ILLUMINATED FINGER SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100320553A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Mckinney, John David, SETLAK, Dale R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,455,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/432
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/63 by static guides

Abstract

A finger sensor assembly may include a circuit board and an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor grid array package including a grid array on a lower end thereof mounted to the circuit board, and a finger sensing area on an upper end thereof. The finger sensor assembly may further include at least one visible light source carried by the circuit board and a visible light guide optically coupled to the at least one visible light source. The at least one visible light source may at least partially laterally surround the upper end of the IC finger sensor grid array package to provide visual light indications. The IC finger sensor grid array package may also include circuitry for controlling the at least one visible light source.

Claims

1. A finger sensor assembly comprising:

a circuit board;

an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor grid array package comprising a grid array on a lower end thereof mounted to said circuit board, and a finger sensing area on an upper end thereof;

at least one visible light source carried by to said circuit board; and

a visible light guide optically coupled to said at least one visible light source and at least partially laterally surrounding the upper end of said IC finger sensor grid array package to provide visual light indications;

said IC finger sensor grid array package also comprising circuitry for controlling said at least one visible light source.

2. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said visible light guide comprises:

a base adjacent said circuit board; and

an illumination ring extending upwardly from said base.

3. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said illumination ring laterally surrounds the upper end of said IC finger sensor grid array package.

4. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said base and said illumination ring are integrally formed as a molded unit.

5. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said illumination ring has a concave upper surface.

6. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said grid array comprises a ball grid array.

7. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one visible light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

8. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one visible light source comprises at least one multicolor light emitting diode (LED).

9. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 8 wherein said control circuitry drives the at least one multicolor LED based upon a status of said IC finger sensor grid array package.

10. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one visible light source generates visible light in a lateral direction parallel to said circuit board.

11. A finger sensor assembly comprising:

a circuit board;

an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor ball grid array package comprising a ball grid array on a lower end thereof mounted to said circuit board, and a finger sensing area on an upper end thereof;

at least one visible light source carried by to said circuit board; and

a visible light guide optically coupled to said at least one visible light source and at least partially laterally surrounding the upper end of said IC finger sensor ball grid array package to provide visual light indications, said visible light comprising,

a base adjacent said circuit board, and

an illumination ring extending upwardly from said base;

said IC finger sensor ball grid array package also comprising circuitry for controlling said at least one visible light source.

12. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said illumination ring laterally surrounds the upper end of said IC finger sensor ball grid array package.

13. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said base and said illumination ring are integrally formed as a molded unit.

14. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said illumination ring has a concave upper surface.

15. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said at least one visible light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

16. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said at least one visible light source comprises at least one multicolor light emitting diode (LED).

17. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 16 wherein said control circuitry drives the at least one multicolor LED based upon a status of said IC finger sensor ball grid array package.

18. The finger sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein said at least one visible light source generates visible light in a lateral direction parallel to said circuit board.

19. A method of making finger sensor assembly comprising:

mounting an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor grid array package having a finger sensing area on an upper end and having a grid array on a lower end thereof to a circuit board;

coupling at least one visible light source to the circuit board to be controlled by circuitry of the IC finger sensor grid array package; and

optically coupling a visible light guide to the at least one visible light source and at least partially laterally surrounding the upper end of the IC finger sensor grid array package to provide visual light indications.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein optically coupling a visible light guide comprises coupling a base adjacent the circuit board with an illumination ring extending upwardly from the base.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the illumination ring laterally surrounds the upper end of the IC finger sensor grid array package.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the base and the illumination ring are integrally formed as a molded unit.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein the grid array comprises a ball grid array.

24. The method according to claim 19 wherein the at least one visible light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

25. The method according to claim 19 wherein the least one visible light source comprises at least one multicolor light emitting diode (LED).

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the control circuitry is for driving the at least one multicolor LED based upon a status of the IC finger sensor grid array package.