IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,626,628
Granted Patent B2
US 12,626,628 · App. 19/022,060 · Granted May 12, 2026

Ambient light and proximity detection method, photographing method, and terminal

Inventors: Chenlong Li (Shenzhen, CN); Hongxia Gui (Shenzhen, CN); Xin Zhao (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: Honor Device Co., Ltd.
G09G3/20G09G5/10G09G2360/144
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,626,628
App. No.
19/022,060
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application relates to the field of communications technologies, and provides ambient light and optical proximity detection methods, a photographing method, and a terminal, so that an entire display screen of the terminal is used to display a user interface, and this improves user experience. The method specifically includes: controlling, by a terminal, some areas of a display screen to display a black picture for a plurality of times; and when the areas display the black picture, obtaining approaching data of the external object detected by an optical proximity sensor to control turning on or off of the display screen.

Claims (45)

1 . A proximity detection method, comprising:

displaying, by a terminal, a black picture for at least two times in a first area of a display area of a display screen of the terminal, wherein the terminal includes a first optical proximity sensor under the display screen, the display area of the display screen includes the first area and a second area, the first optical proximity sensor detects an external object through the first area, and the second area is outside the first area, and wherein the black picture is displayed for at least two times in the first area during refreshing of one frame of an image frame picture, wherein a size of an area for displaying the black picture is equal to a size of the first area;

displaying, by the terminal, the image frame picture in the second area when the black picture is displayed in the first area;

displaying, by the terminal, the image frame picture in the first area in an interval between displaying the black picture in the first area for two times; and

obtaining, by the terminal, approaching data of the external object detected by the first optical proximity sensor when the first area displays the black picture.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying, by the terminal, the black picture periodically in the first area, wherein the black picture continuously moves from one boundary of the display area to an opposite boundary of the display area on the display screen during refreshing of the image frame.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a display frequency of the terminal is f Hz, and the interval between displaying the black picture in the first area for two times is greater than or equal to 1/(a×f) seconds, wherein a is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a duration of displaying the black picture each time is greater than or equal to a duration used by the first optical proximity sensor for detecting the proximity.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the image frame picture includes a display user interface presented by the terminal to a user.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the displaying, by a terminal, a black picture for at least two times in a first area comprises:

displaying, by the terminal, N black pictures within a first time period T 1 in the first area; and

obtaining, by the terminal using the first optical proximity sensor, the approaching data of the external object for M times, when M of the N black pictures are displayed, wherein M is less than or equal to N.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, by the terminal, the black picture for a plurality of times in the second area;

displaying, by the terminal, the image frame picture in the first area when the black picture is displayed in the second area; and

displaying, by the terminal, the image frame picture in the second area in an interval between displaying the black picture in the second area for two times.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

when the second area displays the black picture, displaying, by the terminal, in a first portion of the second area an nth frame of the image frame picture, and in a second portion of the second area at least one of an nth frame or an (n+1)th frame of the image frame picture.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein when the black picture is displayed in the second area, the terminal turns off a light emitting unit in the second area of the display screen.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical proximity sensor controls an emission lamp to emit an infrared ray to detect the external object through the first area when the first area displays the black picture.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical proximity sensor is located in an edge portion of the display screen.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a grayscale value of the black picture is less than or equal to a preset threshold.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the black picture is displayed in the first area, the terminal turns off a light emitting unit in the first area of the display screen.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

controlling, by the terminal, the display frequency and a frequency of a power-frequency current of the display screen to form a phase difference.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein after the obtaining, by the terminal, the approaching data of the external object, the method further comprises:

controlling, by the terminal, to turn off the display screen, when the first optical proximity sensor detects that the external object is approaching, and the terminal is in a call.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the first optical proximity sensor, the approaching data of the external object when the first area displays the black picture and the image frame picture; and

reading, by the terminal, the approaching data of the external object detected by the first optical proximity sensor.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the first optical proximity sensor, the approaching data of the external object when the first area displays the black picture and the image frame picture; and

using, by the terminal, the approaching data of the external object as detected data of the external object.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a period of time in which the terminal displays one black picture in the first area is less than a period of time in which the terminal displays one frame of image frame picture.

19 . A terminal, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a display screen; and

an optical proximity sensor, wherein the optical proximity sensor is located under the display screen, and a display area of the display screen comprises a first area and a second area, wherein the first area comprises an area used by the optical proximity sensor to detect approaching data of an external object, and the second area is a part of an area, other than the first area, in the display area;

wherein the memory and the display screen are coupled to the processor, the memory is configured to store computer program code, the computer program code comprises computer instructions, and when the processor executes the computer instructions, the terminal is enabled to perform a proximity detection method, comprising:

displaying a black picture for at least two times in the first area during refreshing of one frame of an image frame picture, wherein a size of an area for displaying the black picture is equal to a size of the first area;

displaying the image frame picture in the second area when the black picture is displayed in the first area;

displaying the image frame picture in the first area in an interval between displaying the black picture in the first area for two times; and

obtaining approaching data of the external object detected by the optical proximity sensor when the first area displays the black picture.

20 . The terminal according to claim 19 , wherein the displaying the black picture for at least two times in the first area comprises displaying, in the first area, the black picture periodically.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2025
From: LI, CHENLONG; GUI, HONGXIA; ZHAO, XIN
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 069882/0585 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2025
From: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
To: HONOR DEVICE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 069929/0492 →
Priority Claims (1)
WO PCT/CN2017/120319 · Dec 29, 2017 · international
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18536498 · Dec 12, 2023
Continuation 17678281 · Feb 23, 2022
Continuation 16959059
Related Publication 20250157377A1 · May 15, 2025
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