Fingerprint Sensor Proximity Detection Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with biometric sensors face challenges in power consumption, leading to reduced battery life, and are prone to false authentication attempts due to interactions with non-user conductive materials.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a proximity sensor component proximately located with a fingerprint sensor, which uses infrared signal reception to detect user presence, transitioning the fingerprint sensor from a low-power mode to an active mode only when a warm object is detected, thereby reducing unnecessary power usage and preventing false authentications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the fingerprint sensor is continuously active to enable immediate authentication, then authentication responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proximity sensor performs preliminary detection of user presence before activating the fingerprint sensor. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare for authentication only when needed, avoiding continuous operation of the power-intensive fingerprint sensor while maintaining responsive authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of the fingerprint sensor based on real-time proximity detection. The fingerprint sensor transitions between active and low-power states according to user presence, optimizing the balance between authentication responsiveness and power consumption.
2Ease of operation
If the fingerprint sensor remains active to detect user presence, then authentication availability is improved, but false authentication attempts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proximity sensor acts as an intermediary between the user and the fingerprint sensor. It detects warm objects near the sensor and uses this information to control fingerprint sensor activation, preventing false authentication attempts from non-user objects while maintaining availability for legitimate users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical contact detection with thermal field detection using the proximity sensor. By detecting the thermal signature of warm objects, the system can distinguish between legitimate user presence and false contact attempts, improving authentication reliability without compromising availability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces power consumption, extends battery runtime, and enhances user authentication accuracy by ensuring the fingerprint sensor is only activated in the presence of a user, eliminating false positives from non-user objects.
Implementation Method 1
determining, with at least one proximity sensor component proximately located with a fingerprint sensor, that an object is proximately located with the fingerprint sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method in an electronic device includes determining, with at least one proximity sensor component proximately located with a fingerprint sensor, that an object is proximately located with the fingerprint sensor. In response to this, the method includes transitioning the fingerprint sensor from a low-power or sleep mode to an active mode of operation. The method then detects, with the fingerprint sensor, the object touching the fingerprint sensor. The method also detects, with the fingerprint sensor, an action of the object along the fingerprint sensor. The method then performs a control operation as a function of the action.