Abstract: An electronic device (202) includes an ultrasonic proximity sensor arrangement comprising an ultrasonic transmitter (4) and an ultrasonic receiver (6) recessed from a front surface (208) of the device. A barrier (218) extends between the transmitter and receiver in the direction of the front surface of the device. The ultrasonic proximity sensor arrangement is arranged to determine proximity of an object (16) to said front surface based on a signal (214) received by the ultrasonic receiver, wherein the received signal is a reflection from said object of a signal transmitted from the ultrasonic transmitter.

Abstract: A system includes first and second handheld devices. The first device transmits an acoustic signal, and the acoustic signal is reflected from an input object. The second device receives a received signal derived from a reflection of the acoustic signal from the input object. The second device determines information about the location or motion of the input object based on the received signal, and thereby detects a gesture performed by the input object.

Abstract: An electronic device (202) includes an ultrasonic proximity sensor arrangement comprising an ultrasonic transmitter (4) and an ultrasonic receiver (6) recessed from a front surface (208) of the device. A barrier (218) extends between the transmitter and receiver in the direction of the front surface of the device. The ultrasonic proximity sensor arrangement is arranged to determine proximity of an object (16) to said front surface based on a signal (214) received by the ultrasonic receiver, wherein the received signal is a reflection from said object of a signal transmitted from the ultrasonic transmitter.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system for detecting movement of a finger towards the surface. The device is configured to associate said movement with a predicted touch on said surface and to issue a report of said predicted touch.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a transmitter 6 for transmitting ultrasonic signals, a receiver 8 for receiving reflections 20 of said ultrasonic signals, wherein the device is adapted to control a function thereof in dependence on said received reflections, the device further comprising means for providing to a user an indication 14 of the presence of signals or noise which could interfere with said reflections.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a touchless user interface comprising: transmitting means 7 for transmitting signals, receiving means 9a-9f for receiving reflected signals after reflection of said signals from an input object, processing means for determining information regarding the position and/or movement of the input object from the reflected signals to provide a user input to the device; and a screen 2 for displaying a graphical object 4, 6 having one or more associated interactions with which a user can interact with said graphical object 4, 6 through a said user input. The device is arranged so that the signals transmitted by the transmitting means 7 and/or the reflected signals processed by the processing means are determined by the location of the graphical object 4, 6 on the screen 2 and/or by the interaction(s).

Abstract: An electronic device having a touchless user interface for providing at least one input to the device, said touchless user interface comprising at least one ultrasound transmitter arrangement arranged to transmit ultrasonic signals and at least one ultrasound receiver arrangement arranged to receive reflections of said ultrasonic signals from an input object, wherein the device further comprises a substantially continuous outer surface portion, wherein said outer surface portion comprises at least one localised zone 30? having a greater compliance for moving in response to impingement by said ultrasonic signals or reflections such that said localised zone 30? forms part of said transmitter arrangement and/or said receiver arrangement.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus has a transmitter arranged to transmit an acoustic signal. It also has a receiver, for receiving acoustic energy comprising a reflection of the acoustic signal from an input object. It generates an electronic received signal from the received acoustic energy. The apparatus has processing means arranged to: (i) analyze at least a portion of the received signal to determine a linear combination of basis functions which represents an interference component in the received signal; (ii) use the determined linear combination to attenuate interference within the received signal, to give a post-attenuation signal; and (iii) use the post-attenuation signal to determine a user input to the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic device including a touchless user interface which comprises an optical sensing arrangement having a field of view extending in a divergent manner therefrom and a processing system arranged to process signals from said optical sensor arising from a first movement executed by a user's hand in said field of view and detects the first movement. The touchless user interface further comprises: at least one ultrasonic transmitter transmitting ultrasonic interrogation signals; and at least one ultrasonic receiver receiving reflections of said ultrasonic interrogation signals from said user's hand. The processing system is further arranged to process signals from said ultrasonic receiver arising from a second movement executed by the user's hand outside said field of view and detects the second movement. The processing system is arranged to carry out a function of said device associated with one or both of said first and second movements.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a front surface comprising a display screen; a rear surface; at least one ultrasonic transmitter; and at least one ultrasonic receiver. The device may be configured to transmit signals from the transmitter and to receive the signals at the receiver after reflection from an input object and to use the reflected signals to characterise the motion of said input object for controlling a function of the device. At least one of the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver is disposed on the rear surface of the device. The device may be configured to transmit signals from the transmitter and to receive the signals at the receiver after reflection from a user's hand and to use the reflected signals to detect one of a predetermined set of gestures carried out adjacent to the device when the device is placed on its rear surface on a flat supporting surface.

