Biometric Sensor Wakeup Strategy Using Mechanical Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fingerprint scanners integrated into host electronic devices face challenges in minimizing power consumption, which is essential for portable and battery-powered devices, as they often operate in high power modes even when not needed for user authentication.
Innovation Solution
A biometric authentication system that incorporates a biometric image sensor integrated with a mechanical switch on the host electronic device, utilizing wake-on-event logic to delay the response and power-up of the sensor and device until a positive bona fides analysis confirms the presence of a valid biometric object, such as a finger, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the biometric image sensor operates continuously in high power mode to ensure immediate response, then the response speed is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wake-on-event logic performs preliminary detection of biometric objects before the main biometric image sensor is activated. This preliminary action allows the system to determine whether authentication is needed before committing to high-power operation, thus resolving the contradiction between fast response and low power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its operational state based on detected events. The biometric image sensor transitions between low-power sleep mode and high-power active mode only when the wake-on-event logic detects a valid biometric object, optimizing the balance between response speed and power consumption.
2Reliability
If the biometric image sensor is always active to prevent false wake-ups, then the reliability is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into two functional parts: a low-power wake-on-event logic for initial detection and a high-power biometric image sensor for definitive authentication. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through proper authentication while minimizing power consumption by keeping the sensor inactive most of the time.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-on-event logic acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the biometric image sensor. It filters out false wake-up events before they can activate the power-consuming sensor, thus maintaining authentication reliability while reducing unnecessary power consumption.
3Measurement precision
If the system performs full bona fides analysis immediately upon detecting an object, then the measurement precision is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wake-on-event logic performs preliminary detection and filtering before the biometric image sensor conducts full bona fides analysis. This preliminary action ensures that the high-precision analysis is only performed when necessary, maintaining measurement precision while avoiding unnecessary power consumption from continuous analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a biometric authentication system. The system comprises a biometric image sensor in an operative position with respect to a mechanical switch on a host electronic device and configured to sense biometric characteristics of a biometric object while the biometric object is operating the mechanical switch, the operating of the mechanical switch providing at least one of input and control to the host electronic device; and wake on event logic cooperating with at least one of the biometric image sensor and the host electronic device and configured to at least delay any response by the biometric image sensor or the host electronic device that increases power consumption by either the biometric image sensor or the host electronic device, beyond that needed for the performance, by at least one of the biometric image sensor and the host electronic device, of a bona fides analysis of an object being sensed while operating the mechanical switch, until a positive completion of the bona fides analysis determines that the object being sensed is an object desired to be sensed to perform a user authentication.