SAMPLING MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPLETING THIS

Abstract

Electronic equipment, comprehensive: a carrier material (10); a display field (20; DP) comprising multiple light sources, wherein the multiple light sources are configured to emit an optical signal through the carrier material (10) onto an object (OBJ); at least one sensor (430) below the carrier material (10), wherein the at least one sensor (430) comprises processing circuits (40) configured to detect biometric information associated with the object (OBJ) by receiving a reflected light signal, wherein the reflected light signal corresponds to the optical signal reflected by the object (OBJ) and transmitted through the carrier material (10); a multi-lens array (410) comprising at least one support layer (413), several first lenses (411) and several second lenses (412), wherein the at least one support layer (413) is located in an upper section of the at least one sensor (430), the several first lenses (411) are located on an upper surface of the at least one support layer (413) and the several second lenses (412) are located on a lower surface of the at least one support layer (413); and a position control layer (470) configured to adjust a horizontal position of the at least one sensor (430).

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Various exemplary embodiments of the concepts according to the invention relate to scanning modules, electronic devices comprising these, methods for operating the scanning module and / or non-volatile computer-readable media for operating the scanning module.

[0002] Recently, electronic devices have been providing various functions for scanning biometric information. One example of a biometric scanning method is optical scanning. Optical scanning is used to determine biometric information by scanning light reflected from a part of a user's body using a scanning module provided in an electronic device. To improve the scanning accuracy of the optical scanning method, it may be desirable and / or necessary to increase the number of lenses contained in a scanning module. However, if the lenses contained in a scanning module are arranged in a stacked structure, the height of the scanning module (e.g., its thickness) can increase, making it difficult to reduce the size of the electronic device (e.g., its dimensions).the thickness of the electronic device). Therefore, the scanning area of ​​the scanning module may decrease, or, in other words, a smaller scanning module with a smaller number of lenses may need to be used to maintain the desired thickness of the electronic device.

[0003] CN 1 08 681 703 A relates to an optical device and a corresponding module, a device and a fingerprint recognition system, in which a first and a second lens array with a light-shielding element arranged between them are designed such that the image planes of the second lenses, the object planes of the first lenses and the light-shielding element are coplanar and are each coupled to each other in a one-to-one correspondence via light-transmitting openings.

[0004] US Patent 2008 / 0316323A1 relates to an image input device for capturing an object located inside a living body, comprising a near-infrared light source, a lens array with multiple lenses of different refractive power, an imaging unit for generating a compound eye image, and a reconstruction unit that generates a single, reconstructed image of the object from the compound eye image obtained by parallax.

[0005] WO 2018 / 139 254 A1 relates to a camera module with a laminated lens structure in which substrates with lenses arranged in through-holes are connected and stacked by direct bonding, wherein the structure comprises several optical units, each with several lenses arranged in the optical axis direction, and at least one light absorption layer or shielding plate is provided between adjacent optical units. SUMMARY

[0006] Various exemplary embodiments of the concepts according to the invention provide a scanning module which may have a reduced height, a reduced thickness and / or an enlarged scanning area, an electronic device comprising this, a non-volatile computer-readable medium and / or a method for operating the scanning module.

[0007] Embodiments according to the invention are specified in the attached claims.

[0008] According to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention, an electronic device comprises a substrate material, a display field comprising several light sources, wherein the several light sources are configured to emit an optical signal through the substrate material onto an object, at least one sensor below the substrate material, wherein the at least one sensor comprises processing circuits configured to detect biometric information associated with the object by receiving a reflected light signal, wherein the reflected light signal corresponds to the optical signal reflected from the object and transmitted through the substrate material, and a multi-lens array comprising at least one substrate layer, several first lenses and several second lenses, wherein the at least one substrate layer is located in an upper section of the at least one sensor,the several first lenses lie on an upper surface of the at least one support layer and the several second lenses lie on a lower surface of the at least one support layer.

[0009] According to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention, an electronic device comprises a display field in an upper section of a substrate material, comprising several light sources configured to emit an optical signal onto an object, at least one optical sensor on the substrate material configured to scan reflected light corresponding to the optical signal, wherein the reflected light is reflected by the object and passes through a detection surface defined in the display field, a lens carrier layer in an upper section of the at least one optical sensor, several lenses on at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the lens carrier layer in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate material, and a position control layer in an upper section of the substrate material.the processing circuits comprise the position control layer configured to control the position of the at least one optical sensor and the position of at least one lens of the multiple lenses.

[0010] According to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention, a scanning module comprises at least one sensor in an upper section of a substrate material, wherein the at least one sensor comprises processing circuits configured to receive light reflected from an object adjacent to a scanning surface and to determine biometric information of the object, a multi-lens array comprising multiple lenses and a substrate layer, wherein the multiple lenses are located in an upper section of the at least one sensor in a direction parallel to an upper surface of the substrate material and the substrate layer is configured to support the multiple lenses, and a position control layer in the upper section of the substrate material, wherein the position control layer comprises position processing circuits configured toto control the position of at least one sensor and the position of at least one lens of the multiple lenses based on position information of the object in relation to the scanning surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] The above-mentioned and other aspects, features and advantages of various exemplary embodiments of the present concepts according to the invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the associated drawings, whereby the following applies: The Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective graphic representation illustrating an outside of an electronic device comprising a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective graphical exploded view illustrating an electronic device comprising a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional representation illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. Figures 4A to 5B are graphical representations illustrating the structure of a multi-lens array of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B are graphical representations illustrating a scanning area of ​​a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 are graphical representations illustrating the operation of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. Figure 9 is a graphic representation illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 10A and Fig. Figures 10B are graphical representations illustrating the operation of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a form of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional representation illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; the Fig. 13A and Fig. Figure 13B are graphical representations illustrating the operation of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention; and the Fig. 14, Fig. 15 to Fig. Figure 16 are graphic representations illustrating an example of an electronic device comprising a scanning module, according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present concepts according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of the present concepts according to the invention are described below with reference to the associated drawings.

