WO2017155204A1 - Method for scanning user biometric information on basis of fingerprint core point and biometric information recognition device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a biometric information recognition device and a method for scanning, by the device, biometric information of a user by selectively activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for efficiently scanning biometric information of a user by recognizing the core point of a fingerprint of the user to find a location of the core point and then selectively activating only a few piezoelectric elements corresponding to the location; and a device therefor.

Description

A method of scanning user biometric information based on a fingerprint center point and a biometric information recognition device therefor

The present invention relates to a biometric information recognition device and a method for scanning the biometric information of a user by selectively activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for efficiently scanning a user's biometric information by identifying a center point of a user's fingerprint to identify a location and then selectively activating only a few piezoelectric elements corresponding to the location. will be.

User authentication is a necessary procedure for all financial transactions. In particular, as the interest in mobile finance has increased due to the development of networks and portable terminals, the demand for fast and accurate user authentication devices and authentication methods is increasing.

On the other hand, the user's finger fingerprint is one of the authentication media that can meet the above demand, many operators and developers continue to develop devices and methods that can be authenticated using the user's fingerprint.

Recently, researches on the so-called ultrasonic method for identifying the shape of the fingerprint by generating ultrasonic waves have been actively conducted in connection with the fingerprint recognition device.

In addition, a method of scanning biometric information including a user's fingerprint using ultrasonic waves proceeds through various processes. In order to improve the efficiency of each process in order to improve the power consumption of the biometric information recognizing apparatus and the time required for scanning, etc. Effort is going on.

In particular, the present invention minimizes the number of piezoelectric elements that are activated for scanning biometric information and at the same time effectively reduces the time required for scanning. Unlike the scanning of the entire fingerprint when the user acquires fingerprint information, the fingerprint is generally different. We propose a scanning method that finds the center point position within a short time and activates only a few piezoelectric elements based on the position point.

The present invention has been invented on the basis of such technical background, and satisfies the salping technical needs from above, as well as to provide additional technical elements that cannot be easily invented by those skilled in the art.

An object of the present invention is to enable the biometric information recognition device to selectively activate only a few piezoelectric elements based on the center point of the user fingerprint to scan the biometric information of the user, that is, the shape of the fingerprint, blood vessel, and bone.

In addition, the biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention aims to minimize the effects of interference when generating ultrasonic signals and receiving reflected signals by selectively activating the piezoelectric elements arranged on the substrate.

In order to solve the above problems, the biometric information scanning method of the biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention includes (a) activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements on a substrate to obtain a fingerprint image of a user, and analyzing a fingerprint image to identify a center point. step; (b) activating the piezoelectric elements based on the position of the center point to generate ultrasonic waves, and receiving the signals reflected by the biological tissue of the user; (c) obtaining biometric information based on the ultrasonic signal reflected by the biological tissue of the user; It includes.

In addition, the step (b) of the biometric information scanning method of the biometric information recognition apparatus, the step of setting a specific piezoelectric element corresponding to the position of the center point as a signal generating element; Setting at least one piezoelectric element of the piezoelectric elements other than the signal generating element as a signal receiving element; Activating the signal generating element to generate an ultrasonic signal; Activating the signal receiving element to receive the reflected wave signal reflected by the user biological tissue; It includes.

In this case, the piezoelectric elements may be arranged in a matrix form having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate, or the piezoelectric elements may be arranged in a plurality of rows, and constitute a certain row. The piezoelectric elements constituting the priority row of the arbitrary row or the piezoelectric elements constituting the subordinate row of the arbitrary row may be arranged to be offset.

Further, in the biometric information scanning method of the biometric information recognizing apparatus, the step (a) may be performed by analyzing a slope of the ridge of the user fingerprint as a center point of one of a set of points having a value greater than a predetermined value. Alternatively, the user may obtain an outline of a tip of the user's finger touching the biometric information recognition device, and specify a center point of the outline as a center point of the user's fingerprint.

In addition, the biometric information scanning method of the biometric information recognition apparatus further includes the step (d) of activating the piezoelectric elements based on the position of the center point, the ultrasonic signal of a different frequency size than the ultrasonic signal generated in step (c) It may be characterized by generating a.

In this case, the method may further include (e) acquiring additional biometric information by receiving the signal reflected by the blood vessel or bone of the user from the ultrasonic signal generated in step (d).

