Information processing unit

• US 7,321,757 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Naoto, Inamitsu, Kazutoyo
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/209,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/463, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/90.3, 455563-565, 455423-425, 455/528, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455344-349, 455/26.1, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/433.01, 379/433.1, 379/433.13, 379/440, 379/445, 382115-127, 382312-315, 396/15, 713185-186, 340 552- 553, 340/5.61, 340/5.8, 340 581- 582, 235379-380, 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• 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 40/63 by static guides
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An information processing unit, such as a mobile phone, equipped with a fingerprint sensor and which reconciles size reduction with operability at a high level. Adjacent to an operation panel is located a V-shaped groove which contains a first slope stretching away from the operation panel and slanting downward and a second slope stretching further away from the operation panel and slanting upward, where the V-shaped groove contains a fingerprint sweep sensor which detects a fingerprint on a finger moved along the first slope and the second slope.

Claims

1. An information processing unit which comprises a casing equipped with an operation section, wherein:

the casing comprises, adjacent to the operation section, a groove which contains a first slope stretching away from the operation section and slanting downward and a second slope stretching further away from the operation section and slanting upward, wherein a finger moves downward along the first slope and the finger moves upward along the second slope;

the groove comprises a fingerprint sweep sensor; and

the first slope and the second slope have mutually different tilt angles,

wherein an entire sensing surface of the fingerprint sweep sensor protrudes above an inner surface of the groove.

2. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first slope has a larger tilt angle than the second slope.

3. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sweep sensor is located in the groove in such a way as to hide a ridge line where an extension surface of the first slope and an extension surface of the second slope meet.

4. The information processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the information processing unit is a portable telephone.