The proximity sensor is installed in almost all currently produced smartphones running operating system Android. This is a useful and convenient technology, but if you need to disable it, then thanks to the openness of the Android OS, this can be done without any problems. In this article, we will tell you about ways to disable this sensor. Let's start!
The proximity sensor allows the smartphone to determine how close an item is to the screen. There are two types similar devices- optical and ultrasonic, - but they will be discussed in another article. It is this element of the mobile device that sends a signal to its processor that it is necessary to turn off the screen when the phone is brought to the ear during a conversation, or it gives the command to ignore pressing the unlock button if the smartphone is in your pocket. Usually, it is installed in the same area with conversational speaker And front camera as shown in the photo below.
Due to a breakdown or clogging with dust, the sensor may begin to behave incorrectly, for example, in the middle of a conversation, suddenly turn on the screen. This can cause accidental pressing of any button on the touch screen. In this case, you can turn it off in two ways: using default settings Android and one third party application, designed to control various functions of the smartphone. All this will be discussed below.
Method 1: Sanity
The first solution to the problem is the Sanity application, which is not available in, but is available on third-party resources. It specializes in changing the "iron" parameters of the phone - vibration, camera, sensors, etc.
Method 2: Android OS System Settings
This method is the most preferred, since all actions will take place in standard menu Android operating system settings. The instructions below use a smartphone with a MIUI 8 shell, so the interface elements on your device may differ slightly, but the sequence of actions will be approximately the same, no matter which launcher you use.
Conclusion
Disabling the proximity sensor in some cases is reasonable, for example, if you are sure that the problem is only in it. We advise in case of technical problems with the device to contact our website or technical support smartphone manufacturer. We hope that our material has helped in solving this problem.
Modern smartphones use a huge number of sensors that are necessary for the correct operation of the device. One of them is called the proximity sensor. What is it for and how does it work? These questions are of interest to many users, now we will tell you everything.
Proximity sensor - part of the system that allows you to fix the presence of a foreign object within the visibility of the sensor, and which gives the necessary signal to the device. Didn't understand? Okay, let's make it easier. As a rule, at the top of the front panel of the smartphone there is a small window where the proximity sensor is located. It is small and hard to see with the naked eye. Here is where it is located in the Xiaomi smartphone:
As soon as you put the smartphone to your ear for a conversation, this sensor works and turns off the display. This is done so that the user cannot press the touch keys when talking to someone. Agree, the idea is simple and very cool. However, this functionality has another important advantage: as you know, the most important energy consumer of a modern smartphone is its screen. Turning off the display during a call can significantly save battery power.
Many Android smartphones allow you to turn off the proximity sensor if necessary - yes, yes, sometimes such a need arises. We are talking about this, so we will quickly repeat. An example based on a Xiaomi smartphone.
Open the settings, go to the section " System Applications».
Here, tap on the line "Phone".
Find the "Proximity Sensor" item and turn the switch to the "Off" position. Or "On" - as needed.
It is a pity that such an opportunity is not available in all smartphones.
Many products modern electronics equipped with sensors that detect the proximity of an object, such as a finger, to the keyboard or a person's ear to the phone. This technology is actively used in various kinds, which eliminates the mechanical switching of devices, as well as extending their service life. And many may well have a question: the proximity sensor in the phone - what is it and how does it work? Further, this device will be considered from the point of view of implementation using capacitive technology.
Proximity detection
Proximity recognition using non-contact technology quickly found application in the field of portable devices eating autonomously. The function is actively used in the latest models of smartphones and tablets, in music players. Its main purpose is to increase the reliability of devices and save electrical energy.
The display of the device will be in an inactive state until the approach of the user's hand is detected, which is exactly what the proximity sensor in the phone is responsible for. What it is - it will become clear if we consider the principle of its work. When it comes to the use of such technology, it is worth noting that in standby mode, energy consumption is handled exclusively by CPU. And when the approach of the palm or finger is determined, the display turns on, which displays the current information. All this allows you to reduce the average power consumption of the gadget, while increasing the time battery life batteries.
Features of using the function in different techniques
In household automation, the proximity recognition function has also become very widespread. Non-contact sensors are used to turn on the opening of water supply taps when a human hand is in their field of action; refrigerator displays and microwave ovens will be inactive until the user's hand approaches them. Equipped with this function and new home automation systems. used to manage household appliances and lighting, are configured to serve as digital photo frames. But as soon as one of the people approaches them, they immediately appear. Quite an interesting technology is the proximity sensor in the phone. What it is will help to understand the description of the method by which recognition occurs.
Proximity recognition methods
When, for example, a finger approaches the sensor, the total capacitance of the system changes. It is it that is used to detect an object near a non-contact sensor.
