Apparatus for recognizing a user position using at least one sensor and method thereof

1. A vehicle comprising:

a display unit configured to display information on a screen;

a sensor unit disposed below the screen, extending along a bottom edge of the screen, and configured to detect a position of a user's hand at a sensing area in front of the screen, the sensing area including (1) a first zone for detecting an approach of the user's hand and (2) a second zone for detecting a position of the user's hand, the sensor unit including (1) a plurality of light emitting units configured to emit light to the sensing area and (2) one or more sensors configured to sense the light emitted to the sensing area and reflected by the user's hand at the sensing area; and

a controller configured to control the display unit to perform:

in response to the sensor unit detecting the approach of the user's hand at the first zone, displaying, at a bottom portion of the screen, a plurality of selectable main menu items arranged in a row extending along the sensor unit, and

in response to the sensor unit detecting the user's hand at the second zone, displaying, at a portion of the screen above the plurality of selectable main menu items, a plurality of selectable submenu items of one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at a portion on the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged in a row and configured to sequentially emit the light from a first end to a second end of the row of the plurality of light emitting units, and

wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect the position of and a distance related to the user's hand based on an infrared intensity of the light reflected by the user's hand.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:

a number of the plurality of light emitting units is greater than that of the one or more sensors, and

each of the one or more sensors is positioned in at least one of left, middle and right portions of the sensor unit.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a number of the one or more sensors is less than that of the plurality of light emitting units.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the display unit to display, on the screen, the plurality of selectable submenu items together with a plurality of surrounding menu items related to the one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at the portion of the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone, the plurality of surrounding menu items displayed on the screen having a resolution different from that of the plurality of selectable submenu items displayed on the screen.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising (1) a display unit configured to display information on a screen and (2) a sensor unit disposed below the screen, extending along a bottom edge of the screen, and configured to detect a position of a user's hand at a sensing area in front of the screen, the sensor unit including (1) a plurality of light emitting units configured to emit light to the sensing area and (2) one or more sensors configured to receive the light emitted to the sensing area and reflected by the user's hand, the method comprising:

controlling the plurality of light emitting units of the sensor unit to emit the light to the sensing area, the sensing area including (1) a first zone for detecting an approach of the user's hand and (2) a second zone for detecting a position of the user's hand;

controlling the one or more sensors of the sensor unit to receive the light emitted to the sensing area and reflected by the user's hand;

detecting, based on the light received by the one or more sensors of the sensor unit, a position of a user's hand at the sensing area in front of the display unit;

in response to detecting that the user's hand is positioned at the first zone of the sensing area, controlling the display unit to display, at a bottom portion of the screen, a plurality of selectable main menu items arranged in a row extending along the sensor unit; and

in response to detecting the user's hand at the second zone of the sensing area, controlling the display unit to display, at a portion of the screen above the plurality of selectable main menu items, a plurality of selectable submenu items of one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at a portion on the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged in a row and configured to sequentially emit the light from a first end to a second end of the row of the plurality of light emitting units, and

wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect the position of and a distance related to the user's hand based on an infrared intensity of the light reflected by the user's hand.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

a number of the plurality of light emitting units is greater than that of the one or more sensors, and

each of the one or more sensors is positioned in at least one of left, middle and right portions of the sensor unit.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein a number of the one or more sensors is less than a number of the plurality of light emitting units.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the display unit to display the plurality of selectable submenu items comprises controlling the display unit to display, on the screen, the plurality of selectable submenu items together with a plurality of surrounding menu items related to the one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at the portion of the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone, the plurality of surrounding menu items displayed on the screen having a resolution different from that of the plurality of selectable submenu items displayed on the screen.

9. A display of a vehicle, comprising:

a display unit configured to display information on a screen; and

a sensor unit disposed below the screen, extending along a bottom edge of the screen, and configured to detect a movement and position of a user's hand at a sensing area in front of the screen, the sensing area including (1) a first zone for detecting an approach of the user's hand and (2) a second zone for detecting a position of the user's hand, the sensor unit including a plurality of light emitting units configured to emit light to the sensing area and one or more sensors configured to sense the light emitted to the sensing area and reflected by the user's hand at the sensing area,

wherein the display unit is configured to:

in response to the sensor unit detecting the approach of the user's hand at the first zone, display, at a bottom portion of the screen, a plurality of selectable main menu items arranged in a row extending along the sensor unit; and

in response to the sensor unit detecting the user's hand at the second zone, display, at a portion of the screen above the plurality of selectable main menu items, a plurality of selectable submenu items of one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at a portion on the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone,

wherein the plurality of light emitting units are arranged in a row and configured to sequentially emit the light from a first end to a second end of the row of the plurality of light emitting units, and

wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect the position of and a distance related to the user's hand based on an infrared intensity of the light reflected by the user's hand.

10. The display of claim 9 , wherein:

a number of the plurality of light emitting units is greater than that of the one or more sensors, and

each of the one or more sensors is positioned in at least one of left, middle and right sides of the sensor unit.

11. The display of claim 9 , wherein a number of the one or more sensors is less than that of the plurality of light emitting units.

12. The display of claim 9 , wherein the display unit is further configured to, in response to the sensor unit detecting the user's hand at the second zone, display, on the screen, the plurality of selectable submenu items together with a plurality of surrounding menu items related to the one of the plurality of selectable main menu items displayed at the portion of the row corresponding to the position of the user's hand detected at the second zone, the plurality of surrounding menu items displayed on the screen having a resolution different from that of the plurality of selectable submenu items displayed on the screen.