Infrared biometric finger sensor and associated methods

• US 7,321,701 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Richard J., Setlak, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso; Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US10/935,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20050069180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 382/125, 382/312, 250/556, 250/566, 356/71, 380/250, 713/182, 713/186, 235/380, 726/5, 726/16, 340/5.81, 340/5.83
• US Class Current: 382/312
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1335 Combining adjacent partial images (e.g. slices) to create a composite input or reference pattern; Tracking a sweeping finger movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements

Abstract

A finger sensor apparatus may include an integrated circuit substrate for receiving a user'"'"'s finger adjacent thereto, and a plurality of infrared sensing pixels on the integrated circuit substrate. The infrared sensing pixels are for sensing infrared radiation naturally emitted from subdermal features when the user'"'"'s finger is positioned adjacent the integrated circuit substrate. The finger sensor apparatus may also include a processor connected to the infrared sensing pixels for generating infrared biometric data based upon infrared radiation naturally emitted from the subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger.

Claims

1. An infrared finger sensor apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit substrate for receiving a user'"'"'s finger adjacent thereto;

a plurality of infrared sensing pixels on said integrated circuit substrate for sensing infrared radiation naturally emitted from subdermal features when the user'"'"'s finger is positioned adjacent said integrated circuit substrate; and

a processor connected to said plurality of infrared sensing pixels for generating infrared biometric data based upon infrared radiation naturally emitted from the subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger.

2. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the infrared biometric data comprises infrared image data.

3. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an uppermost dielectric passivation layer over said plurality of infrared sensing pixels and upon which the user'"'"'s finger is positioned.

4. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor further comprises a matcher for determining a match between the infrared biometric data of the user'"'"'s finger and stored infrared biometric data for an enrolled user.

5. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor comprises processing circuitry on said integrated circuit substrate.

6. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor comprises processing circuitry at least a portion of which is spaced from said integrated circuit substrate.

7. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor generates the infrared biometric data based upon static placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent said integrated circuit substrate.

8. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor generates the infrared biometric data based upon sliding placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent said integrated circuit substrate.

9. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each infrared pixel comprises an infrared antenna and a temperature sensor connected thereto.

10. An infrared finger sensor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit substrate comprises single crystal silicon.

11. An infrared finger sensor comprising:

an integrated circuit substrate for receiving a user'"'"'s finger adjacent thereto;

a plurality of infrared sensing pixels on said integrated circuit substrate for sensing infrared radiation naturally emitted from subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger positioned adjacent said integrated circuit substrate; and

processing circuitry on said integrated circuit substrate and connected to said plurality of infrared sensing pixels for generating infrared biometric data based upon infrared radiation naturally emitted from the subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger.

12. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 wherein the infrared biometric data comprises infrared image data.

13. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 further comprising an uppermost dielectric passivation layer over said plurality of infrared sensing pixels and upon which the user'"'"'s finger is positioned.

14. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 wherein said processing circuitry generates the infrared biometric data based upon static placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent said integrated circuit substrate.

15. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 wherein said processor circuitry generates the infrared biometric data based upon sliding placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent said integrated circuit substrate.

16. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 wherein each infrared pixel comprises an infrared antenna and a temperature sensor connected thereto.

17. An infrared finger sensor according to claim 11 wherein said integrated circuit substrate comprises single crystal silicon.

18. A method for infrared finger sensing comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s finger adjacent an integrated circuit substrate;

sensing infrared radiation naturally emitted from subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger positioned adjacent the integrated circuit substrate by using a plurality of infrared sensing pixels on the integrated circuit substrate; and

generating infrared biometric data based upon infrared radiation naturally emitted from the subdermal features of the user'"'"'s finger.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the infrared biometric data comprises infrared image data.

20. A method according to claim 18 further comprising receiving the user'"'"'s finger on an uppermost dielectric passivation layer over the plurality of infrared sensing pixels.

21. A method according to claim 18 further comprising determining a match between the infrared biometric data of the user'"'"'s finger and stored infrared biometric data for an enrolled user.

22. A method according to claim 18 wherein the generating is performed on the integrated circuit substrate.

23. A method according to claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the generating is performed spaced from the integrated circuit substrate.

24. A method according to claim 18 wherein the generating is based upon static placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent the integrated circuit substrate.

25. A method according to claim 18 wherein generating is based upon sliding placement of the user'"'"'s finger adjacent the integrated circuit substrate.

26. A method according to claim 18 wherein each infrared pixel comprises an infrared antenna and a temperature sensor connected thereto.

27. A method according to claim 18 wherein the integrated circuit substrate comprises single crystal silicon.