Help Proximity sensor problem

[zandgreen]

My phone (HTC Amaze 4G, Stock Rom, S-on) instantly turns off the screen when making or receiving a call. I have installed AndroSensor app and the Proximity value seems to be stuck sometimes on "3.5 in" and sometimes on "0.0 in" value but the it doesn't seem to react when something is put next to the earpiece.

Here is the log from AndroSensor:

D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Orientation sensor started
D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Pressure sensor not found
D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Relative Humidity sensor not found
D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Proximity sensor found
D/SensorManager(11578): [SensorManager] registerListener: delay = 66667
D/SensorService(  238): enable: get sensor name = CM3602 Proximity sensor
D/Sensors (  238): sensors_pana_poll_context_t::activate_pana 
D/Sensors (  238): Enabling Proximity Sensor..., mEnabled = 0, new state = 1
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., count = 16
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., distance = 38654705664.000000
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor...mEnabled = 0
D/EWdaemon(  135): !!! PL_Init  
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., count = 16
[B]D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., distance = 9.000000[/B]
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor...mEnabled = 0
D/Sensors (  238): Enabling Proximity Sensor..., mEnabled = 1
D/Sensors (  238): Setting initial state for Proximity Sensor
D/Sensors (  238): sensors_pana_poll_context_t::set_Delay = 200000000
D/SensorService(  238): SensorDevice::activate--: handle = 0x7, enabled = 0x1
D/SensorService(  238): pid=11578, uid=10159
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., count = 16
D/Sensors (  238): sensors_pana_poll_context_t::set_Delay = 66667000
D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Proximity sensor started
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., count = 16
[B]D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor..., distance = 0.000000[/B]
D/Sensors (  238): Reading Proximity Sensor...mEnabled = 1
D/AndroSensor Debug(11578): Temperature sensor not found

As you can see the value has changed from 9.000000 to 0.000000 but it happened by itself not because of the proximity sensor command.

I still doubt whether it is a firmware or a hardware problem. It seems to be least probable that it is caused by the rom. I would appreciate any hint or advice.

 

[zandgreen]

It will sound stupid but I have found a simple solution:

I have just wiped the screen in the upper left corner where the proximity sensor is located and it started behaving normally. Though I don't use any protection tape on the screen it seem to have become less sensitive because of mud or sweat.

 

[olbriar]

Hello zandgreen and welcome to Android Forums. Your proximity problem is pretty common as well as your fix. I'm super glad you figured it out as well as shared your success. The sensor can go bad however... I'm afraid mine has been acting up lately. I am using a different phone but the problem is the same. Cleaning is not my answer unfortunately. In any event, I wanted to take a second and say hello. I hope you enjoy your time on these forums.

 

[zandgreen]

Hello zandgreen and welcome to Android Forums. Your proximity problem is pretty common as well as your fix. I'm super glad you figured it out as well as shared your success. The sensor can go bad however... I'm afraid mine has been acting up lately. I am using a different phone but the problem is the same. Cleaning is not my answer unfortunately. In any event, I wanted to take a second and say hello. I hope you enjoy your time on these forums.

Thanks, I am happy that my variant of the problem turned out to be not that tricky but I have seen other people witnessing similar issues since April 2012 with no positive tendency to find a solution.
Thanks again for your welcome greetings, I'll be around.

 

[zandgreen]

So, first of all I have to say that wiping the screen was only a part time solution for the problem reappeared immediately. But I noticed that actually it was enough to press the screen that was rather loose next to the sensor so that it reacts correctly. The next thing I noticed was that without the battery back door the screen glass was better in place and the sensor was reacting fine.

The problem was evidently in the position of the screen glass and more precisely of the round space in front of the sensor. Once the glass lost its original position the black edge of the round space would interrupt the sensor and it would think that there is something in front though it was only the black part of the screen glass. Once the battery back door was shut it pulled the body of the phone and the screen glass was pushed forward and cover the are in front of the sensor.

So, finally the solution was to stick the upper part of the screen glass with a super glue to the body of the phone and I don't have any problems with the black screen when making a call.

 

[olbriar]

I'm glad you found a solution and grateful that you shared the experience with these forums. I hope to see you about.

 

[zandgreen]

Ok, just another solution, more radical but very effective. This time with pictures. So, as you know the upper part of the screen has a tinted glass so that we don't see the inside parts of the device. But it prevents the sensor from detecting the objects near the screen. So I decided to take away that layer from inside with a help of a wooden toothpick. It wasn't very difficult, it reminds some paint. Here is what I got. There is no more need for glue as long as the sensor has a clearer view:

 

[zandgreen]

Both openings are supposed to work simultaneously, the left one is for darkness it is an infrared sensor and the right must be for the daylight.