio
• Dellutri Michele Alessio

Classifications

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/3265

  Power saving in display device · CPC title

• G06F1/1686

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title