Low-cost semiconductor user input device

• US 6,256,022 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Tartagni, Marco, Rambaldi, Roberto, Manaresi, Nicoloʼ, Kovaks-Vajna, Zsolt Miklos
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Osorio, Ricardo
• Application Number:
  US09/187,797
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 345/174, 345/175, 382/315, 382/124, 382/125, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/19.01, 178/19.03, 463/37
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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

Abstract

A low-cost semiconductor user input device for controlling the position of a pointer on a display includes a small array of composite sensors. Each composite sensor of the array is adapted to detect movement of a fingerprint feature. The user input device moves the pointer based upon the net movement detected by the composite sensors of the array.

Claims

1. A user input device, which comprises:

an array of composite sensors;

means for detecting motion of a fingerprint feature at each composite sensor of said array; and

means for moving a pointer on a display based upon said detected motion of each said fingerprint feature, wherein each composite sensor of said array includes;

a central trigger sensor;

a pair of X-direction sensors positioned on opposite sides of said central sensor; and

pair of Y-direction sensors positioned on opposite sides of said central sensor.

2. The user input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sensor of said composite sensor is adapted to produce a voltage indicative of the presence of a fingerprint feature in proximity thereto.

3. The user input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first voltage indicates the presence of a first fingerprint feature and a second voltage indicates the presence of a second fingerprint feature.

4. The user input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first fingerprint feature is a valley and said second fingerprint feature is a ridge.

5. The user input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for detecting movement of a fingerprint feature includes:

means for detecting a transition from said first voltage to said second voltage at said central sensor;

means for detecting a transition from said first voltage to said second voltage at one of the other sensors of said composite sensor after detection of said transition at said central sensor; and

means for producing a direction of motion signal based upon the position of said other sensor in relation to said central sensor.

6. The user input device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said direction of motion signal is a number having a positive sign if said motion is in a first direction and a negative sign if said motion is in a second direction opposite said first direction.

7. The user input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for moving said pointer includes means for summing said direction of motion signals.

8. The user input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sensor of each composite sensor of said array comprises a pair of conductor plates supported on a common semiconductor substrate.

9. The user input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sensor of each composite sensor of said array comprises a pair of conductor plates within a semiconductor substrate, and wherein said means for detecting motion of a fingerprint feature comprises a plurality of circuits for each composite sensor of said array, such that said conductor plates of each sensor of each composite sensor of said array is connected to a respective circuit, said respective circuit being adapted to produce a voltage indicative of the presence of a fingerprint feature within an electric field produced between said conductor plates of its respective sensor.

10. The user input device of claim 9, wherein each of said respective circuits comprises:

an input capacitor;

a switch; and

an inverting amplifier.

11. The user input device of claim 9, wherein said means for moving a pointer on a display comprises a processor.

12. The user input device of claim 11, wherein said processor comprises a central processing unit and memory.

13. The user input device of claim 1, wherein each composite sensors of said array is cross-shaped.

14. The user input device of claim 1, wherein said means for detecting motion of a fingerprint feature comprises:

a power supply and scan control unit,

an X-direction scanning stage,

a Y-direction scanning stage, and

an analog-to-digital converter.

15. The user input device of claim 14, wherein said means for moving a pointer on a display comprises output logic.