Fingerprint sensing device and operation method thereof

A fingerprint sensing device and an operation method thereof are provided. The fingerprint sensing device includes a driver integrated chip and a fingerprint sensor. The driver integrated chip is coupled to a host processor. The fingerprint sensor is coupled to the driver integrated chip and the host processor. The fingerprint sensor obtains a fingerprint image during a period when the host processor is in the sleep mode. The driver integrated chip performs a fingerprint verification on the fingerprint image, and the driver integrated chip determines to wake up the host processor according to whether the fingerprint image passes the fingerprint verification.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a sensing device, and particularly relates to a fingerprint sensing device and an operation method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

For the current screen-unlocking application by fingerprint verification, when the mobile phone is operated in standby mode, if the user presses his finger on the fingerprint sensor to operate the mobile phone, the touch circuit or fingerprint drive circuit of the mobile phone must first notify and wake up the processor of the mobile phone. And, after waiting until the phone is fully awake, the processor then outputs a control signal to the display drive circuit to light up the display panel, and then output another control signal to the fingerprint drive circuit to operate the fingerprint sensor for fingerprint sensing. After the fingerprint sensor obtains the fingerprint image, the fingerprint drive circuit must send the fingerprint image back to the processor of the mobile phone for fingerprint verification. In other words, the current screen-unlocking method by fingerprint verification has the disadvantages of taking a lot of time and consuming the phone's power, and further causing a poor user experience. In view of this, the following will propose solutions in several embodiments.

SUMMARY

The disclosure provides a fingerprint sensing device and an operation method thereof, which provides a fast fingerprint sensing, and can quickly wake up the fingerprint sensing device and effectively save power consumption.

The fingerprint sensing device of the disclosure includes a driver integrated chip and a fingerprint sensor. The driver integrated chip is coupled to a host processor. The fingerprint sensor is coupled to the driver integrated chip and the host processor. The fingerprint sensor obtains a fingerprint image during a period when the host processor is in a sleep mode. The driver integrated chip performs a fingerprint verification on the fingerprint image and the driver integrated chip determines whether to wake up the host processor according to whether the fingerprint image passes a fingerprint verification.

The operation method of fingerprint sensing device is provided. A fingerprint sensing device includes a fingerprint sensor and a driver integrated chip. The operation method includes the following steps. The fingerprint sensor obtains a fingerprint image during a period when the host processor is in a sleep mode. The driver integrated chip performs a fingerprint verification on the fingerprint image. The driver integrated chip determines whether to wake up the host processor according to whether the fingerprint image passes the fingerprint verification.

Based on the above, in the fingerprint sensing device and the operating method thereof according to the disclosure, the fingerprint image can be verified through the driver integrated chip, and the host processor is awakened by the driver integrated chip. Therefore, according to the fingerprint sensing device and the operation method thereof of the present invention, power consumption of the host processor can be reduced.

In order to make the above description more apparent and understandable, examples of implementation are given below, together with the accompanying diagrams, which are described in detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1is a schematic block diagram of a fingerprint sensing device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIG.1, a fingerprint sensing device100includes a driver integrated chip110, a fingerprint sensor120, a memory130, a host processor210, and a display panel220. The fingerprint sensing device100may be a terminal device, such as an electronic product with fingerprint sensing, such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, or a handheld smart device or the like, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, the fingerprint sensor120and the driver integrated chip110are integrated or packaged as an independent fingerprint sensor module101, and the host processor210and the display panel220are terminal devices. The fingerprint sensor module101is configured in the terminal device and is connected to the host processor210and the display panel220. Further, the memory130may be exclusively accessed by the driver integrated chip110. Alternatively, the memory130is disposed in a terminal device outside the fingerprint sensor module101, and is further coupled to the host processor210, so as to be accessed together by the driver integrated chip110and the host processor210.

In the present embodiment, the driver integrated chip110is coupled to the fingerprint sensor120, the memory130, the host processor210, and the display panel220. In the present embodiment, the fingerprint sensor120and the fingerprint sensor module101may be, for example, an optical fingerprint sensor, a capacitive fingerprint sensor, a thermal fingerprint sensor, or an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Moreover, the display panel220may be, for example, a liquid crystal (LCD) display panel, a light-emitting diode (LED) display panel, or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel. The fingerprint sensor120may be disposed under the display panel220, integrated in the display panel220, or separately disposed under the sensor panel somewhere in the housing of the terminal device.

In the present embodiment, the driver integrated chip110may be a display driver integrated-circuit (DDI), a touch with display driver integrated-circuit (TDDI), a fingerprint display driver integrated-circuit (FDDI), or a fingerprint touch display driver integrated-circuit (FTDDI) so as to drive the fingerprint sensor120and the display panel220. Taking the fingerprint touch display driver integrated chip (FTDDI) as an example, the driver integrated chip110drives the fingerprint sensor120, the display panel220, and the touch panel, where the touch panel may be integrated with the display panel220to form a touch display panel, or the touch panel may be disposed under the display panel220. Furthermore, when the touch display panel senses a finger pressing, the driver integrated chip110drives the fingerprint sensor120to perform fingerprint sensing at a position corresponding to the finger pressing.

