TOUCHSCREEN WITH BIOSENSOR

• US 20200133434A1
• Filed: 12/28/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lawrence, Sean Jude William
• Granted Patent: US 11,307,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1341 Sensing with light passing through the finger

Abstract

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to include a touchscreen that includes one or more biosensors. The touchscreen can include drive lines, sense lines, a photoconductive material, one or more biosensing areas, a touchscreen engine, and a biosensor engine. In a touchscreen mode, the touchscreen engine can be configured to couple with the sense lines and determine a place on the touchscreen where a user touched. In a biosensing mode, the biosensor engine can be configured to use the drive lines or sense lines and determine biometrics of the user.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen includes;

drive lines;

sense lines;

a photoconductive material; and

one or more biosensing areas;

a touchscreen engine, wherein when a touchscreen mode is activated, the touchscreen engine is configured to couple with the sense lines and determine a place on the touchscreen where a user touched the touchscreen with a finger; and

a biosensor engine, wherein when a biosensing mode is activated, the biosensor engine is configured to determine biometrics of the user when the user touches at least one of the one or more biosensing areas.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the photoconductive material is graphene.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the biometrics of the user includes photoplethysmogram (PPG) related data.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source, wherein light from the light source reflects off of the user'"'"'s finger and causes a current to flow in a plurality of the drive lines.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the biosensor engine uses the current in the plurality of the drive lines to determine the biometrics of the user.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source, wherein light from the light source reflects off of the user'"'"'s finger and causes a current to flow in a plurality of the sense lines.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the biosensor engine uses the current in the plurality of the sense lines to determine the biometrics of the user.

8. A method comprising:

determine a place on a touchscreen where a user touched the touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen includes drive lines, sense lines, and photoconductive material;

creating a biosensing area on the touchscreen; and

determining biometrics of the user when the user touches the biosensing area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the photoconductive material is graphene.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the biometrics of the user includes photoplethysmogram (PPG) related data.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the biosensing area is at least partially created when a drive signal source for the touchscreen is disabled.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the touchscreen includes a light source, wherein light from the light source reflects off of a user'"'"'s finger and causes a current to flow in at least a portion of the drive lines.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a biosensor engine uses the current to determine the biometrics of the user.

14. A system for enabling a touchscreen with a biosensor, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen includes;

drive lines;

sense lines;

a photoconductive material;

one or more biosensing areas; and

a drive signal source;

a touchscreen engine, wherein when a touchscreen mode is activated, the drive signal sources is activated and touchscreen engine is configured to couple with the sense lines and cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine a place on the touchscreen where a user touched the touchscreen with a finger; and

a biosensor engine, wherein when a biosensing mode is activated, the drive signal source is deactivated and biosensor engine is configured to cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine biometrics of the user when the user touches at least one of the one or more biosensing areas.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the photoconductive material is graphene.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the biometrics of the user includes photoplethysmogram (PPG) related data.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a light source, wherein light from the light source reflects off of the user'"'"'s finger and causes a current to flow in a plurality of the drive lines.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the biosensor engine uses the current in the plurality of the drive lines to determine the biometrics of the user.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a light source, wherein light from the light source reflects off of the user'"'"'s finger and causes a current to flow in a plurality of the sense lines.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the biosensor engine uses the current in the plurality of the sense lines to determine the biometrics of the user.