Surface shape recognition sensor

• US 7,366,332 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Shigematsu, Satoshi, Morimura, Hiroki, Sato, Norio, Machida, Katsuyuki, Shimamura, Toshishige, Urano, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bitar; Nancy
• Application Number:
  US10/528,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 382/170, 382/124, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 702/104, 702/130
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements

Abstract

A detection element (1A) having a detection electrode (11A) connected to a surface shape detection unit (2) and a detection electrode (12A) connected to a common potential, and a detection element (1B) having a detection electrode (11B) connected to the surface shape detection unit (2) and a detection electrode (12B) connected to a biometric recognition unit (3) are arranged. The surface shape detection unit (2) outputs a signal representing the three-dimensional pattern of the surface shape corresponding to the contact portion to each detection element on the basis of individual capacitances obtained from the detection elements (1A, 1B). The biometric recognition unit (3) determines whether an object (9) is a living body, on the basis of a signal corresponding to the impedance of the object (9) connected between the detection electrode (12B) of the detection element (1B) and the detection electrode (12A) of the detection element (1A).

Claims

1. A surface shape recognition sensor device characterized by comprising:

a plurality of capacitance detection units which are arranged in a grid shape to cause a detection element to detect a capacitance generated with respect to an object and output a capacitance signal representing a value of the capacitance;

detection elements which are arranged near said capacitance detection units;

a plurality of control lines which connect, of said capacitance detection units, capacitance detection units arranged in a column direction;

a plurality of data lines which connect, of said capacitance detection units, capacitance detection units arranged in a row direction;

a column selector which sequentially selects one of said control lines to select each capacitance detection unit connected to said control line;

a first A/D conversion unit which is arranged for each data line and A/D-converts the capacitance signal, which is output from each capacitance detection unit selected by said column selector to said data line, into three-dimensional data and outputs the three-dimensional data;

a row selector which sequentially selects the three-dimensional data obtained from said first A/D conversion unit for each data line and outputs the three-dimensional data as surface shape data representing a surface shape of the object;

an impedance detection unit which is arranged together with a detection element as a pair in place of one of said capacitance detection units and comes into electrical contact with the object through said detection element to detect an impedance of the object and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the impedance; and

a biometric determination unit which determines on the basis of the detection signal from said impedance detection unit whether the object is a living body,

wherein said biometric recognition unit comprises a response signal generation unit which applies a predetermined supply signal to said detection element and outputs, as a response signal, a signal whose phase and amplitude have changed in accordance with an impedance of the object which is in electrical contact through said detection element, and a waveform information detection unit which detects, as waveform information, one of the phase and amplitude representing a waveform of the response signal and outputs a detection signal representing the waveform information, and

said biometric determination unit executes determination on the basis of whether the waveform information contained in the detection signal falls within a reference range of the waveform information which indicates an authentic living body.

2. A surface shape recognition sensor device according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising

an individual control line which is connected to said impedance detection unit,

an individual data line which is connected to said impedance detection unit,

a control unit which selects said impedance detection unit by selecting said individual control line, and

a second A/D conversion unit which outputs, as determination data, the waveform information contained in the detection signal output from said impedance detection unit to said individual data line,

wherein said impedance detection unit outputs the detection signal representing the waveform information corresponding to the impedance of the object to said individual data line in accordance with selection by said control unit through said individual control line, and

said biometric determination unit executes determination on the basis of the waveform information contained in the determination data from said second A/D conversion unit.

3. A surface shape recognition sensor device according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising

an individual control line which is connected to said impedance detection unit, and

a control unit which selects said impedance detection unit by selecting said individual control line,

wherein said impedance detection unit is connected to one of said data lines and outputs the detection signal representing the waveform information corresponding to the impedance of the object to said data line in accordance with selection by said control unit through said individual control line, and

said biometric determination unit executes determination on the basis of the waveform information contained in determination data which is obtained by causing said first A/D conversion unit to A/D-convert the detection signal output to said data line.

4. A surface shape recognition sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that

said impedance detection unit is connected to one of said control lines and one of said data lines and outputs the detection signal to said data line in accordance with selection by said selector, and

said biometric determination unit executes determination on the basis of the waveform information contained in determination data which is obtained by causing said first A/D conversion unit to A/D-convert the detection signal output to said data line.

5. A surface shape recognition sensor device according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising a plurality of said impedance detection units which are arranged in place of different said capacitance detection units.