Ultrasonic imaging with acoustic resonant cavity

• US 10,274,590 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuo, Nai-Kuei, Djordjev, Kostadin Dimitrov, Ranganathan, Ranjith, Chuei, Nao Sugawara, Hinger, Ashish, Burns, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ndure, Amie M
• Application Number:
  US15/782,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20180031686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 367 7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/02 using reflection of acoustic waves G01S15/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52017 particularly adapted to short-range imaging G01S7/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

Techniques describe structures and methods for generating larger output signals and improving image quality of ultrasonic sensors by inclusion of an acoustic cavity in the sensor stack. In some embodiments, an ultrasonic sensor unit may be tuned during manufacturing or during a provisioning phase to work with different thicknesses and materials. In some embodiments, a standing wave signal may be generated using an acoustic cavity in the ultrasonic sensor unit for capturing an ultrasonic image of an object placed on a sensor surface. In some implementations, the ultrasonic sensor may include an ultrasonic transmitter, a piezoelectric receiver, a thin film transistor (TFT) layer and a TFT substrate positioned between the transmitter and the receiver, one or more adhesive layers, and optional cover materials and coatings. The thickness, density and speed of sound of the sensor materials and associated adhesive attachment layers may be used to attain the desired acoustic cavity and improved performance.

Claims

1. A method for generating an image of a target object, comprising:

applying a plurality of excitation signal pulses to an ultrasonic transmitter of an ultrasonic sensor unit, wherein a frequency of the plurality of excitation signal pulses is selected to generate an ultrasonic standing wave inside a cover glass layer of a stack of material layers, the cover glass layer configured for contact with the target object, and wherein the plurality of excitation signal pulses are applied for a duration to allow buildup of energy for the ultrasonic standing wave over a first threshold level;

detecting a change in one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave associated with an interaction between the ultrasonic standing wave and the target object using an ultrasonic receiver of the ultrasonic sensor unit; and

generating the image of the target object based on the detected change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic standing wave results from constructive interference of generated ultrasonic wave signals with one or more reflected ultrasonic signals inside acoustic cavity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave is detected while the excitation signal pulses are being applied to the ultrasonic transmitter of the ultrasonic sensor unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave is detected after the excitation signal pulses are applied to the ultrasonic transmitter of the ultrasonic sensor unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration is based on passing of a reference time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration is based on a number of the excitation signal pulses.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the number of the excitation signal pulses is 4 pulses or more, 5 pulses or more, or 6 pulses or more.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave includes detecting a change in amplitude of the ultrasonic standing wave, a change in phase of the ultrasonic standing wave, or both a change in amplitude and a change in phase of the ultrasonic standing wave.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the target object is a finger.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an image of the fingerprint is generated by detecting the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave by touching of a ridge of the finger to a surface of the cover glass layer of the ultrasonic sensor unit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of excitation signal pulses is applied using a single-ended or double-ended drive scheme electrically connected to one or more transmitter excitation electrodes associated with one or more piezoelectric layers included in the ultrasonic transmitter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the excitation signal pulses to generate the ultrasonic standing wave include at least one of a sinusoidal wave, a square wave, a short high-amplitude pulse, a partial-cycle wave, or a half-cycle wave.

13. An ultrasonic sensor system, comprising:

a stack of material layers including a cover glass layer, the cover glass layer configured for contact with a target object; and

an ultrasonic transmitter in acoustic contact with the stack of material layers, the ultrasonic transmitter configured to receive a plurality of excitation signal pulses, wherein a frequency of the received excitation signal pulses is selected to generate an ultrasonic standing wave inside the cover glass layer and wherein the excitation signal pulses are received for a duration to allow buildup of energy in the ultrasonic standing wave over a first threshold level.

14. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, wherein the selected frequency for the excitation signal pulses is based on an effective thickness of acoustic cavity, an effective density of the acoustic cavity, an effective speed of sound in the acoustic cavity, or a combination thereof.

15. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, wherein the stack of material layers includes a display.

16. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, wherein the cover glass layer includes a surface coating.

17. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, further comprising:

an ultrasonic receiver configured to detect a change in one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave associated with an interaction between the ultrasonic standing wave and the target object; and

a control unit configured to generate an image of the target object based on the detected change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave.

18. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 17, wherein the ultrasonic receiver includes an active sensor area having transistors formed on a silicon substrate, thin-film transistors (TFTs) formed on a glass or plastic substrate, or thin-film transistors integrated on a display TFT substrate.

19. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 18, wherein the active sensor area extends across at least a portion of a display.

20. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, further comprising:

an ultrasonic receiver configured to detect a change in one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave associated with an interaction between the ultrasonic standing wave and the target object, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver include a single piezoelectric layer.

21. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 20, wherein the piezoelectric layer includes a layer of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer (PVDF-TrFE).

22. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter includes one or more piezoelectric layers and one or more transmitter excitation electrodes associated with each of the one or more piezoelectric layers.

23. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 22, wherein the one or more piezoelectric layers and the one or more transmitter excitation electrodes are configured to allow single-ended or double-ended drive schemes.

24. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 22, wherein the one or more piezoelectric layers and the one or more transmitter excitation electrodes are configured to allow self-shielding by grounding one or more of the transmitter excitation electrodes.

25. An ultrasonic sensor system, comprising:

means for applying a plurality of excitation signal pulses to an ultrasonic transmitter of an ultrasonic sensor unit, wherein a frequency of the excitation signal pulses is selected to generate an ultrasonic standing wave inside a cover glass layer of a stack of material layers and wherein the excitation signal pulses are applied for a duration to allow buildup of energy for the ultrasonic standing wave over a first threshold level;

means for detecting a change in one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave associated with an interaction between the ultrasonic standing wave and a target object; and

means for generating an image of the target object based on the detected change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave.

26. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 25, wherein the duration is based on a number of the excitation signal pulses.

27. The ultrasonic sensor system of claim 25, wherein detecting the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave includes detecting a change in amplitude and/or phase of the ultrasonic standing wave.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the duration is based on passing of a reference time period or on a number of the excitation signal pulses.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions to detect the change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave includes instructions to detect a change in amplitude and/or phase of the ultrasonic standing wave.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions executable by a processor to:

apply a plurality of excitation signal pulses to an ultrasonic transmitter of an ultrasonic sensor unit, wherein a frequency of the plurality of excitation signal pulses is selected to generate an ultrasonic standing wave inside a cover glass layer of the stack of material layers, the cover glass layer configured for contact with a target object, and wherein the plurality of excitation signal pulses are applied for a duration to allow buildup of energy for the ultrasonic standing wave over a first threshold level;

detect a change in one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave associated with an interaction between the ultrasonic standing wave and the target object using an ultrasonic receiver of the ultrasonic sensor unit; and

generate the image of the target object based on the detected change in the one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic standing wave.