Optical fingerprint navigation device with light guide film

An optical finger navigation device comprising:

• a circuit board substrate;
• a sensor attached to the circuit board substrate, the sensor including an array of distinct photodetectors;
• a light guide film (LGF) of between 10 microns and 100 microns thick that is attached directly to the circuit board substrate with no optical lenses between the circuit board substrate and the LGF and located proximate the sensor such that the sensor is between the circuit board and at least a portion of the LGF with no optical lenses between the sensor and the LGF;
• a light source attached to the circuit board substrate and configured to inject light into an edge surface of the LGF;
• and
• a navigation engine configured to generate movement information, which is indicative of movement of a finger relative to the sensor, in response to light that is reflected from the finger and detected by the sensor.

A portable hand-held electronic system comprising:

• a display comprising a navigation indicator;
• an optical finger navigation device configured to generate a navigation signal to move the navigation indicator based on a change in a detected light pattern according to movement of a finger relative to the optical finger navigation device, the optical finger navigation device comprising;
• a circuit board;
• a light guide film (LGF) of between 10 microns and 100 microns thick, wherein at least a portion of the LGF exhibits total internal reflection (TIR) and wherein the LGF is laminated directly to the circuit board substrate with no optical lenses between the circuit board substrate and the LGF;
• a light source attached to the circuit board substrate and in optical communication with the LGF and configured to inject light into the LGF;
• a sensor attached to the circuit board substrate and configured to detect light that exits from the LGF after the light is reflected from the finger;
• and
• a navigation engine configured to generate lateral movement information, which is indicative of lateral movement of the finger relative to the sensor, in response to light that is reflected by the finger and detected by the sensor.