In the present embodiment, the driver integrated chip110has an image processing function and may perform fingerprint verification on a fingerprint image provided by the fingerprint sensor120, and the memory130stores the fingerprint image and software for related image processing, identification, or analysis for the driver integrated chip110to access and execute. It is worth noting that when the host processor210is in a period of a sleep mode, the driver integrated chip110maintains the function of driving the fingerprint sensor120, or maintains minimum operation by operating in lower power consumption, so as to drive the fingerprint sensor120to verify the fingerprint image.

When the fingerprint sensor120, the display panel220, or the touch display panel senses the fingerprint image and provides it to the driver integrated chip110, the driver integrated chip110may directly perform fingerprint verification on the fingerprint image without first waking up the host processor210, or even without sending the fingerprint image back to the host processor210for fingerprint verification. Moreover, when the driver integrated chip110determines that the fingerprint of the fingerprint image passes or fails verification, the driver integrated chip110may directly light up the display panel220without first notifying the host processor210, and without waiting for the host processor210to send back a control instruction. Therefore, with the fingerprint sensing device100and the fingerprint sensor module101of the disclosure, fingerprint verification can be performed independently and quickly, and the display panel220or the touch display panel can also be lighted up quickly.

However, it is worth noting that the specific implementation of “lighting up” the display panel220in the embodiments of the disclosure refers to driving the display panel220to display the screen when the display panel220is in a completely off-screen state. Alternatively, the specific implementation of “lighting up” the display panel220may also refer to the display panel220, which displays a standby screen where the standby screen may be a fully black screen or an at least partially black screen, being driven from the state having the lowest brightness so as to display the screen. In other words, with the fingerprint sensor120and fingerprint sensor module101of the disclosure, fingerprint image can be sensed and verified in the at least partially black screen or in low-light environment, without having to waking up the host processor210, and the display panel220can be quickly switched from the standby screen to the operating screen.

FIG.2is a schematic diagram of a display panel and a driver integrated chip according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.3is a flowchart of an operation method of fingerprint sensing device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. First referring toFIG.2, the display panel220having the fingerprint sensor120is configured, where multiple sensing pixels of the fingerprint sensor120may be integrated in multiple display pixels of a pixel array of the display panel220so as to provide full-screen fingerprint sensing. In the present embodiment, the driver integrated chip110and the memory130may be provided on a same circuit board140(such as a printed circuit board, PCB)), and the memory130is configured to be exclusively accessed by the driver integrated chip110. The driver integrated chip110is coupled to the fingerprint sensor120, the display panel220, and the host processor210through circuits. Moreover, the touch panel is integrated under the display panel220.

Referring toFIGS.1to3, the fingerprint sensing device100may perform the following steps S310to S330. In the present embodiment, when the fingerprint sensing device100is in a standby state, the host processor210is in a sleep mode (or operates in a low power consumption mode), and the display panel220is in a power-saving state (that is, an unlit state). Then, when the fingerprint sensor120or the display panel220(including the touch panel) senses that the user's finger approaches, touches, or presses a finger pressing region221of the display panel220, the fingerprint sensor120is driven to obtain a fingerprint image. In other words, the fingerprint sensor120or the display panel220(including the touch panel) may sense the finger touching and notify the driver integrated chip110to operate the fingerprint sensor120to perform fingerprint sensing on the finger pressing region221of the display panel220so as to sample the user's fingerprint222. Further, when a finger approaches, touches, or presses on the finger pressing region221of the display panel220, the driver integrated chip110may also drive the display panel220to provide part of the illuminating light to the finger pressing region221to illuminate the finger, while maintaining a black screen.

Of course, in other embodiments, a fingerprint sensor module101may be configured as the fingerprint sensor120, a touch display panel may be configured as the display panel220, and the fingerprint sensor module101may be built into the touch display panel. Accordingly, the operation mode of the display panel220or the touch display panel is not limited to the above, and in actual application, the operation mode can be adjusted according to the types.

Therefore, in step S310, the driver integrated chip110may obtain the fingerprint image through the fingerprint sensor120during the period when the host processor210is in the sleep mode. Then, in step S320, the driver integrated chip110may perform fingerprint verification on the fingerprint image, where the driver integrated chip110may read an enrolled fingerprint image pre-stored in the memory130or a recorded fingerprint image previously verified so as to compare whether the fingerprint image is verified. The enrolled fingerprint image may be an initial fingerprint image or at least one of the previously recorded fingerprint image; that is, the driver integrated chip110may automatically adjust the basis for the next verification comparison according to latest state of the enrolled fingerprint image (i.e. the most recently stored enrolled image or the updated enrolled image). In step S330, the driver integrated chip110may determine to light up the display panel220according to that the fingerprint image passes fingerprint verification, and output a wake-up signal to the host processor210so as to wake up the host processor210. During the verification of the fingerprint image, the host processor210of the present embodiment does not receive the fingerprint image.

