Patents by Inventor Hans Thornblom

Hans Thornblom 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).

  • Patent number: 11935319
    Abstract: A method of evaluating a dielectric structure, comprising the steps of a) changing a potential difference between each sensing structure in a first set of sensing structures and each sensing structure in a second set of sensing structures, and to providing, for each sensing structure in the first set of sensing structures, a sensing signal indicative of a strength of a capacitive coupling between each sensing structure in the second set of sensing structures and the sensing structure in the first set of sensing structures; b) assign other sensing structures to the first set of sensing structures and the second set of sensing structures; c) performing step a) and step b) until a respective sensing signal has been provided for each sensing structure in the plurality of sensing structures; and d) providing an evaluation result based on the respective sensing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Frank Riedijk, Wouter Brevet, Hans Thörnblom, Anton Landberg
  • Publication number: 20240028154
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements distributed across a rectangular sensing area with mutually opposite short sides and mutually opposite long sides, the sensing elements being arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; readout circuitry arranged in a readout area located adjacent to a short side of the sensing area; and a plurality of readout lines for connecting each of the sensing elements to the readout circuitry, the readout lines in the plurality of readout lines extending in parallel to the long sides of the sensing area. For each column of sensing elements in the plurality of columns, at least a first sensing element and a second sensing element in the column are simultaneously connectable to the readout circuitry via a first readout line and a second readout line, respectively, in the plurality of readout lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Riedijk, Wouter Brevet, Hans Thörnblom
  • Publication number: 20230375612
    Abstract: A method of evaluating a dielectric structure, comprising the steps of a) changing a potential difference between each sensing structure in a first set of sensing structures and each sensing structure in a second set of sensing structures, and to providing, for each sensing structure in the first set of sensing structures, a sensing signal indicative of a strength of a capacitive coupling between each sensing structure in the second set of sensing structures and the sensing structure in the first set of sensing structures; b) assign other sensing structures to the first set of sensing structures and the second set of sensing structures; c) performing step a) and step b) until a respective sensing signal has been provided for each sensing structure in the plurality of sensing structures; and d) providing an evaluation result based on the respective sensing signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Frank Riedijk, Wouter Brevet, Hans Thörnblom, Anton Landberg
  • Patent number: 11727711
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensing system for sensing a finger surface of a finger, comprising: an array of sensing elements arranged under a sensing surface, each sensing element in the array of sensing elements being configured to sense a property indicative of a distance between the sensing element and the finger surface; and read-out circuitry coupled to the array of sensing elements and configured to provide, for each sensing element in the array of sensing elements, a timing indication indicative of a time when a value of the property sensed by the sensing element reached a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Hans Thörnblom, Daniel Andersson, Frank Riedijk, Johannes Arvidsson, Rasmus Söderström Olsson
  • Publication number: 20230230410
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensing system for sensing a finger surface of a finger, comprising: an array of sensing elements arranged under a sensing surface, each sensing element in the array of sensing elements being configured to sense a property indicative of a distance between the sensing element and the finger surface; and read-out circuitry coupled to the array of sensing elements and configured to provide, for each sensing element in the array of sensing elements, a timing indication indicative of a time when a value of the property sensed by the sensing element reached a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Hans Thörnblom, Daniel Andersson, Frank Riedijk, Johannes Arvidsson, Rasmus Söderström Olsson
  • Patent number: 11586717
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a method for authenticating a user using an electronic device, where the electronic device comprises a fingerprint sensor as well as a first and a second control unit. Preferably, the first control unit comprises a secure element and/or a secure block adapted to provide a secure processing environment. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding electronic device and to a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Hans Thörnblom, Eric Setterberg, Lars Puggaard Bøgild Christensen, Søren Skovgaard Christensen, Anders Ø. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11538267
