# US 11,908,225 B2 · Ultrasonic sensing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,225 B2 - Document ID: US11908225B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/002,048 - Filed: 2021-07-02 - Published: 2023-09-14 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-09 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Vishnu Vardhan Kasilya Sudarsan; Sumeet Kumar Sahu; Naga Chandan Babu Gudivada; Rakesh Pallerla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908225B2 ## CPC - G06V 40/1306: {non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing} - G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users - G06F 1/3262: {Power saving in digitizer or tablet} - G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)} - G06F 3/043: using propagating acoustic waves - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06V 40/1365: {Matching; Classification} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract In one example, a method comprises: receiving an indication that an object is within a distance from an array of ultrasonic transducers; based on the indication, configuring a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform an ultrasonic sensing operation on the object; obtaining, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, an output of the ultrasonic sensing operation; and performing an action based on the output of the ultrasonic sensing operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving an indication that an object is within a distance from an array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the indication is generated based on a degree of change in a capacitance measured by a capacitive sensor of an array of capacitive sensors exceeding a first threshold and detecting that the object is within the distance from the array of capacitive sensors, wherein the indication is received from a capacitive sensor module comprising the array of capacitive sensors that form a stack with the array of ultrasonic transducers; receiving, from the capacitive sensor module, capacitances measured by the array of capacitive sensors; determining a subset of the array of capacitive sensors for which degrees of change in the measured capacitances exceed a second threshold; and identifying a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers based on the subset of the array of capacitive sensors; based on the indication, configuring the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform an ultrasonic sensing operation on the object; obtaining, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, an output of the ultrasonic sensing operation; and performing an action based on the output of the ultrasonic sensing operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise an array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is between an electrode of the array of electrodes and ground. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is a mutual capacitance at an intersection point between a first electrode of the first array of electrodes and a second electrode of the second array of electrodes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is generated by the capacitive sensor module by sequentially scanning sensors in the array of capacitive sensors, according to a scanning pattern prioritizing locations likely to be touched by a user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the array of ultrasonic transducers comprises an ultrasonic signal transmitter and an ultrasonic signal receiver; and wherein configuring a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform a sensing operation of the object comprises: configuring the ultrasonic signal transmitters of the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to transmit ultrasonic signals; configuring the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to detect the ultrasonic signals reflected by the object; and receiving, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, detection outputs of the reflected ultrasonic signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers is a first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers; wherein the method further comprises: disabling a second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, or reducing a power level of the second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, when the first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers perform the ultrasonic sensing operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the object comprises a finger; and wherein the action comprises: generating an image of the finger based on a distribution of signal strengths of reflected ultrasonic signals; and transmitting the image to another component to enable the another component to compare the image with a reference image of a fingerprint to generate a comparison result, and to control access to a function of a device based on the comparison result. ### Claim 8 An apparatus, comprising: a memory that stores a set of instructions; and a hardware processor configured to execute the set of instructions to: receive an indication that an object is within a distance from an array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the indication is generated based on a degree of change in a capacitance measured by a capacitive sensor of an array of capacitive sensors exceeding a first threshold and detecting that the object is within the distance from the array of capacitive sensors, wherein the indication is received from a capacitive sensor module comprising the array of capacitive sensors that form a stack with the array of ultrasonic transducers; receive, from the capacitive sensor module, capacitances measured by the array of capacitive sensors; determine a subset of the array of capacitive sensors for which degrees of change in the measured capacitances exceed a second threshold; and identify a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers based on the subset of the array of capacitive sensors; based on the indication, configure the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform an ultrasonic sensing operation on the object; obtain, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, an output of the ultrasonic sensing operation; and perform an action based on the output of the ultrasonic sensing operation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise an array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is between an electrode of the array of electrodes and ground. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is a mutual capacitance at an intersection point between a first electrode of the first array of electrodes and a second electrode of the second array of electrodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capacitive sensor module is configured to generate the indication by sequentially scanning sensors in the array of capacitive sensors, according to a scanning pattern prioritizing locations likely to be touched by a user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the array of ultrasonic transducers comprises an ultrasonic signal transmitter and an ultrasonic signal receiver; and wherein configuring a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform a sensing operation of the object comprises the hardware processor being configured to: configure the ultrasonic signal transmitters of the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to transmit ultrasonic signals; configure the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to detect the ultrasonic signals reflected by the object; and receive, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, detection outputs of the reflected ultrasonic signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers is a first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers; wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to: disable a second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, or reduce a power level of the second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, when the first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers perform the ultrasonic sensing operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the object comprises a finger; and wherein the action comprises: generating an image of the finger based on a distribution of signal strengths of reflected ultrasonic signals; and transmitting the image to another component to enable the another component to compare the image with a reference image of a fingerprint to generate a comparison result, and to control access to a function of a device based on the comparison result. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, causes the hardware processor to: receive an indication that an object is within a distance from an array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the indication is generated based on a degree of change in a capacitance measured by a capacitive sensor of an array of capacitive sensors exceeding a first threshold and detecting that the object is within the distance from the array of capacitive sensors, wherein the indication is received from a capacitive sensor module comprising the array of capacitive sensors that form a stack with the array of ultrasonic transducers; receive, from the capacitive sensor module, capacitances measured by the array of capacitive sensors; determine a subset of the array of capacitive sensors for which degrees of change in the measured capacitances exceed a second threshold; and identify a subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers based on the subset of the array of capacitive sensors; based on the indication, configure the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to perform an ultrasonic sensing operation on the object; obtain, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, an output of the ultrasonic sensing operation; and perform an action based on the output of the ultrasonic sensing operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise an array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is between an electrode of the array of electrodes and ground. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprise a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes; and wherein the capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor is a mutual capacitance at an intersection point between a first electrode of the first array of electrodes and a second electrode of the second array of electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the indication is generated by the capacitive sensor module by sequentially scanning sensors in the array of capacitive sensors, according to a scanning pattern prioritizing locations likely to be touched by a user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the array of ultrasonic transducers comprises an ultrasonic signal transmitter and an ultrasonic signal receiver; and wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the hardware processor to: configure the ultrasonic signal transmitters of the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to transmit ultrasonic signals; configure the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers to detect the ultrasonic signals reflected by the object; and receive, from the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, detection outputs of the reflected ultrasonic signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers is a first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers; wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the hardware processor to: disable a second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, or reduce a power level of the second subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers, when the first subset of the array of ultrasonic transducers perform the ultrasonic sensing operation; wherein the object comprises a finger; and wherein the action comprises: generating an image of the finger based on a distribution of signal strengths of reflected ultrasonic signals; and transmitting the image to another component to enable the another component to compare the image with a reference image of a fingerprint to generate a comparison result, and to control access to a function of a device based on the comparison result.