[0013] The Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective graphic representation illustrating an exterior view of an electronic device comprising a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective graphical exploded view illustrating an electronic device comprising a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0014] With regard to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. An electronic device 1 may comprise a display module DM and / or a housing H enclosing a rear surface and a side surface and forming an outside of the electronic device 1, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0015] The DM display module can include a carrier material 10, a display field 20, etc., but is not limited to this.

[0016] The substrate material 10 can provide a light-emitting surface for the electronic device 1, can be located in an upper section of the display field 20 (e.g., contained within it, located within it, arranged within it, etc.), and / or can protect the display field 20, etc. The substrate material 10 can include a glass substrate material, a sapphire substrate material, a plastic substrate material, and the like. The substrate material 10 can have a multilayer or single-layer structure. For example, the substrate material 10 can have a stacked structure of several plastic substrate materials bonded together, for example, by an adhesive or the like, or it can have a stacked structure of a glass substrate material and a plastic substrate material bonded together by an adhesive, etc.

[0017] The display field 20 can comprise multiple pixels with light sources. The light source can output an optical signal under the control of a display driver IC (DDI). The display field 20 can display a variety of images by emitting an optical signal that is output by the light sources of the pixels through the substrate material 10.

[0018] A first zone 11 for outputting images and a second zone 12 for determining a user's biometric information can be defined (and / or virtually defined) in the substrate material 10. For example, the first zone 11 can be an entire zone or a partial zone of the substrate material 10 (and / or can correspond to an entire zone or a partial zone), and the second zone 12 can be a scanning area that partially or completely overlaps the first zone 11.

[0019] When the first Zone 11 is activated, different images can be displayed and / or arranged on the first Zone 11 in different operating modes using the optical signal emitted by the light sources. For example, in a standby mode where only some elements (e.g., pixels) of the electronic device 1 are activated, the device 1 can display an image and / or images on the first Zone 11 showing the current time or similar information. In an activation mode where all elements (e.g., pixels) of the electronic device 1 are activated, the device 1 can display various types of images on the first Zone 11, corresponding to user input and / or instructions from an operating system, software applications, etc., of the electronic device 1.

[0020] When the second Zone 12 is activated, the electronic device 1 can determine biometric information by scanning light reflected from a part of the user's body OBJ adjacent to the second Zone 12. For example, the electronic device 1 can determine a user's fingerprint information by scanning light reflected from the depths and heights (e.g., of a fingerprint) of a finger of the user adjacent to (e.g., placed on) the second Zone 12.For this purpose, the electronic device 1 can include at least one scanning module SM arranged in a lower section of the display field 20 to determine, receive and / or detect the user's biometric and / or fingerprint information and to transmit the determined biometric and / or fingerprint information of the user to the processing circuits (not shown) of the electronic device 1; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0021] The scanning module SM can be arranged on a second substrate 30. For example, the scanning module SM can be arranged in a space on the second substrate 30 that includes a space in which circuit components are arranged and / or a battery is accommodated; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. The scanning module SM can also be configured to overlap the second zone 12 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 10, or, in other words, the scanning module SM can be placed at a location on the substrate 10 below the second zone 12.

[0022] The scanning module SM can receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal corresponding to the received optical signal. The optical signal received by the scanning module SM can include light originally generated (and / or emitted) by the light source of one or more pixels, as well as light reflected from the part of a user's body OBJ adjacent to the second zone 12. The reflected light entering the display field 20 can be received by the scanning module SM. An electrical signal generated by the scanning module SM can be modified depending on (and / or based on) a wavelength and / or amplitude of the received reflected light.

[0023] The scanning module SM in the exemplary embodiment can comprise several lenses arranged parallel to an upper section of the sensor, so that the thickness of the electronic device 1 can be reduced and the size of a scanning area can be increased.

[0024] The housing H can be coupled to the carrier material 10 and define an interior space of the electronic device 1. The display field 20, the carrier material 30, and other components can be enclosed within the housing H in an interior space of the electronic device 1.

[0025] The enclosure H can be made of a material with relatively high rigidity to provide structure and / or protection for the components of the electronic device 1, such as plastic, metal, glass, and the like, or combinations thereof. The enclosure H can protect the elements housed inside the electronic device 1 from external impacts, such as drops, and / or from external substances, such as water, dust, dirt, etc.

[0026] The Fig. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional representation illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0027] With regard to the Fig. 3. A scanning module 100 may comprise, but is not limited to, a multi-lens array 110, an optical filter 120, a sensor 130, a substrate 140, and / or a holder 150. For example, the scanning module 100 may further comprise processing circuits (not shown) for detecting, receiving, recognizing, determining, and / or analyzing biometric information, etc., received by the sensor 130; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The processing circuits are used in conjunction with the Fig. 11 discussed further below.

