Hi,
I recently bought a HTC Touch HD, and I think that the "shutdown-screen-when-you-answer-a-call" function of phones like Diamonds, Touch Pro and HD is the dumbest way to prevent accidental presses on the touch screen.
Our devices have a light sensor, that could be used to switch off the screen if the phone is near the ear (like the phone using an "i" word ) and keep it on when you answer with loudspeaker for example.
The "problem" with this function is that when you're already in a "no-light" environment, the screen lock function doesn't work.
To resolve this issue, I think we could use the G-Sensor. Indeed, if the place has no light, then, the phone cannot detect the proximity of a ear. But when you put the phone next to the ear, you hold it a the vertical...
To make it short, the app should do :
Do nothing in normal use.
When a call arrives :
- it monitors the ambient light
If there's light :
- when you answer the call, if there's light then no more (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches off the screen and continue to monitor.
- while in call, if there's light again (you want to see some info on the screen for example), it switches on the screen and continue to monitor.
- and so on until you end the call
If there's no light :
- when you answer the call, but let it at the horizontal (you let it on the desk for example), it does nothing
- if you take the phone on the vertical position (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches the screen off.
- if the phone, during a call, goes from vertical to horizontal of horizontal to vertical, the screen is switches on/of
- and so on until you end the call
Obviously, you could replace the "switch on/off screen" with "lock/unlock screen".
What do you think about ?
UPDATE :
After playing a bit with the HD, it appears that HTC DOES use the light sensor for turning the screen off during a call.
Let's do a test :
In a place with plenty light :
- put your mobile with the face up
- call a number (always face up) : the screen will not be switched off until the light sensor detects a loss of luminosity or a timeout set in the registry.
So, my conclusion is that HTC already use the light sensor to switch the screen off during a call, but they do it in an absurd way :
- they poll the sensor just to shut down the screen, not to switch it on.
- once the screen has been switched off, they do not longer poll at all.
Do you think it could be a way to "hack" their system to do what we want to do ?
no one has an opinion on this idea ? if there's nobody that want / have the time to develop a soft, I understand, but at least please, give me just your opinion
I agree with your idea for such an application. I must admit that I am very used to just pushing the power button when I answer a call (from Polaris use) to ensure I am not going into other programmes as I rub the phone against my ear. On the other hand I am trying to get used to the Touch HD's modern automatic method but I can't help not feeling relaxed that it has worked and keep trying to look at the screen in the corner of my eye to see if it did go off or not.
If it does not come now I am sure there will be such an app very soon just as you describe especially as all the latest models now have it.
i'd use the half of it that doesn't require the G-sensor as i don't have a diamond or HD...
but i'm certainly sick and tired of my ear operating my touch screen while i'm speaking.
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
fireweed said:
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe the simpliest way to "protect" the screen is to switch it off. I suppose it must be some API to do that ?
Concerning the "locking", I think the simpliest way is to put on focus an empty window (transparent if it can be ).
I'm really happy to know that you're working on an app like that
lpaso said:
Hi,
I recently bought a HTC Touch HD, and I think that the "shutdown-screen-when-you-answer-a-call" function of phones like Diamonds, Touch Pro and HD is the dumbest way to prevent accidental presses on the touch screen.
Our devices have a light sensor, that could be used to switch off the screen if the phone is near the ear (like the phone using an "i" word ) and keep it on when you answer with loudspeaker for example.
The "problem" with this function is that when you're already in a "no-light" environment, the screen lock function doesn't work.
To resolve this issue, I think we could use the G-Sensor. Indeed, if the place has no light, then, the phone cannot detect the proximity of a ear. But when you put the phone next to the ear, you hold it a the vertical...
To make it short, the app should do :
Do nothing in normal use.
When a call arrives :
- it monitors the ambient light
If there's light :
- when you answer the call, if there's light then no more (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches off the screen and continue to monitor.
- while in call, if there's light again (you want to see some info on the screen for example), it switches on the screen and continue to monitor.
- and so on until you end the call
If there's no light :
- when you answer the call, but let it at the horizontal (you let it on the desk for example), it does nothing
- if you take the phone on the vertical position (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches the screen off.
- if the phone, during a call, goes from vertical to horizontal of horizontal to vertical, the screen is switches on/of
- and so on until you end the call
Indeed, you could replace the "switch on/off screen" with "lock/unlock screen".
What do you think about ?
I searched the forum for an existing app that could do this, but I didn't find anything.
If there's already an app that do this stuff, I'm truely sorry for this post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking for this.. If you find a solution send me a PM, I will do the same
Thanks!
We need this app, how does the iphone acheive this?
