IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,675,457
Granted Patent B2
US 11,675,457 · App. 17/404,381 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Electronic apparatus having a sensing unit to input a user command and a method thereof

Inventor: Seungman Kim (McLean, VA)
G06F3/0418G02B13/00G06F3/011G06F3/017G06F3/0304G06F3/0425G06F3/0482G06F3/04817G06F3/04883
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,675,457
App. No.
17/404,381
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile device includes a housing, a display unit installed in the housing, wherein the display unit includes a panel which has a display panel to display a menu image and a touch panel to receive a touch input from a user, the panel having a first portion and a second portion with a transparency condition, and a sensing unit installed in the housing and disposed at a bottom of the panel to receive a user input through the panel, wherein the sensing unit includes a camera disposed to correspond to the second portion of the panel and to photograph a user through the second portion of the panel, and a sensing element to sense an object through the panel.

Claims (67)

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a housing;

a memory unit to store data for operations of the mobile device;

an interface to communicate with an external device;

a display unit installed in the housing as an input and output unit, having a display area, and comprising a panel having a display panel to display a menu image and a touch panel to receive a touch input from a user; and

a sensing unit comprising a lens unit installed to sense a user, the lens unit having a center line being not perpendicular to the display area of the panel,

wherein the lens unit senses the user being close to the display area of the panel, and the user being close to the display area of the panel is not sensed when the center line is perpendicular to the display area of the panel.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing center line has an angle with a line perpendicular to the display area of the panel.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit has a sensing area over the display area of the panel.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the center line comprises a sensing center line.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit is at a side of the display area of the panel.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit is in a portion of the housing.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit is at a side of the housing, and the sensing unit further comprises another lens unit in a position to correspond to the display area of the panel.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the display area of the panel, and the sensing unit further comprises another lens unit at a side of the housing.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the lens unit comprises a camera to sense the user.

10. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein:

the user comprises a plurality of sub-users, one of which has a priority; and

the sensing unit senses the one sub-user as a user input to perform one operation of the mobile device.

11. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the user comprises a plurality of sub-users, one of which has a priority; and

the sensing unit senses the user and the one sub-user as a user input to perform one operation of the mobile device.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a housing;

a memory unit to store data for operations of the mobile device;

an interface to communicate with an external device;

a display unit installed in the housing as an input and output unit, having a display area, and comprising a panel having a display panel to display a menu image and a touch panel to receive a touch input from a user; and

a sensing unit comprising a lens unit installed to sense a user, the lens unit having a center line being not perpendicular to the display area of the panel,

wherein the sensing unit comprises another lens unit having another center line being parallel to a line perpendicular to the display area to sense the user.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein:

the user comprises a plurality of sub-users, one of which has a priority; and

the sensing unit with the lens unit senses the one sub-user as a user input to perform one operation of the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein:

the user comprises a plurality of sub-users, one of which has a priority; and

the sensing unit with the another lens unit senses the one sub-user as a user input to perform one operation of the mobile device.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a housing;

a memory unit to store data for operations of the mobile device;

an interface to communicate with an external device;

a display unit installed in the housing as an input and output unit, having a display area, and comprising a panel having a display panel to display a menu image and a touch panel to receive a touch input from a user; and

a sensing unit comprising a lens unit installed to sense a user, the lens unit having a center line being not perpendicular to the display area of the panel,

wherein the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the display area of the panel and senses the user through the panel.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion with a transparent condition, and the lens unit is in the second portion of the panel to sense the user through the second portion of the panel.

17. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion with an interference prevention condition, and the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the second portion of the display area of the pane to sense the user through the second portion of the panel.

18. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion smaller than the first portion in size, and the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the second portion such that the lens unit is prevented being interfered during the sensing the user.

19. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion surrounded by the first portion, and the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the second portion to sense the user through the second portion.

20. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion within the first portion;

the second portion has a transparent condition; and

the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the second portion to sense the user through the second portion.

21. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion within the first portion;

the second portion has an interference prevention, and

the lens unit comprises a camera in a position to correspond to the second portion to sense the user through the second portion.

22. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion to provide an interference prevention to the lens unit,

the first portion is at opposite sides of the second portion in a cross section; and

the lens unit is in a position to correspond to the second portion to sense the user through the second portion.

23. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion to provide an interference prevention to the lens unit; and

the lens unit comprises a camera in a position to correspond to the second portion to photograph the user.

24. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion having a first number of light elements and a second portion having a second number of light elements to provide an interference-prevention condition to the lens unit when the lens unit senses the user; and

the lens unit is at a bottom of the panel to correspond to the second portion to sense the user through the second portion.

25. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein:

the display area of the panel comprises a first portion and a second portion having an interference-prevention condition;

the user comprises a plurality of sub-users, one of which has a priority; and

the sensing unit senses at least one of the one sub-user and the other sub-user through the second portion to perform one operation of the mobile device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2026
From: SMARTIP LLC
To: KIMIPS LLC
Reel/Frame 074683/0019 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2024
From: KIM, SEUNGMAN, MR.
To: SMARTIP LLC
Reel/Frame 067775/0779 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17071042 · Oct 15, 2020
Continuation 16528695 · Aug 1, 2019
Continuation 15875367 · Jan 19, 2018
Continuation 15440033 · Feb 23, 2017
Continuation 15246302 · Aug 24, 2016
Continuation 14583537 · Dec 26, 2014
Related Publication 20210373700A1 · Dec 2, 2021