[0028] The sensor 130 can comprise several optical scanning devices capable of receiving an optical signal (such as reflected light, etc.) incident into an interior of the scanning module 100. The sensor 130 can be mounted on the substrate 140, which includes circuit components, and can comprise a charge-coupled device (CCD), a CMOS image sensor, and the like. According to some exemplary embodiments, the sensor 130 can include processing circuits for detecting, receiving, recognizing, determining, and / or analyzing biometric information received by the sensor 130; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. The optical filter 120 can include a color filter, a monochrome filter, and others. The holder 150 can be mounted on the substrate 140 and can support the multi-lens array 110 and / or the optical filter 120, etc.

[0029] The multi-lens array 110 can comprise several lenses, such as lenses 111 and 112, etc., and a support layer 113 which carries the multiple lenses 111 and 112. The multiple lenses 111 and 112 can include multiple first lenses 111 (e.g., a first lens layer) arranged parallel to an upper surface of the support layer 113, and multiple second lenses 112 (e.g., a second lens layer) arranged parallel to a lower surface of the support layer 113. However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this, and a larger or smaller number of lens layers may be present.In at least one exemplary embodiment, a distance between a lower surface of a display field and a topmost section of the several first lenses 111 may be approximately 45% or more of a distance between a lower surface of the display field and a lower surface of the support material 140; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0030] The Fig. Figure 3 illustrates an example in which the multi-lens array 110 comprises three first lenses 111 and three second lenses 112, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. For example, the multi-lens array 110 can comprise five first lenses 111 and five second lenses 112, and so on. As the number of multiple lenses 111 and 112 contained in the multi-lens array 110 increases, the size and resolution of a scanning area of ​​the scanning module 100 can increase. Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, the number of layers of lenses can be greater or less than the two layers of lenses (e.g., lenses 111 and 112) contained in the Fig. 3 will be shown.

[0031] The multiple lenses 111 and 112 may include lenses with different fields of view and / or refractive indices. For example, the fields of view of the multiple lenses 111 and 112 may be the same, and their refractive indices may be the same. Alternatively, the fields of view or refractive indices of the first lens 111 may be larger than those of the second lens 112, or, as yet another example, the fields of view of the multiple lenses 111 and 112 may differ, and their refractive indices may differ.

[0032] Since the multiple lenses 111 and 112 are contained in the multi-lens array 110, the total fields of view can be larger than the fields of view of the individual multiple lenses 111 and 112. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the total field of view of the multi-lens array 110 can be approximately 70 degrees or more, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.

[0033] The multiple lenses 111 and 112 can include one or more lenses with different shapes. For example, the multiple lenses 111 and 112 can have the same shape, or alternatively, as in the Fig. As illustrated in Figure 4A, each of the first lenses 111 can have a semicircular shape, and each of the second lenses 112 can have a semicircular shape with a single concave groove. However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto, and, for example, one or more of the individual lenses of several lenses 111 and 112 can likewise have different shapes than other lenses in the same lens layer. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the multi-lens array 110 can have a structure in which the first lenses 111 and the second lenses 112 are stacked in two stages. For example, a multi-lens array 110b, as shown in the Fig. As illustrated in Figure 4B, the exemplary embodiments include first lenses 111b (e.g., a first lens layer) and second lenses 112b (e.g., a second lens layer) arranged in an upper section and a lower section, respectively, of a first support layer 113b, and first lenses 114b (e.g., a third lens layer) and second lenses 116b (e.g., a fourth lens layer) arranged in an upper section and a lower section, respectively, of a second support layer 116b. However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to these, and a larger number of support layers and / or lens layers may be present.

[0034] In the multi-lens array 110, lens arrays arranged in an upper section of each of several sensors can be grouped and contained in a single module. For example, with regard to the Fig. 5A corresponds to several multi-lens arrays 211a to 211i, each representing several adjacent sensors, and can be arranged in a single carrier layer 213 and contained in a single module 200, although the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The multiple multi-lens arrays 211a to 211i can each be applied to different sensors, and a desired and / or specific scanning area SA can be defined in an upper section of each of the multiple multi-lens arrays 211a to 211i, as shown in the Fig. Figure 5B illustrates this, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to it. In this case, the multiple multi-lens arrays 211a to 211i can receive reflected light incident through different scanning surfaces SA and can accordingly determine biometric information of a user (e.g., electrical signals corresponding to a user's fingerprint).

[0035] The Fig. 6A and Fig. Figure 6B are graphical representations illustrating a scanning area of ​​a scanning module according to some exemplary embodiments. Fig. Figure 6A illustrates a comparative example, and the Fig. Figure 6B illustrates at least one exemplary embodiment of the concepts according to the invention.

[0036] With regard to the Fig. In the comparative example, a scanning module 300a can comprise a lens unit 310a, an optical filter 320a, a sensor 330a, a support material 340a and / or a holder 350a, etc., but the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The lens unit 310a can comprise a first lens 311a and a second lens 312a, which are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the support material 340a.

[0037] The total field of view of the lens unit 310a can have a viewing angle of θa, and the width of a scanning area defined on the display field DP can be Wa. For example, if a first lens 311a and a second lens 312a are configured as wide-angle lenses with a field of view of 120 degrees or more, the total field of view of the lens unit 310a can be 90 degrees or more, etc. However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to these, and other types of lenses and / or lenses with other field-of-view angles can be used.

[0038] The height of the scanning module 300a can be a distance between a lower surface of the display field DP and a lower surface of the carrier material 340a and can be denoted as "ha".

