Patents by Inventor Erik Jonathon Thompson
Erik Jonathon Thompson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11175177Abstract: A method for determining an amount of ambient light illumination is disclosed. The method includes: estimating a contribution per color component in an optical sensing region of an input frame to be displayed on a display device, wherein the optical sensing region corresponds to a location of an optical sensor in the display device, wherein the input frame comprises digital information for each color component for each pixel of the input frame; causing the optical sensor to detect an amount of illumination in the optical sensing region based on illuminating the display device with a representation of the input frame; and determining the amount of ambient light illumination based on the estimated contribution per color component in the optical sensing region of the input frame and the amount of illumination in the optical sensing region detected by the optical sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Petr Shepelev, Patrick A. Worfolk, Erik Jonathon Thompson
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Patent number: 11120247Abstract: An input device includes a fingerprint sensor and a processing system. The fingerprint sensor is configured to capture images of a sensing region of the input device. The processing system is configured to acquire a first image of the sensing region, where the first image includes one or more fingerprints. The processing system compares the first image with one or more adjunct templates to determine a similarity score for each of the one or more fingerprints. The processing system further compares at least one of the fingerprints with one or more fingerprints templates to determine a match score, and selectively authenticates the first image based at least in part on the similarity score and the match score.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Erik Jonathon Thompson
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Patent number: 11010589Abstract: An input device includes a biometric sensor and a processing system. The biometric sensor is configured to capture images of a sensing region of the input device. The processing system is configured to acquire a first image of the sensing region in response to a first authentication trigger, and to acquire a second image of the sensing region in response to a second authentication trigger. The processing system is further configured to determine an amount of similarity between the first image and the second image, and to validate the second image for user authentication when the amount of similarity between the first image and the second image is below a threshold level.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventors: Anthony P. Russo, Erik Jonathon Thompson
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Patent number: 10891460Abstract: Disclosed is a device for optical sensing, comprising: a display comprising a transparent substrate and a plurality of light emitters disposed above the transparent substrate; a transparent cover layer disposed above the display, wherein a top surface of the transparent cover layer provides an input surface for sensing an input object; and, an angled filter disposed below the transparent substrate of the display, wherein the angled filter is configured to allow light within a tolerance angle of an acceptance angle to pass through the angled filter, wherein the acceptance angle is centered around a non-zero angle relative to a normal of the input surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Will Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.Inventors: Guozhong Shen, Richard Klenkler, Paul Wickboldt, Young Seen Lee, Patrick Smith, Bob Lee Mackey, Marek Mienko, Arash Akhavan Fomani, Alvin Jee, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Bjoren Davis
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Publication number: 20200349332Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: FINGERPRINT CARDS ABInventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
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Patent number: 10719683Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ABInventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
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Publication number: 20200200596Abstract: A method for determining an amount of ambient light illumination is disclosed. The method includes: estimating a contribution per color component in an optical sensing region of an input frame to be displayed on a display device, wherein the optical sensing region corresponds to a location of an optical sensor in the display device, wherein the input frame comprises digital information for each color component for each pixel of the input frame; causing the optical sensor to detect an amount of illumination in the optical sensing region based on illuminating the display device with a representation of the input frame; and determining the amount of ambient light illumination based on the estimated contribution per color component in the optical sensing region of the input frame and the amount of illumination in the optical sensing region detected by the optical sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Petr SHEPELEV, Patrick A. WORFOLK, Erik Jonathon THOMPSON
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Publication number: 20200184191Abstract: An input device includes a fingerprint sensor and a processing system. The fingerprint sensor is configured to capture images of a sensing region of the input device. The processing system is configured to acquire a first image of the sensing region, where the first image includes one or more fingerprints. The processing system compares the first image with one or more adjunct templates to determine a similarity score for each of the one or more fingerprints. The processing system further compares at least one of the fingerprints with one or more fingerprints templates to determine a match score, and selectively authenticates the first image based at least in part on the similarity score and the match score.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2020Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventor: Erik Jonathon THOMPSON
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Patent number: 10664676Abstract: An optical sensor system includes a display substrate, display pixel circuitry including a plurality of light emitting display elements or pixels disposed over the display substrate, a first circular polarizer disposed over the display substrate and the display pixel circuitry, and a transparent cover sheet disposed over the first circular polarizer. A top surface of the transparent cover sheet provides a sensing surface for an object such as a finger. The optical sensor system also includes a sensor layer disposed below the display substrate, the sensor layer having a plurality of photosensors, and a second circular polarizer disposed between the sensor layer and the display substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Will Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.Inventors: Bob Lee Mackey, Patrick Smith, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Arash Akhavan Fomani, Marek Mienko
