Capacitive sensor packaging

• US 9,030,440 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• 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:
  US13/842,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20130307818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 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 fingerprint sensor apparatus comprising:

a fingerprint sensor disposed beneath a device component comprising a control or display element formed of an anisotropic dielectric material, the fingerprint sensor configured for capacitive coupling to a fingerprint of a user finger; and

a control circuit element disposed with respect to the device component, the control circuit element responsive to proximity of the user finger via capacitive or mechanical coupling to the control or display element;

wherein the fingerprint sensor is disposed in a proximal position with respect to the control or display element and the control circuit element is disposed in a distal position with respect to the control or display element and the fingerprint sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit coupled to one or more bonding wires disposed through one or more vias formed in a wafer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor circuit is disposed on a first side of the wafer, proximate the control or display element with respect to a second side of the wafer, opposite the first side.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit disposed on a wafer and coupled to one or more bonding wires disposed through one or more edge trenches extending through the wafer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit that is at least partially encapsulated in an elastomeric material.

6. A method of forming the apparatus of claim 5, wherein portions of the elastomeric material are removed to expose wiring components of the sensor circuit for electrical connection.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit formed on a wafer and coupled to one or more compressed solder elements disposed on a major surface of the wafer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the compressed solder elements comprise a layer of encapsulated solder balls disposed on the major surface of the wafer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device component comprises a control button and the anisotropic dielectric material comprises a sapphire lens portion of the control button configured for positioning the user finger with respect to the fingerprint sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control button is presented in a cover glass of the apparatus, such that the lens portion is recessed with respect to the cover glass.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lens portion has a substantially planar surface for positioning the user finger with respect to the fingerprint sensor.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a display element;

a control component disposed within or with respect to the display element;

at least one fingerprint sensor disposed under the control component and configured for sensing a fingerprint of a user in operation of the electronic device;

a control circuit element disposed under the fingerprint sensor and responsive to pressure on the control component, wherein the fingerprint sensor is disposed in a proximal location with respect to the control element.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a set of capacitive elements configured for sensing the fingerprint by capacitive coupling to fingerprint ridges of a user in operation of the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the fingerprint sensor is disposed under the display element, and wherein the display element comprises a sapphire material.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the sapphire material has planar axis perpendicular to a C-plane of the sapphire material, the planar axis extending between the fingerprint image sensor and a surface of the display contacted by the user finger.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control circuit element comprises a strain gauge configured to determine strain on the display element.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the control component comprises a control button having a sapphire lens element.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising a grounding flange extending about a circumference of the sapphire lens element.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the sapphire lens element is recessed with respect to a cover glass of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the sapphire lens element has a substantially flat shape where the user finger contacts the control button.

21. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the control element comprises a sapphire button member responsive to pressure of the user finger thereon, and further comprising an optical or infrared sensor configured to image the user fingerprint through the sapphire button member.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the control element is transparent, translucent, or both transparent and translucent.

23. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit disposed on a wafer located proximate the control component.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the sensor circuit is coupled to one or more bonding wires disposed through one or more edge trenches formed in the wafer.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the sensor circuit is at least partially encapsulated in an insulating polymer material.

26. The electronic device of claim 23, further comprising a layer of compressed solder elements disposed on a major surface of the wafer, the compressed solder elements configured for electronic coupling to the sensor circuit.

27. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a control element disposed with respect to the display;

a fingerprint sensor disposed beneath the control element, wherein the fingerprint sensor configured for sensing a fingerprint of a user finger;

a pressure sensitive element responsive to pressure from the user finger, wherein the pressure sensitive element is disposed below the fingerprint sensor, such that the fingerprint sensor is disposed closer to the user finger than the pressure sensitive element.

28. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit disposed on a wafer, the sensor circuit coupled to a plurality of bonding wires disposed through a plurality of vias formed in a wafer.

29. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit disposed on a wafer, the sensor circuit coupled to a layer of compressed, encapsulated solder balls.

30. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the fingerprint sensor comprises a sensor circuit disposed on a wafer and having one or more electrical connections extending through one or more edge trenches in the wafer.

31. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the display is provided in a cover glass of the mobile device, and where the control element comprises a button disposed in a recessed relationship with respect to the cover glass.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the button comprises a sapphire lens.

33. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the fingerprint sensor is disposed beneath a sapphire layer of the display.