Method and system for an electronic device

1. An operating method for an electronic device comprising the steps of:

monitoring a far-field proximity sensor of the electronic device for far-field detection of a user approach;

responsive to said far-field detection, transitioning a near-field proximity sensor of the electronic device from a low-power sleep state to a woken state and monitoring said near-field proximity sensor for near-field detection of a user approach; and

responsive to said far-field detection and/or said near-field detection, providing a visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said step of providing a visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device is initiated responsive to said far-field detection; and

the method comprises updating the visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device responsive to said near-field detection, said updating optionally comprising changing the visual indication or ceasing to provide the visual indication.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said step of providing a visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device is initiated responsive to said near-field detection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said step of providing a visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device comprises transitioning a display driver and/or display of the electronic device from a low-power sleep state to a woken state and providing the visual indication on the display of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said far-field proximity sensor and/or said near-field proximity sensor provides position information of the position of an approaching user object; and

the method comprises updating the visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device based on the position information, said updating optionally comprising changing the visual indication or ceasing to provide the visual indication.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

monitoring a touch sensor of the electronic device for touch detection of a user touch of the device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

said step of monitoring the touch sensor of the electronic device is initiated responsive to said far-field detection and/or said near-field detection.

8. The method of claim 6 , comprising:

transitioning said touch sensor from a low-power sleep state to a woken state to perform said touch detection responsive to said far-field detection or said near-field detection.

9. The method of claim 6 , comprising:

responsive to said touch detection, updating the visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device, said updating optionally comprising changing the visual indication or ceasing to provide the visual indication.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the user approach comprises detecting the approach of a user object such as a user finger.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said far-field detection and/or said near-field detection comprises detecting a distance of the user object from the electronic device and/or a location of the user object relative to the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

said far-field detection comprises detecting the user approach with the far-field proximity sensor while the user object is separated apart from the electronic device, optionally by a distance which is greater than a sensing range of the near-field proximity sensor for said near-field detection; and

said near-field detection comprises detecting the user approach with the near-field proximity sensor while the user object is separated apart from the electronic device, optionally by a distance which is greater than a sensing range of a touch sensor of the electronic device for touch detection.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

said far-field detection comprises detecting when the user object approaches within a distance X1 of the electronic device and/or when the user object enters a space Y1 relative to the electronic device; and

said near-field detection comprises detecting when the user object approaches within a distance X2 of the electronic device and/or when the user object enters a space Y2 relative to the electronic device,

where X1>X2>0 and/or where the space Y2 is within the space Y1.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the far-field proximity sensor comprises an ultrasonic or other audio proximity sensor, optionally comprising a speaker and microphone of the electronic device or a surface audio or acoustic surface system of the electronic device; and/or

the near-field proximity sensor comprises a capacitive proximity sensor; and/or

the far-field proximity sensor or the near-field proximity sensor comprises an optical proximity sensor, optionally comprising a camera of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

controlling the electronic device such that it is in a given initial state;

carrying out the step of monitoring the far-field proximity sensor while the electronic device is in the given initial state;

when the electronic device is in the initial state, not providing the visual indication;

when the electronic device is in the initial state and the user approach is detected with said far-field detection or said near-field detection, transitioning the electronic device into a secondary state;

carrying out the step of providing a visual indication when the electronic device is in the secondary state and/or upon transitioning the electronic device into the secondary state; and

when the electronic device is in the secondary state and/or upon transitioning the electronic device into the secondary state, activating or waking up or controlling one or more components of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the electronic device comprises a touch-screen display, and wherein the step of providing a visual indication comprises indicating on the touch-screen display the location of an unlock area of the electronic device, which unlock area comprises the location of a fingerprint sensor, for example a sub-surface fingerprint sensor or an in-display fingerprint sensor; or

the electronic device comprises an interaction module, and wherein the method further comprises the step of responsive to said far-field detection or said near-field detection, activating the interaction module from an inactive or low-power sleep state, optionally wherein the step of activating the interaction module comprises initialising a fingerprint sensor, preferably an in-display or sub-surface fingerprint sensor; or

the method comprises determining that said far-field detection has been followed by said near-field detection, and, responsive to determining that said far-field detection has been followed by said near-field detection, activating or waking up or controlling one or more components of the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:

responsive to said far-field detection or said near-field detection, generating an interrupt command for an application processor, to activate the application processor from an inactive or low-power sleep state,

optionally wherein said step of generating an interrupt command is performed in parallel with providing a visual indication of an interaction zone for the electronic device.

18. An electronic device comprising a controller, the controller and/or the electronic device configured to implement the method of claim 1 .