Light sensitive display with switchable detection modes for detecting a fingerprint

• US 9,971,456 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Abileah, Adiel, den Boer, Willem
• Primary Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, KEITH L
• Application Number:
  US15/269,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20170003827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133302 Rigid substrates, e.g. inorganic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1611 to support document holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 : using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 : Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 : Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 : forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 : by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 : for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display device including a surface for viewing an image comprising a stack of layers configured to display the image. A processor is configured to include switchable detection modes. Each mode is preconfigured to detect an object on or near the surface based on a given sensitivity to light, and has a different sensitivity than other of the modes.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a stack of layers having a surface and being configured to display an image,

multiple light sensitive elements, the multiple light sensitive elements including;

a first region comprising a first density of the light sensitive elements, and

a second region comprising a second density of the light sensitive elements, the first density being greater than the second density, and

a processor configured to selectively operate in any one of multiple detection modes in which the processor detects an object on or near the surface in response to light based on a preconfigured sensitivity to light associated with the light sensitive elements,

wherein the preconfigured sensitivity to light according to which the processor detects an object when operating in one of the detection modes differs from the preconfigured sensitivity to light according to which the processor detects an object when operating in other of the detection modes,

the multiple light sensitive elements being configured to generate data indicative of a fingerprint when a finger is on or near the surface of the stack of layers, and

the processor being configured to identify the fingerprint based on the data from the multiple light sensitive elements.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first region comprises multiple sub-pixels and wherein at least one of the light sensitive elements is associated with each of the multiple sub-pixels.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the stack of layers comprises multiple sub-pixels and wherein at least one of the light sensitive elements is associated with each of the multiple sub-pixels.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the multiple light sensitive elements are configured to sense both an absence of light and an addition of light at a location of an object on or near the surface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the multiple light sensitive elements comprise:

a first set of light sensitive elements configured to sense an absence of light at a location of an object on or near the surface, and

a second set of light sensitive elements configured to sense an addition of light at a location of an object on or near the surface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the each mode is associated with a distinct set of the multiple light sensitive elements configured for a particular lighting condition.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first region is configured to sense light in a first lighting condition and the second region is configured to sense light in a second lighting condition different than the first lighting condition.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the selection of which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object is based on a current lighting condition.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the selection of which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object is made automatically.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch on the device configured to select which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to receive a communication from an optical pointing device and to automatically select which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object based on the communication.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the selection of which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object is based on a current lighting condition sensed by a light sensor distinct from the multiple light sensitive elements.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein the selection of which one of the multiple detection modes the processor is to operate in when detecting an object is based on a current lighting condition sensed by a light sensor distinct from the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.

14. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a color filter layer located between the surface and at least a portion of the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.

15. A method, comprising:

switching, via a device comprising a stack of layers, multiple light sensitive elements that includes a first region comprising a first density of the light sensitive elements and a second region comprising a second density of the light sensitive elements, the first density being greater than the second density, between any one of multiple detection modes in which the device detects an object on or near the surface in response to light based on a preconfigured sensitivity to light associated with the light sensitive elements, the preconfigured sensitivity to light according to which the device detects an object when operating in one of the detection modes differing from the preconfigured sensitivity to light according to which the processor detects an object when operating in other of the detection modes,

generating, via the multiple light sensitive elements, data indicative of a fingerprint when a finger is on or near the surface of the stack of layers, and

identifying the fingerprint based on data generated via the multiple light sensitive elements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device switches between the detection modes automatically.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the device switches between the detection modes in response to a state of a switch on the device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the device automatically switches between the detection modes in response to an optical pointing device communicating with the device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the device switches between the detection modes based on a current lighting condition sensed by the light sensitive elements.