Electronic device with camera-based user detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9860354-B2
Application number	US-201715424694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 19, 2008
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A speakerphone system integrated in a mobile device is automatically controlled based on the current state of the mobile device. In one implementation, the mobile device is controlled based on an orientation or position of the mobile device. In another implementation, the control of the speakerphone includes automatically controlling one or more graphical user interfaces associated with the speakerphone system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cellular telephone comprising:
a body having a length dimension, a width dimension that is shorter than the length dimension, and four sidewalls connected by curved corners, wherein the body forms a rear surface of the cellular telephone;
a touch sensitive display that is mounted in the body and that forms a front surface of the cellular telephone opposite the rear surface;
an infrared emitter;
an ambient light sensor on the front surface;
a microphone mounted along a first one of the four sidewalls that extends in the width dimension;
a speaker on the front surface along a second one of the four sidewalls that also extends in the width dimension and that is opposite the first one of the four sidewalls;
a camera on the front surface along the second one of the four sidewalls, wherein the camera captures images; and
a processor configured to determine whether the cellular telephone is being held by a user based on the captured images and configured to display graphical user interface information on the touch sensitive display in response to determining that the cellular telephone is being held by the user.

2. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface information comprises a plurality of user-selectable icons corresponding to applications on the cellular telephone.

3. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface information comprises text.

4. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor that generates sensor data in response to motion of the cellular telephone.

5. The cellular telephone defined in claim 4 , wherein the processor determines an angle at which the cellular telephone is oriented based on the sensor data.

6. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1 further comprising an additional speaker mounted along the first one of the four sidewalls.

7. A method for operating an electronic device having a processor, a display, and a camera, the method comprising:
with the camera, capturing images;
with the processor, determining from the captured images whether the electronic device is being held by a user; and
with the processor, presenting graphical user interface information on the display in response to determining that the electronic device is being held by the user.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic device includes a sensor, the method further comprising:
with the sensor, measuring an angle at which the electronic device is oriented.

9. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic device includes a speaker, the method further comprising:
with the processor, generating audio through the speaker in response to determining that the electronic device is being held by the user.

10. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein presenting the graphical user interface information comprises presenting a plurality of graphical icons for applications on the electronic device.

11. The method defined in claim 10 , wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display, the method further comprising:
with the touch-sensitive display, detecting user touch input at one of the plurality of graphical icons; and
opening an application on the electronic device in response to the user touch input at the one of the plurality of graphical icons.

12. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein the electronic device includes a microphone, the method further comprising:
with the processor, adjusting a sensitivity of the microphone in response to determining that the electronic device is being held by the user.

13. A handheld electronic device comprising:
a camera that captures first and second images;
a processor that determines whether the handheld electronic device is being used by a given user based on the first and second images; and
a display that displays graphical user interface information in response to the processor determining that the handheld electronic device is being used by the user.

14. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 13 , wherein the handheld electronic device has front and back opposing surfaces, and wherein the camera and the display are formed on the front surface.

15. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 14 , wherein the handheld electronic device is a cellular telephone having four sidewalls and rounded corners.

16. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 15 , wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display.

17. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 16 , further comprising:
an infrared transmitter.

18. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 13 , wherein the graphical user interface information comprises text.

19. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 13 , further comprising a sensor that generates sensor data based on movement of the handheld electronic device, wherein determining whether the handheld electronic device is being used by the user comprises determining whether the handheld electronic device is being held by the user.

20. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an angle at which the handheld electronic device is being held based on the sensor data.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Louch John O

Classifications

• H04M1/605 Primary

  involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• H04M1/72583

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M1/72569

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title