Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080197753 | Longitudinal Pulse Wave Array - An acoustic pulse array is described. The pulse array may include a plane wave pulse generator having a first side from which a first wave emanates, and a second side from which a second wave emanates. A first waveguide array may be attached to the generator on the first side of the generator, and a second waveguide array may be attached to a second side of the generator. One or more of the waveguides may be attached to the generator so as to orient the waveguide to transmit wave pulses in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the generator. | 08-21-2008 |
20080219098 | Acoustic Waveguide Plate With Nonsolid Cores - An acoustic (sound or ultrasound) wave transmitter having a plurality of waveguides is described, and a method of making such a transmitter is described. Each waveguide may have a cladded core. The core may be a liquid such as water, alcohol or mineral oil. Alternatively, the core may be a colloidal gel, such as gelatin dissolved in at least one of water, vinyl plastisol or silicone gel. The cladded core is capable of transmitting acoustic wave energy from a first end surface to a second end surface of the cladded core. The waveguides may be substantially fixed relative to each other by a binder. The binder may be formed by fusing the claddings together, potting a material between the waveguides and/or mechanically holding the waveguides. | 09-11-2008 |
20080230602 | BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION DEVICE AND METHOD - The invention may be embodied as an identity authentication system or method. A system according to the invention may have a biometric sensor capable of providing static biometric indications, an adhesive capable of positioning the sensor on an organism, and a computer in communication with the sensor. The computer may have software running on the computer in order to (a) cause the computer to determine whether there is a match between a subsequent static biometric indication and an initial static biometric indication, and (b) cause the computer to send a signal indicating whether a match was determined in order to authenticate the identity of the organism. | 09-25-2008 |
20080258580 | Reliability Improvement For Piezoelectric Imaging Array Device - A device for scanning a biological object, such as a fingerprint, is disclosed. One such device includes an array of acoustic waveguides and a piezoelectric array device. The piezoelectric array devices may be arranged in association with the waveguide array to provide ultrasonic energy in the form of an ultrasonic wave or collection of waves to the waveguide array, and also arranged to receive ultrasonic energy in the form of an ultrasonic wave or collection of waves from the waveguide array. The acoustic energy received by the piezoelectric array from the waveguide array may be energy that has been reflected from the biological object. A waveguide array according to the invention uses internal reflection to transmit the acoustic wave from one end of the waveguide array to another end of the waveguide array. | 10-23-2008 |
20090047445 | Method Of Making A Piezoelectric Device - A method of forming a piezoelectric device is disclosed. In one such method, a coating material is formed. The coating material has a piezoelectric precursor. The coating material is applied to a first electrode. The precursor is heated to a temperature that is above the Curie temperature of the precursor, but below the melting temperature of the precursor. While the precursor is above its Curie temperature, a voltage is applied across the precursor. While the voltage is applied across the precursor, the temperature of the precursor is reduced to below the Curie temperature. | 02-19-2009 |
20090134219 | Biometric Assurance Device And Method - The invention may be embodied as an identity assurance system or method. A system according to the invention may have a biometric sensor capable of providing static biometric indications, a strap capable of positioning the sensor on an organism, and a computer in communication with the sensor. The computer may have software running on the computer in order to (a) cause the computer to determine whether there is a match between a subsequent static biometric indication and an initial static biometric indication, and (b) cause the computer to send a signal indicating whether a match was determined in order to assure the identity of the organism. | 05-28-2009 |
20100052478 | Longitudinal Pulse Wave Array - An acoustic pulse array is described. The pulse array can include a plane wave pulse generator having a first side from which a first wave emanates, and a second side from which a second wave emanates. A first waveguide array can be attached to the generator on the first side of the generator, and a second waveguide array can be attached to a second side of the generator. One or more of the waveguides can be attached to the generator so as to orient the waveguide to transmit wave pulses in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the generator. | 03-04-2010 |
20100052827 | Acoustic Waveguide Array - An acoustic (sound or ultrasound) wave transmitter having a plurality of waveguides is described, and a method of making such a transmitter is described. Each waveguide can have a cladded core. The cladded core is capable of transmitting acoustic wave energy from a first end surface to a second end surface of the cladded core. The waveguides can be substantially fixed relative to each other by a binder. The binder can be formed by fusing the claddings together, potting a material between the waveguides and/or mechanically holding the waveguides. | 03-04-2010 |
