Method and apparatus for realizing touch button and fingerprint identification, and terminal device using same

• US 10,282,586 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Jiang, Zhongsheng, Yang, Kun, Tao, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US14/988,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

An apparatus for realizing a touch button and fingerprint identification, includes: a fingerprint identification sensor, disposed below a cover glass of a touch screen of a terminal device; and a capacitive button sensor, disposed below the cover glass and located on at least one side of the fingerprint identification sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for realizing a touch button and fingerprint identification, comprising:

a fingerprint identification sensor, disposed below a cover glass of a touch screen of a terminal device, the fingerprint identification sensor being positioned at a fixed location and being configured to collect fingerprint information applied to the cover glass; and

a capacitive button sensor disposed below the cover glass, the capacitive button sensor being configured to collect button information applied to the cover glass by collecting a capacitance generated on the cover glass and analyzing the capacitance to obtain a capacitance variation, wherein the capacitance generated on the cover glass causes currents flowing through four electrodes at four corners of the touch screen, the currents flowing through the four electrodes being proportional to respective distances from a finger to the four corners, such that a location of a touch point is obtained by calculating ratios of the currents,

wherein the capacitive button sensor is disposed close to the fingerprint identification sensor in a compact way without overlapping the fingerprint identification sensor, and the capacitive button sensor is located on one or more sides of the fingerprint identification sensor or surrounds the fingerprint identification sensor, and

wherein when a soft touch is applied to a preset touch area of the cover glass, the preset touch area covering at least a portion of the fingerprint identification sensor and at least a portion of the capacitive button sensor below the preset touch area, the fingerprint identification sensor and the capacitive button sensor simultaneously collect the fingerprint information and the button information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

both the fingerprint identification sensor and the capacitive button sensor are located below the preset touch area of the cover glass.

3. A terminal device, comprising:

a touch screen including a cover glass; and

an apparatus for realizing a touch button and fingerprint identification, wherein the apparatus includes;

a fingerprint identification sensor, disposed below the cover glass, the fingerprint identification sensor being positioned at a fixed location and being configured to collect fingerprint information applied to the cover glass; and

a capacitive button sensor disposed below the cover glass, the capacitive button sensor being configured to collect button information applied to the cover glass by collecting a capacitance generated on the cover glass and analyzing the capacitance to obtain a capacitance variation, wherein the capacitance generated on the cover glass causes currents flowing through four electrodes at four corners of the touch screen, the currents flowing through the four electrodes being proportional to respective distances from a finger to the four corners, such that a location of a touch point is obtained by calculating ratios of the currents,

wherein the capacitive button sensor is disposed close to the fingerprint identification sensor in a compact way without overlapping the fingerprint identification sensor, and the capacitive button sensor is located on one or more sides of the fingerprint identification sensor or surrounds the fingerprint identification sensor, and

wherein when a soft touch is applied to a preset touch area of the cover glass, the preset touch area covering at least a portion of the fingerprint identification sensor and at least a portion of the capacitive button sensor below the preset touch area, the fingerprint identification sensor and the capacitive button sensor simultaneously collect the fingerprint information and the button information.

4. The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein both the fingerprint identification sensor and the capacitive button sensor are located below the preset touch area of the cover glass.

5. A method for realizing a touch button and fingerprint identification, comprising:

receiving a soft touch operation performed on a preset touch area of a cover glass of a touch screen, the preset touch area covering at least a portion of a fingerprint identification sensor and at least a portion of a capacitive button sensor disposed below the preset touch area, wherein the fingerprint identification sensor is positioned at a fixed location and is configured to collect fingerprint information applied to the cover glass, the capacitive button sensor is disposed close to the fingerprint identification sensor in a compact way without overlapping the fingerprint identification sensor, and the capacitive button sensor is located on one or more sides of the fingerprint identification sensor or surrounds the fingerprint identification sensor;

collecting, by the fingerprint identification sensor disposed below the cover glass, fingerprint information applied to the preset touch area; and

collecting, by the capacitive button sensor disposed below the cover glass, a capacitance generated on the cover glass and analyzing the capacitance to obtain a capacitance variation, to collect button information applied to the cover glass, wherein the capacitance generated on the cover glass causes currents flowing through four electrodes at four corners of the touch screen, the currents flowing through the four electrodes being proportional to respective distances from a finger to the four corners, such that a location of a touch point is obtained by calculating ratios of the currents,

wherein the collecting by the fingerprint identification sensor and the collecting by the capacitive button sensor are performed simultaneously.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the performing comprises:

collecting the fingerprint information applied to the preset touch area, if an upper layer application sends out a fingerprint information collecting instruction;

collecting the capacitance generated on the cover glass and analyzing the capacitance to obtain the capacitance variation, if the upper layer application sends out a button information collecting instruction; and

collecting the fingerprint information applied to the preset touch area, and simultaneously collecting the capacitance generated on the cover glass and analyzing the capacitance to obtain the capacitance variation, if the upper layer application sends out the fingerprint information collecting instruction and the button information collecting instruction.