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Patent number: 10592717Abstract: A method and system for fingerprint imaging in an electronic device having a display, a touch sensor with a touch interface and an optical fingerprint sensor with a sensing region is described. The method and system include placing the electronic device in a hover detect mode, the hover detect mode scanning for a hovering finger; detecting the hovering finger; initiating illumination in the sensing region to image a fingerprint of the finger; capturing an image of the fingerprint in the sensing region; and disabling the illumination in the sensing region.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Mohamed Sheik-Nainar, Justin Mockler, Adam L. Schwartz, Erik Jonathon Thompson
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Patent number: 10380402Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conserving power during navigation, e.g., user device pointer/cursor navigation, using a fingerprint image sensor, that may comprise processing, via a computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a first finger navigation mode; processing, via the computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a second finger navigation mode; and transitioning, via the computing device, the fingerprint image sensor from a first power consumption mode to a second power consumption mode, based on detecting a transition from the first finger navigation mode to the second finger navigation mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Erik Jonathon Thompson, Frank Schwab, Anthony P. Russo, Bjoren Davis, Charles Bellman, Gregory Lewis Dean, Philip Yiu Kwong Chan, Jaswinder Jandu
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Patent number: 10282579Abstract: A method for initiating fingerprint capture in an electronic device is described. The device includes a touch screen with a sensing region, a touch controller, a fingerprint controller, and a host. The device is placed in a low power doze mode where the fingerprint controller is in a low power state and the device scans for an object proximate to the sensing region. When an object is proximate to the sensing region, the device executes a validation mode to determine whether the object is a fingerprint. When a fingerprint is detected, the device sends a wake up signal to the fingerprint controller and places the fingerprint controller in a high power mode. One or more fingerprint images are then captured.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2017Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Erik Jonathon Thompson, Adam L. Schwartz
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Publication number: 20190026523Abstract: Disclosed is a device for optical sensing, comprising: a display comprising a transparent substrate and a plurality of light emitters disposed above the transparent substrate; a transparent cover layer disposed above the display, wherein a top surface of the transparent cover layer provides an input surface for sensing an input object; and, an angled filter disposed below the transparent substrate of the display, wherein the angled filter is configured to allow light within a tolerance angle of an acceptance angle to pass through the angled filter, wherein the acceptance angle is centered around a non-zero angle relative to a normal of the input surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Guozhong SHEN, Richard KLENKLER, Paul WICKBOLDT, Young Seen LEE, Patrick SMITH, Bob Lee MACKEY, Marek MIENKO, Arash Akhavan FOMANI, Alvin JEE, Erik Jonathon THOMPSON, Bjoren DAVIS
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Publication number: 20190018998Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
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Publication number: 20180357462Abstract: An optical sensor system includes a display substrate, display pixel circuitry including a plurality of light emitting display elements or pixels disposed over the display substrate, a first circular polarizer disposed over the display substrate and the display pixel circuitry, and a transparent cover sheet disposed over the first circular polarizer. A top surface of the transparent cover sheet provides a sensing surface for an object such as a finger. The optical sensor system also includes a sensor layer disposed below the display substrate, the sensor layer having a plurality of photosensors, and a second circular polarizer disposed between the sensor layer and the display substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Bob Lee Mackey, Patrick Smith, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Arash Akhavan Fomani, Marek Mienko
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Patent number: 10102411Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
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Patent number: 10049254Abstract: A biometric imager may comprise a plurality of sensor element traces formed in or on a sensor substrate which may comprise at least a portion of a display screen defining a biometric sensing area and forming in-active pixel locations; an auxiliary active circuit formed in or on the sensor substrate on the periphery of the biometric sensing area and in direct or indirect electrical contact with the sensor element traces; and providing a signal processing interface to a remotely located controller integrated circuit. The sensor element traces may form a portion of one dimensional linear sensor array or pixel locations in a two dimensional grid array capacitive gap biometric imaging sensor. The auxiliary circuit may provide pixel location selection or pixel signal amplification. The auxiliary circuit may be mounted on a surface of the display screen. The auxiliary circuit further comprising a separate pixel location selection controller circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Paul Wickboldt, Gregory Lewis Dean, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Jaswinder Jandu, Patrick Smith, Steven Molesa
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Publication number: 20180218195Abstract: A method and system for fingerprint imaging in an electronic device having a display, a touch sensor with a touch interface and an optical fingerprint sensor with a sensing region is described. The method and system include placing the electronic device in a hover detect mode, the hover detect mode scanning for a hovering finger; detecting the hovering finger; initiating illumination in the sensing region to image a fingerprint of the finger; capturing an image of the fingerprint in the sensing region; and disabling the illumination in the sensing region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Mohamed Sheik-Nainar, Justin Mockler, Adam L. Schwartz, Erik Jonathon Thompson
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Publication number: 20180211078Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2017Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
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Publication number: 20180068161Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conserving power during navigation, e.g., user device pointer/cursor navigation, using a fingerprint image sensor, that may comprise processing, via a computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a first finger navigation mode; processing, via the computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a second finger navigation mode; and transitioning, via the computing device, the fingerprint image sensor from a first power consumption mode to a second power consumption mode, based on detecting a transition from the first finger navigation mode to the second finger navigation mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Erik Jonathon Thompson, Frank Schwab, Anthony P. Russo, Bjoren Davis, Charles Bellman, Gregory Lewis Dean, Philip Yiu Kwong Chan, Jaswinder Jandu