Enhanced security fingerprint sensor package and related methods
First Claim
1. A fingerprint sensor package comprising:
- a tamper-resistant housing having an opening therethrough;
an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor comprisingan integrated circuit die including an array of electric field sensing electrodes thereon,a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes, said dielectric layer defining an outer surface portion exposed through the opening for contact by a finger of a user, anddrive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger so that said electric field sensing electrodes produce a fingerprint image signal; and
encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint;
said tamper-resistant housing comprising a body of encapsulating material surrounding and encapsulating said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said encrypting output means, said body of encapsulating material being integrally molded and providing a sealing function with said integrated circuit die adjacent the outer surface portion thereof.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fingerprint sensor package includes a tamper-resistant housing, a fingerprint sensor mounted in the housing, and an encryption output circuit mounted within the housing and operatively connected to the fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor package may include a processor operatively connected between the fingerprint sensor and the encryption circuit. In addition, the package may also include a reference fingerprint memory for storing reference fingerprint information. Accordingly, the processor may have the capability to determine if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint. To further enhance security of the stored reference fingerprint information, the sensor package also preferably includes a removing circuit or device for removing reference fingerprint information from the reference fingerprint storage means responsive to tampering. In one embodiment of the invention, the fingerprint sensor preferably includes an electric field integrated circuit fingerprint sensor. Method aspects of the invention are also disclosed.
167 Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A fingerprint sensor package comprising:
-
a tamper-resistant housing having an opening therethrough; an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor comprising an integrated circuit die including an array of electric field sensing electrodes thereon, a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes, said dielectric layer defining an outer surface portion exposed through the opening for contact by a finger of a user, and drive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger so that said electric field sensing electrodes produce a fingerprint image signal; and encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint; said tamper-resistant housing comprising a body of encapsulating material surrounding and encapsulating said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said encrypting output means, said body of encapsulating material being integrally molded and providing a sealing function with said integrated circuit die adjacent the outer surface portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A fingerprint sensor package comprising:
-
a tamper-resistant housing having an opening therethrough; an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor comprising an integrated circuit die including an array of electric field sensing electrodes thereon, a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes. said dielectric layer defining an outer surface portion exposed through the opening for contact by a finger of a user, and drive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger so that said electric field sensing electrodes produce a fingerprint image signal; reference fingerprint storage means positioned within said housing for storing reference fingerprint information; and a processor operatively connected to said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said reference fingerprint storage means for determining if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint; said tamper-resistant housing comprising a body of encapsulating material surrounding and encapsulating said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor, said reference fingerprint storage means, and said processor, said body of encapsulating material being integrally molded and providing a sealing function with said integrated circuit die adjacent the outer surface portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A fingerprint sensor package comprising:
-
a housing having an opening therethrough; an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing and comprising an integrated circuit die including an array of electric field sensing electrodes thereon, a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes, said dielectric layer defining an outer surface portion exposed through the opening for contact by a finger of a user, and drive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger so that said electric field sensing electrodes produce a fingerprint image signal; and encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint; said housing comprising a body of encapsulating material surrounding and encapsulating said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said encrypting output means, said body of encapsulating material being integrally molded and providing a sealing function with said integrated circuit die adjacent the outer surface portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method for making and securely operating a fingerprint sensor package of a type including an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
-
forming an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor comprising an integrated circuit die, an array of electric field sensing electrodes on the integrated circuit die, a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes defining an outer surface portion for receiving a finger adjacent thereto, and drive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger; mounting the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor within a tamper-resistant housing so that an outer surface portion of said integrated circuit die is exposed through an opening in the housing; and generating within the tamper-resistant housing an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint from the fingerprint sensor; wherein the step of mounting comprises integrally molding a body of encapsulating material to surround and encapsulate the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor so that the body of encapsulating material provides a sealing function with the integrated circuit die adjacent the outer surface portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
-
Specification