Authentec, Inc.

Apple Inc.

Authentic, Inc.

Daryl D Williams

Dale R Setlak

Nicolaas W Van Vonno

James Warren Neil

Richard J Jones

Matthew M Salatino

Brian Kilgore

Dave Gebauer

John Cornett

A finger biometric sensor may include a finger biometric sensing layer having an upper major surface and at least one sidewall surface adjacent thereto. The finger biometric layer may be for generating signals related to at least one biometric characteristic of the user's finger when positioned adjacent the first major surface. The finger biometric sensor may also include a piezoelectric transducer layer coupled to the at least one sidewall surface of the finger biometric sensing layer and a plurality of electrically conductive layers coupled to the piezoelectric transducer layer to define transducer electrodes. At least one of the electrically conductive layers may also cooperate with the finger biometric sensing layer for sensing the at least one biometric characteristic.

Finger biometric sensor including laterally adjacent piezoelectric transducer layer and associated methods

A fingerprint sensor package preferably includes a fingerprint sensing integrated circuit in a housing, and a circuit substrate comprising first and second portions connected together. The first portion is within the housing and mounts the fingerprint sensing integrated circuit, and the second portion is flexible and extends outwardly from the housing for facilitating electrical connection to the fingerprint sensing integrated circuit from external to the housing. Each portion of the circuit substrate preferably includes at least one insulating layer and at least one electrical conductor thereon. Accordingly, the package can be made relatively compact and electrical interconnections are facilitated by the second portion or extension of the circuit substrate. In one embodiment, the first and second portions are integrally formed together. In this embodiment, the first portion is also flexible. The sensor package is readily included on the upper surface of a laptop computer, for example.

Fingerprint sensor package including flexible circuit substrate and associated methods

A fingerprint sensor package includes a fingerprint sensing integrated circuit within a housing and comprising a plurality of electric field sensing electrodes and processing circuitry connected thereto. At least one external electrode is carried by the housing for finger contact. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit is provided within the housing and is connected to the at least one external electrode. An isolation circuit is connected to the at least one line of the processing circuitry for external connection. The external electrode and ESD circuit, as well as the line isolation circuit protect the integrated circuit against damage by voltage transients, such as ESD. The at least one external electrode may include first and second external electrodes. The first electrode may be connected to the electrostatic discharge circuit. The processing circuit may further comprise a wake-up circuit for selectively powering predetermined circuit portions responsive to sensing finger contact with the second external electrode. Moreover, the housing may define a recess therein to guide a finger of a user along a predetermined path of travel to contact the first external electrode before the second external electrode.

Fingerprint sensor package having enhanced electrostatic discharge protection and associated methods

A fingerprint sensor includes an array of fingerprint sensing elements; analog-to-digital (A/D) converters having a controllable range; a scanner to perform sequential A/D conversions of predetermined ones of the array of fingerprint sensing elements; and a range determining and setting circuit for controlling the range of the A/D converters based upon prior A/D conversions to thereby provide enhanced conversion resolution. A plurality of A/D converters are preferably used for simultaneously converting analog signals from a corresponding plurality of fingerprint sensing elements. The A/D converters may include at least one reference voltage input for permitting setting of first and second points of the range. The range scale determining and setting circuit may generate a histogram based upon prior A/D conversions. In addition, the range scale determining and setting circuit may set a default range for initial ones of the fingerprint sensing elements.

Fingerprint sensor with gain control features and associated methods

Growing community of inventors

Melbourne Beach, FL, United States of America

Daryl D Williams