20100060389 | Acoustic Waveguide Array With Nonsolid Cores - An acoustic (sound or ultrasound) wave transmitter having a plurality of waveguides is described, and a method of making such a transmitter is described. Each waveguide can have a cladded core. The core can be a liquid such as water, alcohol or mineral oil. Alternatively, the core can be a colloidal gel, such as gelatin dissolved in at least one of water, vinyl plastisol or silicone gel. The cladded core is capable of transmitting acoustic wave energy from a first end surface to a second end surface of the cladded core. The waveguides can be substantially fixed relative to each other by a binder. The binder can be formed by fusing the claddings together, potting a material between the waveguides and/or mechanically holding the waveguides. | 03-11-2010 |
20100251824 | Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanning Using a Plane Wave - The invention may be embodied as a fingerprint scanner having an ultrasonic wave detector, a platen, an ultrasonic wave generator located between the detector and the platen. The invention may be embodied as a method of scanning a finger. One such method includes providing a platen, a detector and a generator, the generator being placed between the platen and the detector. A finger may be provided on the platen, and an ultrasound wave pulse may be sent from the generator toward the finger. The wave pulse may be reflected from the finger, and received at the detector. The received wave pulse may be used to produce an image of the finger. | 10-07-2010 |
20110215150 | Biometric Sensor With Delay Layer - A biometric scanner is described and claimed. The scanner has a platen, an ultrasonic plane wave generator, an ultrasonic detector, and a delay layer residing between the generator and the detector. | 09-08-2011 |
20110279662 | Reflex Longitudinal Imaging Using Through Sensor Insonification - An ultrasonic reflex imaging device and a method are described. A device according to the invention may include a platen, a generator, and a receiver positioned between the platen and the generator. A backer may be positioned so that the insonification device is between the receiver array and the backer. The backer may be configured to absorb or delay energy that originated from the generator. The generator produces an energy pulse, which travels through the receiver and the platen to reach a biological object. Part of the energy pulse is reflected from the biological object. The reflected energy pulse travels through the platen to the detector. The detector converts the reflect energy pulse to electric signals, which are then interpreted to create an image of the biological object. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279664 | Ultrasonic Area-Array Sensor With Area-Image Merging - A method and device for using a small area-array sensor to produce a larger image of a biological object is disclosed. In a method according to the invention, the presence of a biological object is detected, and images of the biological object are collected using the area-array sensor. Pixels from at least some of the collected area-images are discarded to produce a set having modified area-images, and the area-images of the set are combined to form an extended image using an image merging algorithm. | 11-17-2011 |
20110282623 | Control System And Method Using An Ultrasonic Area Array - A computer control system and method is disclosed. Such a system may include a processor and an ultrasonic area-array sensor configured to receive a ridged surface, such as one or more digits of a hand. The processor may be configured to:
| 11-17-2011 |
20110286641 | Sensor System Having A Platen With A Dome-Shaped Contact Surface - A sensor system and a method for collecting information about a surface of an object are disclosed. The sensor has a plurality of detectors and a platen. The platen has a contact surface, at least part of which is dome-shaped. When the surface of an object is in contact with the contact surface, an energy signal may be sent to toward the contact surface, and the detectors may detect the reflected signal. The detected signal may be used to provide information about the object's surface, including an image of the surface. | 11-24-2011 |
20110291531 | Multiple Electrode Plane Wave Generator - The invention may be embodied as an ultrasonic plane wave generator having a first sheet of piezoelectric material and a second sheet of piezoelectric material. A shared electrode may be between the first sheet and the second sheet. A first electrode set may have a plurality of electrodes, and these electrodes may be positioned with respect to the first sheet to form a set of wave generators. A wave generator in this first wave generator set may include the shared electrode, the first sheet, and one of the electrodes in the first electrode set. A second electrode set may have a plurality of electrodes, and these electrodes may be positioned with respect to the second sheet to form another set of wave generators. A wave generator in this second wave generator set may include the shared electrode, the second sheet, and one of the electrodes in the second electrode set. | 12-01-2011 |
20120026117 | Device And Method Of Controlling A Computer Using Centroids - A computer control system and a method of controlling a computer are disclosed. One such system includes an area-array sensor and a processor. The processor may have a navigation mode, and when set to this mode, the processor is configured to execute certain tasks. Those tasks may include acquiring a first information set and acquiring a second information set from the sensor. The first information set may represent reflected energy received by the sensor at the first time and the second information set may represent reflected energy received by the sensor at the second time. The first information set indicates a first contact area corresponding to that portion of an indicator object (such as a finger or stylus) which contacts the platen at the first time, and the second information set indicates a second contact area corresponding to that portion of the indicator object which contacts the platen at the second time. Centroids of the contact areas are used to determine a navigation control measurement that may be used to control a computer. | 02-02-2012 |
