FINGER SENSING APPARATUS WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE TRANSMITTING/RECEIVING PIXELS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20110122059A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: GUERRERO, Alexander, Sherlock, Peter E., Franza, Gordon S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,598,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

A finger sensing device may include an integrated circuit (IC) substrate and an array of pixels on the IC substrate. Each pixel may be selectively operable in at least a receiving mode for receiving radiation from an adjacent finger, or a transmitting mode for transmitting radiation into the adjacent finger. The finger sensing device may also include a controller coupled to the array of pixels for selectively operating at least one first pixel in the receiving mode, and while selectively operating at least one second pixel in the transmitting mode. Each pixel may also be selectively operable in a mask mode for neither receiving nor transmitting radiation. The controller may also selectively operate at least one third pixel in the mask mode while selectively operating the at least one first and second pixels in the receiving and transmitting modes.

Claims

1. A finger sensing apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) substrate;

an array of pixels on said IC substrate, each pixel selectively operable in at least a receiving mode for receiving radiation from an adjacent finger, or a transmitting mode for transmitting radiation into the adjacent finger; and

a controller coupled to said array of pixels for

selectively operating at least one first pixel in the receiving mode, and

while selectively operating at least one second pixel in the transmitting mode.

2. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each pixel is also selectively operable in a mask mode for neither receiving nor transmitting radiation;

and wherein said controller also selectively operates at least one third pixel in the mask mode while selectively operating the at least one first and second pixels in the receiving and transmitting modes respectively.

3. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said controller selectively operates the at least one third pixel in the mask mode between the at least one first and second pixels in the receiving and transmitting modes respectively.

4. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said array of pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of pixels;

and wherein said controller selectively operates at least one first column of the first pixels in the receiving mode.

5. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said controller selectively operates at least one second column of second pixels in the transmitting mode.

6. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each pixel is also selectively operable in a mask mode for neither receiving nor transmitting radiation;

and wherein said controller also selectively operates at least one column of third pixels in the mask mode positioned between the at least one first and second columns.

7. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said array of pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of pixels;

wherein said controller selectively operates a plurality of columns of second pixels in the transmitting mode; and

wherein said controller selectively operates the at least one third pixel between the plurality of columns of second pixels.

8. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the radiation comprises electric field radiation.

9. The finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a finger sensing package surrounding said IC substrate and being devoid of another electrode operated by said controller.

10. A finger sensing apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) substrate;

an array of electric field pixels on said IC substrate, each electric field pixel selectively operable in at least a receiving mode for receiving electric field radiation from an adjacent finger, a transmitting mode for transmitting electric field radiation into the adjacent finger, or a mask mode for neither transmitting nor receiving electric field radiation; and

a controller coupled to said array of electric field pixels for

selectively operating at least one first electric field pixel in the receiving mode,

while selectively operating at least one second electric field pixel in the transmitting mode, and

while selectively operating at least one third electric field pixel in the mask mode.

11. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said controller selectively operates the at least one third electric field pixel in the mask mode between the at least one first and second electric field pixels in the receiving and transmitting modes respectively.

12. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said array of electric field pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of electric field pixels;

and wherein said controller selectively operates at least one first column of the first electric field pixels in the receiving mode.

13. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said controller selectively operates at least one second column of second electric field pixels in the transmitting mode.

14. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said controller also selectively operates at least one third column of third electric field pixels positioned between the at least one first and second columns.

15. The finger sensing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said array of electric field pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of electric field pixels;

wherein said controller selectively operates a plurality of columns of second electric field pixels in the transmitting mode; and

wherein said controller selectively operates the at least one third electric field pixel between said the plurality of columns of second electric field pixels.

16. The finger sensor apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a finger sensing package surrounding said IC substrate and being devoid of another electrode operated by said controller.

17. A method of using a finger sensing apparatus comprising a controller coupled to an array of pixels on an integrated circuit substrate, each pixel being selectively operable in at least a receiving mode for receiving radiation from an adjacent finger, or a transmitting mode for transmitting radiation into the adjacent finger, the method comprising:

using the controller to selectively operate at least one first pixel in the receiving mode, and while selectively operating at least one second pixel in the transmitting mode.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein each pixel is also selectively operable in a mask mode for neither receiving nor transmitting radiation;

and wherein the method further comprises using the controller to selectively operate at least one third pixel in the mask mode while selectively operating the at least one first and second pixels in the sensing and transmitting modes respectively.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein using the controller to selectively operate at least one third pixel in the mask mode comprises using the controller to selectively operate the at least one third pixel in the mask mode between the at least one first and second pixels in the receiving and transmitting modes respectively.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the array of pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of pixels;

and wherein using the controller to selectively operate the at least one first pixel in the receiving mode comprises using the controller to selectively operate at least one first column of the first pixels in the receiving mode.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein using the controller to selectively operate at least one second pixel in the transmitting mode comprises using the controller to selectively operate at least one second column of second pixels in the transmitting mode.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein each pixel is also selectively operable in a mask mode for neither receiving nor transmitting radiation;

and wherein the method further comprises using the controller to also selectively operate at least one third column of third pixels in the mask mode positioned between the at least one first and second columns.

23. The method according to claim 18 wherein the array of pixels comprises an array of rows and columns of pixels;

wherein using the controller to selectively operate at least one second pixel in the transmitting mode while operating the at least one first pixel in the receiving mode comprises using the controller to selectively operate a plurality of columns of second pixels in the transmitting mode; and

wherein using the controller to selectively operate the at least one third pixel in the mask mode comprises using the controller to selectively operate the at least one third pixel between the plurality of columns of second pixels.