FINGERPRINT SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20150189136A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: CHUNG, Il Kwon, Kim, Joo Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,465,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

There are provided a fingerprint sensor and an electronic device including the same. The fingerprint sensor includes a glass panel; a plurality of transducers arranged on edge regions of the glass panel, the plurality of transducers emitting ultrasonic wave signals toward inner surfaces of the glass panel and receiving the ultrasonic wave signals reflected from the inner surfaces of the glass panel; and a fingerprint sensing unit sensing a fingerprint based on the ultrasonic wave signals received by the plurality of transducers, the fingerprint sensing unit sequentially driving the plurality of transducers.

Claims

1. A fingerprint sensor, comprising:

a glass panel;

a plurality of transducers arranged on edge regions of the glass panel, the plurality of transducers emitting ultrasonic wave signals toward inner surfaces of the glass panel and receiving the ultrasonic wave signals reflected from the inner surfaces of the glass panel; and

a fingerprint sensing unit sensing a fingerprint based on the ultrasonic wave signals received by the plurality of transducers, the fingerprint sensing unit sequentially driving the plurality of transducers.

2. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the glass panel has be shaped as a hexahedron defined by specific height and faces perpendicular to one another.

3. The fingerprint sensor of claim 2, wherein the edge regions include lateral faces of the hexahedron and regions distant from edges of the faces at a predetermined distance.

4. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transducers includes a piezoelectric sensor.

5. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transducers is arranged on two non-opposing edge regions, wherein a ultrasonic wave signal emitted from a transducer among the plurality of transducers arranged on the two non-opposing edge regions is reflected from the glass panel and then received by that transducer.

6. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transducers is arranged on at least one edge region, wherein the ultrasonic wave signals are emitted in a direction intersecting a direction in which the plurality of transducers is arranged.

7. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transducers is arranged on two edge regions that are opposing to each other, wherein ultrasonic wave signals emitted from transducers arranged on one of the two edge regions are reflected from the glass panel and then received by transducers arranged on the other one of the two edge regions.

8. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensing unit adjusts a radiation angle at which an ultrasonic wave signal is emitted from one of the plurality of transducers level by level.

9. The fingerprint sensor of claim 8, wherein the fingerprint sensing unit senses the fingerprint based on the radiation angles and intensity of the ultrasonic wave signals reflected from the glass panel according to the radiation angles and received by the plurality of transducers.

10. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensing unit senses a plurality of fingerprints input on the glass panel simultaneously.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a fingerprint sensor including a glass panel, a plurality of transducers arranged on edge regions of the glass panel, the plurality of transducers emitting ultrasonic wave signals toward inner surfaces of the glass panel and receiving the ultrasonic wave signals reflected from the inner surfaces of the glass panel, and a fingerprint sensing unit sensing a fingerprint based on the ultrasonic wave signals received by the plurality of transducers; and

a display panel integrally formed with the glass panel.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the glass panel is used as a cover lens for the display panel.