On the other hand, the biometric information recognition apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a substrate; A plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged on the substrate; And a controller; Including, The control unit, Obtaining the center point of the user fingerprint, after activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements on the basis of the center point to obtain the biometric information by using the ultrasonic signal reflected by the biological tissue of the user You can do

According to the present invention, the scanning area can be effectively reduced in performing biometric information scanning, thereby reducing the time required for biometric information scanning.

In addition, according to the present invention it is possible to limit the piezoelectric elements required for biometric information scanning to a minimum it is possible to reduce the power required for biometric information scanning.

1 illustrates an embodiment of a biometric information scanning method according to the present invention.

2 is a view illustrating scanning of biometric information by activating piezoelectric elements formed in a matrix shape on a substrate by one row and one column.

3 shows a state in which the piezoelectric elements formed by shifting back and forth rows on a substrate are activated by one row and one column to scan biometric information.

4 illustrates a state in which piezoelectric elements formed in a matrix shape on a substrate form one row by forming a plurality of rows.

FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which individual piezoelectric elements are selectively activated and scanned in a state in which a recognition row as shown in FIG. 4 is set.

6 illustrates a state in which piezoelectric elements formed by shifting front and rear rows on a substrate form a single row by forming a plurality of rows.

FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which individual piezoelectric elements are selectively activated and scanned in a state in which a recognition row as shown in FIG. 6 is set.

8 and 9 illustrate a method of specifying a center point by analyzing a fingerprint image.

FIG. 10 illustrates a state in which a small number of piezoelectric elements are activated based on a center point, divided into a case of piezoelectric elements formed in a matrix shape on a substrate and piezoelectric elements formed by shifting front and rear rows on a substrate.

11 and 12 illustrate that the piezoelectric elements are continuously activated based on the center point and scanned, and the activation progress of each piezoelectric element is distinguished according to the shape of the piezoelectric elements on the substrate.

[Description of the code]

100: substrate

110: recognition row

130: recognition string

200: center point

300: piezoelectric element

311: signal generating element

313: signal receiving element

Details of the object and technical configuration of the present invention and the resulting effects will be more clearly understood by the following detailed description based on the accompanying drawings. With reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail an embodiment according to the present invention.

The embodiments disclosed herein should not be interpreted or used as limiting the scope of the invention. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the description, including the embodiments herein, has a variety of applications. Accordingly, certain embodiments described in the detailed description of the present invention are illustrative for better understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the embodiments.

The functional blocks shown in the figures and described below are only examples of possible implementations. Other functional blocks may be used in other implementations without departing from the spirit and scope of the detailed description. Also, while one or more functional blocks of the present invention are represented by separate blocks, one or more of the functional blocks of the present invention may be a combination of various hardware and software configurations that perform the same function.

In addition, the expression of including certain components merely refers to the presence of the components as an open expression, and should not be understood as excluding additional components.

Further, when a component is referred to as being connected or connected to another component, it should be understood that there may be a direct connection or connection to that other component, but there may be other components in between.

In addition, an expression such as 'first' and 'second' is used only for distinguishing a plurality of components, and does not limit the order or other features between the components.

When a part is said to be "connected" with another part, it includes not only the case where it is "directly connected" but also the case where it is "indirectly connected" with the other member in between. In addition, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this means that it may further include other components, without excluding the other components unless otherwise stated.

Before describing the scanning method in earnest, the basic structure of the biometric information recognizing apparatus, which is the subject of scanning, will be described.

The biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on the substrate, and a controller for setting and selectively activating the piezoelectric elements as a recognition line as essential components.

First, the substrate is a plate on which a plurality of piezoelectric elements are formed, and means an insulating material capable of forming a conductor pattern on the surface of the insulating substrate. The substrate may be rigid or flexible by itself, and as the raw material for manufacturing the substrate, chemically strengthened / semi-hardened glass such as soda lime glass or aluminosilicate glass, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, propylene glycol, It may include reinforced or soft plastics such as polycarbonate, sapphire and the like.

The substrate may be a flexible substrate having a flexible characteristic, a curved substrate, and a bent substrate, and the biometric information recognizing apparatus including the substrate may also include a terminal of the terminal to which the biometric information recognizing apparatus is to be provided. It is possible to have flexible, curved and bent characteristics according to the use and function.

Meanwhile, as a preferred embodiment, the substrate may be made of a printed circuit board (PCB). PCB board can express the electric wiring connecting the circuit components based on the circuit design as wiring diagram, can reproduce the electrical conductor on the insulator, and can form the wiring for mounting the electric component and connecting it to the circuit. In addition to the electrical connection of the components, the components can be fixed firmly.

