Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor Pairing With One Flexible Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating multiple fingerprint sensors into foldable or rollable displays increases costs due to the need for separate controller chips for each sensor, which are typically designed to control only one sensor.
Innovation Solution
A single controller chip is mounted on a flexible substrate with multiple fingerprint sensors, allowing them to be used across different display sections or sides of folds, with flexible printed circuit substrates electronically coupled using connectors, and optionally including a memory for tuning information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate controller chips are used for each fingerprint sensor, then each sensor can be controlled independently, but the cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple controller functions into a single controller chip that can manage multiple fingerprint sensors simultaneously. This is achieved through electrical connectors that allow one controller to interface with multiple sensors, reducing the total number of controller chips needed while maintaining independent control capability for each sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller chip is designed with universal functionality to control multiple different fingerprint sensors. The electrical connector configuration enables the single controller to adaptively interface with various sensor types and positions, making the controller multi-functional rather than dedicated to a single sensor.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate controller chips are used for each fingerprint sensor, then each sensor has dedicated control, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the controller and sensor components that can be manufactured separately and then connected through standardized electrical connectors. This allows independent manufacturing optimization while simplifying final assembly, as the segmented modules connect through predefined interfaces rather than requiring complex integrated assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connector design provides universal compatibility across different sensor-controller configurations. This standardized interface enables simplified manufacturing processes where components can be produced independently and assembled through plug-and-play connections, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the multi-component architecture.
3Ease of operation
If fingerprint information is processed externally, then authentication can be performed, but data leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes fingerprint information locally on the controller chip itself, rather than transmitting raw biometric data externally for processing. This extraction of processing capability from external systems and placement within the secure controller environment maintains authentication functionality while eliminating data leakage risks associated with external processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller chip acts as an intermediary between the fingerprint sensors and external systems. It handles all processing of fingerprint information locally and only communicates authentication results externally, serving as a secure mediator that prevents raw biometric data from leaving the secure controller environment while still enabling external authentication functionality.
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 reduces costs, simplifies manufacturing, enhances security through sequential or parallel authentication, and minimizes data leakage by processing fingerprint data directly on the controller chip.
Implementation Method 1
each ultrasonic sensor of the plurality of ultrasonic sensors is configured to obtain respective sensor information by generating and receiving ultrasonic waves traveling through a display
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic sensor system may comprise sensors (e.g., fingerprint sensors) configured to obtain information using ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic sensor system may further include a controller chip configured to obtain the information, and a first flexible printed circuit substrate onto which the controller chip and a first sensor are mounted. The first flexible printed circuit substrate may further comprise an electrical connector. The ultrasonic sensor system may further include a second flexible printed circuit substrate, electrically coupled with the first flexible printed circuit substrate via the electrical connector, onto which a second sensor is mounted. The first sensor may be electrically coupled with the controller chip via the first flexible printed circuit substrate, and the second sensor may be electrically coupled with the controller chip via the second flexible printed circuit substrate, the electrical connector, and the first flexible printed circuit substrate.