Abstract: An electronic device (2) comprises a touch-sensitive screen (8) and a touchless detecting system for detecting movement of an input object (10). The device (2) is configured to detect a touchless movement of an input object (10) towards or away from the screen (8) and is arranged to change at least one aspect of the appearance of a graphical user interface element (6) as the distance from the touch-sensitive screen (8) to the input object (10) changes, wherein the change in the graphical user interface element (6) is independent of the coordinates of the input object (10) in a plane parallel to the screen (8).

Abstract: An electronic device having a touchless user interface for providing at least one input to the device, said touchless user interface comprising at least one ultrasound transmitter arrangement arranged to transmit ultrasonic signals and at least one ultrasound receiver arrangement arranged to receive reflections of said ultrasonic signals from an input object, wherein the device further comprises a substantially continuous outer surface portion, wherein said outer surface portion comprises at least one localised zone 30? having a greater compliance for moving in response to impingement by said ultrasonic signals or reflections such that said localised zone 30? forms part of said transmitter arrangement and/or said receiver arrangement.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system for detecting movement of a finger towards the surface. The device is configured to associate said movement with a predicted touch on said surface and to issue a report of said predicted touch.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus has a transmitter arranged to transmit an acoustic signal. It also has a receiver, for receiving acoustic energy comprising a reflection of the acoustic signal from an input object. It generates an electronic received signal from the received acoustic energy. The apparatus has processing means arranged to: (i) analyse at least a portion of the received signal to determine a linear combination of basis functions which represents an interference component in the received signal; (ii) use the determined linear combination to attenuate interference within the received signal, to give a post-attenuation signal; and (iii) use the post-attenuation signal to determine a user input to the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a touchless user interface comprising: transmitting means 7 for transmitting signals, receiving means 9a-9f for receiving reflected signals after reflection of said signals from an input object, processing means for determining information regarding the position and/or movement of the input object from the reflected signals to provide a user input to the device; and a screen 2 for displaying a graphical object 4, 6 having one or more associated interactions with which a user can interact with said graphical object 4, 6 through a said user input. The device is arranged so that the signals transmitted by the transmitting means 7 and/or the reflected signals processed by the processing means are determined by the location of the graphical object 4, 6 on the screen 2 and/or by the interaction(s).

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a front surface comprising a display screen; a rear surface; at least one ultrasonic transmitter; and at least one ultrasonic receiver. The device may be configured to transmit signals from the transmitter and to receive the signals at the receiver after reflection from an input object and to use the reflected signals to characterise the motion of said input object for controlling a function of the device. At least one of the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver is disposed on the rear surface of the device. The device may be configured to transmit signals from the transmitter and to receive the signals at the receiver after reflection from a user's hand and to use the reflected signals to detect one of a predetermined set of gestures carried out adjacent to the device when the device is placed on its rear surface on a flat supporting surface.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a transmitter 6 for transmitting ultrasonic signals, a receiver 8 for receiving reflections 20 of said ultrasonic signals, wherein the device is adapted to control a function thereof in dependence on said received reflections, the device further comprising means for providing to a user an indication 14 of the presence of signals or noise which could interfere with said reflections.

Abstract: A first handheld device transmits an acoustic signal. A second handheld device receives a signal derived from the transmitted signal, and performs an action based on the received signal.