Automatic detection method and portable electronic device using the same

Abstract

There is provided a portable electronic device including a backlight module, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor and a processing unit. The backlight module illuminates with backlight brightness. The ambient light sensor is configured to detect ambient light intensity. The proximity sensor is configured to detect an object. The processing unit is configured to activate the proximity sensor when the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor is lower than a predetermined value or decreases more than a predetermined range, and to maintain or reduce the backlight brightness according to a detection result of the proximity sensor. There is further provided an automatic detection method.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automatic detection method, adapted to control backlight brightness of a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device comprising an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, the automatic detection method comprising:
 activating the ambient light sensor to detect ambient light;   identifying an intensity value or an intensity variation of the ambient light; and   executing following steps when the intensity value or the intensity variation satisfies a predetermined condition:
 activating the proximity sensor when the intensity value decreases; 
 maintaining the backlight brightness when the proximity sensor detects an object approaching; and 
 reducing the backlight brightness when the proximity sensor does not detect the object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the intensity value or the intensity variation satisfies the predetermined condition, the method further comprises:
 increasing the backlight brightness when the intensity value does not decrease.   
     
     
         3 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is a cell phone. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising: detecting an incoming phone call. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein when the incoming phone call is detected, the method further comprises:
 activating the ambient light sensor and the proximity sensor simultaneously;   setting the backlight brightness to zero when the proximity sensor detects the object approaching; and   adjusting the backlight brightness according to the ambient light detected by the ambient light sensor when the proximity sensor does not detect the object.   
     
     
         6 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein when the incoming phone call is detected and the proximity sensor detects the object approaching, the method further comprises:
 detecting another incoming phone call when the proximity sensor detects that the object has left; and   setting the backlight brightness to zero continuously when the proximity sensor detects that the object has not left.   
     
     
         7 . An automatic detection method, adapted to control backlight brightness of a cell phone, the cell phone comprising an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, the automatic detection method comprising:
 detecting an incoming phone call;   activating the ambient light sensor to detect an intensity value of ambient light and executing following steps when the incoming phone call is not detected:
 activating the proximity sensor when the intensity value is lower than a predetermined value or decreases more than a predetermined range; 
 maintaining the backlight brightness when the proximity sensor detects an object approaching; and 
 reducing the backlight brightness when the proximity sensor does not detect the object; and 
   activating the ambient light sensor and the proximity sensor simultaneously and executing following steps when the incoming phone call is detected:
 setting the backlight brightness to zero when the proximity sensor detects the object approaching; and 
 adjusting the backlight brightness according to the ambient light detected by the ambient light sensor when the proximity sensor does not detect the object. 
   
     
     
         8 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein when the incoming phone call is detected and the proximity sensor detects the object approaching, the method further comprises:
 detecting another incoming phone call when the proximity sensor detects that the object has left;   setting the backlight brightness to zero continuously when the proximity sensor detects that the object has not left.   
     
     
         9 . The automatic detection method as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising:
 deactivating a button function and a touch control function simultaneously when the proximity sensor detects the object approaching.   
     
     
         10 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a backlight module illuminating with backlight brightness;   an ambient light sensor configured to detect ambient light intensity;   a proximity sensor configured to detect an object; and   a processing unit configured to activate the proximity sensor when the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor is lower than a predetermined value or decreases more then a predetermined range, and to maintain or reduce the backlight brightness according to a detection result of the proximity sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein when the proximity sensor detects the object approaching, the processing unit controls the backlight module to maintain the backlight brightness; and when the proximity sensor does not detect the object, the processing unit controls the backlight module to reduce the backlight brightness. 
     
     
         12 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 10 , which is a cell phone. 
     
     
         13 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit further detects an incoming phone call and activates the ambient light sensor and the proximity sensor simultaneously when detecting the incoming phone call. 
     
     
         14 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein when the proximity sensor detects the object approaching, the processing unit deactivates the backlight module; and when the proximity sensor does not detect the object, the processing unit adjusts the backlight brightness according to the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the proximity sensor is a capacitive, an inductive, an electromagnetic, an optical, a microwave or an ultrasonic proximity sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The portable electronic device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the proximity sensor is an optical proximity sensor and the portable electronic device further comprises an active light source to illuminate the object.