Capacitance Change Detection
How accurately and reliably a non-contact sensor will work depends entirely on the accuracy of measurements of the changed capacitance of the system. For this purpose, a number of methods have been developed, among which the most famous are the methods of charge transfer, successive approximation, capacitance interaction and the sigma-delta method. Two of them are most commonly used. Both use a switched capacitive circuit and an external sense capacitor.
Successive approximation method
In this case, the switched capacitive circuit is charged. From this capacitor, voltage is supplied to the comparator through the low-pass filter, where it is compared with the reference voltage. The counter synchronized with the generator is locked using the comparator output signal. Processing of this particular signal is carried out for a certain status of the sensor. The method of successive approximations requires a negligible number of external components. In this case, the operation of the circuit is not affected by crosstalk in the supply circuit.
Advantages and disadvantages of recognition technology
The Android proximity sensor, like others, has certain features. The advantages in this case include the following:
Fairly large detection area;
High degree of sensitivity;
Relative affordability in terms of price, because the production of sensors is carried out from fairly cheap components - copper, a film of tin oxides, indium and printing ink, an external wire sensor;
Small size;
Design versatility;
Temperature stability;
Possibility of functioning with the use of various non-conductive coatings, for example, glasses of different thicknesses;
Durability and high reliability.
Available from this method and some disadvantages:
The sensing element must be conductive, then it can detect the approach; however, a hand, for example, in a rubber glove, he may not detect;
The capacitive recognition method works in such a way that when there are metal objects in its range, the range decreases.
iPhone 4
The proximity sensor works in such a way that it allows you to turn off the smartphone screen during a call to prevent accidental keystrokes. Exist special applications, which let you lock the screen by simply swiping your hand over it. To turn it on, you need to press a hardware key.
Calibration
Quite often, users are faced with an unpleasant situation when the screen is not locked during a conversation. And it also happens that after the end of the conversation, the display does not turn on, which is why the phone does not unlock. For example, the Nokia proximity sensor does not work correctly. To fix this problem, it needs to be calibrated. Usually, most manufacturers use specialized software for these purposes, which can be downloaded from the official website.
In recent Android versions 4 the calibration function is located directly in the menu. To do this, you need to enter the settings, find the screen, and then select the Proximity Sensor Calibration item. After closing the sensor with your hand, press OK in the window that appears. Sometimes calibration is allowed without covering the sensor.
functionality of smartphones Android control go far beyond making calls and surfing the Internet. Modern gadgets are much more versatile, with their help you can take pictures and shoot videos, and mobile devices can also be used as a GPS navigator, and documents, a TV remote control, etc. Such extensive functionality becomes available thanks to built-in hardware modules, one of which, perhaps not the most popular, we will get acquainted with today. It's called a proximity sensor.
What is a proximity sensor and why is it needed on a smartphone
The proximity sensor is a small sensor device that reacts to approaching an object. As a rule, these sensors are physically located at the top of the front panel of the device, most often near the hearing speaker. In smartphones, they are mainly used for automatic shutdown screen at the time of bringing the gadget to your ear. This not only prevents accidental pressing of the touch buttons and calling unnecessary features, but also allows you to save battery power, because if the screen remained on during a conversation that could last more than one minute, the battery would drain much faster.
The proximity sensor can also be used for another purpose, for example, to automatically receive calls (again, when you bring the gadget to your ear). There are other options. So, the sensor is sometimes programmed to increase the volume of the speaker when the user puts the phone in his pocket.
There are two main types of proximity sensors. The first, optical, is an infrared transceiver that emits waves in the invisible spectrum and receives their reflection from the object. The signal reflection time serves as a parameter for enabling a particular function. If the signal is not reflected or the reflection time is longer than the specified one, the sensor does not work. Sensors of the second type are ultrasonic (sonar). They work on a similar principle, but instead of infrared radiation, they use ultrasound. Sensors of this type have not yet been widely used in smartphones.
How to enable or disable the proximity sensor
The use of such a sensor is not so necessary, moreover, in certain circumstances, the functionality it offers even causes inconvenience to the owner of the phone. Fortunately, the sensor can be deactivated. Let's see how to disable the proximity sensor on Android.
In most versions of Android OS, the option to disable the sensor is located in general settings. Open "Settings" on your phone, go to the "System apps" section and select "Phone". From the list of available options, select "Incoming Calls" and set the "Proximity Sensor" switch to the "Off" position.
Depending on the smartphone model, the location and name of the desired setting may vary slightly. For example, on older versions of Android, the sensor control option is often called "Turn off the screen during a call."
