Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and a dielectric cover layer above the substrate. The electronic device may also include light emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by the substrate to direct light to the dielectric cover layer and optical image sensors carried by the substrate below the dielectric cover layer and adjacent the plurality of LEDs. Each optical image sensor may include at least one photodetector, a mask having at least one opening therein above the at least one photodetector, and an optical element above the mask and cooperating therewith to collimate light reflected from the dielectric cover layer to the at least one photodetector.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a dielectric cover layer defining a finger sensing surface and at least one optical image sensor below the dielectric cover layer. The electronic device may also include at least one optical element associated with the at least one optical image sensor. Light sources may be below the dielectric layer and may be selectively operable in subsets of light sources. A controller may be configured to sequentially operate respective adjacent subsets of light sources while acquiring biometric image data from the at least one optical image sensor.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system includes multiple acoustic transducers disposed to circumscribe a portion of imaging surface. An acoustic imaging system also includes a controller and an image resolver. The acoustic transducers convert electrical signals into mechanical energy and/or mechanical energy into electrical signals. The controller is adapted to apply an electrical signal to the acoustic transducers which, in response, induce a mechanical wave, such as a surface wave, into the circumscribed portion. The controller is also adapted to receive electrical signals from the acoustic transducers. The image resolver uses the electrical signals received by the controller in order to construct an image of an object in physical contact with the imaging surface.

Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor that includes optical image sensing circuitry and metallization layers above the optical image sensing circuitry. Each layer may have at least one light transmissive collimation opening therein aligned with the optical image sensing circuitry. The electronic device may also include a light source layer above the optical image sensor and a transparent cover layer above the light source layer defining a finger placement surface configured to receive a finger adjacent thereto.

Abstract: Acoustic touch and/or force sensing system architectures and methods for acoustic touch and/or force sensing can be used to detect a position of an object touching a surface and an amount of force applied to the surface by the object. The position and/or an applied force can be determined using time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, for example. Acoustic touch sensing can utilize transducers (e.g., piezoelectric) to simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves along a surface and through a thickness of a deformable material. The location of the object and the applied force can be determined based on the amount of time elapsing between the transmission of the waves and receipt of the reflected waves. In some examples, an acoustic touch sensing system can be insensitive to water contact on the device surface, and thus acoustic touch sensing can be used for touch sensing in devices that may become wet or fully submerged in water.

Abstract: Acoustic touch and/or force sensing system architectures and methods for acoustic touch and/or force sensing can be used to detect a position of an object touching a surface and an amount of force applied to the surface by the object. The position and/or an applied force can be determined using time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, for example. Acoustic touch sensing can utilize transducers (e.g., piezoelectric) to simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves along a surface and through a thickness of a deformable material. The location of the object and the applied force can be determined based on the amount of time elapsing between the transmission of the waves and receipt of the reflected waves. In some examples, an acoustic touch sensing system can be insensitive to water contact on the device surface, and thus acoustic touch sensing can be used for touch sensing in devices that may become wet or fully submerged in water.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system can contain a plurality of individual acoustic elements that each contain an acoustic transducer, drive circuitry, and low voltage sense and/or read circuitry. In many embodiments both the drive circuitry and the read circuitry can be independently addressable. For example, if the individual acoustic elements are arranged into rows and columns, each acoustic element can include row/column drive circuit enable switches and row/column read circuit enable switches.

Abstract: An input device outfitted with one or more ultrasonic transducers can determine the location of one or more objects in contact with the input device. For example, the input device can include one or more transducers disposed in a ring around the circumference of the input device or in an array of rings along the length of the input device. The ultrasonic transducers can be used to detect the position of the one or more touching objects in at least one dimension, for example. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic transducers can produce directional ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to one or more intermediate layers located on a surface of a cover material of an acoustic touch screen. In some examples, the one or more layers can include one or more intermediate layers. The one or more intermediate layers can include a first layer including a plurality of features and a second layer located between the first layer and the cover material. In a touch condition, the touch object can apply a force to the top surface of the acoustic touch sensor. The applied force can create one or more local bends causing the plurality of features to move closer to the cover material and causing one or more surface discontinuities in the cover material. The acoustic waves can undergo reflections (e.g., causing the signal to be attenuated) due to the discontinuities located in the path of the wave propagation.

Abstract: An acoustic fingerprint imaging system having a plurality of acoustic elements, each acoustic element including a transducer, and independent drive and sense circuitry is disclosed. Drive circuitry may require higher voltage than low voltage sense circuitry. Many embodiments described herein include a ground shifting controller to apply a voltage bias to the low voltage sense circuitry during a drive operation, in order to prevent electrical damage to the sense circuitry.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system can include an array of transducers in acoustic communication with a substrate configured to receive a subject for imaging. The transducers can independently or cooperatively send an acoustic pulse into the substrate toward the subject. In many examples, a number of adjacently-positioned transducers are activated substantially simultaneously so as to generate a plane wave into the substrate. After the plane wave has had an opportunity to propagate through the substrate, reflect from the top surface, and propagate through the substrate again, the electrical signals can be obtained from the transducers and an image of the subject can be assembled. In many embodiments, the plurality of transducers can be driven and read in groups such as non-intersecting (disjoint) sets or subarrays.

Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor and a pin hole array mask layer above the optical image sensor. The electronic device may also include a display layer above the pin hole array mask layer that includes spaced apart display pixels, and a transparent cover layer above the display layer defining a finger placement surface capable of receiving a finger adjacent thereto.

Abstract: Acoustic touch detection (touch sensing) system architectures and methods can be used to detect an object touching a surface. Position of an object touching a surface can be determined using time-of-flight (TOF) bounding box techniques, or acoustic image reconstruction techniques, for example. Acoustic touch sensing can utilize transducers, such as piezoelectric transducers, to transmit ultrasonic waves along a surface and/or through the thickness of an electronic device. Location of the object can be determined, for example, based on the amount of time elapsing between the transmission of the wave and the detection of the reflected wave. An object in contact with the surface can interact with the transmitted wave causing attenuation, redirection and/or reflection of at least a portion of the transmitted wave. Portions of the transmitted wave energy after interaction with the object can be measured to determine the touch location of the object on the surface of the device.

Abstract: An acoustic fingerprint imaging system having a plurality of acoustic elements, each acoustic element including a transducer, and independent drive and sense circuitry is disclosed. Drive circuitry may require higher voltage than low voltage sense circuitry. Many embodiments described herein include a ground shifting controller to apply a voltage bias to the low voltage sense circuitry during a drive operation, in order to prevent electrical damage to the sense circuitry.

Abstract: A biometric sensing system includes discrete ultrasonic transducers, a first electrode layer disposed over a first surface of the discrete ultrasonic transducers, and a second electrode layer disposed over a second surface of the discrete ultrasonic transducers. The first electrode layer may be a sheet of conductive material that is a common ground connection for the discrete ultrasonic transducers. Alternatively, the first electrode layer can be formed with discrete electrode elements, with a discrete electrode element disposed over the first surface of a discrete ultrasonic transducer. The second electrode layer may be formed with discrete electrode elements, with a discrete electrode element disposed over the second surface of one ultrasonic transducer. At least one integrated circuit can be attached and connected to one of the electrode layers. The integrated circuit includes drive circuits and sense circuits for the discrete ultrasonic transducers.

Abstract: An acoustic fingerprint imaging system having a plurality of acoustic elements, each acoustic element including a transducer, and independent drive and sense circuitry is disclosed. Drive circuitry may require higher voltage than low voltage sense circuitry. Many embodiments described herein include a ground shifting controller to apply a voltage bias to the low voltage sense circuitry during a drive operation, in order to prevent electrical damage to the sense circuitry.

Abstract: A biometric sensing system includes discrete ultrasonic transducers, a first electrode layer disposed over a first surface of the discrete ultrasonic transducers, and a second electrode layer disposed over a second surface of the discrete ultrasonic transducers. The first electrode layer includes discrete electrode members. Each discrete electrode member spans two or more discrete ultrasonic transducers. The second electrode layer includes discrete electrode elements, with a discrete electrode element disposed over the second surface of one ultrasonic transducer. Drive circuitry is operably connected to the first electrode layer, and readout circuitry is operably connected to the second electrode layer.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system can contain a plurality of individual acoustic elements that each contain an acoustic transducer, drive circuitry, and low voltage sense and/or read circuitry. In many embodiments both the drive circuitry and the read circuitry can be independently addressable. For example, if the individual acoustic elements are arranged into rows and columns, each acoustic element can include row/column drive circuit enable switches and row/column read circuit enable switches.

Abstract: An acoustic fingerprint imaging system having a plurality of acoustic elements, each acoustic element including a transducer, and independent drive and sense circuitry is disclosed. Drive circuitry may require higher voltage than low voltage sense circuitry. Many embodiments described herein include a ground shifting controller to apply a voltage bias to the low voltage sense circuitry during a drive operation, in order to prevent electrical damage to the sense circuitry.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system can include an array of transducers in acoustic communication with a substrate configured to receive a subject for imaging. The transducers can independently or cooperatively send an acoustic pulse into the substrate toward the subject. In many examples, a number of adjacently-positioned transducers are activated substantially simultaneously so as to generate a plane wave into the substrate. After the plane wave has had an opportunity to propagate through the substrate, reflect from the top surface, and propagate through the substrate again, the electrical signals can be obtained from the transducers and an image of the subject can be assembled. In many embodiments, the plurality of transducers can be driven and read in groups such as non-intersecting (disjoint) sets or subarrays.