Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with a non-uniform contact layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10846502-B2
Application number	US-201816169798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2018
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A sensor device comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a non-uniform contact layer overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and a sensor processor is described. The sensor device is configured to: transmit ultrasonic signals using the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflection from an object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer, wherein the ultrasonic signals traverse the non-uniform contact layer, receive reflected ultrasonic signals at the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, obtain non-uniformity data characterizing the non-uniform contact layer, control operating parameters of the sensor device based on the non-uniformity data, and generate an image of the object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer based on the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the image is corrected for non-uniformity of the non-uniform contact layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device comprising:
a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat;
a non-uniform contact layer overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the non-uniform contact layer comprises a non-uniformity in a lateral direction of the contact layer such that different regions of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers correspond to regions of the contact layer having different transmission properties; and
a sensor processor;
wherein the sensor device is configured to:
transmit ultrasonic signals using the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflection from an object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer, wherein the ultrasonic signals traverse the non-uniform contact layer;
receive reflected ultrasonic signals at the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers;
obtain non-uniformity data characterizing the non-uniform contact layer;
control operating parameters of the sensor device based on the non-uniformity data; and
generate an image of the object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer based on the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the image is corrected for non-uniformity of the non-uniform contact layer.

2. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control of the operating parameters comprises an adjustment for a difference in time-of-flight of the ultrasonic signals for at least one ultrasonic transducer of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

3. The sensor device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the adjustment for the difference in the time-of-flight of the ultrasonic signals comprises an adjustment of timing parameters of a measurement window for the reflected ultrasonic signals.

4. The sensor device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the timing parameters of the measurement window are identical for all ultrasonic transducers, and the timing parameters of the measurements window are defined to cover differences in time-of-flight caused by the non-uniform contact layer.

5. The sensor device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the timing parameters of the measurement window are adapted for a plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

6. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory device having stored thereon the non-uniformity data, wherein the sensor device is configured to obtain the non-uniformity data by reading the non-uniformity data from the memory device.

7. The sensor device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the non-uniformity data comprises a time-of-flight register for ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

8. The sensor device as recited in claim 7 , wherein time-of-flight register is a time-of-flight map.

9. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is further configured to:
transmit ultrasonic signals for a plurality of ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers;
compare the reflected ultrasonic signals for at least two different time-of-flights for the plurality of ultrasonic transducers;
select a time-of-flight for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers based on comparing the reflected ultrasonic signals for at least two different time-of-flights for the plurality of ultrasonic transducers; and
generate the non-uniformity data comprising a register of the selected time-of-flight for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

10. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is further configured to transmit the ultrasonic signals using the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers based on a predefined non-uniformity template.

11. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control of the operating parameters comprises an adjustment of timing of transmission of the ultrasonic signals for ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

12. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform contact layer comprises regions of varying thickness.

13. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform contact layer comprises a plurality of materials having different acoustic properties.

14. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control of the operating parameters comprises an adjustment for a difference in reflection of the ultrasonic signals for at least one ultrasonic transducer of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.

15. The sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is further configured to obtain the non-uniformity data at a plurality of times.

16. The sensor device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the sensor device is further configured to compare the non-uniformity data from the plurality of times, and generate a change signal if the compare is outside a predefined range.

17. The sensor device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the change signal is indicative of a delamination in the sensor device.

18. The sensor device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the change signal is indicative of a surface defect.

19. A method for operating an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with a non-uniform contact layer, the method comprising:
transmitting ultrasonic signals at the ultrasonic fingerprint comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflection from an object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer, wherein the ultrasonic signals traverse the non-uniform contact layer, wherein the non-uniform contact layer comprises a non-uniformity in a lateral direction of the contact layer such that different regions of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers correspond to regions of the contact layer having different transmission properties;
receiving reflected ultrasonic signals at the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers;
obtaining non-uniformity data characterizing the non-uniform contact layer;
controlling operating parameters of the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor based on the non-uniformity data; and
generating an image of the object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer based on the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the image is corrected for non-uniformity of the non-uniform contact layer.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the obtaining non-uniformity data characterizing the non-uniform contact layer comprises:
transmitting ultrasonic signals for a plurality of ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers;
comparing the reflected ultrasonic signals for at least two different time-of-flights for the plurality of ultrasonic transducers;
selecting a time-of-flight for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers based on comparing the reflected ultrasonic signals for at least two different time-of-flights for the plurality of ultrasonic transducers; and
generating the non-uniformity data comprising a register of a selected time-of-flight for each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method for operating an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with a non-uniform contact layer, the method comprising:
transmitting ultrasonic signals at the ultrasonic fingerprint comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflecti

Assignees

• Invensense Inc

Inventors

• Tang Hao-Yen

Classifications

• A61B5/1172 Primary

  using fingerprinting · CPC title

• G06V40/1376

  Matching features related to ridge properties or fingerprint texture · CPC title

• G06V40/1306 Primary

  non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing · CPC title

• A61B2562/046

  in a matrix array · CPC title

• G01B17/00

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title