Apparatus for fingerprint sensing and other measurements

• US 20060217915A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Next Biometrics Group AS
• Original Assignee: Next Biometrics Group AS
• Inventors: Dinh, Ngoc Minh
• Granted Patent: US 7,910,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

Apparatus for measuring a pattern in a surface of an object, comprising a plurality of pixel or sensor elements being responsive to a physical parameter of the object surface, and means for establishing an overall, segmented picture related to said pattern, and also comprising at least one diode functionally associated with each sensor element for contributing to one or more of the following functions: selectively addressing said sensor element activating said sensor element, and sensing of said physical parameter.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring a pattern in a surface (A) of an object (F), comprising a plurality of pixel or sensor elements (4) being responsive to a physical parameter of the object surface (A), and means for establishing an overall, segmented picture related to said pattern, characterized by also comprising at least one diode (D1-Dn,75) functionally associated with each sensor element (4,71) for contributing to one or more of the following functions:

selectively addressing said sensor element

activating said sensor element, and

sensing of said physical parameter.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, for measuring a pattern in an object surface (A) being at least partially heat conducting, in particular a fingerprint (F), wherein said at least one diode (D1-Dn) is adapted to be activated by being heated with an applied electric current (13).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, for measuring a pattern in an object surface (A) being at least partially heat conducting, in particular a fingerprint (F), wherein said at least one diode (D1-Dn) is comprised by said associated sensor element (4) and is adapted to sense the temperature at the sensor element intermittently or continuously.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each sensor element (71) comprises a generic sensing element such as a resistor (73) connected in series with said at least one diode (75) and adapted to contribute substantially to said heating and/or said sensing.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said at least one diode (75) provides for said addressing function.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each sensor element (4) comprises a series connection of two or more diodes (D1-Dn).

7. Apparatus according claim 1, wherein there is provided for heat activation of one sensor element (4,71) at a time.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein heat activation of sensor elements is provided for by a current source (13), and temperature sensing is performed on the basis of a voltage change caused by the heat activation.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein heat activation of sensor elements is provided for by a voltage source, and temperature sensing is performed on the basis of a current change caused by the heat activation.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising controllable main switches (5,7) for activation of sensor elements (4,71), and signal switches (6,8) connected to sensor elements at points between the sensor elements and respective main switches.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor elements are arranged as a pixel array (15,17) in rows (2) and columns (3) on one substrate part, and said means for establishing an overall, segmented picture is provided on another substrate part, preferably a processing chip (16,18).

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said main and signal switches are provided on said one substrate part.

13. Apparatus according to 11, wherein at least one of said substrate parts is flexible.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising control circuit means adapted to selectively address one sensor element or a small group of sensor elements at a time, by means of said diodes (D1-Dn,75).