ARRAY SENSOR AND SENSING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20170083749A1
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Egis Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Egis Technology Inc.
• Inventors: LIN, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,282,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

An array sensor is provided. The array sensor includes a sensing array, a memory array, and an access module. The sensing array includes a plurality of sensing units, wherein each of the sensing units includes a sensing electrode. The memory array includes a plurality of memory units, wherein each of the memory units is disposed below the corresponding sensing unit or between the two adjacent sensing units. The access module selectively reads a sensing value of the sensing electrode of the sensing unit to provide a sensing output, or accesses the memory unit.

Claims

1. An array sensor, comprising:

a sensing array comprising a plurality of sensing units, wherein each of the sensing units comprises a sensing electrode;

a memory array comprising a plurality of memory units, wherein each of the memory units is disposed below the corresponding sensing unit or between the two adjacent sensing units; and

an access module, selectively reading a sensing value of the sensing electrode of the sensing unit to provide a sensing output, or accessing the memory unit.

2. The array sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing value represents a sensing voltage, a sensing current, a sensing temperature, a sensing brightness, a sensing capacitance or a sensing pressure.

3. The array sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein when no object contacts a surface of the sensing array, the access module stores the sensing value of the sensing electrode of the sensing unit into the corresponding memory unit, as sensing data of the sensing unit.

4. The array sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein when an object contacts the surface of the sensing array, a processor obtains a sensing result according to the sensing value of the sensing unit and the sensing data stored in the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit.

5. The array sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein when an object contacts the surface of the sensing array, the access module reads the sensing value of the sensing unit according to a first addressing signal, and provides the sensing value to a processor, and the access module reads the sensing data of the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit according to a second addressing signal, and provides the sensing data to the processor, wherein the processor generates the sensing output according to the sensing value and the sensing data.

6. The array sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access module stores information regarding an operation or algorithm performed by the array sensor into the memory unit, and the information is read by the access module.

7. The array sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a processor stores a sensing result sensed by each of the sensing units into the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit via the access module, as the sensing data.

8. The array sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the array sensor is a fingerprint sensor further comprising:

an insulating surface disposed on the sensing array.

9. The array sensor as claimed in claim 8, wherein when a finger contacts the insulating surface, a processor controls the access module to store the sensing value of the sensing electrode of each of the sensing units into the corresponding memory unit, as the sensing data of the sensing unit, wherein the processor generates finger information of the finger according to each of the sensing data stored in the memory units.

10. A sensing method for an array sensor, wherein the array sensor comprises a sensing array comprising a plurality of sensing units and a memory array comprising a plurality of memory units, comprising:

selectively reading the sensing array to provide a sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to an addressing signal,

wherein each of the sensing unit comprises a sensing electrode, and each of the memory units is disposed below the corresponding sensing unit or between the two adjacent sensing units.

11. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of selectively reading the sensing array to provide a sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to an addressing signal further comprising:

reading a sensing value of the sensing electrode of the sensing unit of the sensing array or sensing data stored in the memory unit of the memory array corresponding to the sensing unit according to the addressing signal; and

providing the sensing output according to at least one of the read sensing value and the sensing data.

12. The sensing method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensing value represents a sensing voltage, a sensing current, a sensing temperature, a sensing brightness, a sensing capacitance or a sensing pressure.

13. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of selectively reading the sensing array to provide the sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to the addressing signal further comprises:

storing the sensing value of the sensing electrode of the sensing unit to the corresponding memory unit, as the sensing data of the memory unit when no object contacts a surface of the sensing array.

14. The sensing method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of selectively reading the sensing array to provide the sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to the addressing signal further comprises:

obtaining a sensing result according to the sensing value of the sensing unit and the sensing data stored in the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit when an object contacts the surface of the sensing array.

15. The sensing method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of selectively reading the sensing array to provide the sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to the addressing signal further comprises:

obtaining the sensing value of the sensing unit according to the addressing signal when an object contacts the surface of the sensing array;

obtaining the sensing data stored in the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit according to another addressing signal; and

generating the sensing output according to the sensing value and the sensing data.

16. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

storing information regarding an operation or algorithm performed by the array sensor into the memory unit.

17. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

storing a sensing result sensed by each of the sensing units into the memory unit corresponding to the sensing unit, as the sensing data.

18. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the array sensor is a fingerprint sensor, and further comprises:

an insulating surface disposed on the sensing array.

19. The sensing method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of selectively reading the sensing array to provide the sensing output, or accessing the memory array according to an addressing signal further comprises:

storing the sensing value of the sensing electrode of each of the sensing units into the corresponding memory unit, as the sensing data of the sensing unit when a finger contacts the insulating surface; and

generating finger information of the finger according to each of the sensing data stored in the memory units.