I think the 'easiest' way to make this app would be to keep the phone doing what it does currently (put the phone on standby when answering a call) then have the light sensor take the phone out of standby when it receives light, (taking it away from your ear)?
Obviously if its dark then we would have to use the power butten as we currently do now or have the Gsensor do it with a twisting motion (vertical to horizontal).
If anyone has an idea how to program this i'm willing to help in any way, the current systems seems so crude on such tech devices!
DB
lpaso said:
Hi,
I searched the forum for an existing app that could do this, but I didn't find anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There a program, that can help you. Not full, but it can switch off screen, using g-sensor. However its using not vertical aligment of the phone. There are using changing orientation of the phone to decide when phone near the ear.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2622590&postcount=45
I have always wondered why our WM phones don't do what the iphone does...
For the SE Xperia X1, the light sensor is right near the earpiece (along with the little front facing camera), so it would go to virtually 100% darkness when near the ear. I would presume unless you are using the phone also in 100% darkness (which should be pretty rare I would guess) then it would work like the iphone.
I have also been quite annoyed by the fact that after a phonecall, sometimes I found i'm in a note taking program or weather program or something else. It just seems dumb, considering our phone HAVE these lightsensors?!
I think it's a fantastic idea to solve a VERY FRUSTRATING PROBLEM
lpaso said:
no one has an opinion on this idea ? if there's nobody that want / have the time to develop a soft, I understand, but at least please, give me just your opinion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would rank myself this way:
Not a newbie who's just gotten a touchscreen phone and is now discovering the quirks when holding screen to ear,
and not a developer,
but a power-user. I have installed all sorts of XDA-developed features/enhancements for my phone.
But now I have 4 years experience -- starting with the T-Mobile MDA, and its successor, the T-Mobile WING. And despite all of the advancements expected in that time, STILL, I inadvertently end a call, or put it on hold accidentally, ALL THE TIME. Between that and trying to retrieve the phone from my pocket just to answer the damn ringing phone, I would say I have, on the average, a 20% success rate -- and 80% of the time the call is disrupted. And at least once a day my ohone, in my pocket, even when using s2u2, manages to REDIAL my latest conversation, so mcuh so that all my friends say "why don;t you get rid of that phone. It does all these whiz bang things but still can't reliably manage a basic phone call.
My most recent experiment was to call someone, then when they answered, press the s2U2 key to lock the phone screen. Only I came to find out from A_C that this is no good: S2u2 does not have recognition that you're ending the call, thus, since it's in lock-mode, the "END CALL" or Hang-Up hard key does not work.
So by all means, I would even pay for an app that once and for all handles the baseline problems of simply making a phone call. Thanks for making this request.
fireweed, have you contacted A_C, author of s2u2 ?
There may just be perfect synergy between the two of you. His "best of breed" screen-lock app is widely used -- and other developers, like supbro, for example, author of iDialer, have collaborated on small code-bits from A_C to solve some integration problems.
If for any reason you are unfamiliar with A_C, go to his website: www.ac-s2.com -- where his apps are explained, and all link back to XDA.
He's even managed to make the screen lock work, yet, have it selectively overridden when you insert headphone jack -- such that his s2p (slide to play) app opens and allows you to switch music tracks etc while otherwise the screen and buttons are all fully locked...
fireweed said:
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
After playing a bit with the HD, it appears that HTC DOES use the light sensor for turning the screen off during a call.
Let's do a test :
In a place with plenty light :
- put your mobile with the face up
- call a number (always face up) : the screen will not be switched off until the light sensor detects a loss of luminosity or the timeout set in the registry expires.
So, my conclusion is that HTC already use the light sensor to switch the screen off during a call, but they do it in an absurd way :
- they poll the sensor just to shut down the screen, not to switch it on.
- once the screen has been switched off, they do not longer poll at all.
Do you think it could be a way to "hack" their system to do what we want to do ?
I think HTC does not only switch off the display but goes to standby (phone works independent if you didn't know yet). Your idea is a lot different in terms of programming.
I don't know if it goes to standby : when the screen is switched off during a call, a press on any button switch it on again. In the registry, the key controlling the timeout before the screen is shut off is named "LightSensorToScreenOff" so I think it is just switching off the screen...
lpaso said:
I don't know if it goes to standby : when the screen is switched off during a call, a press on any button switch it on again. In the registry, the key controlling the timeout before the screen is shut off is named "LightSensorToScreenOff" so I think it is just switching off the screen...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if thats the case, its HALF of what the iphone does... it turns off the screen based on the light sensor going dark suddenly (next to ear) but then fails to turn the screen back on after you move the phone away from your ear...
Anyone know how to enable this?