Meanwhile, the biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention may further include a cover substrate. The cover substrate is formed above the plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on the substrate, which means a substrate to which the user's finger directly touches. The cover substrate may be the same manufacturing raw material as the above-mentioned substrate, but may be preferably implemented in glass.

Next, the plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on the substrate function to generate an ultrasonic signal or to receive the reflection of the ultrasonic signal from the outside. The piezoelectric elements may pattern an electrode having a shape desired by a designer on the substrate. Then, it can be formed by coating a mixed material of lead, zirconium, titanium on the patterned electrode.

The piezoelectric elements of the present invention pattern an electrode in an arbitrary shape on a single flat substrate, and separately arrange ceramic structures on a substrate or a conductive electrode one by one in the conventional fingerprint recognition device, and on the electrode of the arbitrary shape Process differences exist in that a piezoelectric device group can be formed by laminating a PZT component coating layer on the substrate. At this time, the method of laminating the PZT component coating layer on the electrode may be a variety of methods, such as a method for placing a substrate with electrode patterning in a solution containing the PZT component or a method for transferring the PZT component coating film on the substrate with electrode patterning is completed. There may be a method.

Meanwhile, although the biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention will be described later, it is assumed that piezoelectric elements are formed as shown in FIG. 2 or 3. That is, in the case of forming the piezoelectric elements according to the aforementioned method, the arrangement of the piezoelectric elements may vary depending on how the designer patterned the electrode on the substrate. However, in the present description, the arrangement of the piezoelectric elements may be arranged as shown in FIG. 2 or 3. It will be explained on the premise that it is.

In addition, in this detailed description, terms such as a recognition row or a recognition column are defined and used. The recognition row means a virtual row on a substrate including the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and the recognition column refers to a virtual column on a substrate. It is understood that. At this time, the recognition row and the recognition column are set by the controller.

As described above, the control unit sets a plurality of piezoelectric elements in an arbitrary recognition row or a recognition column and selectively activates the piezoelectric elements.

Specifically, the controller sets some of the plurality of piezoelectric elements present on the substrate to a recognition row, and activates the piezoelectric elements constituting each recognition row to generate ultrasonic signals and receive reflected waves. It controls to grasp the user's biometric information.

In addition to activating the piezoelectric elements, the controller performs a calculation process of searching for a center point which is a reference point of scanning. As will be described later, the control unit may find a center point by performing an operation based on the fingerprint image obtained by the primary scanning, or may obtain an outline of the surface where the user's finger touches and calculate the center point from the touched finger without a separate scanning process. Alternatively, the center of the fingerprint input unit may be simply specified as a center point that serves as a reference point for scanning.

Such a control unit may include at least one arithmetic means and a storage means, wherein the arithmetic means may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), or a programmable device element (CPLD, FPGA) implemented for a specific purpose. It may be an application specific semiconductor computing device (ASIC) or a microcontroller chip. In addition, as the storage means, a volatile memory device, a nonvolatile memory device, or a nonvolatile electromagnetic storage device may be utilized.

On the other hand, the piezoelectric elements in the present invention can be activated individually, and the control unit can also control each of the piezoelectric elements separated by an independent identifier, according to the user biometric method in a completely different way from the conventional fingerprint recognition device An information recognition process, that is, a scanning process can be implemented.

1 is a view briefly illustrating a scanning method of a biometric information recognition apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the scanning method according to the present invention includes a first step of specifying a center point 200 of a user fingerprint, a step 2 of activating piezoelectric elements based on the position of the center point 200, and a user's biological tissue. And receiving the reflected ultrasound signal to obtain biometric information.

That is, the scanning method according to the present invention first obtains the fingerprint image of the user and then analyzes the fingerprint image to find the center point 200, and only a few piezoelectric elements around the reference point based on the position of the specified center point 200. And activating the blood vessel, bone, or other biological image, that is, obtaining biometric information.

First, the first step of specifying the center point 200 of the user fingerprint will be described.

The center point 200 of the user's fingerprint refers to a point on which biometric information is scanned. Preferably, the center point 200 is an arbitrary point located at the center of the user's fingerprint while the ridges are overlapped. do.

