Multi-Resolution Fingerprint Sensor for Compact Biometric Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fingerprint recognition systems face challenges in accurately discriminating between users with small placement sensors that capture only a partial fingerprint image, requiring sophisticated matching algorithms and user cooperation to present the same fingerprint portion consistently.
Innovation Solution
A multi-resolution fingerprint sensor with a higher resolution area for anti-spoofing and down-sampling to maintain uniform resolution, allowing for efficient processing without increasing hardware costs or altering existing software stacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a small placement sensor is used to reduce device size and cost, then the sensor can be packaged into smaller portable devices and reduce hardware costs, but the sensor captures only a partial fingerprint image which reduces recognition accuracy and requires sophisticated matching algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array is divided into multiple sensing regions with different resolutions. A first sensing region captures a first image area of the fingerprint at a first resolution, while a second sensing region captures a second image area at a second resolution. This segmentation allows the sensor to capture sufficient fingerprint information even when the overall sensor area is small, thereby maintaining recognition accuracy while reducing device size.
2Measurement precision
If a higher resolution sensor is used to improve fingerprint recognition accuracy, then sufficient fingerprint information can be captured, but hardware costs increase and the existing software stack must be altered
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the sensor array are assigned different resolution qualities based on their functional requirements. The first sensing region operates at a first resolution suitable for capturing sufficient fingerprint information, while the second sensing region operates at a second resolution. This local quality differentiation allows the system to achieve accurate fingerprint recognition without requiring the entire sensor to operate at high resolution, thereby reducing hardware costs and maintaining compatibility with existing software stacks that expect uniform resolution.
3Loss of information
If the sensor captures a larger area of the fingerprint, then sufficient information for discrimination is obtained, but the sensor size must be increased which conflicts with compact device requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dimensional change by operating the sensor array in multiple resolution modes. Instead of increasing sensor area to capture more fingerprint information, the system uses a smaller sensor array that can be operated at different effective resolutions. By selecting appropriate sensing regions and resolutions, the system can capture sufficient fingerprint information from a compact sensor area, effectively solving the problem in a different dimensional space (resolution space rather than physical area space).
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-resolution fingerprint sensors and methods of using the same are provided. The multi-resolution fingerprint sensors each include a portion of the imaging area or region of the sensor that provides higher imaging resolution than the remaining imaging area of the sensor. The area of higher resolution is useful for anti-spoofing purposes, but because only a portion of the sensor is higher-resolution, advantageously it will not impact hardware costs nearly as much as a sensor that was higher resolution over its entire imaging area. Furthermore, the higher resolution area can be down-sampled so there would be no impact on the standard matcher and image processing software stack, which expects a uniform resolution for the entire image acquired.