Portable telecommunication device including a fingerprint sensor and related methods

• US 6,088,585 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Setlak, Dale R., Schmitt, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US08/857,531
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 382/115, 382/224, 382/116, 382/125, 382/124, 382/127, 340/825.34, 340/825.33, 340/825.31, 356/71, 379/93.03, 379/93.07
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A portable telecommunication device includes a radio transceiver within a portable housing, a fingerprint sensor carried by the housing, and an authorizing feature for permitting use of the radio transceiver based upon the fingerprint sensor sensing a fingerprint of an authorized user. The authorizing may be performed locally or based upon a remote authorization signal. The portable telecommunication device may be cellular telephone. Accordingly, unauthorized users may not be permitted to use the cellular telephone and accumulate charges without the owner'"'"'s consent. The invention may also be used with law enforcement or other telecommunications devices, for example, where it is desired to prevent reception or transmission on designated bands by unauthorized users. The device may also include a user identification feature for transmitting a user identification signal to a remote device based upon a sensed fingerprint. The portable telecommunication device may operate with one or both of audio and data signals. The portable telecommunication device is preferably based upon a lightweight and reliable integrated circuit fingerprint sensor. This integrated circuit may include a substrate, and at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent the substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes. The at least one electrically conductive layer may further comprise portions defining a respective shield electrode for each electric field sensing electrode.

Claims

1. A portable telecommunication device having enhanced security and comprising:

a portable housing;

a radio transceiver within said housing;

an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by said housing, said integrated fingerprint sensor comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

authorizing means carried by said housing for permitting use of said radio transceiver based upon said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor sensing a fingerprint of an authorized user; and

a rechargeable battery carried by said housing for powering said radio transceiver, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said authorizing means.

2. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 wherein said authorizing means comprises:

storing means for storing data related to at least one fingerprint for at least one authorized user; and

matching means for determining matching of a sensed fingerprint with stored data.

3. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 wherein said authorizing means comprises remote authorization request means for transmitting a request for authorization signal to a remote device and for permitting use of said radio transceiver based upon a received authorization signal from the remote device.

4. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 wherein said radio transceiver comprises a cellular telephone radio transceiver.

5. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 further comprising user identification means for transmitting a user identification signal to a remote device based upon a sensed fingerprint.

6. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 further comprising:

audio input means for permitting the user to input audio signals for radio transmission; and

audio output means for outputting audio signals based upon received radio transmissions.

7. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 further comprising:

data input means for permitting the user to input data signals for radio transmission; and

data output means for outputting data signals based upon received radio transmissions.

8. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one electrically conductive layer further comprises portions defining a respective shield electrode for each electric field sensing electrode.

9. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 1 wherein said housing is relatively compact and adapted to be held in a hand of a user.

10. A portable telecommunication device having enhanced security and comprising:

a portable housing;

a radio transceiver within said housing;

an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by said housing, said integrated fingerprint sensor comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

storing means within said housing for storing data related to at least one fingerprint for at least one authorized user;

matching means carried by said housing for determining an authorized user based on matching of a sensed fingerprint from said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor with stored data in said storing means and for permitting use of said radio transceiver by the authorized user; and

a rechargeable battery carried by said housing for powering said radio transceiver, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor, said storing means and said matching means.

11. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 10 wherein said radio transceiver comprises a cellular telephone radio transceiver.

12. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 10 further comprising:

audio input means for permitting the user to input audio signals for radio transmission; and

audio output means for outputting audio signals based upon received radio transmissions.

13. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 10 further comprising:

data input means for permitting the user to input data signals for radio transmission; and

data output means for outputting data signals based upon received radio transmissions.

14. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 10 wherein said at least one electrically conductive layer further comprises portions defining a respective shield electrode for each electric field sensing electrode.

15. A portable telecommunication device having enhanced security and comprising:

a portable housing;

a radio transceiver within said housing;

an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by said housing, said integrated fingerprint sensor comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

remote authorization request means carried by said housing for transmitting a request for authorization signal to a remote device based upon a sensed fingerprint from said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and for permitting use of said radio transceiver based upon a received authorization signal from the remote device; and

a rechargeable battery carried by said housing for powering said radio transceiver, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said remote authorizing request means.

16. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 15 wherein said radio transceiver comprises a cellular telephone radio transceiver.

17. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 15 further comprising:

audio input means for permitting the user to input audio signals for radio transmission; and

audio output means for outputting audio signals based upon received radio transmissions.

18. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 15 further comprising:

data input means for permitting the user to input data signals for radio transmission; and

data output means for outputting data signals based upon received radio transmissions.

19. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 15 wherein said at least one electrically conductive layer further comprises portions defining a respective shield electrode for each electric field sensing electrode.

20. A portable telecommunication device having enhanced security and comprising:

a portable housing to be held in a hand of a user;

a radio transceiver within said housing;

an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by said housing, said integrated fingerprint sensor comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

user identification means carried by said housing for transmitting a user identification signal to a remote device based upon a sensed fingerprint from said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor; and

a rechargeable battery carried by said housing for powering said radio transceiver, said integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and said user identification means.

21. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 20 wherein said radio transceiver comprises a cellular telephone radio transceiver.

22. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 20 further comprising:

audio input means for permitting the user to input audio signals for radio transmission; and

audio output means for outputting audio signals based upon received radio transmissions.

23. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 20 further comprising:

data input means for permitting the user to input data signals for radio transmission; and

data output means for outputting data signals based upon received radio transmissions.

24. A portable telecommunication device according to claim 20 wherein said at least one electrically conductive layer further comprises portions defining a respective shield electrode for each electric field sensing electrode.

25. A method for enhancing security of a portable telecommunication device of a type comprising a radio transceiver within a portable housing the method comprising the steps of:

providing an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by the housing, the integrated circuit fingerprint circuit comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

sensing a fingerprint using the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor;

operating an authorization circuit carried by the housing for permitting use of the radio transceiver based upon the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor sensing a fingerprint of an authorized user; and

powering the radio transceiver, the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and the authorization circuit from a rechargeable battery carried by the housing.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the operating step comprises:

storing data related to at least one fingerprint for at least one authorized user; and

determining matching of a sensed fingerprint with stored data.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein the operating step comprises transmitting a request for authorization signal to a remote device and permitting use of the radio transceiver based upon a received authorization signal from the remote device.

28. A method according to claim 25 further comprising the step of transmitting a user identification signal to a remote device based upon a sensed fingerprint.

29. A method for identifying a user of a portable telecommunication device of a type comprising a radio transceiver within a portable housing the method comprising the steps of:

providing an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor carried by the housing, the integrated circuit fingerprint circuit comprising

a substrate,

at least one electrically conductive layer adjacent said substrate and comprising portions defining an array of electric field sensing electrodes; and

a z-axis anisotropic dielectric layer adjacent said at least one electrically conductive layer and opposite said substrate, for focusing an electric field at each of the electric field sensing electrodes, the z-axis being normal to the at least one electrically conductive layer;

sensing a fingerprint using the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor;

operating a remote authorization request circuit carried by the housing for transmitting a user identification signal to a remote device using the radio transceiver and based upon the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor sensing a fingerprint; and

powering the radio transceiver, the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor and the remote authorization request circuit from a rechargeable battery carried by the housing.