# US 11,307,681 B2 · Fingerprint sensing system and method for providing user input on an electronic device using a fingerprint sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,681 B2 - Document ID: US11307681B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/051,177 - Filed: 2019-04-26 - Published: 2021-07-29 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-04 - Assignees: Fingerprint Cards Anacatum IP AB - Applicants: Fingerprint Cards AB - Inventors: Troels Bjerre; Klaus S. Andersen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307681B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - G06F 1/1626: {with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06V 40/13: Sensors therefor - G06V 40/1306: {non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing} - G06V 40/1359: {Extracting features related to ridge properties; Determining the fingerprint type, e.g. whorl or loop} - G06V 40/1365: {Matching; Classification} - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices - B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel - G06F 2203/0338: Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A method for providing user input on an electronic device comprising a fingerprint sensor comprising an array of sensing elements. Acquiring partial fingerprint images of a finger touching a finger touch surface of the fingerprint sensor from at least two sub-groups of sensing element. Determining a respective force value indicative of a force applied on the finger touch surface at each of the sub-groups of sensing elements when the partial fingerprints were acquired, based on the partial fingerprint images acquired from the respective sub-group of sensing elements. Determining a force value difference between a pair of the determined force values. Determining a user input based on the determined force value difference, and based on the relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements in the pair associated with the force value difference. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining a user input on an electronic device comprising a fingerprint sensor, the fingerprint sensor comprising an array of sensing elements arranged in relation to a finger touch surface, the method comprises: acquiring partial fingerprint images of a finger touching the finger touch surface from at least two sub-groups of sensing elements; determining a respective force value based on the partial fingerprint images acquired from each sub-group of sensing elements, the force values are indicative of a force applied on the finger touch surface at each of the sub-groups of sensing elements when the partial fingerprints were acquired; determining a force value difference between a pair of the determined force values, and determining the user input based on the determined force value difference, and based on a relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements associated with the force value difference, wherein the relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements associated with the force value difference provides directionality for the user input, and an amount of the force value difference provides a speed indication for the user input. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising: determining at least one further force value difference between a respective pair of sub-groups of sensing elements, and determining at least one further user input based on the determined at least one further force value difference, and based on a relative location between the respective pair of sub-groups of sensing elements associated with the at least one further force value difference. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, comprising: combining the force value difference, the at least one further force value difference, the relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements associated with the force value difference, and the relative location between the respective pair of sub-groups of sensing elements associated with the at least one further force value difference to determine the user input. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising: executing a first user input on the electronic device, shifting from executing the first user input to executing a second user input by determining a continuous variation in force distribution on the sensing elements in the at least two sub-groups of sensing elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sub-groups of sensing elements are non-overlapping sub-groups. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the force value difference is a difference or a ratio. ### Claim 7 A fingerprint sensing system comprising: a finger touch surface for receiving a finger having a fingerprint topography; an array of sensing elements; fingerprint image acquisition circuitry connected to the array of sensing elements for acquiring fingerprint images indicating local distances between the sensing elements and the fingerprint topography; and image processing circuitry connected to the fingerprint image acquisition circuitry for: controlling the fingerprint image acquisition circuitry to acquire a first time-sequence of partial fingerprint images from at least two sub-groups of sensing elements; determining a force applied on each of the sub-groups of sensing elements, based on the partial fingerprint images acquired from each sub-group of sensing elements; determining a force value difference between a pair of the determined forces applied on sub-groups of sensing elements, and determining a user input based on the determined force value difference, and based on a relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements in the pair associated with the force value difference, wherein the relative location between the sub-groups of sensing elements in the pair associated with the force value difference provides directionality for the user input, and an amount of the force value difference provides a speed indication for the user input. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fingerprint sensing system according to claim 7, comprising four sub-groups of sensing elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fingerprint sensing system according to claim 8, wherein the two sub-groups of sensing elements are arranged in a north-south orientation of finger touch surface, and two sub-groups of sensing elements are arranged in a west-east orientation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The fingerprint sensing system according to claim 7, wherein: each sensing element in the array of sensing elements comprises an electrically conducting sensing structure; and the fingerprint acquisition circuitry is connected to each of the sensing structures for providing sensing signals indicative of a capacitive coupling between each sensing structure and the finger in response to a change in potential difference between a finger potential of the finger and a sensing structure potential of the sensing structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) An electronic device comprising: the fingerprint sensing system according to claim 7; and a device control unit configured to: execute the user input on the electronic device based on the determined force value difference. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the device control unit is configured to: interact with the fingerprint sensing system to authenticate a user based on a fingerprint representation; and perform at least one action only when the user is authenticated based on the fingerprint representation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) A vehicle comprising the fingerprint sensing system according to claim 7, an electronic vehicle system; and a control unit configured to: execute the user input on the electronic vehicle system based on the determined force value difference.