Abstract: A system for cooling a mobile phone and method for using the system are described. The system includes an active piezoelectric cooling system, a controller and an interface. The active piezoelectric cooling system is configured to be disposed in a rear portion of the mobile phone distal from a front screen of the mobile phone. The controller is configured to activate the active piezoelectric cooling system in response to heat generated by heat-generating structures of the mobile phone. The interface is configured to receive power from a mobile phone power source when the active piezoelectric cooling system is activated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor pixel includes a substrate, a piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) and a sensor pixel circuit. The PMUT includes a piezoelectric layer stack including a piezoelectric layer disposed over a cavity, the cavity being disposed between the piezoelectric layer stack and the substrate, a reference electrode disposed between the piezoelectric layer and the cavity, and one or both of a receive electrode and a transmit electrode disposed on or proximate to a first surface of the piezoelectric layer, the first surface being opposite from the cavity. The sensor pixel circuit is electrically coupled with one or more of the reference electrode, the receive electrode and the transmit electrode and the PMUT and the sensor pixel circuit are integrated with the sensor pixel circuit on the substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) includes a multilayer stack disposed on a substrate. The multilayer stack may include an anchor structure disposed over the substrate, a piezoelectric layer stack disposed over the anchor structure, and a mechanical layer disposed proximate to the piezoelectric layer stack. The piezoelectric layer stack may be disposed over a cavity. The mechanical layer may seal the cavity and, together with the piezoelectric layer stack, is supported by the anchor structure and forms a membrane over the cavity, the membrane being configured to undergo one or both of flexural motion and vibration when the PMUT receives or transmits ultrasonic signals.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for configuring a fingerprint sensor to operate in a capacitive sensing mode and an ultrasonic sensing mode are disclosed. A fingerprint sensor may be configured to operate in a capacitive sensing mode by driving a sensing electrode using a controller. In some implementations, an object positioned on or near the sensing electrode may be detected using the fingerprint sensor in the capacitive sensing mode, and the controller can drive electrodes of the fingerprint sensor differently to configure the fingerprint sensor to operate in an ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, an applications processor may be instructed to authenticate a fingerprint of the object from image data obtained when the fingerprint sensor is operating in the ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, a display of a mobile device containing the fingerprint sensor may be unlocked, or the mobile device may be woken up when the fingerprint is authenticated.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for configuring a fingerprint sensor to operate in a capacitive sensing mode and an ultrasonic sensing mode are disclosed. A fingerprint sensor may be configured to operate in a capacitive sensing mode by driving a sensing electrode using a controller. In some implementations, an object positioned on or near the sensing electrode may be detected using the fingerprint sensor in the capacitive sensing mode, and the controller can drive electrodes of the fingerprint sensor differently to configure the fingerprint sensor to operate in an ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, an applications processor may be instructed to authenticate a fingerprint of the object from image data obtained when the fingerprint sensor is operating in the ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, a display of a mobile device containing the fingerprint sensor may be unlocked, or the mobile device may be woken up when the fingerprint is authenticated.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, devices, apparatuses, and systems for an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. A display device may include a platen, a display underlying the platen, and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor underlying the display, where the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via an acoustic path through the platen and the display. A light-blocking layer and/or an electrical shielding layer may be provided between the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the display, where the light-blocking layer and/or the electrical shielding layer are in the acoustic path. A mechanical stress isolation layer may be provided between the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the display, where the mechanical stress isolation layer is in the acoustic path.

Abstract: Techniques described here use variations in the sensor to generate an identifier for the sensor. Each sensor may be comprised of sub-sensing units, called pixels that may demonstrate variation in their sensing capability from one pixel to another. Embodiments of the invention, describe a method for using the relative variance of each pixel (relative to the whole sensor or/and a portion of the sensor) in generating an identifier for the sensor. In one embodiment, the method may obtain information associated with a plurality of pixels from a sensor, detect variations in the information associated for each of the pixels from a subset of the plurality of pixels and generate an identifier for the sensor using the detected variations in the information associated with each of the pixels from the subset of plurality of pixels.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) includes a diaphragm disposed over a cavity, the diaphragm including a piezoelectric layer stack including a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode electrically coupled with transceiver circuitry, and a second electrode electrically coupled with the transceiver circuitry. The first electrode may be disposed in a first portion of the diaphragm, and the second electrode may be disposed in a second, separate, portion of the diaphragm. Each of the first and the second electrode is disposed on or proximate to a first surface of the piezoelectric layer, the first surface being opposite from the cavity. The PMUT is configured to transmit first ultrasonic signals by way of the first electrode during a first time period and to receive second ultrasonic signals by way of the second electrode during a second time period, the first time period and the second time period being at least partially overlapping.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a biometric object is part of a live individual is described. In one such method, image information is acquired from the biometric object by using a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor. The image information may be analyzed in at least two analysis stages. One of the analysis stages may be a temporal analysis stage that analyzes changes in the image information obtained during a time period throughout which the biometric object was continuously available to the sensor. For example, a dead/alive stage may analyze differences between image information taken at two different times in order to identify changes from one time to the next. Other stages may focus on aspects of a particular image information set, rather than seeking to assess changes over time. These other stages seek to determine whether an image information set exhibits characteristics similar to those of a live biometric object.

