Fingerprint sensor and position controller

• US 20020122026A1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bergstrom, Dean Warren
• Application Number:
  US09/798,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

A system for sensing the coordinate position and an identification of a finger. The sensed position and sensed identification information are substantially simultaneously and continually analyzed. The coordinate position information is used to control a visual cue on a display. The identification information is used to limit access to a computer system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) at least one position sensor for sensing a coordinate position of a finger within a predefined space;

(b) at least one identification sensor for sensing an identification of said finger; and

(c) a processor for receiving information from said at least one position sensor and said at least one identification sensor, said processor for analyzing said identification and said coordinate position of said finger.

2. The system of claim 1, said processor for continually analyzing said identification.

3. The system of claim 1, said processor for continually analyzing said coordinate position of said finger.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is for sensing a fingerprint and controlling a cursor on an associated computing system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a display screen;

(b) a cursor having a cursor position on said display screen; and

(c) said cursor position being correlated to said coordinate position of said finger.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one position sensor and said at least one identification sensor are a single sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said predefined space is one-dimensional.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said predefined space is two-dimensional.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said predefined space is three-dimensional.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor substantially simultaneously analyzes said identification and said coordinate position of said finger.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein access is based on said identification representation matching a predefined criteria.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes memory for storing said identification representation.

14. The security system of claim 13, wherein access is based on said identification representation matching a predefined criteria.

15. The security system of claim 13, wherein said system includes memory for storing said identification representation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of sensing said coordinate position within said predefined space further comprises the step of sensing said coordinate position of said finger within a three-dimensional predefined space.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of sensing the coordinate position is performed before said step of sensing the identification of said finger.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of sensing the identification of said finger is performed before said step of sensing the coordinate position.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of analyzing the identification of said finger and the step of analyzing the coordinate position occur substantially simultaneously.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of limiting access to said associated computing system based on said identification.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of limiting said step of controlling said cursor based on said identification.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of storing said identification of said finger in memory.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said identification processor and said position processor are a single processor.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein said at least one position sensor and said at least one identification sensor are a single sensor.

13. A computer access security system for sensing fingerprints and controlling a cursor on an associated computer display screen, said security system comprising:

(a) at least one sensor, each said sensor capable of sensing finger contact and representing said finger contact as a signal;

(b) a processor for receiving said signal from said at least one sensor;

(c) a cursor displayed on said display screen, said cursor controllable by said processor according to said signal; and

(d) an identification representation of said finger, said identification representation constructed by said processor according to said signal.

16. A method for sensing fingerprints and controlling a cursor on an associated computing system, which comprises the steps of:

(a) sensing a coordinate position of a finger within a predefined space;

(b) sensing an identification of said finger;

(c) analyzing an identification of said finger;

(d) analyzing said coordinate position of said finger; and

(e) controlling said cursor displayed on said associated computing system according to said coordinate position.

24. A system comprising:

(a) at least one position sensor for sensing a coordinate position of a finger within a predefined space;

(b) at least one identification sensor for sensing an identification of said finger;

(c) an identification processor for receiving information from said at least one identification sensor and analyzing said identification; and

(d) a position processor processor for receiving information from said at least one position sensor and analyzing said coordinate position of said finger.