IP Library Granted Patent US 11,488,531
Granted Patent B2
US 11,488,531 · App. 17/346,013 · Granted Nov 1, 2022

Proximity sensor and electronic device

Inventors: Kohji Hamaguchi (Fukuyama, JP); Takahiro Inoue (Fukuyama, JP); Masaya Ohnishi (Fukuyama, JP); Isamu Kawabe (Fukuyama, JP)
Assignee: Sharp Semiconductor Innovation Corporation
G09G3/3233G09G2310/0202G09G2310/0254G09G2310/08G09G2320/02G09G2360/14H04M1/0266
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,488,531
App. No.
17/346,013
Granted
Nov 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A proximity sensor comprises a light emitting element configured to emit light; a synchronization signal input unit configured to be input with a synchronization signal which is output from a display device and which indicates a rewrite timing of an image displayed on a display screen; and an emission controller configured to control emission of the light from the light emitting element, wherein the emission controller is configured to cause the light emitting element to start the emission of the light at a start timing set based on the rewrite timing at which rewriting of one of a plurality of scanning lines of the image is caused to start in the specific display region, and an emission time of the light from the light emitting element, and the emission controller is configured to cause the light emitting element to end the emission of the light before the rewrite timing comes.

Claims (23)

1. A proximity sensor is a proximity sensor disposed at a position corresponding to a position disposed with a specific display region on a display screen of a display device where at least a part of incident light incident from outside is transmitted through a back face and configured to detect whether or not a detection object is close to the display screen, the proximity sensor comprising:

a light emitting element configured to emit light;

a synchronization signal input circuit that inputs with a synchronization signal which is output from the display device and which indicates a rewrite timing of an image displayed on the display screen; and

an emission controller configured to control emission of the light from the light emitting element, wherein

the emission controller is configured to cause the light emitting element to start the emission of the light at a start timing set based on the rewrite timing at which rewriting of one of a plurality of scanning lines of the image is caused to start in the specific display region, and an emission time of the light from the light emitting element, and the emission controller is configured to cause the light emitting element to end the emission of the light before the rewrite timing comes.

2. The proximity sensor according to claim 1 ,

wherein, the display device is configured to output a vertical synchronization signal indicating a start of rewriting of the image as the synchronization signal, and

the display device further comprises a start timing setting circuit that sets the start timing according to a differential time between a reference time from a timing when the vertical synchronization signal is input to the synchronization signal input circuit to the rewrite timing, and the emission time.

3. The proximity sensor according to claim 2 ,

wherein the start timing setting circuit further comprises:

a counter circuit configured to start time measurement from the timing when the synchronization signal is input to the synchronization signal input circuit, and

a comparison circuit configured to compare an output value sequentially output from the counter circuit after the start of the time measurement with a value of the differential time and configured to set the start timing in a case where the output value and the value of the differential time coincide with each other.

4. The proximity sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the display device is configured to sequentially output a horizontal synchronization signal indicating a start of rewriting of one of the plurality of the scanning lines, and

the display device further comprises a count signal generation circuit that counts the number of the horizontal synchronization signals output from the display device and generates a count signal when an identical number of the horizontal synchronization signals to a total number of the scanning lines from a first scanning line among the plurality of the scanning lines to be displayed on the display screen to the scanning line to be displayed in the specific display region are counted,

the synchronization signal input circuit that inputs with the count signal output from the count signal generation circuit as the synchronization signal, and

the emission controller is configured to set the start timing to a timing when the count signal is input to the synchronization signal input circuit.

5. The proximity sensor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the synchronization signal input circuit further comprises:

a polarity inversion circuit that inverts, according to polarity of the input synchronization signal, the polarity, and

an edge detection circuit that detects an edge of an inversion signal output from the polarity inversion circuit.

6. An electronic device comprising:

the proximity sensor according to claim 1 ; and

the display device.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 16, 2022
From: SHARP FUKUYAMA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: SHARP SEMICONDUCTOR INNOVATION CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059247/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2021
From: HAMAGUCHI, KOHJI; INOUE, TAKAHIRO; OHNISHI, MASAYA; KAWABE, ISAMU
To: SHARP FUKUYAMA SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056519/0772 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2020-107271 · Jun 22, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210398486A1 · Dec 23, 2021