In the present invention, the center point 200 is based on the premise of acquiring a fingerprint image of a user, because the center point may be specified by analyzing the fingerprint image only when the image of the user fingerprint is acquired first. Therefore, in the biometric information scanning method according to the present invention, the first step includes obtaining a fingerprint image of a user first and then analyzing the same to specify the center point 200.

Hereinafter, a process of obtaining a user fingerprint image by activating the plurality of piezoelectric elements will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. As mentioned above, the controller of the biometric information recognition apparatus selectively activates a plurality of piezoelectric elements to drive them as a recognition row or a recognition column.

First, FIG. 2 shows the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged in a matrix on the substrate 100 of the biometric information recognizing apparatus. Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged in a horizontal direction to form a row, and another plurality of piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged in a vertical direction to form one column. Can be achieved. Also, at this time, each row may be preferably formed at equal intervals, which may be applied to the columns as well. When looking at this arrangement again from the perspective of one particular piezoelectric element 300, other piezoelectric elements 300 are present on the top / bottom and left / right of a particular piezoelectric element 300. The distance to the lower, left, and right piezoelectric elements 300 may be constant.

In the state in which the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged as shown in FIG. 2, the biometric information recognizing apparatus may set the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged on one row to one recognition row 110.

For example, in the step of activating a recognition row 110, the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting one row on the substrate are the first recognition rows 110, and the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting two rows are second. The recognition line 110 may be set and activated.

Meanwhile, at this time, the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting each of the recognition lines 110 are activated, and some of the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting the recognition rows 110 may have a signal generating element 311. For example, the other piezoelectric elements 300 may be activated as the signal receiving element 313 such that the signal generating element 311 generates an ultrasonic signal and the signal receiving element 313 receives the reflected wave signal. In this case, the reflected wave signal means that the generated ultrasonic signal is reflected by the user's finger skin or the living tissue (blood vessel, bone) in the finger.

On the other hand, the biometric information recognition device obtains a fingerprint image by activating each row and each column in order. For example, when activating the first recognition row 110, the biometric information recognition device recognizes the recognition row 110 in two ways. It can be activated.

First, the biometric information recognizing apparatus sets the odd-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 of the first recognition row 110 as the signal generating element 311 and the even-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 as the signal receiving element 313. The piezoelectric elements 300 may be simultaneously activated to perform ultrasonic generation and reflected wave reception, respectively.

Second, the biometric information recognizing apparatus uses the specific piezoelectric element 300 of the first recognition row 110 as the signal generating element 311 and the piezoelectric element 300 adjacent to the signal generating element 311 as the signal receiving element. After the primary activation is set to 313, the piezoelectric element 300 proximate to the signal generation element 311 that has been set previously is replaced by the new signal generation element 311 and the piezoelectric proximity to the signal generation element 311. Setting the piezoelectric elements 300 to the signal generating element 311 in order, such as setting the element 300 as the new signal receiving element 313 to perform secondary activation, and then newly generating the signal generating element 311. Each time it is set, the piezoelectric element 300 adjacent thereto may be set as the signal receiving element 313 to activate each recognition row 110 or a recognition string. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the biometric information recognizing apparatus uses the second piezoelectric element 300 of the first recognition row 110 as the signal generating element 311 and the first and third piezoelectric elements 300. After setting the signal receiving element 313, each piezoelectric element 300 is first activated to allow ultrasonic generation and reflection wave reception, and then generates a third piezoelectric element 300 of the first recognition row 110. With the element 311, the process of setting the second and fourth piezoelectric elements 300 as the signal receiving element 313 to perform secondary activation, etc., all the piezoelectric elements 300 of the first recognition row 110 are performed. The repetition may be repeated for the first recognition line 110 to be activated.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3 illustrates that the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged in a plurality of rows on the substrate 100 of the biometric information recognizing apparatus, and the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting any arbitrary rows are directly above the rows (hereinafter, referred to as total priority). A state in which the piezoelectric elements 300 constituting the row) or the row immediately below (hereinafter referred to as a subordinate row) are arranged to be shifted is shown.

The arrangement means that the piezoelectric elements 300 in the priority row or the piezoelectric elements 300 in the lower priority row are arranged to be offset from the piezoelectric elements 300 and the piezoelectric elements 300 in the corresponding priority row. When the piezoelectric elements 300 in a row are arranged on the substrate 100, the columns on the vertical axis are not formed. At this time, it is noted that the piezoelectric elements 300 of the full-priority row and the piezoelectric elements 300 of the row which exist at two row intervals form a column on the vertical axis when arranged on the substrate 100. That is, when the piezoelectric elements 300 of the first row and the third row are vertically connected, as shown in FIG. 3, they form one column.

