Touchscreen Biosensing Using Photoconductive Lines for Biometrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touchscreens do not effectively integrate biometric sensors, particularly PPG sensors, requiring additional hardware and modifications, which increases the bill of materials and complicates device design.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating photoconductive materials, such as graphene, into the touchscreen's drive and sense lines to function as both a touchscreen and a biosensor, enabling biometric data collection by analyzing photocurrent changes caused by reflected light from a user's finger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional hardware and device modifications are used to integrate biometric sensors like PPG sensors, then biometric data collection capability is improved, but device complexity and bill of materials increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touchscreen functionality with biometric sensing capabilities by integrating photoconductive materials into the existing touchscreen structure. The touchscreen controller is modified to operate in two modes: touchscreen mode and biosensing mode. This merging eliminates the need for separate biometric sensor hardware, thereby reducing device complexity and bill of materials while maintaining biometric data collection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The touchscreen is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a touch input device and a biometric sensor. By using the same physical structure (touchscreen with photoconductive materials) for both touch detection and biometric data collection (such as PPG signals), the system achieves multi-functionality without requiring additional dedicated hardware components.
2Measurement precision
If separate biometric sensors are integrated into the device, then biometric sensing accuracy is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges biometric sensing functionality into the existing touchscreen manufacturing process by incorporating photoconductive materials during touchscreen fabrication. This approach allows biometric sensing accuracy to be achieved without requiring separate biometric sensor integration steps, thereby simplifying manufacturing and reducing production complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the touchscreen structure is modified to include biometric sensing capabilities, then functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen structure is designed to be universal, serving both as a touch interface and a biometric sensor. The photoconductive materials are integrated into the touchscreen layers, allowing the same structure to perform multiple functions. The controller is programmed to switch between touchscreen mode and biosensing mode, enabling versatility without requiring complex structural modifications or additional components.
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
Enables seamless integration of biometric sensing capabilities into touchscreens without additional hardware, allowing for efficient biometric data collection, including heart rate monitoring, by converting the touchscreen into a biosensing mode.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a touchscreen with photoconductive materials like graphene, where drive lines and sense lines are used to generate photocurrents from reflected light
Data Source
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AI summary
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device (102) that includes a touchscreen (104) with one or more biosensing areas (106a-106c). The touchscreen includes drive lines (118), sense lines (120), a photoconductive material (114), one or more biosensing areas, a touchscreen engine (108), and a biosensor engine (110). In a touchscreen mode, the touchscreen engine can be configured to couple with the sense lines and determine a place on the touchscreen where a user touched. In a biosensing mode, the biosensor engine can be configured to use the drive lines or sense lines and determine biometrics of the user.