Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing having at least one major face. One or more processors are operable in the device. At least two discrete signal emitters are disposed along the at least one major face. At least two discrete signal receivers are also disposed along the at least one major face. A first discrete signal emitter is proximately located with a first discrete signal receiver to form a first discrete signal emitter-receiver pair, while a second discrete signal emitter is proximately located with a second discrete signal receiver to form a second discrete signal emitter-receiver pair. The first discrete signal emitter-receiver pair is distally located along the at least one major face from the second discrete signal emitter-receiver pair, and can receive gesture input in a first mode of operation and proximity input in a second mode of operation.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating a user of a device includes a user fob configured to transmit a code related to authentication, wherein the device is configured to receive the transmitted code and confirm that the holder of the fob is or is not an authorized user. In an embodiment, the device is configured to detect a user presence before checking for receipt of a transmitted code. In a further embodiment, the device is configured to emit a beacon upon detecting a user presence, prompting the user fob to transmit the code. The beacon medium may be IR (infrared), ultrasound or other low power medium, and similarly, the fob may detect the beacon and/or transmit the code in any suitable medium including IR and ultrasound.

Abstract: An electronic device is able to alter one or more settings of its imager based on the motion of a user that the device is attempting to authenticate. The electronic device, in one implementation, captures a first set of image data of the user (e.g., a video or still photo of the user), detects motion of the user, alters a setting of the imager based on the motion, captures a second set of image data of the user, and authenticates the user based on the second set of image data. In some implementations, the electronic device has multiple imagers, and activates one or more additional imagers based on the detected motion of the user.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and one or more processors. 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 receive, with a communication circuit, an incoming communication from a remote communication device and determine whether a person is within a thermal reception radius of the at least one proximity sensor component. Where the person is not within the thermal reception radius, the one or more processors can perform a control operation in response to receiving the incoming communication.

Abstract: A system and method for iris authentication in an electronic device employ a presence detection sensor to detect when an object such as a user is close to the device. Thereafter, an array of gesture recognition IR (infrared) LEDs (light emitting diodes) are activated, and their reflections are used to determine the distance and location of the user with respect to the electronic device. Each gesture recognition IR LED is then driven so that the combined IR illumination emitted by the gesture recognition IR LEDs is sufficient to gather a user iris image suitable for iris authentication. The IR LEDs of the gesture recognition system may be driven unevenly based on the user's position and location. In an embodiment, the gesture recognition IR LEDs are employed to supplement illumination from a dedicated iris authentication IR LED.

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.

Abstract: An electronic system utilizes a method (500) for authenticating access to a multi-level secure environment. According embodiments, the system stores (501) fingerprint data for at least one authorized human user of the system. The fingerprint data for each authorized user includes copies of fingerprints for two or more fingers of the user. Some time after storing the fingerprint data, the system senses (503) one or more fingers of an individual who is attempting to use the system and compares (505) the sensed finger data to the stored fingerprint data. When at least some of the sensed finger data matches copies of fingerprints in the stored fingerprint data, the system determines (509) a quantity of matching fingerprints. The system then determines (525) a security level for the individual based on the quantity of matching fingerprints and provides access (527) to particular functionality of the system based on the determined security level.

Abstract: A user device can include a first thermopile, a second thermopile, a housing, and a controller. The first thermopile can be configured to sense a change in thermal energy from a user of the apparatus. The second thermopile can be configured to sense the change in the thermal energy from the user of the user device. The housing can include a thermal path for the thermal energy from the user to reach the first and second thermopiles. The first and second thermopiles can be diagonally positioned from each other relative to the housing. The controller can be coupled to the first and second thermopiles. The controller can be configured to change a configuration of at least one of a hardware element of the apparatus and a software application executing on the user device in response to coordinated sensing by the first and second thermopiles of the change in the thermal energy.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and a user interface. One or more processors are operable with the user interface. The user interface includes a touch sensor that includes a fingerprint sensor and at least one proximity sensor component. The proximity sensor component can be collocated with a thermally conductive band circumscribing the fingerprint sensor, or can be concentrically located with the fingerprint sensor. The proximity sensor component can actuate the fingerprint sensor upon receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing. The fingerprint sensor or proximity sensor component can then be optionally used to control the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and a user interface. One or more processors are operable with the user interface. The user interface includes a touch sensor that includes a fingerprint sensor and at least one proximity sensor component. The proximity sensor component can be collocated with a thermally conductive band circumscribing the fingerprint sensor, or can be concentrically located with the fingerprint sensor. The proximity sensor component can actuate the fingerprint sensor upon receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing. The fingerprint sensor or proximity sensor component can then be optionally used to control the electronic device.

