Command interface using fingerprint sensor input system

• US 7,239,227 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Upek, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Kramer, Alan, Gupta, Bhusan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/475,686
• Time in Patent Office: 2,742 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.25, 340/5.5, 340/5.53, 340/5.8, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 340/426.28, 340/5.81, 382/124, 382/125, 382/126, 382/312, 435/4, 435/289.1, 435/DIG.22, 435/DIG.34, 435/518
• US Class Current: 340/5.82
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A substrate having a fingerprint sensing system usable as a command interface using finger movements. A user'"'"'s fingerprint pattern is recognized and compared to previously stored reference patterns. If the fingerprint pattern matches a previously stored pattern, the user is then permitted to enter certain commands via the same interface system. For example, in the case of an automobile, a user may identify themselves with their fingerprint, and then perform such functions as unlocking the doors, setting the seat to a selected location, or even pre-starting the car prior to their entering the automobile. The very same devices which perform the fingerprint identification and sensing are also used for the input sensing and command recognition to perform the various commands. A user is thus able to securely control desired functions in an automobile, while being assured that an unauthorized user will not have access to the automobile, even as they were able to obtain the command interface device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of position sensing devices located on the substrate for detecting the presence of an object;

a plurality of groups of the position sensing devices, each group being composed of a plurality of sensing devices and each group being electronically segmented and each group being located at a selected, respective position on the substrate;

an electronic logic circuit coupled to each of the groups for sensing whether a human appendage has been placed adjacent the respective group.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of groups includes at least 3 groups.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the groups are positioned adjacent each other organized in a grid having rows and columns.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the groups are positioned with a first group surrounding a second group and the second group surrounding a third group.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the groups are circular in shape.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a circuit for sensing an initial touch location and a last touch location.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a circuit for sensing the location of a human appendage on the surface at a first time and sensing the location the human appendage at a second time, after the first time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

a housing that supports the substrate;

a power source within the housing; and

a transmitter within the housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further including:

a fingerprint identification circuit within the housing including a fingerprint sensing array, a memory for storing reference fingerprint patterns and a circuit to compare a fingerprint sensed by the array with a reference fingerprint pattern stored in the memory.

10. An apparatus for remotely controlling automobile functions comprising:

a housing;

a semiconductor substrate coupled to and supported by the housing;

a power source within the housing;

a transmitter within the housing;

a plurality of position sensing devices positioned within the semiconductor, the sensing devices being organized into a plurality of segmented groups; and

a circuit coupled to each group to sense whether a human appendage is adjacent the group.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further including:

a fingerprint identification circuit coupled to the semiconductor substrate for sensing the identity of the a fingerprint placed thereon.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the fingerprint identification circuit includes:

a memory for storing a plurality of reference fingerprint patterns;

a comparison circuit for comparing a pattern of a fingerprint placed on the substrate with a reference fingerprint pattern stored in the memory; and

an output circuit that outputs a signal indicating a match between an input fingerprint pattern and the reference fingerprint pattern stored in the memory.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further including an enable circuit coupled to the output circuit for enabling the transmitter to transmit selected commands only after a fingerprint input pattern has matched a reference fingerprint pattern.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, further including:

an automobile;

a receiver circuit coupled to the automobile for receiving input from the transmitter.

15. A method of sensing input from a finger of a user comprising:

sensing a first touch location on a substrate at a first time;

sensing a second touch location spaced from the first touch location on the substrate at a second time, after the first time;

comparing an input location sequence of the first and second touch locations to a set of reference location sequences stored in a memory;

outputting a signal indicating a match between the input location sequence and the reference location sequence;

performing a pre-programmed function based the signal of the match.

16. The method according to claim 15, further including:

receiving a sample fingerprint pattern on the substrate;

comparing the sample fingerprint pattern to a plurality of stored reference fingerprint patterns;

outputting a signal indicating a match between the sample fingerprint pattern and the stored reference fingerprint pattern; and

performing the pre-programmed function only after the match has been found between the sample fingerprint pattern and the reference fingerprint pattern.

17. The method according to claim 15, further including:

receiving a sample fingerprint pattern on the substrate;

comparing the sample fingerprint pattern to a plurality of stored reference fingerprint patterns;

outputting a signal indicating whether or not there is a match between the sample fingerprint pattern and the stored reference fingerprint pattern; and

permitting the performing of selected pre-programmed functions before the match has been found between the sample fingerprint pattern and the reference fingerprint pattern.

18. The method according to any one of claims 16 or 17, further including:

transmitting a code representing the function to be performed from a location adjacent the substrate to an automobile to perform selected functions at the automobile.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein one of the functions performed is to lock the doors of the automobile.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the function of locking the doors is permitted to be performed before the match is found.

21. The method according to claim 18 wherein one of the functions performed is to unlock the doors of the automobile.

22. The method according to claim 15, further including:

sensing if a first touch occurred in a bottom portion of the substrate; and

sensing if a last touch occurred in a top portion of the substrate.

23. The method according to claim 15, further including:

sensing if a first touch occurred in a central portion of the substrate; and

sensing if a last touch occurred in an outer portion of the substrate.

24. A method comprising:

receiving a fingerprint pattern at a substrate;

sensing the fingerprint pattern with a plurality of sensor cells;

comparing the sensed fingerprint pattern to plurality of stored patterns to determine if there is a match between the received fingerprint pattern and a stored fingerprint pattern;

receiving a command input to the same substrate after the fingerprint pattern has been received;

sensing the command input with at least some of the same sensor cells used to sense the fingerprint pattern; and

sending a signal to carry out the command input only if the previously received fingerprint pattern is a match with a stored fingerprint pattern.

25. The method according to claim 24 in which a first command signal is output if the received command is in a first location on the substrate and a second command signal is output if the received command is in a second location on the substrate.

26. A method of performing user identification and receiving command inputs of a plurality of commands using the same substrate comprising:

placing sensors on a substrate in a first mode of operation for recognition of a fingerprint pattern;

receiving a fingerprint pattern on the substrate;

comparing the fingerprint pattern to a plurality of stored patterns to determine if there is match with a stored pattern;

switching to a second mode of operation if there is match to a stored fingerprint pattern to permit a user to input commands using the same substrate; and

receiving a plurality of commands to carry out a plurality of respective functions using the same sensors on the same substrate as used for the fingerprint pattern recognition.

27. The method according to claim 26 in which the first mode of operation is a recognition mode and the second mode of operation is a command input mode.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a plurality sensor elements thereon;

means for configuring the sensor elements to output a signal representative a fingerprint pattern;

means for recognizing whether the fingerprint pattern matches a stored fingerprint pattern;

means for outputting a recognition signal if an input fingerprint pattern matches a stored pattern;

means for receiving a plurality of command inputs at the same substrate after the change mode signal has been output, the command inputs being received using the same sensor elements that were used to perform the fingerprint recognition; and

means for sending out a command signal to carry out a received command the sending means being operational only after an input fingerprint patter has been found to match a stored fingerprint pattern.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 further including:

means for receiving a first selected group of commands prior to the recognition signal being output.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 in which the lock command is within the first selected group.

31. An apparatus for remotely controlling automobile functions comprising:

a housing;

a semiconductor substrate coupled to and supported by the housing;

a plurality of position sensing devices positioned within the semiconductor, the position sensing devices being organizable into a plurality of segmented groups; and

a fingerprint recognition circuit coupled to the semiconductor substrate to recognize the patter of a fingerprint on the position sensing devices and output a signal indicating a match;

a command receiving circuit coupled to each group to sense whether a human appendage is adjacent the group.