Optical sensor based user interface for a portable electronic device

Abstract

An apparatus and method are described herein, which simultaneously promotes a positive computing experience for users of portable computer systems and increases overall durability and longevity thereof. In one embodiment, an optical apparatus enhances the user computing experience, in one embodiment by simplifying operation, and is much more durable and long-lasting than mechanical switch and dial type devices it may replace. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus, which enables efficient portable computer device function, field, and data selection, gaming, input, interconnection, and other switching-related functions, simplifying operation and enhancing versatility thereof, yet without exposing the portable computer interior to any degree to incursion of environmental contamination. In one embodiment, an optical apparatus obviates openings in a portable computer package which would otherwise be required. In one embodiment, the apparatus, capable of sensing manipulation and directed by software, has a light source and corresponding light sensor.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A portable electronic device comprising:
 a display screen configured to display information comprising graphical items;   an optical sensor disposed within the display screen, and configured to detect a user interaction with the display screen, wherein the configuration of the optical sensor to detect a user interaction includes configuration of the optical sensor to:
 scan a surface of the display screen for contact of a user's finger with the surface of the display screen; 
 detect contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan; 
 generate an interaction signal based on the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen; and 
 send the interaction signal to a processor of the electronic device; and 
   the processor communicatively coupled to the optical sensor and the display screen, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive the interaction signal from the optical sensor; 
 generate a display control signals based on the interaction signal, the display control signals controlling the display of the information comprising the graphical items on the display screen; and 
 display the graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the display control signals. 
   
     
     
         22 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed beneath the display screen. 
     
     
         23 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen is part of a movement of the user's finger over the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan. 
     
     
         24 . The portable electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a scan rate signal to the optical sensor, and wherein the optical sensor is configured to scan the surface of the display screen for the contact at a scan rate based on the scan rate signal from the processor. 
     
     
         25 . The portable electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein the scan rate is initially a slower scan rate when no user interaction with the display screen is detected and wherein the slower scan rate is increased to a faster scan rate, which is faster than the slower scan rate, upon detecting a user interaction with the display screen. 
     
     
         26 . The portable electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein a power usage signal is generated indicating a power usage of the optical sensor during the scan, the power usage signal being based at least in part on the scan rate. 
     
     
         27 . The portable electronic device of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive the power usage signal from the optical sensor;   transmit a responsive scan rate control signal from the processor to the optical sensor, wherein the responsive scan rate control signal is based on the received power usage signal; and   display the graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement.   
     
     
         28 . The portable electronic device of  claim 27 , wherein the display of the graphical items in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement includes scrolling through the graphical items at a speed based on the speed of said movement. 
     
     
         29 . The portable electronic device of  claim 28 , wherein the scrolling updates the display screen at a first rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a first speed and updates the display screen at a second rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a second speed. 
     
     
         30 . The portable electronic device of  claim 26 , wherein the power usage signal comprises a variable signal corresponding to the scan rate. 
     
     
         31 . The portable electronic device of  claim 23 , wherein the optical sensor is configured to detect a speed and a direction of the movement of the user's finger over the surface of the display screen. 
     
     
         32 . A method of optical detection for a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:
 detecting, by an optical sensor disposed within a display screen of the mobile electronic device, a user interaction with the display screen, the detecting including:
 scanning a surface of the display screen for contact of a user's finger with the surface of the display screen; 
 detecting contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan; 
 generating an interaction signal based on the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen; and 
 sending the interaction signal to a processor of the mobile electronic device; 
   receiving, by the processor, the interaction signal from the optical sensor;   generate, by the processor, a display control signals based on the interaction signal, the display control signals controlling the display of the information comprising the graphical items on the display screen; and   displaying graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the display control signals.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the optical sensor is disposed beneath the display screen. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen is part of a movement of the user's finger over the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the processor, a scan rate signal to the optical sensor; and   scanning the surface of the display screen for the contact at a scan rate based on the scan rate signal from the processor.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the scan rate is initially a slower scan rate when no user interaction with the display screen is detected and wherein the slower scan rate is increased to a faster scan rate, which is faster than the slower scan rate, upon detecting a user interaction with the display screen. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising generating a power usage signal indicating a power usage of the optical sensor during the scan, the power usage signal being based at least in part on the scan rate. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising
 receiving, by the processor, the power usage signal from the optical sensor;   transmitting, by the processor, a responsive scan rate control signal to the optical sensor, wherein the responsive scan rate control signal is based on the received power usage signal; and   displaying the graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the displaying the graphical items in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement includes scrolling through the graphical items at a speed based on the speed of said movement. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the scrolling updates the display screen at a first rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a first speed and updates the display screen at a second rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a second speed. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the power usage signal comprises a variable signal corresponding to the scan rate. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the optical sensor is configured to detect a speed and a direction of the movement of the user's finger over the surface of the display screen. 
     
     
         43 . A computer program product to enable an interaction of a user's finger with a display of a portable electronic device comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code to:
 detect, by an optical sensor disposed within a display screen of the portable electronic device, a user interaction with the display screen, wherein the program code to detect includes program code to:
 scan a surface of the display screen for a contact of a user's finger with the surface of the display screen; 
 detect the contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan; 
 generate an interaction signal based on the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen; and 
 send the interaction signal to a processor of the portable electronic device; 
 
 receive the interaction signal from the optical sensor; 
 generate a display control signals based on the interaction signal, the display control signals controlling the display of the information comprising the graphical items on the display screen; and 
 display graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the display control signals. 
   
     
     
         44 . A portable electronic device comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
 detect, by an optical sensor disposed within a display screen of the portable electronic device, a user interaction with the display screen, wherein the configuration of the processor to detect includes configuration of the processor to:
 scan a surface of the display screen for contact of a user's finger with the surface of the display screen; 
 detect contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan; 
 generate an interaction signal based on the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen; and 
 send the interaction signal to a processor of the portable electronic device; 
 
 receive the interaction signal from the optical sensor; 
 generate a display control signals based on the interaction signal, the display control signals controlling the display of the information comprising the graphical items on the display screen; and 
 display graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the display control signals. 
   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the detected contact of the user's finger with the surface of the display screen is part of a movement of the user's forger over the surface of the display screen based, at least in part, on the scan. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the processor, a scan rate signal to the optical sensor; and   scanning the surface of the display screen for the contact at a scan rate based on the scan rate signal from the processor.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the scan rate is initially a slower scan rate when no user interaction with the display screen is detected and wherein the slower scan rate is increased to a faster scan rate, which is faster than the slower scan rate, upon detecting a user interaction with the display screen. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising generating a power usage signal indicating a power usage of the optical sensor during the scan, the power usage signal being based at least in part on the scan rate, and further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, the power usage signal from the optical sensor;   transmitting, by the processor, a responsive scan rate control signal to the optical sensor, wherein the responsive scan rate control signal is based on the received power usage signal; and   displaying the graphical items on the display screen in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the displaying the graphical items in accordance with the detected movement of the user's finger the surface of the display screen and based on a speed of the movement includes scrolling through the graphical items at a speed based on the speed of said movement. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the scrolling updates the display screen at a first rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a first speed and updates the display screen at a second rate responsive to the optical sensor sensing the movement of the user's finger at a second speed.