DARKFIELD TRACKING
Granted: August 13, 2020
Application Number:
20200257875
In a method for darkfield tracking at a fingerprint sensor, it is determined whether an object is interacting with the fingerprint sensor using a presence sensor. Provided an object is not interacting with the fingerprint sensor, a determination that a darkfield candidate image can be captured at the fingerprint sensor is made, wherein the darkfield candidate image is an image absent an object interacting with the fingerprint sensor. It is determined whether to capture a darkfield…
RECEIVE OPERATION OF AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: August 13, 2020
Application Number:
20200254486
An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers including a plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers, wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers of the plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers is independently controllable, and wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers has an associated receive channel. A plurality of shift registers is configured to select a receive pattern of ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of…
LATENT FINGERPRINT DETECTION
Granted: July 23, 2020
Application Number:
20200234031
In a method for operating a fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint capture operation is performed on a fingerprint of a finger contacting the fingerprint sensor. A finger lift action is detected. It is determined whether a latent fingerprint remains on a contact surface of the fingerprint sensor subsequent the finger lift action. If it is determined that a latent fingerprint remains on the contact surface of the fingerprint sensor subsequent the finger lift action, instruction on addressing…
SEGMENTED IMAGE ACQUISITION
Granted: July 2, 2020
Application Number:
20200210666
In a method of segmented image acquisition at a sensor, a plurality of segments of an image are concurrently captured, wherein pixels of each segment of the plurality of segments are captured according to a pixel capture sequence. The pixel capture sequence for at least one segment of the plurality of segments is a non-progressive sequence for controlling a timing difference between pixel capture for proximate pixels of adjacent segments. The image including the plurality of segments is…
ULTRASONIC SENSING DEVICE
Granted: June 18, 2020
Application Number:
20200194495
An electronic device comprises a CMOS substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers is provided having a transmit/receive surface. A contact surface is piezoelectrically associated with the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and is formed on the first surface of the CMOS substrate. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers is disposed on the second surface of the CMOS substrate, with the transmit/receive side…
ELECTRONIC IMAGE STABILIZATION OF A CAPTURED IMAGE
Granted: June 11, 2020
Application Number:
20200186715
In a method of electronic image stabilization, a processor buffers image data into a memory buffer, the image data being obtained by the processor from an image sensor disposed in an electronic device. The processor obtains motion data from a motion sensor disposed in the electronic device, wherein the motion data corresponds with a time of capture of the image data. The processor analyzes the motion data to determine a stabilization correction to apply to the image data. The processor…
DETERMINING FORCE APPLIED TO AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: June 11, 2020
Application Number:
20200183536
In a method for determining force applied to an ultrasonic sensor, ultrasonic signals are emitted from an ultrasonic sensor. A plurality of reflected ultrasonic signals from a finger interacting with the ultrasonic sensor is captured. A first data based at least in part on a first reflected ultrasonic signal of the plurality of reflected ultrasonic signals is compared with a second data based at least in part on a second reflected ultrasonic signal of the plurality of reflected…
OPERATION OF AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: May 21, 2020
Application Number:
20200158694
In a method of using an ultrasonic sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, a plurality of ultrasonic signals are transmitted according to a beamforming pattern at a position of the two-dimensional array. The beamforming pattern focuses the plurality of ultrasonic signals to location above the two-dimensional array, wherein the beamforming pattern identifies ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array that are activated during transmission of the…
SENSOR WITH INTEGRATED HEATER
Granted: March 19, 2020
Application Number:
20200087142
A device includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor die comprising a deformable membrane, a MEMS heating element, and a substrate. The MEMS heating element is integrated within a same layer and a same plane as the deformable membrane. The MEMS heating element surrounds the deformable membrane and is separated from the deformable membrane through a trench. The MEMS heating element is configured to generate heat to heat up the deformable membrane. The substrate is coupled to…
IMAGE GENERATION IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: March 5, 2020
Application Number:
20200074135
A method for generating an image is provided. The method comprises capturing a first set of image pixels by an ultrasonic sensor comprising an array of ultrasonic transducers using a first beamforming pattern, wherein the first beamforming pattern comprises a first pattern of transmit signals routed to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers of the ultrasonic sensor. The method further comprises capturing a second set of image pixels at the ultrasonic sensor using a second beamforming…