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures arranged in a sensing plane for capacitively sensing a fingerprint of a finger placed on the finger receiving surface of the fingerprint sensor arrangement, the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures including: a first set of electrically conductive sensing structures, each sensing structure in the first set of electrically conductive sensing structures covering an area in the sensing plane being within a first area range; and a second set of electrically conductive sensing structures, each sensing structure in the second set of electrically conductive sensing structures covering an area in the sensing plane being within a second area range only including areas greater than the areas within the first area range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Frank Riedijk, Wouter Brevet, Hans Thörnblom
  • Patent number: 11516413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical biometric sensor (100) comprising: an image sensor (302) comprising an array (301) of photodetectors (304), wherein for acquiring sensing signals, the image sensor is controllable to sequentially start exposure of subsets (306, 308, 309) of photodetectors; and a timing circuitry (310) configured to control the start of exposure of a subset of photodetectors based on a present data transfer capacity on a data transfer bus (312) configured to transfer data indicative of the acquired sensing signals from the optical biometric sensor to a host device (314).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Fingerprint Cards Anacatum IP AB
    Inventors: Petter Östlund, Hans Thörnblom
  • Patent number: 11508180
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical biometric sensor comprising: a read-out circuitry controllable for converting analog sensing signals to digital signals, the analog sensing signals being indicative of an image acquired by an image sensor comprising an array of photodetectors; and a timing circuitry configured to control the read-out circuitry to provide digital signals based on a present data transfer capacity on a data transfer bus configured to transfer data indicative of the digital signals from the optical biometric sensor to a host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Fingerprint Cards Anacatum IP AB
    Inventors: Petter Östlund, Hans Thörnblom
  • Patent number: 11501554
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures arranged in a sensing plane for capacitively sensing a fingerprint of a finger; and measurement circuitry coupled to the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures for providing measurement signals indicative of a capacitive coupling between each sensing structure in the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures and the finger, wherein the measurement circuitry is arranged to: provide, using a first measurement circuitry configuration, a first set of measurement signals from a first set of sensing structures; and provide, using a second measurement circuitry configuration different from the first measurement circuitry configuration, a second set of measurement signals from a second set of sensing structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Frank Riedijk, David Carling, Hans Thörnblom, Wouter Brevet
  • Publication number: 20220342842
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical biometric sensor comprising: a read-out circuitry controllable for converting analog sensing signals to digital signals, the analog sensing signals being indicative of an image acquired by an image sensor comprising an array of photodetectors; and a timing circuitry configured to control the read-out circuitry to provide digital signals based on a present data transfer capacity on a data transfer bus configured to transfer data indicative of the digital signals from the optical biometric sensor to a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards Anacatum IP AB
    Inventors: Petter ÖSTLUND, Hans THÖRNBLOM
  • Publication number: 20220345647
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical biometric sensor comprising: an image sensor comprising an array of photodetectors, wherein for acquiring sensing signals, the image sensor is controllable to sequentially start exposure of subsets of photodetectors; and a timing circuitry configured to control the start of exposure of a subset of photodetectors based on a present data transfer capacity on a data transfer bus configured to transfer data indicative of the acquired sensing signals from the optical biometric sensor to a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards Anacatum IP AB
    Inventors: Petter ÖSTLUND, Hans THÖRNBLOM
  • Publication number: 20220075976
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures arranged in a sensing plane for capacitively sensing a fingerprint of a finger; and measurement circuitry coupled to the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures for providing measurement signals indicative of a capacitive coupling between each sensing structure in the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures and the finger, wherein the measurement circuitry is arranged to: provide, using a first measurement circuitry configuration, a first set of measurement signals from a first set of sensing structures; and provide, using a second measurement circuitry configuration different from the first measurement circuitry configuration, a second set of measurement signals from a second set of sensing structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards AB
    Inventors: Frank RIEDIJK, David CARLING, Hans THÖRNBLOM, Wouter BREVET
  • Publication number: 20220075977
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor comprising a plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures arranged in a sensing plane for capacitively sensing a fingerprint of a finger placed on the finger receiving surface of the fingerprint sensor arrangement, the plurality of electrically conductive sensing structures including: a first set of electrically conductive sensing structures, each sensing structure in the first set of electrically conductive sensing structures covering an area in the sensing plane being within a first area range; and a second set of electrically conductive sensing structures, each sensing structure in the second set of electrically conductive sensing structures covering an area in the sensing plane being within a second area range only including areas greater than the areas within the first area range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards AB
