Patent · US Expired

Capacitive fingerprint sensor

US7099497B2 · kind B2 · utility

40Cited by
12References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 2003
Grant dateAug 29, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 22, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V40/1306
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A capacitive fingerprint sensor includes a plurality of capacitive sensing members arranged in a 2D array. A charge-sharing principle is utilized to read signals in the capacitive sensing member. Each capacitive sensing member includes an insulating surface layer, a sense electrode, a reference electrode, a reference capacitor, and a signal reading circuit. The sense electrode is below the insulating surface layer. When a finger contacts the insulating surface layer, a sense capacitor is formed therebetween. The reference capacitor is connected between the reference and sense electrodes. The signal reading circuit is connected to the sense and reference electrodes, repeatedly provides control signals to charge the reference capacitor and then enable the reference and sense capacitor to share charges. Finally, the sense voltage of the sense electrode may be read.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.