Adaptive Fingerprint Sensor Switching for Wet Screen Unlocking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor fingerprint sensors are sensitive to humidity, leading to instability in fingerprint unlocking, particularly when a user's finger is wet, causing failures in identification and screen unlocking.

Innovation Solution

A method and terminal that determine the appropriate fingerprint sensor for unlocking based on screen humidity, using an optical fingerprint sensor when humidity is high and a semiconductor sensor when humidity is low, ensuring stable fingerprint unlocking by switching between sensors if necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a semiconductor fingerprint sensor is used for fingerprint unlocking, then the unlocking speed and sensitivity are improved, but the stability deteriorates when the screen surface is wet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunlocking speedVSAvoidfingerprint identification stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between semiconductor fingerprint sensor and optical fingerprint sensor based on the detected humidity level. When humidity exceeds the threshold, the system transitions from using the semiconductor sensor to using the optical sensor, making the sensor selection adaptive rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to maintain high unlocking speed through the semiconductor sensor under normal conditions while ensuring stability through the optical sensor when the screen is wet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter (sensor type) based on the humidity parameter. By monitoring the humidity level and comparing it against a threshold, the system selects the appropriate sensor mode: semiconductor sensor for low humidity conditions or optical sensor for high humidity conditions. This parameter-based switching resolves the contradiction between speed and stability by adapting the sensor selection to environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If an optical fingerprint sensor is used, then the stability in wet conditions is improved, but the unlocking speed and sensitivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefingerprint identification stabilityVSAvoidunlocking speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects the optical sensor only when necessary (high humidity conditions) rather than using it continuously. This dynamic approach ensures stability when needed while avoiding the speed penalty during normal conditions, as the system switches to the faster semiconductor sensor when humidity is low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the sensor selection parameter based on the humidity parameter. When humidity is below the threshold, the semiconductor sensor is selected for faster unlocking; when humidity exceeds the threshold, the optical sensor is selected for stable identification. This conditional parameter change resolves the contradiction between speed and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a single fingerprint sensor is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different humidity conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor system complexityVSAvoidhumidity condition adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements multi-functionality by incorporating both semiconductor and optical fingerprint sensors, allowing it to handle multiple scenarios: fast unlocking under normal conditions and stable identification in wet conditions. The dual-sensor design provides universal coverage across different humidity environments, resolving the contradiction between complexity and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The humidity detection mechanism acts as an intermediary that mediates between the two sensor types. By detecting the humidity level and triggering the appropriate sensor selection, this intermediary enables the system to adapt to different conditions without requiring complex manual intervention or overly complicated decision-making logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11074429B2User identification method, terminal and storage medium
Publication Date: 2021.07.27 GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP LTD
  • US11074429B2 patent drawing
  • US11074429B2 patent drawing
  • US11074429B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The application relates to the field of terminals and provides a user identification method, a terminal and a storage medium. The method includes that: responsive to detecting that a fingerprint of a user is in contact with a preset fingerprint identification region, a surface humidity of the preset fingerprint identification region is determined; when the surface humidity is greater than a preset humidity, the fingerprint of the user is acquired through the optical fingerprint sensor; the fingerprint acquired through the optical fingerprint sensor is matched with pre-stored fingerprint information; and screen unlocking is performed in case of successful matching. Through the technical solutions, the sensor for fingerprint unlocking may be determined according to a humidity of a screen, thereby ensuring stability of fingerprint unlocking and further improving a user experience.