MXPA00011339A - Sensor device for detecting biometric characteristics, especially fingerprint minutiae - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor device for detecting biometric characteristics, especially fingerprint minutiae, using a biometric sensor chip (3), wherein the sensor chip (3) is fixed to a flexible printed board (2) consisting of a highly flexible substrate (5) and conductors (6, 6') placed on the substrate (5), which are in electrical contact with the sensor chip (3) and are guided towards a connecting area (7) of the flexible printed board (2).

Description

SENSOR DEVICE FOR DETECTING BIOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS, ESPECIALLY FINGER MINCES. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a sensor device for detecting bio-electric characteristics, especially finger minutiae by means of an integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor biometric chip. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to capture specific characteristics of people, for example, finger minutiae, that is finger impressions by means of biometric finger tip sensors depending on the results of the acquisition, facilitate or allow the passage towards an appliance or space, etc. Such authentication of people by means of biometric data can be used, for example, in bank ATMs, handles and computers. The known sensor devices of this type are usually manufactured in such a way that the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is put on a carrier plate and then the closing pad of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip joins the conductive path in the carrier plate, by means of a wire joining method and the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is encapsulated with a mass to keep it stable on the carrier plate and to protect it. Such an arrangement is known, for example, from FR 2 736 179-A1, however, it is disadvantageous that such an arrangement requires a relatively complicated manufacturing process. In addition, the assembly of such a sensor apparatus in the receiving box is often relatively complicated and critical in its tolerance. Another known sensor device is known from EP 0 786 745 A2, there a housing is constructed around the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip, made of a cast plastic mass in such a way that the sensor surface is reachable a. through an opening in the box. In addition, WO 98/1100 describes a sensor device in which the sensor is installed with thin metal layers around a flexible plastic carrier. Conductive tracks on the plastic carrier produce a connection between the sensor and a connection area of the flexible plastic carrier. However, the construction of the sensor device described in WO 98/11 500 is complicated and difficult to install for different apparatuses. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention proposes the task of creating a sensor device of the aforementioned type which can be manufactured in a particularly simple manner and which, moreover, can easily be installed in an apparatus. This task is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the other claims. In the sensor device, according to the invention, the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed to a flexible conductive plate, consisting of a highly flexible carrier material and conductive tracks exist in the carrier material, which are conducted with the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip to an electrical contact and to a connecting zone of the flexible conductive plate. The sensor device, according to. The invention offers the advantage that the sensor chips can be assembled and verified in flexible conductive plates, which in the form of an endless band or networks, that is, they are presented in large arcs in which there are a multiplicity of flexible conductive plates. The installation of the sensor devices in the apparatus is easy to integrate into the manufacturing process and correspondingly of good cost. The connection between the connecting zone of the flexible conductive plate to the apparatus can be made by means of a standard fitting connection, for example, by means of a zero force engagement or by means of a solder joint. In addition, the flexible conductive plate can be made according to the customer's wishes; that is, its length, width, form of connection, etc. the flexible conductive plate can easily be arranged individually. Due to the flexibility of the flexible conductive plate, it is also easy to assemble the sensor device with high tolerances of the intake space of the device. The integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is therefore fixed to the conductive board so flexible to the flexible conductive plate that the sensor field of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is reachable by means of a through opening. of the flexible conductive plate. Preferably, the passage opening of the flexible conductive plate on the contact side is at least partially surrounded by an electrically conductive dough frame which is electrically contacted with a conductive track of the flexible plate. Such a dough frame is made contact with it by for example placing a finger on the sensing device, forcing it and driving points of tension of the finger toward the ground. A dough frame of this type can be realized in a very simple manner and in the same way as the conductive tracks in the flexible carrier material of the flexible conductive plate.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the sensing device has a shape-stable retaining and guiding part for the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip with a collapse in which the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip can be placed. in which the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed. Such a holding and guiding part serves for fixing the joint sensor device in the apparatus, gives position to the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip by means of sinking and also protects the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip, since this is embedded in the sinking. Since the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed from the underside of the flexible conductive plate, it is convenient for the purpose to be pursued, if the sensor pad, this is its connecting contact is disposed on the upper side of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip, so that the conductive tracks disposed on the underside of the flexible conductive track are directly supported on the pad of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip and can be electrically connected with it. This electrical connection can be carried out by known methods, such as hot sealing, welding, thermocompression, thermosonic, wired, etc. However, it is also possible without further problem to place the conductracks of the additional flexible conductive plate or alternatively on the upper side of the carrier layer and to make contact by means of a break in the carrier layer, with the sensor pad. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Where it shows: Figure 1, an exploded representation of the sensor device according to the invention, with flexible conductive plate, integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip and retention and guidance part; Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the sensor device of Figure 1, before placing the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip in the retention and guidance part; figure 3, a representation corresponding to figure 2; Figure 4, a part of a longitudinal section along the line IV-IV of Figure 6, in the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or mounted sensor chip: Figure 5, a part of a longitudinal section along the length of line V - V of figure 6, in the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip mounted; and Figure 6, a plan view of the flexible conductive plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The sensor device, represented in the form of explosion in figure 1 and indicated with the figure 1, consists essentially of a flexible conductive plate 2, an integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 and a part of retention and guidance 4. The flexible conductive plate 2 consists of a thin, highly flexible, non-conductive carrier layer 5, for example, made of kaptone or a PET sheet. On the underside of this carrier layer 5, a multiplicity of conductive tracks 6 which, in the exemplary embodiment represented essentially in the longitudinal direction of the flexible conductive plate 2 of the strip type from a connection zone, have been placed. 7 which is located at one end of the flexible conductive plate 2 in the direction of a passage opening 8, rectangular or quadratic. The edge of this passage opening 8 is provided in figures 1 and 6 with the indication figure 9.

