{
  "patent_number": "US 8600430",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Smartphones Use Light Sensors to Detect When You Are Talking",
  "original_title": "Using ambient light sensor to augment proximity sensor output",
  "summary": "Apple's patent on using light sensors to help a phone accurately detect when it is pressed against your ear, preventing accidental screen touches.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a method for improving the reliability of a phone's proximity sensor. Proximity sensors often struggle in low-light conditions, potentially failing to lock the screen when you hold the phone to your face. The system uses data from an ambient light sensor (ALS) to adjust the proximity reading dynamically. If the light level is very low, the system assumes the phone is likely covered by an object like a cheek or ear and adjusts the proximity threshold accordingly to ensure the screen turns off.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover proximity sensing that relies exclusively on infrared or ultrasonic hardware without light sensor input.",
    "Does not cover methods that adjust screen brightness based on ambient light without also altering the proximity determination.",
    "Does not cover touch-based proximity detection that does not involve an earpiece-adjacent sensor configuration."
  ],
  "filed": "2011-04-28",
  "granted": "2013-12-03",
  "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": "Stephen P. Hotelling",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/stephen-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": 59,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "semiconductors"
  ],
  "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/8600430/imessage",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8600430/imessage/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US8600430",
  "relatedPatents": []
}