APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING FINGERPRINT

• US 20150071510A1
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seong-Eun, Bang, Sung-Min
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for recognizing a fingerprint, and an electronic device using the same. The electronic device includes: a key button, and a fingerprint recognition sensor unit that is installed at least one portion of the key button, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit includes a circuit board, a fingerprint sensing unit that is installed on a first surface of the circuit board and senses a fingerprint, and a dome switch that is installed on a second surface of the circuit board.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a circuit board;

a fingerprint recognition sensor unit coupled to a first surface of the circuit board; and

a key button coupled to a second surface of the circuit board and configured to transfer a signal to a controller when an external force is applied to the key button and determine that a push of the key button has occurred when the signal is transferred from the key button.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the key button comprises

a key positioning unit including a pressing part in contact with a dome switch.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the pressing part is formed of a pressing protrusion configured to protrude from a top surface of the key positioning unit and contact a second surface of the dome switch.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the pressing part is configured to protrude from a second surface of the dome switch and contact a first surface of the key positioning unit.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising;

a power supply interruption unit configured to interrupt power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and transmit a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit has been interrupted when an over-current is generated in the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to switch off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and output a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when the power supply interruption signal is received.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to output a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the key button comprises at least one of a home key and a side key of the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is formed of at least one of a swipe type fingerprint recognition sensor and an area type fingerprint recognition sensor.

10. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising a home-key deco part coupled to a front surface of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and a poron part coupled to a front surface of the home-key deco part, wherein the home-key deco part is configured to protect the fingerprint recognition sensor unit, and wherein the poron part is configured to obstruct humidity introduced into the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

11. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

identifying an over-current in a fingerprint recognition sensor unit of a key button;

interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated; and

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor has been interrupted.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising switching off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a power supply interruption signal is received.

13. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

identifying an over-current in a fingerprint recognition sensor unit of a key button; and

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor has been interrupted.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising switching off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a power supply interruption signal is received.