Information processing unit

• US 7,321,756 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Naoto, Inamitsu, Kazutoyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A.
• Application Number:
  US11/209,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/463, 4555561- 2, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/3, 455/90.3, 455563-565, 455423-425, 455/528, 455/550.1, 455/66.1, 455344-349, 455/26.1, 379 9302- 3, 379/433.01, 379/433.1, 379/13, 379/440, 379/445, 382115-127, 382312-315, 396/15, 713185-186, 340 552- 553, 340/5.61, 340/5.8, 340 581- 582, 235379-380, 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• 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 40/63 by static guides
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

An information processing unit, such as a mobile phone, equipped with a fingerprint sensor and which reconciles size reduction with operability at a high level. Adjacent to an operation panel is located a V-shaped groove which contains a first slope stretching away from the operation panel and slanting downward and a second slope stretching further away from the operation panel and slanting upward, where the V-shaped groove contains a fingerprint sweep sensor which detects a fingerprint on a finger moved along the first slope and the second slope.

Claims

1. An information processing unit which is a folding unit and comprises an upper casing and a lower casing equipped with an operation section which are hinged to be freely opened and closed wherein:

the lower casing comprises, adjacent to the operation section, a groove which contains a first slope stretching away from the operation section and slanting downward and a second slope stretching further away from the operation section and slanting upward, wherein a finger moves downward along the first slope and the finger moves upward along the second slope;

the groove comprises a fingerprint sweep sensor;

the first slope and the second slope have mutually different tilt angles; and

the lower casing further comprises a pad which protrudes from a surface of the lower casing,

wherein an entire sensing surface of the fingerprint sweep sensor protrudes above an inner surface of the groove.

2. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the pad is formed on both sides of the groove.

3. The information processing unit according to claim 2, wherein the lower casing comprises a pair of the pads.

4. The information processing unit according to claim 3, wherein the upper casing further comprises a display screen and an ear piece and the lower casing further comprises a mouthpiece, and

wherein the operation section includes a plurality of regularly arranged keys.

5. The information processing unit according to claim 2, wherein the upper casing further comprises a display screen and an ear piece, the lower casing further comprises a mouthpiece, and the operation section includes a plurality of regularly arranged keys.

6. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the upper casing further comprises a display screen and an ear piece, the lower casing further comprises a mouthpiece, and the operation section includes a plurality of regularly arranged keys.

7. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first slope has a larger tilt angle than the second slope.

8. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first slope and the second slope have mutually different lengths.

9. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sweep sensor is located in the groove in such a way as to hide a ridge line where an extension surface of the first slope and an extension surface of the second slope meet.

10. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the first slope and the second bulges upward or downward.

11. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the information processing unit is a portable telephone.