More preferably, based on any of the piezoelectric elements 300 of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 300 constituting a specific row, the piezoelectric element 300 constituting the priority row of the specific row It means that the two piezoelectric elements 300 present at the closest distance to any piezoelectric element 300 is arranged to be arranged on an axis extending vertically from the center point of the subsequent line segment.

When the piezoelectric elements 300 are formed on the substrate 100 in this manner, the biometric information recognizing apparatus in the completed state has the arrangement of the piezoelectric elements 300 having a twisted matrix as shown in FIG. 3.

Meanwhile, in the state in which the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged as shown in FIG. 3, the biometric information recognizing apparatus may set the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged on one row to one recognition row 110.

In this case, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the biometric information recognizing apparatus may activate the first recognition row 110 in two ways. That is, in the biometric information recognizing apparatus, the odd-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 of the first recognition row 110 are set as the signal generating element 311 and the even-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 as the signal receiving element 313 (or the same). On the contrary, the odd-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 are set as the signal receiving element 313 and the even-numbered piezoelectric elements 300 as the signal generating element 311) and the corresponding piezoelectric elements 300 are simultaneously activated to generate ultrasonic waves and reflected waves, respectively. Or a specific piezoelectric element 300 of the first recognition row 110 as a signal generating element 311 and a piezoelectric element 300 adjacent to the signal generating element 311 as a signal. After the primary activation is performed by setting the receiving element 313, the piezoelectric element 300 proximate to the signal generating element 311 set as the signal generating element 311 and the corresponding signal generating element 311 are adjacent. Setting the piezoelectric element 300 as the signal receiving element 313 Each piezoelectric element 300 is set as the signal generating element 311 in order, such as activation, and whenever the signal generating element 311 is newly set, the piezoelectric elements 300 adjacent to the signal generating element 313 are selected. By setting the) can be activated the first recognition row (110).

Meanwhile, the activation method of the first recognition row 110 described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 may be equally applied to not only the first recognition row 110 but also the second and third recognition rows 110.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged on a plurality of rows in the biometric information recognizing apparatus in a state in which the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged on the substrate 100 in a matrix shape as shown in FIG. 2. The embodiment shown in the recognition row 110 is shown.

4 illustrates that the piezoelectric elements 300 of three rows on the substrate 100 are recognized as one recognition row 110 as an example. At this time, the biometric information recognition apparatus selectively activates the piezoelectric elements 300 on the recognition row 110 to scan the biometric information by the recognition row 110. The process is as follows.

First, the biometric information recognizing apparatus determines one or more piezoelectric elements 300 of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 300 and sets them as signal generation elements 311. (Step 1) At this time, the signal generation elements 311 The piezoelectric element 300 generates an ultrasonic signal, and the controller applies an electrical signal and a pulse signal to a specific piezoelectric element 300 to cause the piezoelectric element 300 to vibrate so that the ultrasonic signal is generated. Can diverge. In this case, the size of the ultrasonic signal may vary depending on the size of the electrical signal applied to the signal generating element 311. In addition, as mentioned above, the controller may internally store individual identifiers of the piezoelectric elements 300 existing on the substrate 100, and may convert the piezoelectric element 300 at a specific position into a signal generating element ( 311), it may be set and activated by applying an electrical signal based on the identifier of the piezoelectric element 300.

In step 2, the biometric information recognizing apparatus sets one or two or more piezoelectric elements 300 of the piezoelectric elements 300 other than the signal generation element 311 set as the signal receiving element 313. The signal receiving element 313 serves to receive the reflected wave returned by the ultrasonic signal generated by the signal generating element 311 reflected by the biological tissue of the user. In this case, the biometric information recognizing apparatus may set the piezoelectric element 300 closest to the signal generating element 311 as the signal receiving element 313, which is used to reduce the energy loss caused by the progress of the ultrasonic signal in the air. In order to receive the reflected signal more clearly by minimizing. When the signal generating element 311 is any one piezoelectric element 300, the piezoelectric elements 300 existing on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the signal generating element 311 are set as the signal receiving element 313. Can be. However, the pattern method is just an example, and the controller may set the piezoelectric elements 300 present at arbitrary positions as the signal receiving element 313 regardless of the proximity to the signal generating element 311. It should be understood. Referring to FIG. 4, eight piezoelectric elements 300 around the signal generation element 311 may be set as the signal receiving element 313.