[0039] With regard to the Fig. 6B, a scanning module 300b in at least one exemplary embodiment may comprise a multi-lens array 310b, an optical filter 320b, a sensor 330b, a support material 340b and / or a holder 350b, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. Unlike the one described in the Fig. The lens unit 310a illustrated in Figure 6A can comprise the multi-lens array 310b comprising several first lenses 311b (e.g., a layer of first lenses) and several second lenses 312b (e.g., a layer of second lenses) arranged parallel to an upper and lower section, respectively, of a support layer 313b. The first and second lenses 311b and 312b can comprise various combinations of lenses with different shapes and fields of view. For example, the first to third microlenses 311b-1 to 311b-3, the first lenses 311a, can have a radius of curvature and a field of view that are the same as those of the fourth to sixth microlenses 312b-1 to 312b-3, the second lenses 312a; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to these.As another example, the first to third microlenses 311b-1 to 311b-3 may have a radius of curvature and a field of view that differ from that of the fourth to sixth microlenses 312b-1 to 312b-3, etc.

[0040] The total field of view of the multi-lens array 310b can have a viewing angle of θb, and the width of a scanning area defined on the display field DP can be Wb. In the scanning module 300b, several lenses can be arranged in parallel, resulting in a total field of view larger than the field of view in the comparative example in the Fig. 6A can be (θb > 0a), and accordingly, the width of the scanning area defined on the display field DP can also be increased (Wb > Wa). In at least one exemplary embodiment, the total field of view of the multi-lens array 310b can be approximately 70 degrees or more, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.

[0041] The height of the scanning module 300b (e.g., the thickness of the scanning module 300b) can be a distance between a lower surface of the display field DP and a lower surface of the substrate material 340b and can be denoted as "hb". In the scanning module 300b, since the multiple lenses are arranged in parallel (e.g., in a vertical manner), the module height can differ from that in the Fig. 6A illustrates the comparative example (hb < ha). In at least one exemplary embodiment, the height of the scanning module 300b can be approximately 4 mm or less, but is not limited to this.

[0042] Reflected light incident from a first scanning surface a1 of the display field DP can be split according to different angles of incidence by the first microlens 311b-1, can be focused by the fourth microlens 312b-1, and can form a focus on the sensor 330b; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. Reflected light incident from a second scanning surface a2 of the display field DP can also be split according to different angles of incidence by the second microlens 311b-2, can be focused by the fifth microlens 312-2, and can form a focus on the sensor 330b; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.A reflected light signal incident from a third scanning surface a3 of the display field DP can be split according to different angles of incidence by the third microlens 311b-3, can be focused by the sixth microlens 312-3 and can form a focus on the sensor 330b, however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.

[0043] According to some exemplary embodiments, the first scanning area a1 and the second scanning area a2 can partially (or completely) overlap each other in a direction parallel to the display field DP; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. The second scanning area a2 and the third scanning area a3 can partially (or completely) overlap each other in a direction parallel to the display field DP; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this. Depending on whether the first to third scanning areas a3 overlap each other, the degree of overlap can be varied depending on the number of lenses contained in the multi-lens array 310b and / or the shape, field of view, and / or the like of each of the lenses.Biometric information repeatedly detected by an overlapping surface OV1a between the first scanning surface a1 and the second scanning surface a2, and by an overlapping surface OV2a between the second scanning surface a2 and the third scanning surface a3, can be processed by an imaging process using a desired and / or specific algorithm, such as one in conjunction with the . Fig. The image stitching algorithm discussed in section 7 is represented as a single image. However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this, and a larger or smaller number of scanning surfaces and / or overlapping surfaces may be present in the exemplary embodiments.

[0044] The Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows graphical representations illustrating the operation of a scanning module according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0045] The Fig. Figure 7 illustrates an example of a fingerprint image of a user adjacent to several scanning areas. With reference to the Fig. 6B and Fig. 7. A scanning module 300b can acquire an image of a user's first fingerprint zone s1 (e.g., a first biometric zone) using a first scanning surface a1 (e.g., the first scanning zone) of the scanning module 300b. The scanning module 300b can acquire an image of a user's second fingerprint zone s2 (e.g., a second biometric zone) using a second scanning surface a2 (e.g., a second scanning zone) of the scanning module 300b. The scanning module 300b can also acquire an image of a user's third fingerprint zone s3 (e.g., a third biometric zone) using a third scanning surface a3 (e.g., a third scanning zone) of the scanning module 300b.

[0046] The first fingerprint zone s1 and the second fingerprint zone s2 can also partially overlap, and an overlap surface OV1s can be formed in response to an overlap surface OV1a between the first scanning surface a1 and the second scanning surface a2 of the scanning module 300b. The second fingerprint zone s2 and the third fingerprint zone s3 can also partially overlap, and an overlap surface OV2s can be formed in response to an overlap surface OV2a between the second scanning surface a2 and the third scanning surface a3.

[0047] Images of the first to third fingerprint zones s1 to s3 of a user, which are determined by the first to third scanning surfaces a1 to a3, can be processed as described in the Fig. The exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 8 illustrates the following; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this, and a larger or smaller number of fingerprint zones and / or scanning areas may be present, according to other exemplary embodiments. Since the first to third fingerprint zones s1 to s3 overlap, fingerprint information from a user, acquired by the scanning module 300b, may be separated at an interface between the images (and / or at an interface between scanning areas of the scanning module 300b). Accordingly, the scanning module 300b can generate a single image with seamlessly connected interfaces by performing image processing on the multiple acquired images using a desired and / or specific algorithm.In at least one exemplary embodiment, the 300b scanning module can perform image processing using a stitching algorithm to join matching parts or sections of the acquired images. The 300b scanning module can generate a single image by scanning reflected light and performing the image processing described above on the multiple acquired images, thereby retrieving a user's fingerprint information where the separate parts of the multiple acquired images are seamlessly joined into a single image.

