18500762. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT AND TOUCH SENSING simplified abstract (QUALCOMM Incorporated)

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APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT AND TOUCH SENSING

Organization Name

QUALCOMM Incorporated

Inventor(s)

Kohei Azumi of Los Gatos CA (US)

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT AND TOUCH SENSING - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18500762 titled 'APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT AND TOUCH SENSING

Simplified Explanation

An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor described in the patent application includes sensor pixels with interleaved ultrasonically-sensitive regions. Each sensor pixel has nine distinct ultrasonically-sensitive regions electrically coupled to a common readout circuit, with an ultrasonically-sensitive region of another sensor pixel placed between each of the nine distinct regions. The sensor also features circuitry for binning together groups of sensor pixels during lower-resolution operations like touch sensor operations. The sensor is used for capturing fingerprint images for authentication purposes.

  • Sensor pixels with interleaved ultrasonically-sensitive regions
  • Nine distinct ultrasonically-sensitive regions in each sensor pixel
  • Common readout circuit for all sensor pixels
  • Ultrasonically-sensitive regions of adjacent sensor pixels interleaved
  • Binning circuitry for grouping sensor pixels during lower-resolution operations
  • Used for capturing fingerprint images for authentication

Potential Applications

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology can be applied in various fields such as:

  • Biometric security systems
  • Access control systems
  • Mobile device security

Problems Solved

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology addresses the following issues:

  • Enhanced security through biometric authentication
  • Improved accuracy in fingerprint recognition
  • Protection against unauthorized access

Benefits

The technology offers several benefits, including:

  • High-resolution fingerprint imaging
  • Fast and accurate authentication process
  • Reliable security features

Potential Commercial Applications

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology has potential commercial applications in:

  • Smartphone manufacturing
  • Biometric device production
  • Security system integration

Possible Prior Art

One example of prior art in this field is the use of optical fingerprint sensors in smartphones and other devices. These sensors have been widely used for biometric authentication but may have limitations in certain conditions, such as wet fingers or low light environments.

Unanswered Questions

How does the sensor handle different types of fingerprints?

The patent abstract does not specify how the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology adapts to various fingerprint patterns and shapes.

What is the power consumption of the sensor?

The abstract does not provide information on the power requirements or consumption of the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology.


Original Abstract Submitted

An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor may include sensor pixels with interleaved ultrasonically-sensitive regions. Each of a plurality of sensor pixels in the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor may include nine distinct ultrasonically-sensitive regions electrically coupled to a common readout circuit, where there is an ultrasonically-sensitive region of another sensor pixel disposed between each of the nine distinct ultrasonically-sensitive regions. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor may further include circuitry for binning together groups of sensor pixels during certain lower-resolution operations such as touch sensor operations. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor may be used in capturing fingerprint images that are then used in an authentication process.