Finger biometric sensor including magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels and related methods
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorDale R. Setlak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A finger biometric sensor may include a substrate and an array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels carried by the substrate. The finger biometric sensor may also include processing circuitry coupled to the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels and capable of generating a magnetic field extending into a finger positioned adjacent the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels to cause eddy currents in the finger. The processing circuitry may also be capable of sensing a counter magnetic field caused by the eddy currents representative of at least one finger biometric characteristic.
Claims34
A finger biometric sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- an array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels carried by the substrate;
- and
- processing circuitry coupled to the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels and capable of
- generating, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a magnetic field extending into a finger positioned adjacent the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels to cause eddy currents in the finger, and
- sensing, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a counter magnetic field caused by the eddy currents based upon ridges and valleys of the finger for performing at least one authentication function.
A finger biometric sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- an array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels carried by the substrate, each of the magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels comprising at least one electrically conductive coil;
- a non-magnetic, dielectric material layer over the array of magnetic field sensing finger biometric pixels;
- and
- processing circuitry coupled to the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels and capable of
- generating, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a magnetic field extending into a finger positioned adjacent the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels to cause eddy currents in the finger, and
- sensing, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a counter magnetic field caused by the eddy currents based upon ridges and valleys of the finger for performing at least one authentication function.
An electronic device comprising:
- a portable housing;
- a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing;
- a finger biometric sensor carried by the portable housing and comprising
- a substrate,
- an array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels carried by the substrate, and
- processing circuitry coupled to the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels and capable of
- generating, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a magnetic field extending into a finger positioned adjacent the array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels to cause eddy currents in the finger, and
- sensing, via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a counter magnetic field caused by the eddy currents based upon ridges and valleys of the finger for performing at least one authentication function.
A method of sensing a finger comprising:
- generating, using processing circuitry via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a magnetic field extending into the finger positioned adjacent an array of magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixels to cause eddy currents in the finger;
- and
- sensing, using the processing circuitry via at least one magnetic field finger biometric sensing pixel of the array thereof, a counter magnetic field caused by the eddy currents based upon ridges and valleys of the finger for performing at least one authentication function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.