Method for recognizing object by using millimeter wave and electronic device supporting same method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12123768-B2
Application number	US-202017426175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device may comprise: an antenna module; a communication circuit; a processor; and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to: output first beams each having a first beam width to a first spatial range around the electronic device; receive a first reflective pattern with respect to the first beams; determine at least one section in which the external object is disposed, among a plurality of sections configuring the first spatial range; output second beams each having a second beam width to the at least one section; receive a second reflective pattern with respect to the second beams; recognize the external object on the basis of the second reflective pattern of the second beams to authenticate a user; and output third beams to determine state information or motion information of the external object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an antenna module configured to emit and receive millimeter-wave;
a communication circuit configured to control the antenna module;
a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit;
a luminance sensor operatively connected to the processor, and
a memory operatively connected to the processor,
wherein the memory stores therein instructions,
wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to:
control the luminance sensor to detect an illuminance level around the electronic device; and
activate the antenna module when a condition related to the detected illuminance level is satisfied,
control the antenna module to output first beams having a first beam width toward a first spatial range around the electronic device;
control the antenna module to receive a first reflection pattern of the first beams;
determine at least one section containing one or more external objects among a plurality of sections constituting the first spatial range, based on the first reflection pattern of the first beams;
upon detecting, based on the first reflection pattern, a user's face and at least one gesture-related object of the user in the first spatial range, control the antenna module to output second beams having a second beam width smaller than the first beam width toward a first section where the user's face is disposed;
control the antenna module to receive a second reflection pattern of the second beams;
recognize the one or more external objects based on the second reflection pattern of the second beams, and authenticate the user based on the recognizing result; and
control the antenna module to output third beams to a second section where the at least one gesture-related object is disposed when the user is authenticated, and determine state information or motion information of the one or more external objects, based on the third beams.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the antenna module to output the third beams toward a region which extends beyond the at least one section.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the third beams has a third beam width equal to or smaller than the second beam width.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
recognize the user's face based on the second reflection pattern; and
compare reference information stored in the memory with the second reflection pattern and authenticate the user based on the comparing result.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the state information includes information about a facial expression of the user's face.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a camera operatively connected to the processor, and
wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine an output direction of the first beams, based on a field of view (FOV) of the camera.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to execute a specified function of an application, based on the state information or the motion information.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
determine depth information of the one or more external objects based on the first reflection pattern; and
determine a number of the one or more external objects or a type of the one or more external objects, based on the determined depth information.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a display operatively connected to the processor, and
wherein the antenna module outputs the first beams, the second beams, and/or the third beams in a direction in which a display surface of the display is facing.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
upon recognizing, based on the first reflection pattern, that the user's face and the gesture-related object overlap each other, perform user authentication based on a non-overlapping portion between the user's face and the gesture-related object.

11. An object recognition method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:
controlling a luminance sensor of the electronic device to detect an illuminance level around the electronic device; and
activating an antenna module of the electronic device when a condition related to the detected illuminance level is satisfied,
controlling the antenna module to output first beams having a first beam width toward a first spatial range around the electronic device, wherein the antenna module emits and receives millimeter-wave;
controlling the antenna module to receive a first reflection pattern of the first beams;
determining at least one section containing an external object among a plurality of sections constituting the first spatial range, based on the first reflection pattern of the first beams;
upon detecting, based on the first reflection pattern, a user's face and at least one gesture-related object of the user in the first spatial range, controlling the antenna module to output second beams having a second beam width toward a first section where the user's face is disposed;
controlling the antenna module to receive a second reflection pattern of the second beams;
recognizing the external object based on the second reflection pattern of the second beams, and authenticating the user based on the recognizing result;
controlling the antenna module to output third beams to a second section where the at least one gesture-related object is disposed when the user is authenticated;
controlling the antenna module to receive a third reflection pattern of the third beams; and
determining state information or motion information of the external object, based on the third reflection pattern of the third beams.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining of the at least one section includes:
determining depth information of the external object, based on the first reflection pattern; and
determining a number of the external objects or a type of the external object, based on the determined depth information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein instructions executable by a processor, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the instructions cause the processor to:
control a luminance sensor of the electronic device to detect an illuminance level around the electronic device; and
activate an antenna module of the electronic device when a condition related to the detected illuminance level is satisfied,
control the antenna module to output first beams having a first beam width toward a first spatial range around the electronic device, wherein the antenna module emits and receives millimeter-wave;
control the antenna module to receive a first reflection pattern of the first beams;
determine at least one section containing an external object among a plurality of sections constituting the first spatial range, based on the first reflection pattern of the first beams;
upon detecting, based on the first reflection pattern, a user's face and at least one gesture-related object of the user in the first spatial range, control the antenna module to output second beams having a second beam width toward a first section where the user's face is disposed;
control the antenna module to receive a second reflection pattern of the second beams;
recognize the external object based on the second reflection pattern of the second beams,

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sunkey
• Oh Hyunah
• Min Hyunkee
• Choi Bokun

Classifications

• G05D1/247

  using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons · CPC title

• G05D1/241

  Means for detecting physical contact, e.g. touch sensors or bump sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/11

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title