Novatek Microelectronics Corp.

Chia-Sheng Nien

Chun-Yen Lin

A fingerprint identification apparatus includes a force sensor, a fingerprint sensor, and a switching circuit coupled between the force sensor and the fingerprint sensor. The switching circuit is configured to alternately activate a low power force detection mode to detect the force touch using the force sensor and a low power fingerprint detection mode to detect the finger touch using the fingerprint sensor after a switching period. In response to determining that either the force touch or the finger touch is detected, the fingerprint identification apparatus detects the fingerprint using the fingerprint sensor in a normal fingerprint detection mode. Next, the fingerprint identification apparatus determines whether the detected fingerprint matches one of reference fingerprints, and outputs an interrupt signal indicating whether the detected fingerprint matches one of the reference fingerprints. A fingerprint identification method and a system for fingerprint identification are also introduced.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chia-Sheng Nien