Controller architecture for combination touch, handwriting and fingerprint sensor

• US 8,743,082 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ganapathi, Srinivasan Kodaganallur, Buchan, Nicholas Ian, Burns, David William, Smith, Thad William, Opris, Ion Elinor
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US13/271,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1809
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04146 using pressure sensitive conductive elements delivering a boolean signal and located between crossing sensing lines, e.g. located between X and Y sensing line layers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A separate control system may be configured for a combined sensor device. Alternatively, at least part of the control system may be included in another device, such as a processor of a mobile device. Software for handwriting, touch and fingerprint detection may be included in the control system. Low, medium and high resolution may be obtained with a single combined sensor device by scanning a subset of the sensels, or by aggregating lines or columns. Power consumption may be reduced by aggregating sensor pixels (or rows or columns) electrically using the controller, so that they perform as a low power small array until higher resolution with a larger array is needed. Power consumption may be reduced by turning off portions or all of the sensor device, turning off parts of the control system, and/or employing first-level screening at a reduced frame rate.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a handwriting and touch sensor formed in a first zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the handwriting and touch sensor including a first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes;

a fingerprint sensor formed in a second zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the fingerprint sensor including a second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes; and

a control system configured for communication with the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes and the second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes, the control system being further configured for controlling the apparatus to function as the touch sensor, the handwriting sensor, and the fingerprint sensor, wherein the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as the touch sensor according to changes in capacitance received via the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes, wherein the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as the fingerprint sensor according to changes in resistance received via the second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes and wherein at least part of the control system is configured to be switchable from a touch mode configuration to a handwriting mode configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to reduce power consumption by employing first level screening at a reduced frame rate on the touch sensor before activating the fingerprint sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine when the fingerprint sensor is not in use; and

deactivate the fingerprint sensor when the fingerprint sensor is not in use.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as a handwriting sensor according to changes in parallel plate capacitance received via the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as a handwriting sensor according to an indication, received via the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes, that a switch is open or closed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes has a smaller pitch than the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to activate or deactivate fingerprint sensor functionality according to one or more fingerprint sensor indicia.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to activate or deactivate handwriting sensor functionality according to one or more handwriting sensor indicia.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to reduce power consumption by aggregating rows or columns of the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes or of the second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system includes an operational amplifier circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operational amplifier circuit is configured to be switchable from an integrator configuration to a charge amplifier configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is configured to communicate with the display and with the control system, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and

a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, a transceiver, and a transmitter.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a handwriting and touch sensor formed in a first zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the handwriting and touch sensor including a first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes;

a fingerprint sensor formed in a second zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the fingerprint sensor including a second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes; and

a control system configured for communication with the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes and the second plurality of substantially transparent electrodes, the control system being further configured for controlling the apparatus to function as the touch sensor, the handwriting sensor, and the fingerprint sensor, wherein the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as the handwriting sensor according to first indications of changes in parallel plate capacitance or according to second indications of the opening or closure of a switch, the first and second indications being received via the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes and wherein;

the control system is configured to be switchable between functioning in a first state and functioning in a second state;

the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as a touch sensor by processing the first indications when functioning in the first state; and

the control system is configured to control the apparatus to function as a handwriting sensor by processing the second indications when functioning in the second state.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive one or more fingerprint sensor indicia; and

determine whether to activate or deactivate fingerprint sensor functionality according to the fingerprint sensor indicia.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive one or more handwriting sensor indicia; and

determine whether to activate or deactivate handwriting sensor functionality according to the handwriting sensor indicia.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to reduce power consumption by aggregating rows or columns of the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a handwriting and touch sensor formed in a first zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the handwriting and touch sensor including first substantially transparent electrodes;

a fingerprint sensor formed in a second zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the fingerprint sensor including second substantially transparent electrodes; and

control means for;

communicating with the first and second electrodes; and

controlling the apparatus to function as the touch sensor, the handwriting sensor, and the fingerprint sensor, wherein;

the control means includes means for controlling the apparatus to function as the touch sensor according to changes in capacitance received via the first electrodes;

the control means includes means for controlling the apparatus to function as the fingerprint sensor according to changes in resistance received via the second electrodes; and

at least part of the control means is configured to be switchable from a touch mode configuration to a handwriting mode configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control means further includes means for:

receiving one or more fingerprint sensor indicia; and

determining whether to activate or deactivate fingerprint sensor functionality according to the fingerprint sensor indicia.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control means further includes means for:

receiving one or more handwriting sensor indicia; and

determining whether to activate or deactivate handwriting sensor functionality according to the handwriting sensor indicia.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control means further includes means for aggregating rows or columns of the first plurality of substantially transparent electrodes.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent substrate;

a handwriting and touch sensor formed in a first zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the handwriting and touch sensor including first substantially transparent electrodes;

a fingerprint sensor formed in a second zone of the substantially transparent substrate, the fingerprint sensor including second substantially transparent electrodes; and

control means for communication with the first and second electrodes and for controlling the apparatus to function as the touch sensor, the handwriting sensor, and the fingerprint sensor, wherein the control means includes means for controlling the apparatus to function as the handwriting sensor according to first indications of changes in parallel plate capacitance or according to second indications of the opening or closure of a switch, the first and second indications being received via the first electrodes wherein;

the control means is configured to be switchable between functioning in a first state and functioning in a second state;

the control means is configured to control the apparatus to function as a touch sensor by processing the first indications when functioning in the first state; and

the control means is configured to control the apparatus to function as a handwriting sensor by processing the second indications when functioning in the second state.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the control means is further configured to:

receive one or more fingerprint sensor indicia; and

determine whether to activate or deactivate fingerprint sensor functionality according to the fingerprint sensor indicia.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the control means is further configured to:

receive one or more handwriting sensor indicia; and

determine whether to activate or deactivate handwriting sensor functionality according to the handwriting sensor indicia.