Portable Electronic Device with Dual, Diagonal Proximity Sensors and Mode Switching Functionality

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing, a user interface, and one or more processors operable with the user interface. At least one proximity sensor component is operable with the one or more processors and can include an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to the housing. The one or more processors can be operable to actuate one or more user interface devices when the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from an object external to the housing. The actuation can be a function of distance, in accordance with a prioritization, or combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing;   a user interface;   one or more processors operable with the user interface;   at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to the housing;   the one or more processors operable to actuate one or more user interface devices when the infrared signal receiver receives the infrared emission from the object.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more user interface devices comprising a microphone. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more user interface devices comprising a display. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more user interface devices comprising a motion detector. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more user interface devices comprising touch sensitive user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more processors further operable to determine, with the at least one proximity sensor component, a distance of the object from the housing, the one or more processors to actuate the one or more user interface devices as a function of the distance. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 6 , the one or more user interface devices comprising a plurality of user interface devices, the one or more processors to:
 prioritize the plurality of user interface devices;   actuate a first user interface device when the object is a first distance from the housing; and   actuate a second user interface device when the object is a second distance from the housing, the second distance less than the first distance.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , the first distance about ten feet. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , the first user interface device comprising an accelerometer, the second user interface device comprising a display. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , the one or more processors to actuate a third user interface device when the object is a third distance from the housing, the third distance less than the second distance. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , the first user interface device comprising one or more of an accelerometer or a microphone, the third user interface device comprising a display. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more processors to cause the user interface to enter a low power or sleep mode when the infrared signal receiver is not receiving the infrared emission. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more processors to operate the at least one proximity sensor component while the user interface is in a low power or sleep mode. 
     
     
         14 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
 determining, with at least one proximity sensor component comprising an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to a housing, a proximity of the object to the electronic device; and   in response to detecting the proximity of the object, actuating one or more user interface devices of the electronic device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , the method further comprising determining a distance of the object to the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the actuating occurring as a function of the distance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the one or more user interface devices comprising a plurality of user interface devices, the method comprising actuating some user interface devices before other user interface devices. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the some user interface devices comprising one or more of an accelerator or a microphone, the other user interface devices comprising one or more of a display or a touch sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising causing the one or more user interface devices to enter a low power or sleep mode when the at least one proximity sensor component fails to detect the proximity of the object. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving user input with the one or more user interface devices after the actuating.