Abstract: Apparatus, system, method, computer program, and computer program product that provide a security in creating and processing fingerprint images obtained from a fingerprint sensor by generating a full image fingerprint minutia feature template without ever generating or reconstructing the full or complete fingerprint image that is conventionally required to generate such minutia feature template.

Abstract: A finger sensor may include a finger sensing integrated circuit (IC) having a finger sensing area and at least one bond pad adjacent thereto, and a flexible circuit coupled to the IC finger sensor. The flexible circuit may include a flexible layer covering both the finger sensing area and the at least one bond pad, and at least one conductive trace carried by the flexible layer and coupled to the at least one bond pad. The flexible layer may permit finger sensing therethrough. The flexible circuit may include at least one connector portion extending beyond the finger sensing area and the at least one bond pad. For example, the connector portion may include a tab connector portion and/or a ball grid array connector portion. A fill material, such as an epoxy, may be provided between the IC finger sensor and the flexible circuit.

Abstract: A method in accordance with the present invention is used to organize minutiae and other identifying characteristics of a patterned object to verify a user. In one embodiment, the method includes matching minutiae points of the patterned object in one more sets with minutiae points of the patterned object in a candidate set. The method also includes adjusting a confidence value of each minutia point in the one or more sets based on results of the matching. The method also includes organizing the one or more sets based on the confidence values, such as by ordering the minutiae in the one or more sets based on the confidence values, or by deleting from the one or more sets any identifying characteristics with a confidence value below a threshold.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a housing and a finger biometric sensing area exposed on the housing. The electronic device may also include an optical indicator at least partially surrounding the finger biometric sensing area and exposed on the housing. The electronic device may also include a controller for performing at least one function based upon the finger biometric sensing area, and activating the optical indicator based upon communications with a remote web site.

Abstract: A communications system may include a terminal device that may include a housing, and a conductive radio frequency (RF) terminal receiver carried by the housing for receiving an RF signal conducted via contact with a user. The communications system may also include a user device including a portable housing, and a finger sensor carried by the portable housing and that may include RF excitation circuitry for sensing a finger of the user, and for serving as a conductive RF user device transmitter to transmit the RF signal onto the user to be received by the conductive RF terminal receiver.

Abstract: A finger sensor assembly may include a circuit board and an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor grid array package including a grid array on a lower end thereof mounted to the circuit board, and a finger sensing area on an upper end thereof. The finger sensor assembly may further include at least one visible light source carried by the circuit board and a visible light guide optically coupled to the at least one visible light source. The at least one visible light source may at least partially laterally surround the upper end of the IC finger sensor grid array package to provide visual light indications. The IC finger sensor grid array package may also include circuitry for controlling the at least one visible light source.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for determining the presence of a patterned object on the surface of a sensor. The apparatus comprises a sensor system coupled to a means for generating a control signal. The sensor system is configured to sense an image corresponding to the patterned object and to translate the image into image data. The means for generating a control signal generates a control signal if statistics of the image data exceed a pre-determined number of threshold levels. In a preferred embodiment, the patterned object is finger with a fingerprint on its surface and the sensor is fingerprint swipe sensor. Preferably, the threshold levels are software programmable.

Abstract: A variable resistance device comprises a resistive member having a resistive resilient material. A first conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistive member at a first contact location over a first contact area. A second conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistance member at a second contact location over a second contact area. The first contact location and second contact location are spaced from one another by a distance. The resistance between the first conductor at the first contact location and the second conductor at the second contact location is equal to the sum of a straight resistance component and a parallel path resistance component. At least one of the first location, the second location, the first contact area, and the second contact area is changed to produce a change in resistance between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Abstract: A method for finger biometric processing may include selecting at least one enrollment spot from finger biometric enrollment data comprising a plurality of pixels, and selecting at least one verification spot from finger biometric verification data comprising a plurality of pixels. One or more spot properties is determined for one (or both) of the at least one enrollment spot and the at least one verification spot. The method may further include comparing the at least one enrollment spot with the at least one verification spot based upon a function of corresponding pixel values of the at least one enrollment spot and the at least one verification spot, and also based upon the at least one spot property.

Abstract: Method and system for reconstructing seamless fingerprint image from set of image slices, or frames, from fingerprint swipe sensor. Robust normalized cross-correlation procedures are used for frame evaluation and image matching. Efficient use of device processing resources including memory by keeping only data frames that indicate moving finger and discards frames where no finger exists at sensor during acquisition or finger has not moved since last frame was acquired. Capability to adjust sensor settings during acquisition process to obtain optimal results. Logic ensures operation across different physical systems and sensor characteristics with varying acquisition speeds. Statistics regarding resulting reconstructed image and finger swiping process are computed and embedded in reconstructed image and are useful to the downstream fingerprint matching system, and by embedding in image, inventive system and method ensure that any fingerprint processing system can use information if when called upon to do so.

