Capacitive sensor packaging

• US 9,001,081 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pope, Benjamin J., Arnold, Shawn, Corlett, Barry J., Gilton, Terry L., Husaini, Syed, Webster, Steven, Myers, Scott A., Hill, Matthew D., Lyon, Benjamin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles V
• Application Number:
  US14/247,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20140216914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1329 Protecting the fingerprint sensor against damage caused by the finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1353 Extracting features related to minutiae or pores
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a fingerprint sensor having a set of capacitive elements configured for capacitively coupling to a user fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor may be disposed under a control button or display element of an electronic device, for example one or more of a control button and a display component. A responsive element is responsive to proximity of the user fingerprint, for example one or both of a first circuit responsive to motion of the control button, and a second circuit responsive to a coupling between the fingerprint and a surface of the display element. The fingerprint sensor is disposed closer to the fingerprint than the responsive element. The control button or display component may include an anisotropic dielectric material, for example sapphire.

Claims

1. A push button assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

a structure immediately adjacent to at least a portion of a button;

a fingerprint sensor stacked vertically below the button; and

a switch stacked vertically below the fingerprint sensor.

2. The push button assembly as in claim 1, further comprising one or more flexible elements positioned between the fingerprint sensor and the switch.

3. The push button assembly as in claim 2, wherein a first flexible element is positioned between the fingerprint sensor and a stiffener and a second flexible element is positioned between the stiffener and the switch.

4. The push button assembly as in claim 3, wherein the first and second flexible elements each comprise a flexible circuit and the fingerprint sensor is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit and the switch is electrically connected to the second flexible circuit.

5. The push button assembly as in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of solder balls encapsulated in a plastic resin and positioned between the first flexible circuit and the fingerprint sensor.

6. The push button assembly as in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a ground ring that electrically isolates the fingerprint sensor.

7. The push button assembly as in claim 6, wherein the button is disposed within the ground ring.

8. The push button assembly as in claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a dome switch.

9. The push button assembly as in claim 1, wherein the button is made of an anisotropic dielectric material.

10. The push button assembly as in claim 9, wherein the button comprises a sapphire lens.

11. The push button assembly as in claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit electrically connected to one or more bonding wires disposed through one or more edge trenches formed in a wafer.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a structure immediately adjacent to at least a portion of a button;

a fingerprint sensor positioned below the button, wherein the structure electrically isolates the fingerprint sensor; and

a switch positioned below the fingerprint sensor.

13. The electronic device as in claim 12, wherein the structure at least partially surrounds the button.

14. The electronic device as in claim 12, further comprising a cover glass extending over a surface of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device as in claim 14, further comprising a button hole formed in the cover glass, wherein the button is positioned in the button hole such that at least a portion of a top surface of the button is recessed with respect to the cover glass.

16. The electronic device as in claim 13, wherein the button is recessed at least partially by a chamfer in the structure.

17. The electronic device as in claim 12, wherein the button has a substantially flat outer surface.

18. The electronic device as in claim 12, wherein the button is made of an anisotropic dielectric material.

19. The electronic device as in claim 12, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit electrically connected to one or more bonding wires disposed through one or more edge trenches formed in a wafer.

20. The electronic device as in claim 12, further comprising:

a first flexible circuit positioned between the fingerprint sensor and a stiffener, wherein the fingerprint sensor is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit; and

a second flexible circuit positioned between the stiffener and the switch, wherein the switch is electrically connected to the second flexible circuit.

21. An assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

a button;

a fingerprint sensor stacked vertically below the button;

a switch stacked vertically below the fingerprint sensor; and

a support element positioned between the fingerprint sensor and the switch.

22. The assembly as in claim 21, further comprising a flexible element positioned between the fingerprint sensor and the support element, wherein the flexible element is configured to receive signals from the fingerprint sensor.

23. The assembly as in claim 22, further comprising conductive material positioned between the fingerprint sensor and the flexible element, wherein the conductive material is configured to conduct signals between the fingerprint sensor and the flexible element.

24. The assembly as in claim 21, further comprising a flexible element positioned between the support element and the switch.

25. The assembly as in claim 21, further comprising conductive material positioned between the button and the fingerprint sensor, wherein the conductive material is configured to conduct signals between the fingerprint sensor and the button.

26. The assembly as in claim 25, further comprising a flexible element electrically connected to the conductive material.

27. The assembly as in claim 21, wherein the support element comprises a flexible element, and wherein the fingerprint sensor is coupled to a first surface of the flexible element and the switch is coupled to a second surface of the flexible element.

28. The assembly as in claim 21, wherein the button is supported by a structure.

29. The assembly as in claim 28, wherein the structure comprises a ground ring at least partially surrounding the button.

30. The assembly as in claim 21, wherein the support element comprises a stiffener.