Computer system with integratable touchpad/security subsystem

• US 6,337,918 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1996
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Holehan, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHTA, BHAVESH M
• Application Number:
  US08/743,109
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 382/115, 345/145, 345/173, 345/175, 345/176, 340/825.34, 348/169
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A personal computer system includes a touchpad having an infrared source and an infrared detector such that said touchpad may implement an infrared fingerprint security system and/or an infrared touchpad for cursor control. The infrared fingerprint security system may provide information necessary to gain access to peripheral storage media. For example, a peripheral storage medium may have a database which contains information about the fingerprints of authorized users such that the storage medium may only be accessed by authorized users in ways permitted for each particular user as indicated in the storage medium itself. A user may input information through a touch sensitive light pen which generates an infrared beam. The implementation of both a fingerprint security system and a touchpad cursor control with common elements is advantageous since both enhanced capabilities may thereby be provided at a reasonable cost.

Claims

1. A personal computer system comprising:

a processor and a memory connected to one another;

a keyboard connected to said processor; and

a touchpad on said keyboard, said touchpad including a substantially infrared transparent surface, a plurality of sources of infrared light connected to emit at different frequencies or wavelengths on at least some occasions, and a detector of infrared light, said source arranged to direct infrared light through said touchpad surface from below and said detector arranged to detect infrared light reflected from said surface when an object is placed on said surface, said detector connected to said processor such that said processor may analyze information about the object placed on said surface.

2. The computer system of claim 1 including a controller connected to said infrared light detector, said controller adapted to generate signals indicative of the position of an object on said surface.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein said detector includes a charge-coupled device infrared light detector, and said infrared source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged to direct infrared light at said surface.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said computer system includes a display screen and a cursor display system for displaying a cursor image on said screen, the position of said cursor being controllable by the user'"'"'s finger movements on said surface.

5. The computer system of claim 4 including a device for positioning a cursor image on said screen, said device connected to receive input signals from said controller indicative of the position of the user'"'"'s finger on said surface, said device arranged to produce cursor images on said screen in accordance with the movements of the user'"'"'s finger.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said infrared detector is connected to a device which produces signals indicative of the pattern of ridges on a user'"'"'s finger.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said device includes a comparator and a storage medium for storing signals indicative of user fingerprints, said comparator adapted to compare a user'"'"'s fingerprint inputted by said detector with stored fingerprint information to determine the identity of the user.

8. The computer system of claim 7 wherein said computer system is adapted to deny access to said system unless said comparator finds a match with the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

9. The computer system of claim 8 including at least one data storage medium including means for receiving information about an intended user'"'"'s fingerprint, means for comparing that information to information stored in said storage medium, and means for granting access to said storage medium based on the results of said comparison.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said storage medium is a hard disk drive having information about a potential user'"'"'s fingerprints stored in said hard disk drive and having a controller including said comparator.

11. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said storage medium is a floppy disk drive including disk files which contain information about a potential users'"'"'s fingerprints.

12. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said storage medium includes information not only about potential authorized users but also about the particular information stored in said medium that a particular user is authorized to access.

13. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said storage medium is operable only when information inputted about a potential user'"'"'s fingerprint matches information contained in said storage medium about authorized computer users.

14. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said infrared detector and said controller are adapted to analyze the position of a user'"'"'s finger on said surface, said computer system including a display screen and cursor control device for controlling the position of a cursor image on said screen.

15. A computer system comprising:

a sensor capable of sensing both the position of the user'"'"'s finger on a surface and the characteristics of the user'"'"'s fingerprint;

a cursor control for controlling the position of a cursor, said cursor control connected to said sensor for receiving information about the location of the user'"'"'s finger on said surface, and

a fingerprint analyzer connected to said sensor for receiving information about the characteristics of the user'"'"'s fingerprints;

wherein multiple frequencies or wavelengths are used when said sensor is used for detection of position, but not when said sensor is used for receiving information about the characteristics of the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said sensor is a detector of infrared light.

17. The computer system of claim 16 including an infrared light source, wherein said surface is substantially transparent to infrared light, said sensor arranged to receive infrared light from said source reflected by an object on said surface.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein access to said computer system is controlled by said fingerprint analyzer, said analyzer including stored information about characteristics of the fingerprints of authorized system users.

19. A method of inputting information to a computer system comprising the steps of:

producing infrared light;

causing said infrared light to be reflected from a user'"'"'s finger positioned on a surface;

analyzing the reflected infrared light to determine the location on said surface of the user'"'"'s finger and the characteristics of the user'"'"'s fingerprint;

controlling the position of a cursor on a display screen based on the finger location information; and

controlling access to said computer system based on the fingerprint information;

wherein said infrared light is selectively produced in either a single wavelength when the characteristics of a fingerprint are being analyzed, or in multiple wavelengths when determining the location of the finger.

20. The method of claim 19 including the steps of comparing the fingerprint information to stored fingerprint information of authorized users and granting access to said system if a match is found between the analyzed fingerprint information and the stored information.

21. The method of claim 20 including the step of controlling the operation of a storage medium associated with said computer system based on said fingerprint information.

22. The method of claim 21 including the step of storing information about authorized users of said storage medium in said storage medium.

23. The method of claim 22 including the step of controlling access to information stored in said storage medium based on said fingerprint analysis.