Abstract: A finger sensor may include a plurality of finger image sensing arrays for generating a respective plurality of finger image data sets based upon sliding finger movement over the finger image sensing arrays, and a processor cooperating with the finger image sensing arrays. The processor may determine finger movement based upon the finger image data sets, and generate a resampled finger image data set by resampling the finger image data sets based upon the determined finger movement. The processor may further deskew the finger image data sets when generating the resampled finger image data set.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor and an audio output transducer. The electronic device may further include a controller cooperating with the finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user's finger. The controller may also cooperate with the finger biometric sensor for causing the audio output transducer to generate at least one musical tone changing based upon movement of a user's finger relative to the finger biometric sensor.

Abstract: A device for and method of performing a task associated with fingerprint data is disclosed. The method comprises reading fingerprint data, matching the read fingerprint data to stored fingerprint data, the stored fingerprint data having an associated task, and performing the task. The associated task is part of a chain of tasks that are automatically executed when the read fingerprint data is matched to the stored fingerprint data. Preferably, at least one task has associated user profile data that is used to perform the task. An electronic device that can be controlled in accordance with the present invention includes, but is not limited to, a telephone, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and a remote controlled device.

Abstract: A finger sensing device may include a finger sensing area to receive a user's finger moved in a sliding motion, and a controller cooperating with the finger sensing area for generating successive image samples at least some of which are separated by different time intervals. The controller may generate finger movement signals based upon the successive image samples and the different time intervals. The controller may generate a plurality of repeating groups of ratio-metrically related image samples based upon the different time intervals. The reduced number of image samples may provide greater processing efficiency and reduced power consumption.

Abstract: A finger sensing device may include a finger sensing area to receive a user's finger moved in a sliding motion, a sensor controller cooperating with the finger sensing area for collecting image data therefrom, an image processor, and a communications path for sending image data from the sensor controller to the image processor. The sensing device may use at least one of the sensor controller and the image processor for (i) selecting a reference image data subset based upon reference image data, (ii) selecting a new image data subset, and (iii) comparing the new image data subset to the reference image data subset to develop a matching score, and, if the matching score is above a matching threshold, then not having new image data corresponding to the new image data subset sent over the data communications path, and, if the matching score is below the matching threshold, then having the new image data corresponding to the new image data subset sent over the data communications path.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to variable resistance zones for sensing input to an electronic device, as well as ministops for controlling deformation of the input components to ensure the accuracy of the inputs sensed. In one embodiment, a system in accordance with the present invention includes multiple variable resistors, an actuator, and a converter. The actuator overlies the multiple pressure-sensitive variable resistors and is configured to generate a pressure at a contact location on the multiple variable resistors. The converter is coupled to the multiple variable resistors and is programmed to map a pressure at the contact location to a pressure, location, or both along the surface of the actuator.

Abstract: An optical dispersion finger sensor includes an integrated circuit substrate, and an optical source for directing light into a user's finger when positioned adjacent the integrated circuit substrate. The light may propagate into and be dispersed by the user's finger so that at least a portion of the dispersed light exits the user's finger in a direction toward the integrated circuit substrate. The sensor may also include at least one optical dispersion sensing pixel on the integrated circuit substrate for sensing dispersed light from the user's finger. A processor may be connected to the optical dispersion sensing pixels for generating optical dispersion biometric data based upon dispersed light from the user's finger.

Abstract: A finger sensor may include a finger sensing area and a controller cooperating with the finger sensing area for storing enrollment data including finger feature locations. The controller may be for generating authentication data including finger feature locations based upon positioning of an object adjacent the finger sensing area. The controller may also be for performing aligning the authentication data and the enrollment data, matching between the aligned enrollment and authentication data, and spoof attempt detecting based upon corresponding pairs of finger features and their spatial locations in the aligned enrollment and authentication data. The controller may further be for performing an authentication decision based upon the matching and spoof detecting.

Abstract: A variable resistance device comprises a resistive member having a resistive resilient material. A first conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistive member at a first contact location over a first contact area. A second conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistance member at a second contact location over a second contact area. The first contact location and second contact location are spaced from one another by a distance. The resistance between the first conductor at the first contact location and the second conductor at the second contact location is equal to the sum of a straight resistance component and a parallel path resistance component. At least one of the first location, the second location, the first contact area, and the second contact area is changed to produce a change in resistance between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Abstract: A finger biometric sensor may include a thin film substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) layer on the thin film substrate, and an array of electric field sensing electrodes adjacent the TFT layer for receiving a finger adjacent thereto. The TFT layer may include a plurality of TFTs defining a respective TFT amplifier stage for each electric field sensing electrode. The sensor may further include a finger excitation electrode adjacent the array of electric field sensing electrodes, and at least one integrated circuit adjacent the thin film substrate. The integrated circuit may include a monocrystalline substrate and processing circuitry adjacent the monocrystalline substrate and connected to the TFT amplifier stages.