Finger sensor having pixel sensing circuitry for coupling electrodes and pixel sensing traces and related methods

• US 9,367,173 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Setlak, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/743,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20130181949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

A finger sensor may include pixels, pixel sensing traces each associated with a respective pixel, and electrodes overlying the pixel sensing traces. The finger sensor may also include pixel sensing circuitry coupled to the pixel sensing traces and the electrodes. The pixel sensing circuitry may be capable of operating in a measurement mode by operating the pixels so that at least some of the pixels are active, and at least some other of the pixels are inactive and coupling pixel sensing traces associated with the inactive pixels to a voltage reference. The pixel sensing circuitry may also be capable of operating in the measurement mode by coupling electrodes associated with the active pixels to the voltage reference and coupling electrodes associated with the inactive pixels to a drive signal.

Claims

1. A finger sensor comprising:

a plurality of pixels;

a plurality of pixel sensing traces each associated with a respective pixel;

a plurality of electrodes overlying said plurality of pixel sensing traces;

pixel sensing circuitry coupled to said plurality of pixel sensing traces and said plurality of electrodes, the pixel sensing circuitry comprising

at least one gain stage,

a plurality of first switches coupled to the plurality of electrodes and being switchable among a voltage reference, display circuitry, and a drive signal source,

a plurality of second switches coupled to pixel sensing traces and switchable between the voltage reference and the at least one gain stage, and

a controller coupled to the plurality of first and second switches and capable of operating at least some of the plurality of pixels in an active mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the at least one gain stage and corresponding ones of said plurality of electrodes between one of the voltage reference and the drive circuitry.

2. The finger sensor of claim 1 wherein the pixel sensing circuitry is capable of

operating at least some other of the plurality of pixels in an inactive mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the voltage reference and the plurality of electrodes to the drive signal source.

3. The finger sensor of claim 1 wherein said plurality of electrodes each has a length shorter than a respective length of each of said plurality of pixel sensing traces.

4. The finger sensor of claim 1, wherein said plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of electric field sensing pixels.

5. The finger sensor of claim 1 further comprising a dielectric substrate carried between said plurality of pixel sensing traces and said plurality of electrodes.

6. The finger sensor of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric cover overlying said plurality of electrodes.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display carried by the housing and having display circuitry associated therewith; and

a finger sensor carried by said housing and comprising

a plurality of pixels,

a plurality of pixel sensing traces each associated with a respective pixel,

a plurality of electrodes overlying said plurality of pixel sensing traces, and

pixel sensing circuitry coupled to said plurality of pixel sensing traces and said plurality of electrodes, the pixel sensing circuitry comprising

at least one gain stage,

a plurality of first switches coupled to the plurality of electrodes and being switchable among a voltage reference, display circuitry, and a drive signal source,

a plurality of second switches coupled to pixel sensing traces and switchable between the voltage reference and the at least one gain stage, and

a controller coupled to the plurality of first and second switches and capable of operating at least some of the plurality of pixels in an active mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the at least one gain stage and corresponding ones of said plurality of electrodes between one of the voltage reference and the drive circuitry.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the pixel sensing circuitry is capable of

operating at least some other of the plurality of pixels in an inactive mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the voltage reference and corresponding ones of the plurality of electrodes to the drive signal source.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said display comprises a touch screen display.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said plurality of electrodes each has a length shorter than a respective length of each of said plurality of pixel sensing traces.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of electric field sensing pixels.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 further comprising a dielectric substrate carried between said plurality of pixel sensing traces and said plurality of electrodes.

13. The electronic device of claim 7 further comprising a dielectric cover overlying said plurality of electrodes.

14. A method of finger sensing using a finger sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, a plurality of pixel sensing traces each associated with a respective pixel, and a plurality of electrodes overlying the plurality of pixel sensing traces, the method comprising:

selectively operating a plurality of first switches to couple the plurality of electrodes among a voltage reference, display circuitry, and a drive signal source; and

selectively operating a plurality of second switches to couple a pixel sensing trace between the voltage reference and at least one gain stage;

at least some of the plurality of pixels being operated in an active mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the at least one gain stage and corresponding ones of the plurality of electrodes between one of the voltage reference and the drive circuitry.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least some other of the plurality of pixels are operated in an inactive mode by coupling the plurality of pixel sensing traces to the voltage reference and the plurality of electrodes to the drive signal source.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of electrodes each has a length shorter than a respective length of each of the plurality of pixel sensing traces.