BIOMETRIC SENSOR WITH FORCE DETECTION AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING CAPABILITY
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a substrate;
a sensor including an array of piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) sensor elements on the substrate, wherein each PMUT sensor element includes a diaphragm having a piezoelectric layer and a mechanical layer, wherein the diaphragm is capable of a static displacement upon application of an applied force and is capable of a dynamic displacement when the PMUT sensor element receives or transmits ultrasonic signals; and
a sensor controller configured to switch the sensor between a non-ultrasonic force detection mode and an ultrasonic imaging mode for one or more of the PMUT sensor elements, wherein the applied force is measured in the non-ultrasonic force detection mode and wherein an object is imaged ultrasonically during the ultrasonic imaging mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implementations of the subject matter described herein relate to sensors including piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) sensor elements and arrays thereof. The PMUT sensor elements may be switchable between a non- ultrasonic force detection mode and an ultrasonic imaging mode. A PMUT sensor element may include a diaphragm that is capable of a static displacement on application of a force and is capable of a dynamic displacement when the PMUT sensor element transmits or receives ultrasonic signals. In some implementations, a PMUT sensor element includes a two dimensional-electron gas structure on the diaphragm. The sensors may further include a sensor controller configured to switch between a non-ultrasonic force detection mode and an ultrasonic imaging mode for one or more of the PMUT sensor elements, wherein an applied force is measured in the non-ultrasonic force detection mode and wherein an object is imaged ultrasonically during the ultrasonic imaging mode.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate; a sensor including an array of piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) sensor elements on the substrate, wherein each PMUT sensor element includes a diaphragm having a piezoelectric layer and a mechanical layer, wherein the diaphragm is capable of a static displacement upon application of an applied force and is capable of a dynamic displacement when the PMUT sensor element receives or transmits ultrasonic signals; and a sensor controller configured to switch the sensor between a non-ultrasonic force detection mode and an ultrasonic imaging mode for one or more of the PMUT sensor elements, wherein the applied force is measured in the non-ultrasonic force detection mode and wherein an object is imaged ultrasonically during the ultrasonic imaging mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate; a diaphragm including a mechanical layer disposed over a cavity, the cavity being positioned between the diaphragm and the substrate; and a 2-D electron gas structure disposed on the diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors coupled to a fingerprint sensor, the fingerprint sensor including an array of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) sensor elements, the instructions comprising:
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instructions for operating the PMUT sensor elements in a force detection mode; instructions for measuring an applied force on the fingerprint sensor operating in the force detection mode; instructions for determining that a finger of a user has touched the fingerprint sensor based on the measured applied force; instructions for operating the PMUT sensor elements in an ultrasonic imaging mode to acquire fingerprint image information of the finger; and instructions for authenticating the user based on the fingerprint image information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of operating a fingerprint sensor, the method comprising:
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measuring a finger force of a finger positioned on the fingerprint sensor; imaging the finger when the finger force exceeds a pressed-finger threshold level; and authenticating the finger based on imaging the finger. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification