Systems for and methods of providing inertial scrolling and navigation using a fingerprint sensor

A method for moving at least one display element on a display using a finger sensor as an emulated input device, the method comprising:

• (a) determining finger movement along the finger sensor based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns;
• (b) translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;
• (c) moving the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;
• and
• (d) determining if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeating steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then applying updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display.

A method for moving at least one display element on a display using a finger sensor as an emulated input device, the method comprising:

• (a) determining finger movement along the finger sensor as at least one of a speed, a direction, and a time of finger swiping movement based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns;
• (b) translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;
• (c) moving the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;
• (d) determining if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeating steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then applying updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display and stopping continued movement based upon a subsequent tapping of the finger sensor.

An electronic device comprising:

• a display;
• a finger sensor;
• and
• a motion translator configured to
• (a) determine finger movement along the finger sensor based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns,
• (b) translate the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of an emulated input device,
• (c) move the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device, and
• (d) determine if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeat steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then apply updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display.