The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2018
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2015
Synaptics Incorporated, San Jose, CA (US);
Kirk Hargreaves, Mountain View, CA (US);
Patrick Smith, San Jose, CA (US);
Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Alviso, CA (US);
Stephen L. Morein, San Jose, CA (US);
SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
This disclosure generally provides a fingerprint sensor that derives a fingerprint by measuring capacitive sensing signals while modulating a reference voltage rail used to power the fingerprint sensor. In one embodiment, the fingerprint sensor is integrated into an electronic device which may include other components such as a display, I/O devices, speakers, and the like. To power these components, the electronic device may include a DC power supply which outputs reference voltages. When transmitting the reference voltages to the fingerprint sensor, the electronic device may modulate the voltages using a modulating signal. Because the reference voltages are used to power the components in the fingerprint sensor, modulating the rail voltages also causes the components coupled to the reference voltages to also modulate. While this modulation occurs, the fingerprint sensor measures resulting signals using a plurality of sensor electrodes which are then processed to derive a fingerprint.