Patent ID: 7298875
Filing Date: 2007-11-20
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A capacitance-type fingerprint sensor apparatus comprising: a substrate; a plurality of pixel groups, each of which includes a plurality of pixels arranged in the form of an array; and a plurality of switches, each of the pixels including: a coupling electrode which is surrounded by an insulating layer, and is positioned on the substrate; a sensing electrode which is surrounded by an insulating layer, and is positioned on the coupling electrode to correspond to the coupling electrode; and a detection circuit for detecting variable capacitance between the sensing electrode and a user's finger when the user's finger is brought into contact with the insulating layer surrounding the sensing electrode, wherein each of the pixels includes a plurality of pixels, individual sensing electrodes contained in one pixel group are electrically connected to each other and are connected to a first external voltage source, and individual coupling electrodes contained in one pixel group are electrically connected to each other and are connected to a second external voltage source, and the switches include: a plurality of first sensing-electrode switches for connecting individual sensing electrodes contained in each pixel group to the first external voltage source, respectively; a plurality of second sensing-electrode switches for interconnecting all sensing electrodes contained in each pixel group; a plurality of third sensing-electrode switches for connecting selected sensing electrodes contained in one pixel group to other selected sensing electrodes contained in the other pixel group, respectively, such that the sensing electrodes contained in all pixel groups are electrically connected to each other; and a plurality of coupling-electrode switches for electrically interconnecting the coupling electrodes contained in all pixel groups.