[0048] In the following description, a scanning module is described in accordance with other exemplary embodiments with reference to the Fig. 9, Fig. 10 to Fig. 11 described.

[0049] The Fig. Figure 9 is a graphical representation illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment. Fig. 10A and Fig. Figure 10B contains graphical representations illustrating the operation of a scanning module according to some exemplary embodiments. Fig. Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a design of a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0050] With regard to the Fig. 9. A scanning module 400 may comprise a multi-lens array 410, an optical filter 420, a sensor 430, a substrate 440, and / or a holder 450, etc., but the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. According to some exemplary embodiments, the scanning module 400 may further comprise a plate 460 and / or a sensor position control layer 470, etc.

[0051] The sensor 430 can comprise multiple light-sensing devices (e.g., photodetectors, light sensors, photoelectric cells, etc.). These multiple light-sensing devices can receive an optical signal incident on the interior of the scanning module 400 and generate an electrical signal, linked to a user's biometric information, in response to and / or based on the received optical signal (e.g., in response to the photons of the received optical signal).

[0052] The multi-lens array 410 can comprise several lenses 411 and 412 and a support layer 413 arranged parallel to each other. Fig. Figure 9 illustrates an example in which the multiple lenses 411 and 412 comprise multiple first lenses 411 (e.g., a first lens layer) arranged in an upper section of the support layer 413, and multiple second lenses 412 (e.g., a second lens layer) arranged in a lower section of the support layer 413; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The multiple lenses 411 and 412 can have various structures, such as the exemplary embodiments described with reference to the Fig. 4A to 5 etc. have been described.

[0053] The optical filter 420 can include a color filter, a monochrome filter, and the like. The holder 450 can be arranged on the support material 440 and can support the multi-lens array 410 and / or the optical filter 420, etc.

[0054] The plate 460 and the sensor position control layer 470 can be arranged on an upper section of the support material 440, but are not limited to this.

[0055] The plate 460 can comprise a material with relatively high stiffness, such as plastic, metal and the like, to reduce and / or prevent deformation of the support material 440.

[0056] The sensor position control layer 470 can be arranged in an upper section of the plate 460 and can set the up and down positions (e.g., vertical) and / or the right and left positions (e.g., horizontal) of the sensor 430. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the sensor position control layer 470 can be attached to and integrated with the sensor 430 and can move on a plate 460 in a first direction DIR1 and / or in a second direction DIR2, perpendicular to the first direction DIR1, to control a position of the sensor 430. Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, the sensor position control layer 470 can rotate (e.g., turn) the sensor 430 about a point.

[0057] The sensor position control layer 470 can, but is not limited to, set a focus of reflected light incident on an interior space of the scanning module 400 by controlling the position of the sensor 430 in the first direction DIR1. The sensor position control layer 470 can also, but is not limited to, set an area in which the sensor 430 receives reflected light by controlling the position of the sensor 430 in the second direction DIR2. A method for controlling the position of the sensor 430 by the sensor position control layer 470 is described with reference to the Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B described.

[0058] With regard to the Fig. 10A can, if the center of a fingerprint zone ta of a finger OBJ is located adjacent to (e.g., on the top) a scanning area of ​​a display field DP, and a center c1 of the scanning area (ta1 = ta2) is located in the second direction DIR2 (e.g., the center of the fingerprint zone ta is aligned with the center c1 of the scanning area), the sensor position control layer 470 can set a position of the sensor 430 in the first direction DIR1 to align a center c2 of the sensor 430 with the center c1 of the scanning area in the second direction DIR2 (e.g., the center c2 of the sensor 430 is aligned with the center c1 of the scanning area). In at least one exemplary embodiment, a position in which the center c1 of the scanning area and the center c2 of the sensor 430 are located in the second direction DIR2 can be a basic and / or default position of the sensor 430.In this case, the sensor 430 can receive all reflected light signals reflected from the finger OBJ.

[0059] If the center of a fingerprint zone ta' of the finger OBJ, which is adjacent to a scanning area of ​​the display field DP, and the center c1 of the scanning area (ta1' ≠ ta2') are not located in the second direction DIR2, as in the Fig. As illustrated in Figure 10B (e.g., the center of the fingerprint zone ta' is not aligned with the center c1 of the scanning surface), the sensor position control layer 470 can adjust the position of the sensor 430 to align its center with the center of the fingerprint zone ta' in the second direction DIR2 (e.g., the center c2 of the sensor 430 is positioned so that it is aligned with the center of the fingerprint zone ta'). If a user's finger OBJ is located adjacent to a right side of the scanning surface with respect to the center c1 of the scanning surface (ta2' > ta1'), in at least one exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 10B The sensor position control layer 470 moves the sensor 430 in the first direction DIR1 from the center c1 of the scanning surface by a desired and / or specific distance Δd1. In this case, since the amount of reflected light signal received in the sensor 430 increases due to the repositioning of the scanning surface, the scanning accuracy of the scanning module 400 can be improved.

[0060] The scanning module 400 can be configured to control a position of the sensor 430, and the scanning module 400 can, as in the Fig. Figure 11 illustrates that control processing circuits 40 (e.g. a controller, etc.) and / or an actuator 50, etc., may be included.

