Secure human fingerprint sensor

A fingerprint detection module, comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a fingerprint sensor chip disposed over the printed circuit board and configured to collect fingerprint data;
• a protective layer disposed over the fingerprint sensor chip to protect the fingerprint sensor chip;
• and
• a touch sensor disposed substantially next to the protective layer to detect a contact from an object making contact with the fingerprint detection module.

A fingerprint detection module, comprising:

• a touch sensor including a metal ring configured to detect a contact from an object making contact with the fingerprint detection module;
• a fingerprint pattern sensor that includes a sensor array configured to read a fingerprint pattern and a fingerprint pattern processor configured to determine whether the read fingerprint pattern matches stored information of an authorized user's fingerprint pattern to provide a fingerprint pattern authentication output;
• an optical sensor module that produces probe light at one or more optical wavelengths to which the user's skin produces different optical responses at the one or more optical wavelengths due to presence of blood under the skin, the optical sensor module including an optical detection unit configured to receive a reflection or transmission of the probe light to produce optical measurements of the probe light at the one or more different optical wavelengths;
• and
• an authentication processor configured to receive the fingerprint pattern authentication output from the fingerprint pattern sensor and the optical measurements of the probe light at the one or more different optical wavelengths from the optical sensor module and to combine both the fingerprint pattern authentication output and optical measurements of the probe light to determine whether an access is to be granted or denied.

A method for authenticating a request to access a locked mobile device equipped with a fingerprint detection module, comprising:

• obtaining measurements of (1) a contact provided by a person and (2) a fingerprint input from the same person;
• determining whether the detected contact provided by the person is from a live person;
• comparing the fingerprint data from the obtained fingerprint input against one or more stored fingerprint profiles associated with an authorized user of the locked mobile device;
• and
• determining granting or denying the person's access based on both of (1) whether there is match in the fingerprint data and (2) whether the detected contact indicates the contact is from a live person.