USE OF FINGERPRINT SCANNING SENSOR DATA TO DETECT FINGER ROLL AND PITCH ANGLES

• US 20110285648A1
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NRI R&D Patent Licensing, LLC (Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lester Ludwig
• Inventors: Simon, Steven H.
• Application Number:
  US13/009,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for detecting roll angles of a finger in contact with a fingerprint scanning sensor is described. The method includes obtaining spatial measurement data of a measurable contact area from a touch surface of a fingerprint scanning sensor, using an algorithm to create at least two statistical quantities from this spatial measurement data, using the statistical quantities to generate at least one measurement of a finger roll angle with respect to a reference position, and providing the roll angle measurement for external uses. This method can also be used to detect pitch angles of a finger contacting a fingerprint scanning sensor. The roll and pitch angles are calculated in real time and used for controlling applications on electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones.

Claims

1. A method for detecting finger roll angle information from measurement data produced by a fingerprint scanning sensor, the roll angle defined with respect to a reference position of the finger in contact with the fingerprint sensor, the method comprising:

receiving measurement data from a fingerprint scanning sensor having a touch surface and creating spatial measurement data responsive to a finger contacting the touch surface with a measurable contact area;

processing the spatial measurement data with an algorithm producing at least two statistical quantities derived from the spatial measurement data;

performing calculations on the at least two statistical quantities to obtain at least one calculated quantity responsive to the roll angle of the finger with respect to a reference position of the finger; and

providing output information responsive to the at least one calculated quantity,

wherein the output information is responsive to the roll angle of the finger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor provides updated measurement data in real-time as perceived by a user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the output information is updated in real-time as perceived by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to the measurable contact area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to a calculated statistical average of measurement data from a region of the measurable contact area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to a calculated statistical moment of measurement data from a region of the measurable contact area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor is built into a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor serves as a user interface touchpad.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the output information is used to control an aspect of a software application running on a computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the output information is used to control an aspect of a software application running on a handheld device.

11. A method for detecting finger pitch angle information from measurement data produced by a fingerprint scanning sensor, the pitch angle defined with respect to a reference position of the finger in contact with the fingerprint sensor, the method comprising:

receiving measurement data produced by a fingerprint scanning sensor having a touch surface and creating spatial measurement data responsive to a finger contacting the touch surface with a measurable contact area;

processing the spatial measurement data with an algorithm producing at least two statistical quantities derived from the spatial measurement data;

performing calculations on the at least two statistical quantities to obtain at least one calculated quantity responsive to the pitch angle of the finger with respect to a reference position of the finger; and

providing output information responsive to the at least one calculated quantity,

wherein the output information is responsive to the pitch angle of the finger.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor provides updated measurement data in real-time as perceived by a user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the output information is updated in real-time as perceived by a user.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to the measurable contact area.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to a calculated statistical average of measurement data from a region of the measurable contact area.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the at least two statistical quantities is responsive to a calculated statistical moment of measurement data from a region of the measurable contact area.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor is built into a computer.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint scanning sensor serves as a user interface touchpad.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the output information is used to control an aspect of a software application running on a computer.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the output information is used to control an aspect of a software application running on a handheld device.