Steps 3 and 4 are steps for activating the signal generating element 311 and the signal receiving element 313 previously set to be driven according to their respective functions. Specifically, the biometric information recognition apparatus activates the signal generating element 311 to generate an ultrasonic signal, and activates the signal receiving element 313 to receive the reflected wave signal.

After the fourth step, the biometric information recognizing apparatus sets any one of the piezoelectric elements 300 adjacent to the signal generation element 311 as a new signal generation element 311. At this time, the new signal generating element 311 is selected from among the piezoelectric elements 300 existing near the signal generating element 311 set in the first step. For example, the new signal generating element 311 set in step 5 may be any one of the piezoelectric elements 300 existing on the left or right side of the signal generating element 311 set in step 1.

Meanwhile, the direction of the signal generation element 311 newly set in step 5 is also related to the scanning direction. That is, when the newly set signal generation element 311 is set to the piezoelectric element 300 on the right side of the conventional signal generation element 311, the scanning direction becomes the right direction, and the newly set signal generation element 311 is When the piezoelectric element 300 on the left side of the conventional signal generation element 311 is set, the scanning direction becomes the left direction.

In step 6, the biometric information recognizing apparatus also sets a new signal receiving element 313 in accordance with the new signal generating element 311 set in step 5. Step 6 proceeds in a similar manner to where the signal receiving element 313 is set in step 2.

On the other hand, it is noteworthy that the signal receiving element 313 set in this step may overlap with the signal receiving element 313 set in step 2. As shown in FIG. 5, when the signal generating element 311 is set to move to the right, the signal receiving element 313 according to the same may be moved to the right along the signal generating element 311. There may be some overlapping piezoelectric elements 300, that is, signal receiving elements 313.

Finally, steps 7 and 8 are steps of activating the newly set signal generating element 311 and the signal receiving element 313 to function as ultrasonic wave generation and reflected wave reception, respectively.

The activation of the recognition row 110 according to the present invention is performed by repeating the processes of steps 1 to 8. In the case of the first recognition row 110, all the piezoelectric elements 300 on the recognition row 110 are performed in the above-described steps 1 to 8, and from the second recognition row 110, some piezoelectric elements 300 are performed. The process of steps 1 to 8 is repeated for these.

Therefore, when the user places the finger on the biometric information recognition device, the biometric information recognition device may be configured by setting the signal generating element 311, setting the signal receiving element 313, and activating the piezoelectric element in one or a plurality of rows. 300 may repeat the process of generating the ultrasonic wave and receiving the reflected wave to obtain biometric information such as the fingerprint image of the user by using the received reflected wave signal.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged on a plurality of rows in a state where the piezoelectric elements 300 are arranged on the substrate 100 as shown in FIG. 3. The embodiment set in the recognition line 110 is shown.

6 illustrates that three piezoelectric elements 300 on the substrate 100 are recognized as one recognition row 110, and three columns of piezoelectric elements 300 are recognized as one recognition column. It is shown.

The biometric information recognizing apparatus selectively activates the piezoelectric elements 300 on the recognition row 110 to perform biometric information scanning by the recognition row 110 as follows.

In the first step, the biometric information recognizing apparatus determines one or more piezoelectric elements 300 among the plurality of piezoelectric elements 300 and sets them as signal generation elements 311. (Stage 1)

In step 2, the biometric information recognizing apparatus sets one or two or more piezoelectric elements 300 of the piezoelectric elements 300 other than the signal generation element 311 set as the signal receiving element 313. (Step 2) When the signal generating element 311 is any one piezoelectric element 300, the piezoelectric elements 300 existing around the signal generating element 311 may be set as the signal receiving element 313. Can be. Referring to FIG. 6, for example, six piezoelectric elements 300 around the signal generation element 311 may be set as the signal reception element 313 on one recognition row 110.

Steps 3 and 4 are steps for activating the signal generating element 311 and the signal receiving element 313 previously set to be driven according to their respective functions. Specifically, the biometric information recognition apparatus activates the signal generating element 311 to generate an ultrasonic signal, and activates the signal receiving element 313 to receive the reflected wave signal.

After the fourth step, the biometric information recognizing apparatus sets any one of the piezoelectric elements 300 adjacent to the signal generation element 311 as a new signal generation element 311. At this time, the new signal generating element 311 is selected from among the piezoelectric elements 300 existing near the signal generating element 311 set in the first step. For example, the new signal generating element 311 set in step 5 may be any one of the piezoelectric elements 300 existing in the left, right, or diagonal directions of the signal generating element 311 set in step 1. .

