Fingerprint Sensor Pressure Detection via Sweat Pore Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing terminal devices require a specialized pressure sensing module for detecting pressure, leading to increased volume and cost due to the need for additional hardware.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize a fingerprint recognition sensor to detect pressure by acquiring and analyzing frames of fingerprint images, recognizing sweat pores, and determining pressure changes based on their features, such as number and size, eliminating the need for a dedicated pressure sensing module.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a specialized pressure sensing module is provided in the terminal device to detect pressure, then pressure detection capability is improved, but device volume and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure detection capabilityVSAvoiddevice volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The fingerprint recognition sensor is made to serve dual purposes: both fingerprint recognition and pressure detection. By utilizing the existing sensor's capability to capture fingerprint images, the system infers pressure information from changes in sweat pore visibility and distribution across multiple frames, eliminating the need for a separate pressure sensing module and thereby reducing device volume.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The fingerprint recognition sensor performs self-service by detecting pressure changes through its own imaging capabilities. The system analyzes changes in sweat pore features in sequential fingerprint images to determine pressure trends, allowing the sensor to perform both its primary function and pressure detection without requiring additional specialized hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If a specialized pressure sensing module is provided in the terminal device to detect pressure, then pressure detection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure detection capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The fingerprint recognition sensor is made to serve dual purposes: both fingerprint recognition and pressure detection. By utilizing the existing sensor's capability to capture fingerprint images, the system infers pressure information from changes in sweat pore visibility and distribution across multiple frames, eliminating the need for a separate pressure sensing module and thereby reducing device volume.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The fingerprint recognition sensor performs self-service by detecting pressure changes through its own imaging capabilities. The system analyzes changes in sweat pore features in sequential fingerprint images to determine pressure trends, allowing the sensor to perform both its primary function and pressure detection without requiring additional specialized hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If multiple frames of fingerprint images are acquired and sweat pore features are analyzed to detect pressure, then pressure detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure detection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring multiple frames of fingerprint images in advance and pre-processing them to identify sweat pore features. By preparing the data structure and feature extraction in advance, the system can efficiently analyze pressure changes without requiring extensive real-time computation, thus reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a limited number of pre-acquired frames (n≥2) and focuses analysis on specific sweat pore features (number, size, distribution) rather than processing every pixel and feature in the images. This partial action approach maintains sufficient pressure detection accuracy while significantly reducing computational complexity and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3208742B1Method and apparatus for detecting pressure
Publication Date: 2022.03.30 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3208742B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3208742B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3208742B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a pressure, pertaining to the field of terminal technology. The method includes: successively acquiring (202, 301, 401) a number n of frames of fingerprint images through a fingerprint recognition sensor, where n≥2 and n is an integer; recognizing (204, 302, 402) sweat pores respectively from each frame of fingerprint image; acquiring (206) a feature of the sweat pores respectively in each frame of fingerprint image; and determining (208) a change trend of a pressure applied on the fingerprint recognition sensor according to a change trend of the feature of the sweat pores in the n frames of fingerprint images.