    Inventors: Frank RIEDIJK, Wouter BREVET, Hans THÖRNBLOM
  • Patent number: 11216633
    Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a filtered fingerprint pattern signal indicative of a fingerprint pattern with a fingerprint sensing device comprising an array of sensing elements for sensing the fingerprint pattern. Each sensing element is configured to provide a sensing signal indicative of a local fingerprint pattern feature. The method comprises: receiving analog sensing signals from each of a set of sensing elements comprising at least four sensing elements, filtering the set of sensing signals to provide a set of filtered output signals each comprising a linear combination of the set of sensing signals in which each sensing signal has a respective coefficient. The coefficients in each linear combination sum up to zero, and wherein the linear combinations are different from each other. The set of filtered output signals are converted to a filtered digital sensing signal indicative of the user's fingerprint pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Lars Christensen, Hans Thörnblom, Frank Riedijk, Søren Skovgaard Christensen
  • Patent number: 11216640
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for transitioning a device controller comprised with an electronic device from an at least partly inactive mode to an at least partly active mode, the electronic device further comprising a pre-processing module and a fingerprint sensor configured to acquire image data. The invention also relates to a corresponding electronic device and to a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventors: Markus Andersson, Eric Setterberg, Hans Thörnblom
  • Patent number: 11176234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for transitioning a device controller comprised with an electronic device from an at least partly inactive mode to an at least partly active mode, wherein the method comprises: determining the area portion of a finger detecting structure being touched by an object; determining a force applied on the fingerprint sensing device. When the area portion of the finger detecting structure being touched by the object exceeds a predetermined threshold area portion, and the force exceeds a predetermined threshold force value, transitioning, using the pre-processing module, the device controller from the at least partly inactive mode to the at least partly active mode. The invention also relates to such an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS AB
    Inventors: Markus Andersson, Fredrik Ramberg, Hans Thörnblom, Gabriel Rundlöf, Hamid Sarve, Troels Bjerre
  • Publication number: 20210124814
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for transitioning a device controller comprised with an electronic device from an at least partly inactive mode to an at least partly active mode, wherein the method comprises: determining the area portion of a finger detecting structure being touched by an object; determining a force applied on the fingerprint sensing device. When the area portion of the finger detecting structure being touched by the object exceeds a predetermined threshold area portion, and the force exceeds a predetermined threshold force value, transitioning, using the pre-processing module, the device controller from the at least partly inactive mode to the at least partly active mode. The invention also relates to such an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: FINGERPRINT CARDS AB
    Inventors: Markus ANDERSSON, Fredrik RAMBERG, Hans THÖRNBLOM, Gabriel RUNDLÖF, Hamid SARVE, Troels BJERRE
  • Publication number: 20200410191
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fingerprint sensing arrangement and to a method for providing a fingerprint pattern signal. For providing the fingerprint pattern signal a sensing signals from the sensing circuits of at least two sensing elements are combined according to an arithmetic operation to form a combined sensing signal. The combined sensing signal is compared to a threshold value. Based on the comparison a binary value is output. The fingerprint pattern signal comprises at least one set of binary values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards AB
    Inventors: Søren SKOVGAARD CHRISTENSEN, Hans THÖRNBLOM, Frank RIEDIJK
  • Publication number: 20200401778
    Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a filtered fingerprint pattern signal indicative of a fingerprint pattern with a fingerprint sensing device comprising an array of sensing elements for sensing the fingerprint pattern. Each sensing element is configured to provide a sensing signal indicative of a local fingerprint pattern feature. The method comprises: receiving analog sensing signals from each of a set of sensing elements comprising at least four sensing elements, filtering the set of sensing signals to provide a set of filtered output signals each comprising a linear combination of the set of sensing signals in which each sensing signal has a respective coefficient. The coefficients in each linear combination sum up to zero, and wherein the linear combinations are different from each other. The set of filtered output signals are converted to a filtered digital sensing signal indicative of the user's fingerprint pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Fingerprint Cards AB
    Inventors: Lars CHRISTENSEN, Hans THÖRNBLOM, Frank RIEDIJK, Søren Skovgaard CHRISTENSEN