[0061] The control processing circuits 40 can control the actuator 50 to allow the sensor position control layer 470 to control a position of the sensor 430. For this purpose, the control processing circuits 40 can include, but are not limited to, a position detector 41, position processing circuits 42 (e.g., a position controller, etc.), and / or a driver 43, etc. According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the control processing circuits 41 and / or the position processing circuits 42 can include hardware comprising logic circuits, a hardware-software combination, such as a processor executing software, or a combination thereof.For example, the processing circuits may include, but are not limited to, the following: a central processing unit (CPU), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0062] The position detector 41 can detect a part of a user's body OBJ (e.g., a finger, etc.) within a scanning area of ​​the display field DP. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the position detector 41 can detect the position of the part of the user's body OBJ using a piezoelectric sensor, a thermal sensor, and / or the like. The position processing circuits 42 can generate a position control signal for setting a position of the sensor 430 based on position information detected by the position detector 41. For example, the position processing circuits 42 can generate, but are not limited to, a position control signal for setting a position of the sensor 430 in the first direction DIR1 and / or a position of the sensor 430 in the second direction DIR2 based on the position of the part of the user's body OBJ within the scanning area.The driver 43 can control the actuator 50 based on the position control signal received by the position processing circuits 42. The processing circuits 40 and / or the position processing circuits 42 can include processing circuits such as hardware that includes logic circuits, a hardware-software combination such as a processor that executes software, or a combination thereof. More specifically, the processing circuits can include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0063] The actuator 50 can generate drive force to move the sensor position control layer 470 in the first direction DIR1 and / or a second direction DIR2 under the control of the driver 43. The actuator 50 can include at least one motor with a drive coil and a magnetic drive material, but is not limited to this. For example, the actuator 50 can include a rotary motor, a piezo actuator, a moving-coil actuator, etc.

[0064] The following description details additional exemplary embodiments of a scanning module with reference to the Fig. 12, Fig. 13 to Fig. 14 described.

[0065] The Fig. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a scanning module according to at least one exemplary embodiment. Fig. 13A and Fig. 13B are graphical representations that depict the operation of a [company / organization] in the Fig. 12 illustrated scanning modules according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0066] With regard to the Fig. 12. A scanning module 500 may, but is not limited to, a multi-lens array 510, an optical filter 520, a sensor 530, a substrate 540, and / or a holder 550, etc. The scanning module 500 may also include a lens position control layer 560, etc.

[0067] The sensor 530 can include several light scanning devices that can receive an optical signal entering an interior of the scanning module 500.

[0068] The multi-lens array 510 can comprise several lenses 511 and 512 arranged on a support layer 513 and parallel to each other. Fig. Figure 12 illustrates the example in which the multiple lenses 511 and 512 can comprise multiple first lenses 511 (e.g., a first lens layer) arranged in an upper section of the support layer 513, and multiple second lenses 512 (e.g., a second lens layer) arranged in a lower section of the support layer 513; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The multiple lenses 511 and 512 can have various structures, such as those relating to the Fig. The exemplary embodiments described in sections 4A to 5B are, however, not limited to them.

[0069] The optical filter 520 can include a color filter, a monochrome filter, and the like. The holder 550 can be arranged on the substrate 540 and can support the optical filter 520 and / or the lens position control layer 560, etc.

[0070] The lens position control layer 560 can be positioned between the carrier layer 513 and the holder 550 in the second direction DIR2 and can, but is not limited to, set the position of the carrier layer 513. The lens position control layer 560 can set the position of the carrier layer 513 in the first direction DIR1 and / or a second direction DIR2, etc., to transmit a larger amount (e.g., an increased amount) of reflected light signals to the sensor 530. In other words, if an increased amount of reflected light is desired and / or required to scan the user's biometric information (e.g., if the biometric information and / or fingerprint of a user was not successfully read), the processing circuits, at least one processor, etc., can transmit command instructions to the lens position control layer to move the carrier layer 513 to a desired position.to reposition desired positions in order to obtain the increased amount of reflected light.

[0071] With regard to the Fig. 13A can, when the center of a fingerprint zone tb of a finger OBJ, which is adjacent to a scanning area of ​​a display field DP, and a center c1 of the scanning area (tb1 = tb2) are arranged (e.g., aligned) in the second direction DIR2, the lens position control layer 560 can set a position of the support layer 513 in the first direction DIR1 in order to arrange a center c3 of the support layer 513 and the center c1 of the scanning area in the second direction DIR2 (e.g., to align the center c3 of the support layer 513 with the center c1 of the scanning area), but the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. In at least one exemplary embodiment, a position in which the center c1 of the scanning area and the center c3 of the support layer 513 are arranged in the second direction DIR2 can be a basic position of the support layer 513.In this case, the sensor 530 can receive some or all of the reflected light signals reflected from the finger OBJ.

[0072] If the center of a fingerprint zone tb' of finger OBJ, which is adjacent to the scanning area of ​​the display field DP, and the center c1 of the scanning area are not aligned in the second direction DIR2 (tb1' ≠ tb2') (e.g., the center of the fingerprint zone is not aligned with the center c1 of the scanning area), the lens position control layer 560 can additionally adjust the position of the carrier layer 513 in the first direction DIR1 to align the center of the carrier layer 513 and the center of the fingerprint zone tb' in the second direction DIR2 (e.g., to align the center of the carrier layer 513 with the center of the fingerprint zone tb'). If a user's finger OBJ is adjacent to a right side of the scanning area with respect to the center c1 of the scanning area (tb2' > tb1'), in the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 10B the lens position control layer 560 the carrier layer 513 in the first direction DIR1 from the center c1 of the scanning surface by a desired and / or specific distance Δd2 in order to align the center of the finger OBJ with the center c1 of the scanning surface c1. In this case, since the amount of reflected light signals received by the sensor 530 increases, the scanning accuracy of the scanning module 500 can be improved.

