Fingerprint detection sensor and method of detecting fingerprint

• US 8,666,126 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Seung Seoup, Chung, Il Kwon, Choi, Jae Hyouck, Na, Jun Kyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzpatrick, Atiba O
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAMES, THOMAS AIDEN
• Application Number:
  US13/440,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20130136321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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

There is provided a fingerprint detection sensor and a method of detecting a fingerprint. The fingerprint detection sensor according to embodiments of the present invention includes a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged on a two-dimensional plane; and a fingerprint detection unit detecting a fingerprint by using ultrasonic signals discharged from the plurality of respective piezoelectric sensors, wherein the fingerprint detection unit determines whether the fingerprint is a forged fingerprint by detecting bloodstreams within a first region on the two-dimensional plane in which the ultrasonic signals discharged from the plurality of respective piezoelectric sensors overlap one another.

Claims

1. A fingerprint detection sensor, comprising:

a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged on a two-dimensional plane; and

a fingerprint detection unit detecting a fingerprint by using ultrasonic signals discharged from the plurality of respective piezoelectric sensors,

wherein the fingerprint detection unit determines whether the fingerprint is a forged fingerprint by detecting blood streams within a first region on the two-dimensional plane in which the ultrasonic signals discharged from the plurality of respective piezoelectric sensors overlap one another, and

wherein the fingerprint detection unit determines whether the fingerprint is a forged fingerprint by detecting blood streams within a second region having an area larger than that of the first region, when the fingerprint detection unit fails to determine whether the fingerprint is the forged fingerprint within the first region.

2. The fingerprint detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the first region is a region having a predetermined area based on a central point of the two-dimensional plane.

3. The fingerprint detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint detection unit detects the fingerprint based on a difference in acoustic impedance generated by the ultrasonic signals discharged from the plurality of respective piezoelectric sensors.

4. The fingerprint detection sensor of claim 3, wherein the fingerprint detection unit detects the fingerprint based on a difference between first acoustic impedance corresponding to valleys of the fingerprint and second acoustic impedance corresponding to ridges of the fingerprint.

5. The fingerprint detection sensor of claim 1, further comprising a polymer filler provided to surround the plurality of piezoelectric sensors.

6. The fingerprint detection sensor of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint detection unit detects a frequency change generated from the ultrasonic signals within the first region by the blood streams to determine whether the fingerprint is a forged fingerprint.

7. A method of detecting a fingerprint, the method comprising:

discharging ultrasonic signals to a specific object from a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged on a two-dimensional plane in a matrix form;

detecting reflected signals generated by reflecting the ultrasonic signals to the object within a first region on the two-dimensional plane in which the ultrasonic signals overlap one another;

determining whether the object is a living body by using a difference in frequency between the ultrasonic signals and the reflected signals, the determining being performed by using the difference in frequency generated by blood streams within the object between the ultrasonic signals and the reflected signals; and

detecting the reflected signals within a second region having an area larger than that of the first region when determining whether the object is a living body fails.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting a fingerprint of the object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in the detecting of the fingerprint, the fingerprint is detected based on a difference between first acoustic impedance corresponding to valleys of the fingerprint and second acoustic impedance corresponding to ridges of the fingerprint.