Biometric sensing

• US 10,088,939 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEX Biometrics ASA
• Original Assignee: Idex ASA
• Inventors: Benkley, III, Fred G., Geoffroy, David Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bibbins, Latanya
• Application Number:
  US14/243,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20140212009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1335 Combining adjacent partial images (e.g. slices) to create a composite input or reference pattern; Tracking a sweeping finger movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1376 Matching features related to ridge properties or fingerprint texture
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

An novel sensor is provided having a plurality of substantially parallel drive lines configured to transmit a signal into a surface of a proximally located object, and also a plurality of substantially parallel pickup lines oriented proximate the drive lines and electrically separated from the pickup lines to form intrinsic electrode pairs that are impedance sensitive at each of the drive and pickup proximal locations.

Claims

1. An impedance sensor, comprising:

a folded substrate having a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of pickup lines that are located on opposite sides of the folded substrate, the folded substrate being folded over an edge of a user interface device such that (i) the folded substrate folds over a top edge of the user interface device, loops back along a side surface of the user interface device, and then folds over the top edge of the user interface device and (ii) the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of pickup lines are both disposed on a top surface of the user interface device such that the plurality of drive lines and plurality of pickup lines form electrode pairs;

a dielectric layer between the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of pickup lines; and

a circuit included on a portion of the folded substrate that loops back along the side surface of the user interface device, the circuit operatively coupled to the substrate and configured to;

activate at least one of the drive lines, and

detect a signal on at least one of the pickup lines.

2. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein the folded substrate is detachable from the user interface device.

3. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to determine proximity of or touch by a user based on the detected signal on the at least one pickup line.

4. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display substrate, and wherein at least a portion of the folded substrate is located over at least a portion of the display substrate.

5. The impedance sensor of claim 4, wherein the user interface device further comprises a top layer, and wherein the folded substrate is located between the top layer and the display substrate.

6. The impedance sensor of claim 4, wherein the folded substrate is arranged to position the circuit on a surface of the user interface device that is adjacent to and perpendicular to the display substrate.

7. The impedance sensor of claim 1, further comprising a connector that extends from the circuit and is configured to communicate data between the sensor and a host device.

8. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to determine a fingerprint pattern based on the detected signal on the at least one pickup line.

9. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of pickup lines are arranged generally parallel to one another on a first portion of the substrate;

the plurality of drive lines are arranged generally parallel to one another on a second portion of the substrate, and

wherein the first portion of the substrate is folded over the second portion of the substrate so that the pickup lines are disposed over the drive lines with at least a portion of the substrate disposed between the pickup lines and the drive lines and so that the pickup lines are arranged generally perpendicularly to the drive lines.

10. The impedance sensor of claim 1, comprising a fold in the substrate that is generally parallel to the edge around which the sensor is mounted.

11. The impedance sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate forms the dielectric layer.

12. A user interface device, comprising:

a display screen; and

a sensor comprising;

a folded substrate having a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of pickup lines that are located on opposite sides of the folded substrate, the folded substrate being folded over an edge of a user interface device such that (i) the folded substrate folds over a top edge of the user interface device, loops back along a side surface of the user interface device, and then folds over the top edge of the user interface device and (ii) the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of pickup lines are both disposed on a top surface of the user interface device such that the plurality of drive lines and plurality of pickup lines form electrode pairs;

a dielectric layer between the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of pickup lines; and

a circuit included on a portion of the folded substrate that loops back along the side surface of the user interface device, the circuit configured to;

activate at least one of the drive lines, and

detect a signal on at least one of the pickup lines.

13. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the circuit is configured to determine proximity of or touch by a user based on the detected signal on the at least one pickup line.

14. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the folded substrate is located over at least a portion of the display screen.

15. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the display screen further comprises a display substrate and a top layer above the display substrate, and wherein the folded substrate is located between the top layer and the display substrate.

16. The user interface device of claim 12 wherein the folded substrate is attached the user interface device with a bezel located over the folded substrate.

17. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the sensor further comprising a connector that extends from the circuit and is configured to communicate between the sensor and a host device.

18. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the circuit is configured to determine a fingerprint pattern based on the detected signal on the at least one pickup line.

19. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the display screen comprises a touch screen.

20. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of pickup lines are arranged generally parallel to one another on a first portion of the substrate;

the plurality of drive lines are arranged generally parallel to one another on a second portion of the substrate, and

wherein the first portion of the substrate is folded over the second portion of the substrate so that the pickup lines are disposed over the drive lines with at least a portion of the substrate disposed between the pickup lines and the drive lines and so that the pickup lines are arranged generally perpendicularly to the drive lines.

21. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the display screen comprises an LCD or OLED.

22. The user interface device of claim 12, wherein the substrate forms the dielectric layer.