In other words, in the fingerprint sensing device100, the driver integrated chip110directly completes the fingerprint verification process of the fingerprint image, and the current state of the display panel220is then determined according to the verification result of the fingerprint image, and the host processor210is awaken to execute the operating system. Furthermore, in the process of performing fingerprint verification, the driver integrated chip110does not need to return the fingerprint image to the host processor210for processing. Instead, the driver integrated chip110wakes up the host processor210to log in to the operating system after fingerprint verification is passed. Therefore, the fingerprint sensing device100and the operation method thereof according to the present embodiment can effectively reduce power consumption, quickly execute fingerprint verification procedures, and realize data security protection.

FIG.4is an operation flowchart of a driver integrated chip after passing fingerprint verification according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIGS.1to4, steps S410to S430ofFIG.4may be combined with the operation method ofFIG.3. When the user's finger touches or presses on the finger pressing region221of the display panel220, the fingerprint sensing device100may perform the following steps S410to S430. In step S410, when the host processor210is in the period of the sleep mode, the driver integrated chip110operates the display panel220to display a standby screen, where the standby screen is a black screen or an at least partially black screen. Then, in step S420, when the obtained fingerprint image passes verification, the driver integrated chip110may light up the display panel220. The driver integrated chip110may simultaneously output a driving signal to the display panel220so as to light up the display panel220, and output a wake-up signal and data related to fingerprint verification to the host processor210so as to wake up the host processor210. Alternatively, the driver integrated chip110may first output a driving signal to the display panel220, and then output a wake-up signal to the host processor210so as to light up the display panel220and wake up the host processor210. However, in one embodiment, since the speed at which the display panel220is lighted up may be faster than the speed at which the host processor210is fully awakened, the driver integrated chip110may also first switch the standby screen displayed by the display panel220to a preset waiting screen (such as a boot screen with specific content), or maintain the standby screen displayed by the display panel220, where the screen data of the standby screen may be pre-stored in the memory130without being provided by the host processor210. Then, in step S430, after the host processor210is awaken to enter working mode (according to the data related to fingerprint verification), the host processor210may provide display data to the driver integrated chip110, such that the driver integrated chip110may switch the standby screen (or the aforementioned waiting screen) displayed by the display panel220to an operating screen. Therefore, the fingerprint sensing device100of the present embodiment can provide a good user experience on fingerprint login and screen-unlocking.

FIG.5is a flowchart of fingerprint enrollment performed by a driver integrated chip according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIG.1andFIG.5, in steps S510to S530of the present embodiment, the enrolled fingerprint image may be recorded into the memory130. In step S510, when the fingerprint enrollment is performed, the driver integrated chip110may obtain the fingerprint image from the fingerprint sensor120. In the present embodiment, the driver integrated chip110may determine whether the fingerprint feature of the fingerprint image is sufficient as an enrolled fingerprint image, and perform image optimization processing and the like on the fingerprint image. When the driver integrated chip110determines that the fingerprint image may be configured as an enrolled fingerprint image, the driver integrated chip110may notify the host processor210. Therefore, in step S520, the driver integrated chip110may receive a confirmation signal provided by the host processor210. The driver integrated chip110may set the fingerprint image as the enrolled fingerprint image according to the confirmation signal. Next, in step S530, the driver integrated chip110may store the enrolled fingerprint image in the memory130. Therefore, in the fingerprint sensing device100of the present embodiment, fingerprint enrollment may be performed, and there is no need to return the fingerprint image to the host processor210for processing or storage the fingerprint image to other memory that is only accessed by the host processor210. In other words, the host processor210of the present embodiment does not receive the enrolled fingerprint image. Therefore, the driver integrated chip110of the fingerprint sensing device100of the present embodiment provides fingerprint enrollment and saves data storage space.

On the other hand, in other embodiments, when the driver integrated chip110determines that the fingerprint image may be configured as the enrolled fingerprint image, the driver integrated chip110may also directly store the enrolled fingerprint image in the memory130without performing the above step S520, as a basis for the next verification and comparison of the fingerprint image.

To sum up, with the fingerprint sensing device and the operating method thereof according to the disclosure, fingerprint image can be verified through the driver integrated chip of the fingerprint sensing device during the period when the host processor is in the sleep mode, and whether to directly light up the display panel and wake up the host processor through the driver integrated chip can be determined. Moreover, with the driver integrated chip of the disclosure, there is no need to spend time returning the fingerprint image during fingerprint verification. Therefore, the fingerprint sensing device and the operation method thereof according to the disclosure can wake up the host processor quickly.