Sensing arrangement

• US 8,148,686 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ryhänen, Tapani, Hjelt, Kari
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maupin, Hugh H
• Application Number:
  US12/899,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 713/182, 713/186
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1171 based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2405 by varying dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive 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: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for sensing ambient conditions in electric equipment. These conditions may include verification of the user, the location of the equipment and various properties of the environment. The invention is preferably applied in mobile terminals. One idea of the invention is to provide a sensor arrangement with a substrate (663) that forms at least part of a sensor, and also serves as a substrate for other sensors (695-698). The substrate is preferably flexible so that it can be formed in a shape which is follows the shape of the device cover. The invention also describes a way to create two- or three-dimensional electrode structures that can be used to optimize the performance of the sensor. When the surface structure is designed to follow the shape of a finger, a very small pressure is required when sliding the finger along the sensor surface. This way the use of the sensor is ergonomic and the measurement is made very reliable.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement comprising a sensor, at least one integrated signal processing circuit for the measurement of signals from the sensor, and interconnecting wiring between the sensor and the integrated circuit, the arrangement comprising a substrate, said substrate forming at least part of said interconnecting wiring and said substrate is further arranged to serve as a part of said sensor, and wherein said substrate is of a curved form to provide a surface for a finger, wherein said sensor comprises at least an optical sensor for providing said signals, at least in part, to said integrated signal processing circuit for the measurement of said signals.

2. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said optical sensor is an optical pulse oximeter.

3. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprises a circuit configured to transfer a sensed finger signal inductively to said substrate, wherein said sensor and said substrate are galvanically separated.

4. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a skin contact sensor.

5. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said optical sensor comprises a infrared light source, a infrared light detector and wherein said integrated signal processing circuit is configured to measure a detected signal from the infrared light detector indicative of absorption of infrared light from a finger.

6. The sensor arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said infrared light source and said infrared light detector are located at opposite sides of a groove of said sensor designed for sensing the finger on said substrate of said curved form.

7. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a temperature sensor for measuring ambient temperature.

8. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a humidity sensor for sensing ambient humidity.

9. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a pressure sensor.

10. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a skin contact sensor.

11. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one sensor part of said sensor fixed on the substrate.

12. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a biometric sensor.

13. A mobile terminal, comprising a sensor arrangement according to claim 1.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein at least part of the sensor arrangement is encapsulated by a cover of the mobile terminal.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein at least part of the sensor arrangement is molded in a cover of the mobile terminal.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein said surface for said finger in said curved form of said substrate is flexible.

17. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein said substrate forming at least part of said interconnecting wiring is flexible.

18. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is flexible, at least in part.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein at least part of the sensor arrangement is on a cover of the mobile terminal.