Apparatus and method for controlling fingerprint sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018224999-A1
Application number	US-201815866791-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Aug 9, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an electronic device and method. The electronic device includes a touch screen, at least one fingerprint sensor disposed on the touch screen, and a processor implementing the method, including controlling the touch screen to display one or more graphic objects, detecting attribute information of at least one graphic object associated with a fingerprint sensor disposed on at least a part of the touch screen from among the one or more graphic objects, activating an area of the fingerprint sensor based on the attribute information, the activated area of the fingerprint sensor corresponding to the at least one graphic object, and acquiring fingerprint information through the activated area of the fingerprint sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a touch screen; at least one fingerprint sensor disposed on at least a part of the touch screen; and a processor electrically coupled to the touch screen and the at least one fingerprint sensor, wherein the processor is configured to: control the touch screen to display one or more graphic objects, detect attribute information of at least one graphic object associated with the fingerprint sensor from among the one or more graphic objects, activate an area of the fingerprint sensor corresponding to the at least one graphic object based on the attribute information, and acquire fingerprint information through the activated area.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the area for activation based on other attribute information associated with a user input detected through the touch screen.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the other attribute information further includes coordinate information or size information for the user input, and the processor is configured to extend the activated area based on the coordinate or size information.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the other attribute information further includes pressure information for the user input, and the processor is further configured to reduce the activated area to a region corresponding to the pressure information.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store registered fingerprint information, wherein the area is selected for activation based on other attribute information associated with the stored registered fingerprint information.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint sensor operates in at least one of a first sensing mode and a second sensing mode, and
wherein the processor is further configured to operate the activated area in the first sensing mode, and to operate a remaining area of the at least one fingerprint sensor different than the activated area in the second sensing mode.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein acquiring the fingerprint information through the activated area is executed using the first sensing mode, and user input information is acquired through the remaining area using the second sensing mode.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fingerprint sensor includes a first fingerprint sensor and a second fingerprint sensor, and
wherein the processor is further configured to select one of the first and second fingerprint sensors for activation based on correspondence to the activated area.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to ignore information acquired from a remaining area of the at least one fingerprint sensor different than the activated area.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one graphic object includes a selectable display object associated with security authentication.

11 . A method for controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:
controlling, by a processor, a touch screen to display one or more graphic objects; detecting attribute information of at least one graphic object associated with a fingerprint sensor disposed on at least a part of the touch screen from among the one or more graphic objects; activating an area of the fingerprint sensor based on the attribute information, the activated area of the fingerprint sensor corresponding to the at least one graphic object; and acquiring fingerprint information through the activated area of the fingerprint sensor.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the area of the fingerprint sensor for activation based on other attribute information associated with a user input detected through the touch screen.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the other attribute information further includes coordinate information or size information for the user input, and the processor is configured to extend the activated area based on the coordinate or size information.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the other attribute information further includes pressure information for the user input, and the processor is further configured to reduce the activated area to a region corresponding to the pressure information.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the area is selected for activation based on other attribute information associated with the registered fingerprint information stored in a memory.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the fingerprint sensor operates in at least one of a first sensing mode and a second sensing mode, the method further comprising operating the activated area in the first sensing mode, and operating a remaining area of the at least one fingerprint sensor different than the activated area in the second sensing mode.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein acquiring the fingerprint information through the activated area is executed using the first sensing mode, and user input information is acquired through the remaining area using the second sensing mode.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one fingerprint sensor includes a first fingerprint sensor and a second fingerprint sensor, the method further comprising selecting one of the first and second fingerprint sensors for activation based on correspondence to the activated area.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising ignoring information acquired from a remaining area of the at least one fingerprint sensor different than the activated area.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording programming instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
control a touch screen to display one or more graphic objects; detect attribute information of at least one graphic object associated with a fingerprint sensor disposed on at least a part of the touch screen from among the one or more graphic objects; activate an area of the fingerprint sensor based on the attribute information, the activated area of the fingerprint sensor corresponding to the at least one graphic object; and acquire fingerprint information through the activated area of the fingerprint sensor.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Siwoo
• Shin Kwonseung
• Kim Jeongseob
• Han Yonggil
• KIM Hyeonho

Classifications

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G06F3/04812 Primary

  Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects · CPC title