[0073] The scanning module 500 can be configured to control a position of the carrier layer 513, and the scanning module 500 can comprise at least one processing circuit (e.g., controller, processor, etc.) (not shown) and / or one actuator (not shown), such as the processing circuits 40 and / or the actuator 50, which, with reference to the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. The exemplary embodiments described in Section 11 are not limited thereto. The processing circuits can generate a control signal based on the position of the part of the user's body OBJ in the scanning area of ​​the display field DP, and the actuator can move the lens position control layer 560 in the first direction DIR1 and / or a second direction DIR2 in response to the control signal generated by the processing circuits.For example, the processing circuits can generate the control signal based on the results of a previous biometric data acquisition operation, and, if the results of the previous biometric data acquisition operation were unacceptable and / or a different method of biometric data acquisition is desired, the processing circuits can generate the control signal to reposition the lens position control layer 560 to the actuator. According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the control processing circuits can comprise hardware including logic circuits, a hardware-software combination, such as a processor executing software, or a combination thereof.For example, the processing circuits may include, but are not limited to, the following: a central processing unit (CPU), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0074] The following description describes electronic devices comprising a scanning module, in accordance with one or more of the exemplary embodiments.

[0075] The Fig. Figure 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device comprising a scanning module, according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0076] With regard to the Fig. 14. An electronic device 600 may comprise a scanning module 610, an input and output device 620, a memory 630, processing circuits 640, a connector 650, and / or the like; however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. The electronic device 600 may further comprise a wired and / or wireless communication device, a power supply device, and / or other components. Among the components described in the Fig. The 14 illustrated elements show that the 650 port can be provided for the 600 electronic device to communicate with a graphics card, a sound card, a memory card, and the like.

[0077] Electronic equipment 600 can include a general-purpose desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, a smartphone, a tablet PC, a smart wearable device, a storage device (e.g., a solid-state drive (SSD), a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.)), and the like.

[0078] The processing circuits 640 can perform a desired and / or specific calculation or task, or they can process an instruction. The processing circuits 640 can be implemented as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MCU), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a multi-core processor, a multiprocessor, a distributed processing system, or the like, and can communicate with the sampling module 610, the input / output device 620, the memory 630, and with other devices connected to the port 650 via a bus 660.

[0079] Memory 630 can be a non-volatile storage medium that stores data required for the operation of electronic equipment 600, multimedia data, or the like. Memory 630 can comprise volatile memory or non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, or the like. Memory 630 can include at least one of the following: a solid-state drive (SSD), a hard disk drive (HDD), or an optical disc drive (ODD).

[0080] The input and output section 620 can include an input device, such as a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, microphone, camera and the like, and an output device, such as a display, audio output unit, haptic feedback device and the like.

[0081] The scanning module 610 can be mounted on a package carrier material and can be connected to the processing circuits 640 via the bus 660 or other communication means. The scanning module 610 can be used in the electronic device 600 in various ways, as in the exemplary embodiments mentioned above with reference to the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, Fig. 12 to Fig. However, it is not limited to what has been described in section 13.

[0082] The Fig. 15 and Fig. Figure 16 are graphic representations illustrating examples of an electronic device comprising a scanning module, according to some exemplary embodiments.

[0083] With regard to the Fig. 15. An electronic device 700 can be implemented as an intelligent mirror device of a vehicle, however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.

[0084] The electronic device 700 can be embedded, integrated, connected, and / or installed in a vehicle, and the electronic device 700 can comprise a body with a mirror function and / or a display function, etc., a housing that forms an exterior surface of the electronic device 700 and has a support function, etc. For example, the electronic device 700 can be a rearview mirror, a dashboard, a head-up display, an instrument panel, a windshield, a navigation system, an entertainment system, a smartphone, a tablet, etc., but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to these. A display can be arranged on a front surface of the body and be exposed to the outside, and the display can provide driving information, environmental images, and / or other information, etc., of a vehicle.A desired and / or specific scanning area SA can be defined on the display, and a user can place a part of their body OBJ near the scanning area SA and provide biometric information, thereby performing user authentication to activate biometrically protected functions and / or information stored in the electronic device and / or vehicle, etc.

[0085] With regard to the Fig. 16. An electronic device 800 can also be implemented as a digital door locking device, however, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to this.

[0086] The electronic device 800 can include a display that provides an interface function (e.g., a user interface, a manual keypad, a virtual keypad, and / or a graphical user interface, etc.) for user authentication procedures. For example, a desired and / or specific key layout can be displayed, and a user can enter an authentication code by touching the key layout shown on the display to open or close the digital door lock, etc. A scanning area SA can also be defined on the display, and a user can place a part of their body OBJ near the scanning area SA and provide biometric information to open or close the digital door lock 800 upon verification of the user's biometric information.

[0087] According to one or more of the exemplary embodiments mentioned above, since the electronic device comprises the scanning module with a multi-lens array, the thickness of the electronic device and / or the scanning module can be reduced.

[0088] Since the electronic device includes a scanning module with a multi-lens array, the size of the scanning area of ​​the scanning module can also be increased, and / or the number of lens layers of the scanning module can be increased, thereby increasing the accuracy of the scanning module.

[0089] Since the electronic device includes a scanning module with position processing circuits, the electronic device can also adaptively receive reflected light, thus improving the scanning accuracy of the scanning module.

