FINGERPRINT SENSOR, FINGERPRINT SENSOR PACKAGE, AND FINGERPRINT SENSING SYSTEM USING LIGHT SOURCES OF DISPLAY PANEL

• US 20180012069A1
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chung, Dae-young, Hwang, Hee-chang, Yoon, Kun-yong, Kim, Woon-bae, Kim, Bum-suk, Jang, Min, Lee, Min-chul, Kim, Jung-woo
• Application Number:
  US15/638,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20180012069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/20 by applying autoregressive analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/12 Details of acquisition arrangements; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1329 Protecting the fingerprint sensor against damage caused by the finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA

Abstract

At least some example embodiments provide a fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint sensor package, and a fingerprint sensing system using light sources of a display panel. The fingerprint sensor includes an image sensor including a plurality of sensor pixels, the sensor pixels configured to sense light reflected by a fingerprint and generate image information corresponding to the fingerprint and a pinhole mask defining a plurality of pinholes, wherein each of the pinholes forms a focus for transmitting the light reflected by the fingerprint to the image sensor, wherein light is emitted from a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and is reflected by the fingerprint.

Claims

1. A fingerprint sensor comprising:

an image sensor including a plurality of sensor pixels, the sensor pixels configured to sense light reflected by a fingerprint and generate image information corresponding to the fingerprint; and

a pinhole mask defining a plurality of pinholes, each of the pinholes forming a focus for transmitting the light reflected by the fingerprint to the image sensor, and the light is emitted from a plurality of organic light-emitting, diodes (OLEDs) and is reflected by the fingerprint.

2. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the image sensor includes:

photodiodes (PDs) in the plurality of sensor pixels, the PDs configured to output an electrical signal having the image information; and

a logic circuit configured to generate image data by signal processing the electrical signal, generate a fingerprint image using the generated image data, and output the fingerprint image, the logic circuit being located separate from the PDs.

3. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor is configured to sense the light which is emitted from the plurality of OLEDs in a direction towards a cover glass and reflected by the fingerprint from the cover glass in a direction towards a backplane.

4. The fingerprint sensor of claim 3, wherein the image sensor is configured to sense the light, the light being generated in the plurality of OLEDs, the plurality of OLEDs having a plurality of colors.

5. The fingerprint sensor of claim 3, wherein the pinhole mask is between an OLED display panel and the image sensor, the OLED display panel including the plurality of OLEDs.

6. The fingerprint sensor of claim 3, wherein the image sensor includes a color filter through which light having a same color as the color filter selectively passes to a corresponding portion of the plurality of sensor pixels to selectively sense the light having the same color and a same wavelength band among the plurality of OLEDs.

7. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of sensor pixels correspond to the plurality of pinholes, respectively; and

one photodiode (PD) is in each of the plurality of sensor pixels.

8. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of sensor pixels correspond to the plurality of pinholes, respectively; and

a plurality of photodiodes (PDs) are in each of the plurality of sensor pixels.

9. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the pinhole mask is in the image sensor;

the image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate and one or more metal layers on the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photodiodes (PDs); and

the pinhole mask includes one or more metal layers and the one or more metal layers define the plurality of pinholes, the plurality of pinholes are in a region in which a metal line is not in the one or more metal layers.

10. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the pinhole mask is in the image sensor;

the image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate and one or more metal layers, the semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photodiodes (PDs); and

the pinhole mask is on the semiconductor substrate or the one or more metal layers.

11. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor is a semiconductor package, the pinhole mask is on a semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip includes the image Sensor, and the fingerprint sensor further includes:

a support on the semiconductor chip, the support supporting the pinhole mask.

12-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A fingerprint sensing system comprising:

a display panel including light sources, the light sources configured to emit light having one or more colors in relation to a display operation;

an image sensor attached to one surface of the display panel and configured to sense light from the light sources that is reflected by a fingerprint located on another surface of the display panel, the image sensor configured to generate image information according to a sensing result; and

a pinhole mask between the display panel and the image sensor, the pinhole mask having a plurality of pinholes for forming a focus of the light reflected by the fingerprint,

wherein, in a fingerprint sensing operation, the image sensor senses light having some of the one or more colors and generates the image information.

24. The fingerprint sensing system of claim 23, wherein, in the fingerprint sensing operation, the display panel selectively activates one of the light sources.

25. The fingerprint sensing system of claim 23, wherein:

in the fingerprint sensing operation, the display panel activates a portion of the light sources, the portion of the light sources emit light having at least one of the one or more colors; and

the image sensor includes a color filter for selectively sensing light having any one of the at least one color.

26. The fingerprint sensing system of claim 23, wherein the display panel is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel including a plurality of OLEDs as the light sources.

27. A sensing system comprising:

a display panel configured to generate light and receive reflected light based on the generated light; and

a sensor, the sensor including,

a mask defining a plurality of holes, the mask configured to guide a first portion of the reflected light through the mask, a first side of the mask being on the display panel, and

an image sensor on a second side of the mask, the image sensor including a plurality of sensor pixels, the plurality of sensor pixels configured to sense the first portion of the reflected light and generate electrical signals based on the sensed light, the mask being configured to guide the first portion of the reflected light to the image sensor without a lens.

28. The sensing system of claim 27, wherein the mask includes,

a first layer including first metal wirings, and

a second layer including second metal wirings, the first metal wirings being perpendicular to the second metal wirings, the first metal wirings and the second metal wirings configured to block a second portion of the reflected light.

29. The sensing system of claim 28, wherein the first layer and the second layer define the holes through the mask.

30. The sensing system of claim 27, wherein the display panel includes a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) configured to generate the generated light.

31. The sensing system of claim 27, wherein the mask is adjacent to the image sensor.