Multiple scan element array ultrasonic biometric scanner

• US 9,613,246 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Last, Matthew E., Gozzini, Giovanni, King, Brian Michael, Yousefpor, Marduke
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATH, SUMAN KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US14/487,253
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 73625, 73626, 73628, 73641, 73632, 73633, 310322, 310334
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/03 Assembling devices that include piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1071 with electrical and mechanical input and output, e.g. having combined actuator and sensor parts

Abstract

An ultrasonic biometric scanner includes an ultrasonic multiple scan element array with multiple scan elements. The array includes piezoelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate or polyvinylidene difluoride with a first electrode on a first surface and a second electrode on a second, opposite surface. At least one of the first electrode or the second electrode include multiple electrodes wherein the number of the multiple electrodes corresponds to a number of the multiple scan elements. A substrate is electrically coupled to the second electrode and/or the first electrode. A cover may be positioned over the first electrode. The cover has an acoustic impedance matching ultrasonic signals emitted by the piezoelectric material.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic biometric scanner, comprising:

an ultrasonic multiple scan element array including multiple scan elements, comprising;

piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode positioned on the first surface; and

a second electrode positioned on the second surface;

a substrate electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a cover positioned over the first electrode;

wherein;

at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode include multiple electrodes wherein the number of the multiple electrodes corresponds to a number of the multiple scan elements;

the substrate is acoustically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to absorb the ultrasonic signal; and

the ultrasonic biometric scanner is operable to obtain a biometric scan of a body part via the cover by causing the piezoelectric material to emit an ultrasonic signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises one of lead zirconate titanate or polyvinylidene difluoride.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the second electrode includes the multiple electrodes; and

the piezoelectric material includes notches in the second surface positioned between the multiple electrodes.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material comprises a number of piezoelectric elements corresponding to the number of the multiple scan elements.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the number of piezoelectric elements are adhered together.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the number of piezoelectric elements includes a separate first electrode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein both the first electrode and the second electrode comprise multiple electrodes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a glass-filled epoxy layer and a conductive epoxy layer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector coupled to a first surface of the substrate wherein the substrate is electrically coupled to the second electrode via a second surface that opposes the first surface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical connector comprises a flex circuit.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stiffener coupled to a first surface of the substrate wherein the substrate is electrically coupled to the second electrode via a second surface that opposes the first surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the substrate is acoustically coupled to the piezoelectric material, the stiffener is acoustically coupled to the substrate, and the stiffener is configured to absorb the ultrasonic signal.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising encapsulant positioned over the substrate and around the piezoelectric material.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is electrically coupled to the substrate around the piezoelectric material.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an application specific integrated circuit.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic biometric scanner causes the piezoelectric material to emit the ultrasonic signal in response to detection of a change in capacitance of the first electrode.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

an exterior surface having an interior portion and an exterior portion; and

an ultrasonic biometric scanner, comprising;

an ultrasonic multiple scan element array including multiple scan elements, comprising;

piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode positioned on the first surface; and

a second electrode positioned on the second surface;

a substrate electrically coupled to the second electrode, the substrate acoustically coupled to the piezoelectric material;

a stiffener acoustically coupled to the substrate; and

a cover positioned over the first electrode, the cover coupled to the interior portion of the exterior surface;

wherein;

at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode include multiple electrodes wherein the number of the multiple electrodes corresponds to a number of the multiple scan elements;

the ultrasonic biometric scanner is operable to obtain a biometric scan of a body part via the exterior surface by causing the piezoelectric material to emit an ultrasonic signal; and

the stiffener is configured to absorb the ultrasonic signal.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the exterior surface comprises a cover glass with an opaque layer on the interior portion.

19. An ultrasonic biometric scanner, comprising:

an ultrasonic multiple scan element array including multiple scan elements, comprising;

piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode positioned on the first surface; and

a second electrode positioned on the second surface;

a substrate electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a cover positioned over the first electrode;

wherein;

the second electrode includes multiple electrodes wherein the number of the multiple electrodes corresponds to a number of the multiple scan elements;

the piezoelectric material includes notches defined in the second surface positioned between the multiple electrodes;

the ultrasonic biometric scanner is operable to obtain a biometric scan of a body part via the cover by causing the piezoelectric material to emit an ultrasonic signal; and

the substrate is acoustically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to absorb the ultrasonic signal.

20. The ultrasonic biometric scanner of claim 19, wherein the notches reduce ultrasonic signal interference between the multiple scan elements.