The size of the passage opening 8 corresponds to approximately the size of a sensor field 10 of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3. As sensor field 10, here are indicated those sensitive surfaces of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3. which can include the minutiae of a finger placed in the sensor field 10. On the upper side of the flexible conductive plate 2, this is on the side of the carrier layer 5 opposite the conductor tracks 6, a mass frame 11 is placed on the carrier layer 5, which completely surrounds the passage opening 8 in the edge region 9. This frame of mass 11, consists of an electrically conductive material so that upon contact with a finger, current tips there may be taken. For this purpose, the mass frame 11 is provided by means of a passage contact 12 passing through the carrier layer 5 (FIG. 5) electrically connected to a ground conductor track 6 which is likewise located on the lower side of the conductor tracks 6. of the flexible conductor plate 2. The conductor tracks 6, the ground conductor track 6 'and the ground frame 11 are manufactured in such a way that a copper foil or a conductive silver paste is placed on the carrier layer 5. They are then suitably structured by gravure and with a suitable metallization, for example SnPb or NiAu are provided to avoid oxidation.

As can also be seen from FIG. 6, the conductor tracks 6 extend in the longitudinal direction, not completely to the mass frame 11, but end a little earlier. The ground conductor 6 'extends in the longitudinal direction to the underside of the ground frame 11, so that a perpendicular contact 12 is sufficient to establish the electrical connection between the ground frame 11 and the conductive track of the ground. 6 'mass. The integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 has on its upper side, pads 13 that are free (connection contacts) these pads 13 are arranged at a certain distance in such a way before the sensor field 10 that each pad 13 is in contact with a coordinated conductive track 6, when the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 is fixed from below in the predetermined manner in the flexible conductive plate 2. The fixing of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 in the flexible conductive plate 2, is carried out by means of a fastener 14 which is placed in the vicinity of the edge 9 of the passage opening 8. The integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 is here mounted in such a manner in the flexible conductive plate 2, which the sensor field 10 is directed towards the passage opening 8. The sensor field 10 shows in the up-mounted state, so that by means of the passage opening 8 it is possible to make contact with the finger. The integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 mounted on the flexible conductive plate 2, is then placed in a recess 15 of the retention and guide part 4, and there is fixed, for example, by glue. The depression 15 is thus adjusted to the external contour of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3, that the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 with only a small play space is placed in the depression 15, so that an exact guide and positioning for the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 is guaranteed. The depression or depth of the depression 15, is measured in such a way that the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 in the essentials, is fully embedded , this is the surface of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3 is aligned in the placed state with the laterally limiting surface of the retaining and guiding part 4. The mechanical stability of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3, this is achieved on the one hand by means of a thick integrated circuit or integrated circuit or relatively large chip and on the other hand by the inst of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3, in the retention and guide part 4 consisting of a material correspondingly resistant to friction. The retaining part and guide 4, in the form of a plate, also has vertical holes 16 in the side areas which serve as either screw holes for fixing the sensor device 1 in a box, or as auxiliaries to give the correct position to be able to fitting the sensor device 1 into a corresponding protruding dome of the box. Alternatively to the described embodiment, it is without more possible the conductor tracks 6 to build them additionally or alternatively on the upper side of the carrier layer 5, in this case the carrier layer 5 has corresponding interruptions in order to be able to join the pads 13 for example, means of the wire bonding process with the conductor tracks that are on the upper side of the carrier layer 5. The conductor tracks 6 and the ground conductor track 6 'may terminate in the area of the connection region 7 in a standard snap connection not shown very accurately, for example in a zero force socket. In this region, the flexible conductive plate 2 is secured against slight mechanical bending by means of a transverse reinforcement strip 17. Instead of a snap connection, other corresponding connections can also be made in this end region by welding. The length of flexible conductive plate 2, it is only represented in shortened figures 1 to 6. As can be recognized, the length of the flexible conductive plate 2 can be adjusted in a simple manner to the individual installation requirements and the wishes of the customer. For example, the length of the flexible conductive plate 2 can be 1.5 to 2 times the length of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip 3. It should be noted that the measurements, especially the thickness proportions, have not been represented to scale in terms of allow a clearer representation

Claims (4)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. Sensor device for the capture of biometric characteristics, especially finger minutiae by means of an integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip biometric, where the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed to a flexible conductive plate consisting of a highly flexible carrier layer and conductive tracks placed on the carrier layer, which are lead to electrical contact with the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip to a connection zone of the flexible conductive plate, characterized in that, the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed in such a way to the flexible conductive plate that the sensor field of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is achievable through a through opening of the conductive plate f The lexible and the through opening of the flexible conductive plate on the contact side, at least partially, is surrounded by an electrically conductive frame, which is in electrical conductive connection with a mass conducting path of the flexible conductive plate.
2. 2. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor device has a retaining and guide part in stable form for the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip with a depression in which the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or chip is placeable sensor and in which the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip is fixed. Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conductive tracks are arranged on the lower side of the flexible conductive plate and connected with integrated circuit or integrated circuit or electrically sensor chip pads, which are arranged on the side superior of the integrated circuit or integrated circuit or sensor chip. Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier layer of the flexible conductive plate is made of Kaptone or a PET sheet.