We believe that there is no particular need to explain how to enable the proximity sensor on Android, this is done using the same option. However, it is possible that just in your model there will be no proximity sensor control function, although the sensor itself will be present. In this case, we recommend using third party utilities like Sanity.
This application is used to control the functionality of the "dialer", it also supports the control of the proximity sensor. To enable/disable the sensor, you need to go to the "Proximity" section and set or uncheck the checkbox " turn off in proximity. You can also use the Smart Screen Off application, designed to configure different buttons and sensors on Android phones. Unfortunately, not all such programs work correctly, after changing the parameters, you need to check the proximity sensor and make sure that it is really on / off.
Sensor calibration
The proximity sensor is a very accurate device and even the slightest glitch can cause it to malfunction. If the problem is manifested in the fact that the sensor does not work on time, it is necessary to calibrate it.
Regular means of Android
You can find the corresponding option in the general settings of your smartphone. Usually for this you should open the "Accessibility" section, on some models you should go to the "Screen" section.
The calibration procedure includes three steps. It is best to carry it out by placing the smartphone on a flat surface. First, the wizard will prompt you to remove all objects in front of the sensor, and then click "Start". After a few seconds, you will be asked to bring you to the sensor on short distance(2-3 cm) some object. It can be a book, a thick sheet of paper, etc. Click "Next" and follow the instructions of the wizard, moving away and bringing the object closer to the sensor. After a few seconds, save the settings by clicking "OK". If everything goes well, the message “Calibration completed successfully” will appear on the screen.
Engineering menu
What other way is there to set up the proximity sensor on Android? If you have the proper experience, dig into your device. After typing the code corresponding to your phone model, go to the menu, click the "Sensor" button on the "Hardware Testing" tab and select the "Light / Proximity Sensor" item.
Next, select " PS Calibration - Calibration - Calculate min value". When the message “Calculate succeed” appears at the bottom of the screen, bring an object to the sensor and press first “Calculate Max value”, and then “Do Calibration”. Upon completion of all manipulations, reboot the device.
Now we press the "Calibrate" button, confirm the action by pressing "Confirm" and reboot. The developer recommends using this application on rooted devices, if you do not have one, you most likely will not be able to calibrate the proximity sensor with it.
What if none of the methods helped solve the problem? The reasons for which it is not possible to enable or disable, as well as calibrate the proximity sensor, in some cases are of a hardware nature, and they can be eliminated only in service center. Also, the source of problems is often the "left" firmware of the gadget, which does not properly support all the functions of the hardware.
Reading 3 min.
Hello, dear users mobile devices based on the Android operating system and, of course, the readers of this useful resource. In today's article, I will tell you how to quickly and easily disable the proximity sensor in android mobile gadgets.
But, for starters, let me give definitions to the proximity sensor and tell you why it is needed and what functions it actually performs.
Proximity sensor - a device that triggers on certain actions when approaching an object. The most obvious example: the button for accepting a call is automatically pressed when bringing the Android device to your ear. Also, the proximity sensor can serve other purposes.
It may seem that the sensor is a very useful thing, but in some cases it only gets in the way. For example, in cheap Chinese devices, such a sensor works very badly. Therefore, it would be better to turn it off completely, since it is very simple to do this, it is enough to make a small adjustment in the Android operating system.
It is about this tincture that we will talk with you in this material. So, let's go - turn off the proximity sensor.
Shutdown
I will consider disabling the proximity sensor on Android using an example Galaxy phone S4.
On all devices, the principle of disabling the proximity sensor is different, it depends not only on the version of the operating system, but also on its adaptation to specific model smartphone from another manufacturer. But, by and large, the principle of shutdown is the same everywhere, the names of the items may only slightly differ, so keep this in mind.
Do the following:
- First of all, you need to go to the settings of your gadget. Settings can be placed as a separate icon on the desktop, or located in the additional menu (in my case, it is on top);
- Next, you need to go to the my devices tab, you can see this tab in the screenshot below;
- Next, you need to find the call item among all the items and click on it. You can see what it looks like for me below;
- So, now after all the above steps, you just have to uncheck the box next to the “Turn off the screen during a call” item. Thus, with this action, you will disable the proximity sensor.
Additional ways
If the above method to disable the proximity sensor did not suit you, then you can use one of the following, some one will probably work for you. So let's take a look and apply:
- In order to disable the sensor, if none of the methods in the settings help, you can use the special software installed on an Android device. The application is called Smart Screen Off and you can download it from this link. In addition to the proximity sensor, this application will also allow you to customize other features of your Android device;
- Also, on some devices, a special request to turn off the sensor may work. The request looks like this: * # * # 0588 # * # *. Enter given code and press the call button. This method, of course, does not work on all devices, but it may work on your smartphone model.
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