Claims

[1] Electronic device, comprising: a carrier material (10); a display field (20; DP) comprising multiple light sources, wherein the multiple light sources are configured to emit an optical signal through the carrier material (10) onto an object (OBJ); at least one sensor (430) below the carrier material (10), wherein the at least one sensor (430) comprises processing circuits (40) configured to detect biometric information associated with the object (OBJ) by receiving a reflected light signal, wherein the reflected light signal corresponds to the optical signal reflected by the object (OBJ) and transmitted through the carrier material (10); a multi-lens array (410) comprising at least one support layer (413), several first lenses (411) and several second lenses (412), wherein the at least one support layer (413) is located in an upper section of the at least one sensor (430), the several first lenses (411) are located on an upper surface of the at least one support layer (413) and the several second lenses (412) are located on a lower surface of the at least one support layer (413); and a position control layer (470) configured to adjust a horizontal position of the at least one sensor (430). [2] Electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: an optical filter (420) between the at least one sensor (430) and the multi-lens array (410), wherein the optical filter (420) is configured to to selectively forward the reflected light signal in response to the fact that the reflected light signal has a desired wavelength band. [3] Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a distance (hb) between a lower surface of the display field (DP) and a lower surface of a second support material (440) on which the position control layer (470) is arranged is 4 mm or less in a direction perpendicular to the second support material (440). [4] Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-lens array (410) has a field of view of 70 degrees or more. [5] Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a first distance between a lower surface of the display field (20) and an upper section of the first lens (411) in a direction perpendicular to the second support material (440) is 45% or more than a second distance between a lower surface of the display field (20) and a lower surface of the second support material (440). [6] Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuits (40) are further configured to detect the biometric information of the object (OBJ) on the basis of several scanning zones (a1, a2, a3) that overlap each other on the carrier material (10). [7] Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-lens array (110b) further comprises several third lenses (114b, 116b) parallel to an upper surface of the support layer (413b). [8] Electronic equipment, including: a display field (DP) in an upper section of a carrier material (440; 540) comprising several light sources designed to emit an optical signal onto an object (OBJ); at least one optical sensor (430; 530) on the substrate material (440; 540) configured to scan reflected light corresponding to the optical signal, wherein the reflected light is reflected by the object (OBJ) and passes through a detection surface defined in the display field (DP); a lens support layer (414; 513) in an upper section of the at least one optical sensor (430; 530); several lenses (411, 412; 511, 512) on at least one upper surface and a lower surface of the lens support layer (414; 513) in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the support material (440; 540); and a position control layer (470, 560) in the upper section of the substrate material (440; 540) comprising processing circuits, wherein the position control layer (470) is configured to control a position of the at least one optical sensor (430) and a position of at least one lens of the multiple lenses (511, 512). [9] Electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuits (40) are further configured to control the position of the at least one optical sensor (430) and the position of the at least one lens of the multiple lenses (511, 512) on the basis of position information of the object (OBJ) in relation to the detection surface. [10] Electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the position control layer (470) is located in a lower section of the at least one optical sensor (430). [11] Electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the position control layer (560) is located in a lower section of the lens carrier layer (513). [12] Electronic device according to claim 8, further comprising: an optical filter (420; 520) between the optical sensor (430; 530) and the multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512), which is configured to selectively transmit the reflected light in response to the fact that the reflected light signal has a desired wavelength band. [13] Electronic device according to claim 8, further comprising: a holder (450; 550) comprising a receiving space, wherein the receiving space is configured to support the optical sensor (430; 530) and to support the lens carrier layer (414; 513). [14] Electronic device according to claim 8, wherein a first distance between a lower surface of the display field (DP) and an upper section of the multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512) in a direction perpendicular to the substrate material (440; 540) is 45% or more of a second distance between a lower surface of the display field (DP) and a lower surface of the substrate material (440; 540). [15] Electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512) are located in at least one of the following, an upper section or a lower section of the lens carrier layer (414; 513). [16] Scanning module, comprising: at least one sensor (430; 530) in an upper section of a carrier material (440; 540), wherein the at least one sensor comprises processing circuits (40), wherein the processing circuits (40) are configured to receive light reflected from an object (OBJ) adjacent to a scanning surface (SA) and to determine biometric information of the object (OBJ); a multi-lens array (410; 510) comprising multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512) and a support layer (413; 513), wherein the multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512) are located in an upper section of the at least one sensor (430; 530) in a direction parallel to an upper surface of the support material (440; 540) and the support layer (413; 513) is configured to support the multiple lenses (411, 412; 511, 512); and a position control layer (470, 560) in the upper section of the substrate material (440; 540), wherein the position control layer (470, 560) comprises position processing circuits (42) configured to control a position of the at least one sensor (430) and a position of at least one lens of the multiple lenses (511, 512) on the basis of position information of the object (OBJ) with respect to the scanning surface. [17] Scanning module according to claim 16, wherein the position control layer (470) comprises at least one sensor position control layer (470) between the carrier material (440) and the at least one sensor (430), wherein the at least one sensor position control layer (470) comprises an actuator (50) configured to adjust the position of the at least one sensor (430) based on signals from the position processing circuits (42). [18] Scanning module according to claim 17, wherein the position control layer (470) further comprises a plate (460) in the upper section of the carrier material (440), wherein the plate (460) is configured to support the at least one sensor position control layer (470). [19] Scanning module according to claim 16, wherein the position control layer (560) comprises a lens position control layer (560) in the upper section of the sensor (530), wherein the lens position control layer (560) is configured to set a position of the carrier layer (513). [20] Scanning module according to claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor (430; 530) is further configured to receive the reflected light from several scanning zones (a1, a2, a3) that overlap each other in the scanning area (SA).

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