{
  "patent_number": "US 7957762",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Your Phone Knows When It's Against Your Ear",
  "original_title": "Using ambient light sensor to augment proximity sensor output",
  "summary": "This Apple patent describes how a phone uses both a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor to accurately detect when it's held to your ear, preventing accidental screen touches during calls.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes a method where a phone first uses a proximity sensor to estimate the distance to an object, like a user's ear (Claim 1). Simultaneously, it receives light intensity information from an ambient light sensor (ALS) (Claim 1). If the ALS output indicates that the proximity sensor's initial distance estimate is incorrect, the phone's data processing system then uses the ALS data to correct that estimated distance (Claim 1). This correction can change the device's understanding of an object's proximity from 'far away' to 'close' (Claim 3). Both sensors are typically located near the phone's earpiece (Claim 2). For example, if you bring your phone to your ear, the proximity sensor might detect something, but the ALS would also detect a sudden drop in ambient light. The phone uses this combined information to confirm your ear is truly close, then automatically turns off the display backlight or disables touch input to prevent accidental actions (Claim 7).",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Proximity sensing systems that rely solely on a single sensor without incorporating correction from another sensor type.",
    "Using an ambient light sensor only for adjusting screen brightness, not for refining proximity detection.",
    "Proximity detection where the ambient light sensor's output does not actively correct an initial distance estimate from a proximity sensor.",
    "Devices where the proximity sensor and ambient light sensor are not positioned adjacent to the earpiece.",
    "Proximity detection methods that do not involve receiving an 'intensity level output' from both a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor."
  ],
  "filed": "2007-01-07",
  "granted": "2011-06-07",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Apple Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/apple-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Wayne C. Westerman",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/wayne-c-westerman"
    },
    {
      "name": "Steven P. Hotelling",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/steven-p-hotelling"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roberto G. Yepez",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/roberto-g-yepez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Scott M. Herz",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/scott-m-herz"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 368,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity of an object and operate a proximity sensor of a portable device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output, and altering, based on the ALS output, an effect of a proximity sensor output on control of a proximity determination. The ALS sensor and the proximity sensor may be located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device. In some cases, the proximity determination may be a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect may include changing the proximity of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7957762/ios-app-store",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7957762/ios-app-store/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US7957762",
  "relatedPatents": []
}