Meanwhile, the direction of the signal generation element 311 newly set in step 5 is also related to the scanning direction. That is, when the newly set signal generation element 311 is set to the piezoelectric element 300 on the right side of the conventional signal generation element 311, the scanning direction becomes the right direction, and the newly set signal generation element 311 is When the piezoelectric element 300 is set in the diagonal direction of the conventional signal generating element 311, the scanning direction becomes the diagonal direction.

In step 6, the biometric information recognizing apparatus also sets a new signal receiving element 313 in accordance with the new signal generating element 311 set in step 5. Step 6 proceeds in a similar manner to where the signal receiving element 313 is set in step 2.

Finally, steps 7 and 8 are steps of activating the newly set signal generating element 311 and the signal receiving element 313 to function as ultrasonic wave generation and reflected wave reception, respectively.

FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which the piezoelectric elements 300 on the recognition row 110 are selectively activated according to the process of steps 1 to 8 above. The piezoelectric element 300 activation method according to the present invention is performed by repeating the steps 1 to 8 as described above. Therefore, when the user places the finger on the biometric information recognition device, the biometric information recognition device may be configured by setting the signal generating element 311, setting the signal receiving element 313, and activating the piezoelectric element in one or a plurality of rows. 300 may acquire the biometric information such as the fingerprint image of the user by using the received reflected wave signal by repeating the ultrasonic wave generation and the reflected wave receiving process.

The process up to obtaining the fingerprint image of the user has been described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

Meanwhile, after the fingerprint image of the user is obtained, the biometric information recognition device analyzes the fingerprint image to specify the center point 200 of the fingerprint. 8 and 9 exemplarily illustrate how the biometric information recognizing apparatus specifies a center point 200 by analyzing a fingerprint image.

Referring to FIG. 8, the biometric information recognizing apparatus calculates the tangential slope of the ridge in the fingerprint image, finds a section in which the tangential slope of the ridge changes the most, and then locates one of the points in the corresponding section as the center point 200 of the fingerprint. Can be specified. As shown in the figure, the biometric information recognition device can extract the shape of the ridge after the fingerprint image is acquired.The ridge section having the largest change is extracted after calculating the slope change of the ridge from the extracted shape of the ridge. One point on the ridge may be specified as the center point 200 of the fingerprint. In general, the more the distance away from the center point of the fingerprint 200 is the focus on the change in the slope of the ridge has a relatively small value.

Referring to FIG. 9, the biometric information recognizing apparatus extracts only an outline of the outside of the fingerprint from the fingerprint image, calculates the center of the outline, and specifies the corresponding point as the center point 200. The center point 200 of the method shown in FIG. 9 has a simple operation process as compared with FIG. 8, thus consuming less hardware resources and reducing computation time.

On the other hand, the center point 200 of the user fingerprint specified in this way is referred to the activation of the piezoelectric elements to obtain another biometric information of the user in a later step.

10 illustrates a state in which the piezoelectric elements are activated based on the center point 200 specified in the previous step.

FIG. 10 (a) shows how a few piezoelectric elements are activated with respect to the center point 200 on a substrate in which piezoelectric elements are arranged in a matrix. Referring to FIG. 10A, the biometric information recognizing apparatus activates the piezoelectric element corresponding to the center point 200 as the signal generating element 311, and activates the piezoelectric elements around the signal generating element as the signal receiving element 313. Activate it. Meanwhile, the ultrasonic waves generated by the signal generating element when the piezoelectric elements are activated based on the center point 200 have a frequency value different from the ultrasonic waves previously used when acquiring the fingerprint image of the user. Preferably, the ultrasound generated in this step may have a frequency value that can reach the blood vessel or bone in the user's finger.

FIG. 10 (b) shows how a few piezoelectric elements are activated with respect to the center point 200 on the substrate in which the piezoelectric elements are arranged in the same shape as in FIG. 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 10B, the biometric information recognizing apparatus receives the piezoelectric element corresponding to the center point 200 as the signal generating element 311, and receives the piezoelectric elements around the piezoelectric element. Activated by device 313.

11 and 12 illustrate another embodiment of activating the piezoelectric elements based on the center point 200.