OFFSET REJECTION ELECTRODES
Granted: February 27, 2020
Application Number:
20200064369
A MEMS sensor that comprises a sensing reference plane, at least one anchor coupled to the sensing reference plane, wherein the sensing reference plane is divided by a first and a second axis forming four quadrants on the sensing reference plane, at least one proof mass coupled to the at least one anchor, wherein one of the at least one proof mass moves under an external excitation, and a pattern of sensing elements on the sensing reference plane to detect motion normal of the at least…
REFLECTION MINIMIZATION FOR SENSOR
Granted: February 27, 2020
Application Number:
20200061670
An electronic device includes a substrate layer having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers formed on the front surface of the substrate layer, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers generate backward waves during operation, the backward waves propagating through the substrate layer, and a plurality of substrate structures formed within the back surface of the substrate layer, the plurality of substrate structures…
OPERATING A FINGERPRINT SENSOR COMPRISED OF ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: February 13, 2020
Application Number:
20200050817
In a method for operating a fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, a first subset of ultrasonic transducers of the fingerprint sensor are activated, the first subset of ultrasonic transducers for detecting interaction between an object and the fingerprint sensor. Subsequent to detecting interaction between an object and the fingerprint sensor, a second subset of ultrasonic transducers of the fingerprint sensor are activated, the second subset of ultrasonic…
DEVICE MOUNTABLE PACKAGING OF ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: February 13, 2020
Application Number:
20200050816
An electronic device including an array of ultrasonic transducers for generating and receiving ultrasonic signals, and an acoustic coupling layer overlying the array of ultrasonic transducers, where the ultrasonic signals are propagated through the acoustic coupling layer.
SUPPLEMENTAL SENSOR MODES AND SYSTEMS FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: January 30, 2020
Application Number:
20200030850
A Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) device is provided. The PMUT includes a substrate and an edge support structure connected to the substrate. A membrane is connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, where the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane comprises a piezoelectric layer and first and second electrodes coupled to opposing sides of the piezoelectric…
ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT SENSOR WITH A NON-UNIFORM CONTACT LAYER
Granted: October 24, 2019
Application Number:
20190325185
A sensor device comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a non-uniform contact layer overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and a sensor processor is described. The sensor device is configured to: transmit ultrasonic signals using the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflection from an object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer,…
OPERATING A FINGERPRINT SENSOR COMPRISED OF ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: September 26, 2019
Application Number:
20190294845
In a method for operating a fingerprint sensor including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, receiving a plurality of images corresponding to different subsets of the ultrasonic transducers of the fingerprint sensor are received, wherein the plurality of images are non-adjacent. For each image of the plurality of images, it is determined whether the image of the plurality of images is indicative of a fingerprint. Provided a number of images of the plurality of images that are…
INFERRING AMBIENT ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE
Granted: September 26, 2019
Application Number:
20190293499
In a method of inferring ambient atmospheric temperature, an acoustic signal is emitted from a speaker. A first sample of the acoustic signal is captured with a first microphone spaced a first distance from the speaker. A second sample of the acoustic signal is captured with a second microphone spaced a second distance from the speaker. The second distance is greater than the first distance, and a difference between the first distance and the second distance is a known third distance. A…
TWO-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY OF CMOS CONTROL ELEMENTS
Granted: August 15, 2019
Application Number:
20190247887
An electronic device includes a plurality of CMOS control elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, where each CMOS control element of the plurality of CMOS control elements includes two semiconductor devices. The plurality of CMOS control elements include a first subset of CMOS control elements, each CMOS control element of the first subset of CMOS control elements including a semiconductor device of a first class and a semiconductor device of a second class, and a second subset of…
DETERMINING FORCE APPLIED TO AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: August 15, 2019
Application Number:
20190250771
In a method for determining force applied to an ultrasonic sensor, ultrasonic signals are emitted from an ultrasonic sensor. A plurality of reflected ultrasonic signals from a finger interacting with the ultrasonic sensor is captured. A first data based at least in part on a first reflected ultrasonic signal of the plurality of reflected ultrasonic signals is compared with a second data based at least in part on a second reflected ultrasonic signal of the plurality of reflected…