20120206585 | Biometric Scanner With Waveguide Array - Devices and methods of creating an image of a biological object are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention there is a plane wave ultrasonic pulse generator, an ultrasonic wave manipulation device, an ultrasonic detector and an image generator. In a method according to the invention, a biological object is imaged by emitting an unfocussed ultrasonic energy wave front, reflecting at least a portion of the ultrasonic energy wave front from the object, altering a direction of the ultrasonic energy, detecting that energy, and using the detected energy to create an image of the object. | 08-16-2012 |
20130200907 | System And Method Of Using An Electric Field Device - A biometric scanner having an electric field device and a method of using that scanner are disclosed. The electric field device (a) has no electric field generator or an electric field generator that is prevented from providing an electric field to a biometric object, such as a finger, and (b) has an electric field sensor array comprised of a plurality of electric field sensors. Capacitance readings from the sensor array are used to generate values that are attributed to locations corresponding to the sensors. | 08-08-2013 |
20130201134 | Ultrasonic Touch Sensor With A Display Monitor - A touch screen monitor having a display monitor and an ultrasonic device. The ultrasonic device may include a sensor array using piezoelectric sensors to detect the surface topology of a biological or other object that is in contact with a surface of the display monitor. The display monitor may be a LCD or LED monitor. | 08-08-2013 |
20130201153 | Biometric Scanner Having A Protective Conductive Array - A biometric scanner having a sensor and an array of conductive strands is disclosed. The sensor has at least one sensor electrode, and that sensor electrode may be a capacitance sensor, an electric field sensor, or an electroluminescent sensor. The array may have an electrical insulating material between adjacent ones of the conductive strands. The array serves to protect the sensor, and conduct through the array information about the electrical characteristics of a biometric object. | 08-08-2013 |
20130203470 | Protective Display Surface - A smart phone protective cover with an integrated waveguide array is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the cover includes a portion adapted to contain a waveguide array designed to allow communications between the smart phone and a user. The invention may be implemented to facilitate cursor, display and/or navigation control relative to the smart phone. | 08-08-2013 |
20130289935 | Control System and Method Using an Ultrasonic Area Array - A computer control system and method is disclosed. Such a system may include a processor and an ultrasonic area-array sensor configured to receive a ridged surface, such as one or more digits of a hand. The processor may be configured to:
| 10-31-2013 |
20140090473 | Systems and Methods for Acquiring Biometric Information - The invention may be embodied as a fingerprint scanner having an ultrasonic wave detector, a platen, an ultrasonic wave generator located between the detector and the platen. The invention may be embodied as a method of scanning a finger. One such method includes providing a platen, a detector and a generator, the generator being placed between the platen and the detector. A finger may be provided on the platen, and an ultrasound wave pulse may be sent from the generator toward the finger. The wave pulse may be reflected from the finger, and received at the detector. The received wave pulse may be used to produce an image of the finger. | 04-03-2014 |
20140354823 | DEVICES AND METHODS OF SENSING - A method is disclosed, including obtaining an infrared representation based on a detected infrared signal and obtaining a combined representation based on a detected combined ultrasonic and infrared signal. An output representation is generated from the infrared representation and the combined representation. The output representation can be generated from a comparison between the combined representation and the infrared signal representation. | 12-04-2014 |
20140354905 | MULTIFUNCTIONAL PIXEL AND DISPLAY - A display array is disclosed. The multifunctional pixel may include a plurality of multifunctional pixels. Each multifunctional pixel can include a red display area, a green display area, and a blue display area, as well as at least one sensor selected from the following sensor types: an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a photoelectric sensor, and a capacitive sensor. The blue display area can be smaller than the red display area, or smaller than the green display area, in each of the plurality of multifunctional pixels. | 12-04-2014 |
20140355376 | Display With Backside Ultrasonic Sensor Array - A display device has a visual display capable of providing an image and an ultrasonic sensor array attached to a backside component of the visual display. The ultrasonic sensor array may be an ultrasonic area array sensor. For example, the backside component may be a backlight, an optical waveguide, or a display TFT. | 12-04-2014 |