Optical Fingerprint Sensor Skin Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fingerprint authentication in electronic devices is not entirely secure as stolen fingerprint patterns can be replicated, and incidental contacts can inadvertently activate the fingerprint detection module, leading to power consumption issues.
Innovation Solution
A fingerprint detection system that includes a touch sensing module, an optical sensor module, and an authentication processor, which uses probe light at multiple wavelengths to differentiate human skin and detect fingerprints, and an additional heartbeat detection mechanism for high security modes to verify the presence of a live person.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional fingerprint sensor is used, then the device can be unlocked by fingerprint authentication, but stolen fingerprint patterns can be replicated and incidental contacts can activate the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
An optical detection module is introduced as an intermediary between the touch sensor and the authentication processor. This module uses light at multiple wavelengths to detect optical properties of the contact object, providing an additional verification layer that distinguishes between real human fingers and fake replicas or incidental contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from purely electrical/tactile contact detection to optical property detection. By measuring light absorption characteristics at multiple wavelengths, the system can identify human skin's unique optical properties, making it resistant to spoofing attempts.
2Ease of operation
If the fingerprint detection module is activated by any contact, then ease of use is improved, but power consumption increases due to incidental contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The optical detection module performs preliminary verification of the contact object's optical properties before the authentication processor is activated. This early filtering stage prevents unnecessary activation of the full authentication sequence for incidental contacts, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining ease of use for legitimate users.
3Measurement precision
If multiple optical wavelengths are used to detect human skin, then authentication accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical detection module serves multiple functions: it detects the presence of human skin, verifies authentication security, and can potentially detect heartbeat signals. By making this single module multi-functional, the system achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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
Enhances security by ensuring that only a live person with a valid fingerprint can access the device, reducing false activations and conserving power by distinguishing human skin and fingerprints accurately.
Implementation Method 1
produces probe light at two or more different optical wavelengths to which a person's skin produces different optical responses at the two or more different optical wavelengths due to presence of blood in the person's skin
Implementation Method 2
an optical detection unit that receives a reflection or transmission of the probe light to produce optical measurements
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and techniques are provided for performing human fingerprint detection and authentication for authenticating a request to access a locked mobile device equipped with a fingerprint detection module. In one aspect, responsive to detecting a contact from an object with the fingerprint detection module, described technique can be used to determines whether the contact from the object is from human skin. When determined that the detected contact from the object is from human skin, a presence of a human fingerprint can be detected from the object making contact. The detected fingerprint data can be obtained from the object and compared against stored fingerprint profiles associated with an authorized user of the locked mobile device. Based on the comparing, the request to access the locked mobile device can be granted.