FIG. 11 illustrates a state in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements are activated by changing their positions with respect to the center point 200 on the substrate on which the piezoelectric elements are arranged in a matrix shape, and FIG. It is shown to be activated. The piezoelectric element activation method of FIGS. 11 and 12 is substantially the same as described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, except that the embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12 are based on the specified center point 200. The difference is that only the piezoelectric elements of the activator are activated.

The setting of which range of piezoelectric elements to activate based on the center point 200 may be arbitrarily determined by the product designer. Preferably, 25% to 30% of the total area of the substrate with respect to the center point 200 may be set. The piezoelectric elements in the range corresponding to the area can be activated.

On the other hand, when the piezoelectric elements are activated based on the center point 200 of the user fingerprint, the biometric information recognizing apparatus receives the ultrasonic signal reflected by the biological tissue of the user, that is, the reflected wave, and acquires the biometric information based on the piezoelectric elements. The biometric information obtained at this time may be an image of a user's blood vessel or bone, and the biometric information is logically about a part of the user's finger based on the center point 200.

In addition, although not shown in FIG. 1, the biometric information recognizing apparatus may further perform a user authentication process using the obtained biometric information. For example, when the biometric information is a blood vessel image or a bone image, the biometric information recognizing apparatus compares the corresponding image with a previously stored image to determine whether the user is correct. On the other hand, the biometric information may be a plurality of blood vessel images over time, the biometric information recognition device may determine whether the user fingerprint is a fake fingerprint using the plurality of blood vessel images. That is, in the case of correct user fingerprint authentication, if a blood vessel image is acquired according to time, the shape of the image is minutely different according to the expansion and contraction of the blood vessel. It is possible to determine whether the forgery of.

While preferred embodiments and applications of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and applications described above, and the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be distinguished from the technical spirit or the scope of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a biometric information recognizing apparatus and a method in which the device selectively activates a plurality of piezoelectric elements to scan the biometric information of a user. By selectively activating only a few piezoelectric elements and providing a method and an apparatus therefor for efficiently scanning the user's biometric information, the scanning area can be effectively reduced during the biometric information scanning, thereby reducing the time required for biometric information scanning. It can be reduced, and the piezoelectric elements required for biometric information scanning can be limited to a minimum, thereby reducing the power required for biometric information scanning.

Claims (9)

1. In the biometric information recognizing apparatus for scanning the biometric information of the user,

   (a) activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements on a substrate to obtain a fingerprint image of a user, and analyzing the fingerprint image to specify a center point;

   (b) activating the piezoelectric elements based on the position of the center point to generate ultrasonic waves, and receiving the signals reflected by the biological tissue of the user; And

   and (c) acquiring biometric information based on the ultrasonic signal reflected by the biological tissue of the user.
2. The method of claim 1,

   In step (b),

   Setting a specific piezoelectric element corresponding to the position of the center point as a signal generation element;

   Setting at least one piezoelectric element of the piezoelectric elements other than the signal generating element as a signal receiving element;

   Activating the signal generating element to generate an ultrasonic signal; And

   And activating the signal receiving element to receive the reflected wave signal reflected by the user's biological tissue.
3. The method of claim 2,

   The piezoelectric elements are arranged in a matrix form having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate.
4. The method of claim 2,

   The piezoelectric elements are arranged in a plurality of rows,

   The piezoelectric elements constituting the arbitrary row are arranged to deviate from the piezoelectric elements constituting the priority row of the arbitrary row or piezoelectric elements constituting the subordinated row of the arbitrary row. Way.
5. The method of claim 1,

   In step (a),

   And analyzing the slope of the ridge of the user fingerprint to specify any one of a set of points having the value greater than a predetermined value as a center point.
6. The method of claim 1,

   In step (a),

   Obtaining an outline of a tip of the user's finger touching the biometric information recognition device,

   And a center point of the outline as a center point of the user fingerprint.
7. The method of claim 1,

   (D) activating the piezoelectric elements based on the position of the center point, and generating an ultrasonic signal having a frequency size different from that of the ultrasonic signal generated in the step (c). Biometric Information Scanning Method.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein

   (E) acquiring additional biometric information by receiving the signal reflected by the blood vessel or bone of the user by the ultrasonic signal generated in step (d); Information scanning method.
9. Board;

   A plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged on the substrate; And

   Control unit; including,

   The control unit,

   Obtaining a center point of the user fingerprint, and activating a plurality of piezoelectric elements on the basis of the center point, and obtains the biometric information using the ultrasonic signal reflected by the biological tissue of the user.

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