Interested in having this feature too. Isn't it possible to have the G-Sensor determine when the phone is vertical and shut the screen and then when it is lying flat to turn the screen back on again. Believe that the Iphone does it this way, not with the light sensor.
Hmm... I never had my ear 'navigating' my phone during in-call before....
I never allowed the screen to touch my face anyway, and the speaker is facing the ear canal, when I receive or make calls...
But i do understand that s2u2 can do what you guys might need, it locks the screen during in call.
Hennyb said:
Interested in having this feature too. Isn't it possible to have the G-Sensor determine when the phone is vertical and shut the screen and then when it is lying flat to turn the screen back on again. Believe that the Iphone does it this way, not with the light sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the Iphone has something called proximity sensor, which senses the distance from the ear to the phone, hence when the phone rest on the outer ear, the phone screen shut off.
Or am I wrong?
Section9 said:
I think the Iphone has something called proximity sensor, which senses the distance from the ear to the phone, hence when the phone rest on the outer ear, the phone screen shut off.
Or am I wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you're right. It uses an iR sensor to know if there's something near the phone.
I used to have a BB curve that also had a camera LED but it worked like a flash when I hit the button to take the picture the LED would automatically flash to take the pic..it's annoying that on my Fuze I have to manually turn on/off the led light..I was wondering if there's some software or a patch that will make the camera LED behave in this manner?
no. cannot.
it's trying to replace sun light with a match
a led is many times weaker then a real flash
which would temp blind you if it was on all the time
and you looked into it
where a led is more like whats your computer, tv, dvdplayer or the likes
got just a bit stronger but not more then 80 lumen
where a real flash can have about 5000 lumen
so sure one can program the led "flash" to turn on and close like a real
flash does but it would give no effect
euklid said:
I used to have a BB curve that also had a camera LED but it worked like a flash when I hit the button to take the picture the LED would automatically flash to take the pic..it's annoying that on my Fuze I have to manually turn on/off the led light..I was wondering if there's some software or a patch that will make the camera LED behave in this manner?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
euklid, I am with you. My nokia use to do that. It is a horrible design and pain to have to turn the light on each time to use it. It is the same type of light set up in my nokia as on the fuze, just that nokia knew how to use it properly. It is funny with all the mods available for the Fuze, I would have thought that would have been the first thing somebody changed. And, I thought I was the only person this aggrevated the sh!t out of.....
Rudegar said:
it's trying to replace sun light with a match
a led is many times weaker then a real flash
which would temp blind you if it was on all the time
and you looked into it
where a led is more like whats your computer, tv, dvdplayer or the likes
got just a bit stronger but not more then 80 lumen
where a real flash can have about 5000 lumen
so sure one can program the led "flash" to turn on and close like a real
flash does but it would give no effect
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want it as bright as a real flash of course..but the Blackberry curve has an LED also and it works well as a "flash"..the brightness of the LED the Fuze has now when u take the picture is fine for most cases, I've tested taking a few pics in a dark room and they come out decent..my point is that why is there no auto setting..so the LED goes from OFF to its max brightness as soon as you press the button to take the picture and then shut off automatically after pic is taken..a feature that the BB curve and some other phones have..I wish someone would make a mod to the camera software to do this..couldn't you use the Fuze's light sensor to determine if a flash is needed or not..
I suppose it would be possible but don't really see how one could do it with the existing software without having the source-code people would have to trail and error using a sex editor
one thing is to use a hex editor to alter stuff already in the code but to add new stuff like tieing the led to the capture itself not sure how much work it would be to change the cam app sounds like a great deal
about using the light sensor then sure but could be misleading as
the light sensor is facing the opposite direction
Any news on this? Has anyone tried to write a patch or program? Any reg hacks? I'm desperate!
No use for it.
As said before by one of us....
A real camera have better sync when taking a shot and opening flash.
Think. Our phones have a delay that is not controlled and varies depending on the auto focus and light condition, that is why they set it to be on before taking the shot.
Maybe we will see a complete PPC from HTC soon, today already exist the technology to have more than 5 MP camera with a decent flash, maybe the TouchPro 3 will have it, that is why I will stick with my Fuze unless I have to forcefully buy a new device like the TP2 in order to deduct it from my Taxes. Lets see.
Hi:
Since it is not possible for the light to flash automatically, is there any way to set it to always on (while in camera mode of course), so it does not have to be turned on each time I use the camera (I pretty much use it while out with friends in the evening, so it's pretty much always dark)?
Thanks!
