Apparatus and method for recognizing fingerprint

• US 9,524,413 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seong-Eun, Bang, Sung-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US14/481,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20150071510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for recognizing a fingerprint, and an electronic device using the same. The electronic device includes: a key button, and a fingerprint recognition sensor unit that is installed at least one portion of the key button, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit includes a circuit board, a fingerprint sensing unit that is installed on a first surface of the circuit board and senses a fingerprint, and a dome switch that is installed on a second surface of the circuit board.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a circuit board;

a fingerprint recognition sensor unit coupled to a first surface of the circuit board; and

a key button coupled to a second surface of the circuit board and configured to transfer a signal to a controller when an external force is applied to the key button and determine that a push of the key button has occurred when the signal is transferred from the key button,

wherein the key button comprises a key positioning unit including a pressing part, and

wherein the pressing part is formed of a pressing protrusion configured to protrude from a top surface of the key positioning unit and contact a second surface of a dome switch electrically connected to a second surface of the circuit board when an external force is applied to the key button.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit includes a concave surface.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising;

a power supply interruption unit configured to interrupt power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and transmit a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit has been interrupted when an over-current is generated in the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to switch off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and output a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when the power supply interruption signal is received.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to output a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the key button comprises at least one of a home key and a side key of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is formed of at least one of a swipe type fingerprint recognition sensor or an area type fingerprint recognition sensor.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a home-key deco part coupled to a front surface of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit and a urethane part coupled to a front surface of the home-key deco part, wherein the home-key deco part is configured to protect the fingerprint recognition sensor unit, and wherein the urethane part is configured to obstruct humidity introduced into the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

19. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is configured to detect a user'"'"'s fingerprint at a plurality of angles.

20. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet coating disposed on top of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit.

9. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

identifying an over-current in a fingerprint recognition sensor unit of a key button;

interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated; and

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit,

wherein the key button comprises a key positioning unit including a pressing part, and

wherein the pressing part is formed of a pressing protrusion configured to protrude from a top surface of the key positioning unit and contact a second surface of a dome switch electrically connected to a second surface of a circuit board when an external force is applied to the key button.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested,

wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit includes concave surface.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor has been interrupted.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising switching off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a power supply interruption signal is received.

11. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

identifying an over-current in a fingerprint recognition sensor unit of a key button; and

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated,

wherein the key button comprises a key positioning unit including a pressing part, and

wherein the pressing part is formed of a pressing protrusion configured to protrude from a top surface of the key positioning unit and contact a second surface of a dome switch electrically connected to a second surface of a circuit board when an external force is applied to the key button.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit,

wherein the fingerprint recognition sensor unit includes concave surface.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting a message informing of a failure of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a function of fingerprint recognition using the fingerprint recognition sensor unit is requested.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising interrupting power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor unit after identifying that the over-current has been generated.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating a power supply interruption signal representing that the power applied to the fingerprint recognition sensor has been interrupted.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising switching off a power line of the fingerprint recognition sensor unit when a power supply interruption signal is received.