Abstract: Embodiments of an ultrasonic button and methods for using the ultrasonic button are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic button may include an ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, a piezoelectric receiver layer configured to receive a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, a platen layer configured to protect the ultrasonic transmitter and the piezoelectric receiver layer, a first matching layer configured to match an acoustic impedance of the platen layer with an acoustic impedance of ridges of a finger, and an ultrasonic sensor array configured to detect the finger using the reflected wave.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for configuring a fingerprint sensor to operate in a capacitive sensing mode and an ultrasonic sensing mode are disclosed. A fingerprint sensor may be configured to operate in a capacitive sensing mode by driving a sensing electrode using a controller. In some implementations, an object positioned on or near the sensing electrode may be detected using the fingerprint sensor in the capacitive sensing mode, and the controller can drive electrodes of the fingerprint sensor differently to configure the fingerprint sensor to operate in an ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, an applications processor may be instructed to authenticate a fingerprint of the object from image data obtained when the fingerprint sensor is operating in the ultrasonic sensing mode. In some implementations, a display of a mobile device containing the fingerprint sensor may be unlocked, or the mobile device may be woken up when the fingerprint is authenticated.

Abstract: A fingerprint sensing apparatus may include a fingerprint sensor system and a control system capable of receiving fingerprint sensor data from the fingerprint sensor system. The control system may be capable of determining fingerprint sensor data blocks for at least a portion of the fingerprint sensor data and of calculating statistical variance values for fingerprint sensor data corresponding to each of the fingerprint sensor data blocks. The control system may be capable of determining, based at least in part the statistical variance values, whether an object is positioned proximate a portion of the fingerprint sensor system.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a one- or two-dimensional array of micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) elements positioned below, beside, with, on, or above a backplane of a visual display. The backplane may be a thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane. The array of PMUT elements may be a piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) array or a capacitive micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array. The PMUT array may be configurable to operate in modes corresponding to multiple frequency ranges. When operating in the low-frequency mode, the apparatus may be capable of gesture detection. A high-frequency mode may include a fingerprint sensor mode or a stylus detection mode.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a biometric object is part of a live individual is described. In one such method, image information is acquired from the biometric object by using a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor. The image information may be analyzed in at least two analysis stages. One of the analysis stages may be a temporal analysis stage that analyzes changes in the image information obtained during a time period throughout which the biometric object was continuously available to the sensor. For example, a dead/alive stage may analyze differences between image information taken at two different times in order to identify changes from one time to the next. Other stages may focus on aspects of a particular image information set, rather than seeking to assess changes over time. These other stages seek to determine whether an image information set exhibits characteristics similar to those of a live biometric object.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Some methods may involve determining whether an object is positioned on or near a portion of a fingerprint sensor system. If an object is positioned on or near the portion of the fingerprint sensor system, an acoustic impedance of at least a portion of the object may be determined. Based at least in part on the acoustic impedance, it may be determined whether the object is a finger.

Abstract: A mobile device may include a plurality of sensors and a processor. The processor may be configured to determine trust data for an asset based upon inputs from the plurality of sensors, determine whether an asset is accessible or not accessible based upon evaluating the trust data with a trust determination algorithm, and continuously update the trust data to continue to allow access to the asset or revoke access to the asset based upon the inputs from the plurality of sensors.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a biometric object is part of a live individual is described. In one such method, image information is acquired from the biometric object by using a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor. The image information may be analyzed in at least two analysis stages. One of the analysis stages may be a temporal analysis stage that analyzes changes in the image information obtained during a time period throughout which the biometric object was continuously available to the sensor. For example, a dead/alive stage may analyze differences between image information taken at two different times in order to identify changes from one time to the next. Other stages may focus on aspects of a particular image information set, rather than seeking to assess changes over time. These other stages seek to determine whether an image information set exhibits characteristics similar to those of a live biometric object.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor pixel includes a substrate, a piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) and a sensor pixel circuit. The PMUT includes a piezoelectric layer stack including a piezoelectric layer disposed over a cavity, the cavity being disposed between the piezoelectric layer stack and the substrate, a reference electrode disposed between the piezoelectric layer and the cavity, and one or both of a receive electrode and a transmit electrode disposed on or proximate to a first surface of the piezoelectric layer, the first surface being opposite from the cavity. The sensor pixel circuit is electrically coupled with one or more of the reference electrode, the receive electrode and the transmit electrode and the PMUT and the sensor pixel circuit are integrated with the sensor pixel circuit on the substrate.