Abstract: A user device can include finger print sensor, a thermopile, and a housing. The finger print sensor can be configured to sense a finger print of a user of the apparatus. The thermopile, proximate to the finger print sensor, can be configured to sense a change in thermal energy from the user proximate to the finger print sensor. The housing can include a thermal path for the thermal energy from the user to reach the thermopile. The thermopile can trigger a configuration change of at least one of a hardware element of the apparatus and a software application executing on the apparatus in response to the thermopile sensing the change in the thermal energy.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and one or more processors. 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 receive, with a communication circuit, an incoming communication from a remote communication device and determine whether a person is within a thermal reception radius of the at least one proximity sensor component. Where the person is not within the thermal reception radius, the one or more processors can perform a control operation in response to receiving the incoming communication.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying persons near a mobile device includes a wireless signaling system including an incoming wireless signal receiver, a device motion sensing system including at least a first sensor and a controller configured to determine whether the device is being moved in accordance with a predetermined gesture and to responsively enter a personnel data collection mode. In the personnel data collection mode, the device may transmit a query and receives an identification signal from at least one other device and identifies a user of the device based on the received identification signal. The predetermined gesture is a spinning gesture in an embodiment. In an embodiment, a thermal sensor is used to identify or enumerate personnel. The identification signal may be one of a Bluetooth ID and a WiFi ID.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for a gesture-enabled tool that enables a user to assemble a data bundle using a single continuous gesture to select items for the data bundle from a plurality of menus or lists and to deliver the data bundle to a recipient as part of the single continuous gesture.

Abstract: An electronic device uses one or more infrared sensors to detect infrared light from a person's body (e.g., a user's finger) to initiate a function of the electronic device. According to an implementation, the housing of the electronic device includes a flexible portion that opens an aperture in response to external pressure (e.g., a user pressing down on the flexible portion) to allow infrared light from the person's body to reach an infrared sensor. When the infrared sensor detects the infrared light, it generates a signal in response. A processor of the electronic device receives the signal and, in response, initiates a function of the electronic device. The function may be any function that the electronic device is capable of performing, such as a power-on function, a camera function, changing the speaker volume, and launching an application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a nap mode on an electronic device includes an electronic device configured to monitor sleeping for a user of the electronic device during a sleep-monitoring time interval and determine a sleep quality score for the user based on the monitoring. When the sleep quality score is less than a threshold sleep quality score, the electronic device is configured to monitor for the user to be napping during a nap-monitoring time interval that is nonconcurrent with the sleep-monitoring time interval. The electronic device is further configured to detect during the nap-monitoring time interval that the user is napping and to initiate the nap mode on the electronic device in response to detecting the user is napping, wherein the nap mode includes disabling an audible alert on the electronic device.

Abstract: In embodiments of multi-wavelength infra-red LED, a mobile device includes a multi-wavelength infra-red (IR) LED that projects near infra-red (NIR) light in multiple wavelengths. The multi-wavelength IR LED can be implemented as a single LED, or as a combination of LEDs packaged together as a single component for implementation in the mobile device. The mobile device can be implemented for various IR-based features, such as for iris illumination and authentication, proximity sensing, gesture detection, and for other IR-based features that each correspond to a different one of the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light. The mobile device includes a NIR filtering system to receive reflections of the NIR light and filter the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light for each of the different IR-based features of the mobile device.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electronic device includes detecting, with one or more sensors, that the electronic device is disposed within a repository container, such as a purse as a function of at least an intensity of received ambient light being below a predefined threshold, an absence of touch sensor actuation along a housing of the electronic device, and an approximately common temperature occurring at both a first location of the electronic device and a second location of the electronic device. When the in-container condition is detected, one or more processors operable with the one or more sensors can perform a control operation.

Abstract: A display system includes a display and a control circuit operable with the display. The display is configured to provide visual output having a presentation orientation. When user input is received, the control circuit can alter the presentation orientation from an initial orientation in response to user input. When non-user events or device events are detected, the control circuit can revert the presentation orientation to the initial orientation in response to the non-user event or device event. Where the presentation orientation has a user input configuration associated therewith, the user input configuration can either be altered with the presentation orientation or retained in an initial disposition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting between multiple gesture recognition systems includes an electronic device determining a context of operation for the electronic device that affects a gesture recognition function performed by the electronic device. The electronic device also selects, based on the context of operation, one of a plurality of gesture recognition systems in the electronic device as an active gesture recognition system for receiving gesturing input to perform the gesture recognition function, wherein the plurality of gesture recognition systems comprises an image-based gesture recognition system and a non-image-based gesture recognition system.