Problem with that.
cincy1020 said:
Hi:
Since it is not possible for the light to flash automatically, is there any way to set it to always on (while in camera mode of course), so it does not have to be turned on each time I use the camera (I pretty much use it while out with friends in the evening, so it's pretty much always dark)?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know.... the reason that is not set to always on is because you may damage the LED if you keep it on for a long time or X-period of time, but there is an application(hTorch) that lets you use the LED as a Flashlight, I already try to have both the camera and hTorch open at the same time and the camera failed to open. Any way when you use hTorch for too long the light start flickering.
udgn said:
As far as I know.... the reason that is not set to always on is because you may damage the LED if you keep it on for a long time or X-period of time, but there is an application(hTorch) that lets you use the LED as a Flashlight, I already try to have both the camera and hTorch open at the same time and the camera failed to open. Any way when you use hTorch for too long the light start flickering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I think I did not explain myself correctly. I don't want the light ALWAYS on. And, I do use Htorch for when I need a flashlight. What I guess I should have said is in camera mode, there is a setting to turn on the light. Is there a way for this to be activated every time the camera is opened? Not as a flash per say, just as the default setting for the light?
Thanks!
hello everyone
I am working on a project requiring me to produce IR images from a cell phone camera. I understand that in most cell phone cameras, the IR light is filtered out to produce better pictures in the visible light. Does anyone know if this is done by putting a physical filter in of the optical path, or it is removed as an image process?
Also, I managed to open one cell phone I have and it looks to me the camera is a single CCD chip with a glass housing on top of it. Does anyone know if there is any online tutorial to show me how to dissemble the camera if a hardware modification is needed?
a third question, what are the companies that produced these CCDs for cell phones? I am particularly interested in the ones supply for iphone or newer android smartphones.
thanks
I've yet to come across a phone camera which filters out IR.
They're very handy for checking if car plips/TV remotes are working.
I've seen howto's on removing the ir filter on USB webcams. Some are simple "remove this and a little ir filter sheet will fall out" and some require grinding away at the lens and then repolishing. Good luck on your camera project, hope you find out good news like xaccers suggests.
The camera on smartphone is just a single unit with sensor and lens together, disassembling is quite a task or does it even contain the filter?
Try using a TV remote or any other infrared device in front of the smartphone camera.
No,there is no IR filter on smartphone's cameras pal.
Look at this video and see that there is a second light on that Desire HD at the place of the proximity sensor,which emits IR I think.Plain proof that there is no filter.
im am sorry to say that you are all wrong. all digit cameras including cell phone cameras have IR filters.
they are there to reduce IR light not block it. this is why you are able to see flashing IR leds on remotes. by removing the filter though the leds would be far brighter.
IR light washes out images on ccd and cmos sensors the the filters are in place to reduce this effect.
but as once mentioned it will be quite difficult to remove from a mobile sensor as the lenses sit within the autofocus chamber and would probably be damaged during removal.
yup totally correct.. the ir filter is with in the lense/autofocous chamber and will most likely ruin the sensor if you try to remove it. i tried it on the s7. had to buy replacement camera. in older smartphone cameras the ir filter was easier to remove.. lates phone cameras the ir filter is sandwich between lenses chamber an sensor.
Back story:
Recently I bought these dirt cheap VR goggles, they suck, but for the time being it's all I have.
I've noticed that having a touch control over the phone was prety usefull, pausing a video, recentering, selecting, etc.
My goggles are basically wide open from the back, meaning the camera, jack, nfc (probably), usb and the Heartrate sensor are not blocked.
That in mind, I remembered that feature where you can take selfies with the Heartrate sensor and tought to myself "Heck this outta be easy!"
Let's start,
I need to use the heartrate proximity sensor to create a touch action in the middle of my screen
I first headed to the "Automate" app as it is quite flexible and simple (yet anoying) to use. To my avail, the sensor was not listed.
Tasker it was then!
Turns out tasker has a %HEART value but I am uncertain if it's even remotly close to what I need. (tasker.joaoapps. com/userguide/en/variables.html)
also one of my problems is, I don't even know how to activate the sensor in the first place.
I don't know anything about developping on mobile but,
Here's what I know:
-Samsung offers the Sensor Extension for developpers, but you need to register to ask for the dev kit via Email and apparently they don't respond to them very often. (developer.samsung. com/galaxy/sensor-extension)
-You can activate and monitor the sensors using the Samsung test menu
By entering *#0*# in the phone/call keypad and going to Sensor.
-Technically, for my purpose I would only want the proximity sensor of the Heart rate sensor but I believe they come in a package.
-I could attempt using NFC or bluetooth, but I guess I prefer to not cary something in my hand.
-I am sort of noob/alright when it comes to programming C++ so I can atleast understand code.
I'm asking for someone to shed some light if this was done before, I might be missing some obvious answer or other 3rd party app
I don't want to ask alot to be honest.
I guess other solutions will be much easier anyway, I just like to break my head thinking about other ways to do things.
Thx.