Image analysis – Applications – Personnel identification
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-29
2002-03-19
Ahmed, Samir (Department: 2721)
Image analysis
Applications
Personnel identification
C340S005740
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360004
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device for inputting positional information and fingerprint information to an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, in order to protect confidential information recorded in an information processing apparatus, a method of detecting a fingerprint of an operator has been employed as a means for identifying individuals more positively. In case the information processing apparatus has a fingerprint detecting function, a dedicated fingerprint detector generally should be either incorporated in the information processing apparatus or provided outside the information processing apparatus so as to be connected thereto.
FIG. 2
shows a configuration of a conventional information processing apparatus including a host computer
15
, a fingerprint detecting unit
14
for detecting fingerprints and a touch pad unit
24
for inputting positional information so as to act as a mouse for displacing a cursor on a screen. As shown in
FIG. 2
, in the known information processing apparatus, the fingerprint detecting unit
14
and the touch pad unit
24
are provided entirely independently of each other and are connected to the host computer
15
such that the host computer
15
not only controls each of the fingerprint detecting unit
14
and the touch pad unit
24
but processes information from each of the fingerprint detecting unit
14
and the touch pad unit
24
.
The fingerprint detecting unit
14
is constituted by a fingerprint sensor
11
for detecting a fingerprint from a depressed finger of each of operator, a fingerprint detection controller
12
which receives a fingerprint detection control signal CS
1
from the host computer
15
and generates a control signal for causing the fingerprint sensor
11
to send out a detection signal, and a fingerprint detection signal processor
13
for outputting to the host computer
15
the detection signal delivered from the fingerprint sensor
11
, as a fingerprint detection signal DS
1
of the operator.
Meanwhile, the touch pad unit
24
is constituted by a position sensor
21
for detecting a position of contact of the finger of the operator with the position sensor
21
, a touch pad controller
22
which receives a touch pad control signal CS
2
from the host computer
15
and produces a further control signal for causing the position sensor
21
to transmit a further detection signal, and a positional detection signal processor
23
for outputting to the host computer
15
the further detection signal issued from the position sensor
21
, as a positional detection signal DS
2
.
The host computer
15
compares the fingerprint detection signal DS
1
delivered from the fingerprint detection unit
14
, with stored fingerprint data so as to discriminate whether or not the operator is a specific individual and receives the positional detection signal DS
2
from the touch pad unit
24
so as to perform such information processings as displacing the cursor to coordinates on the screen corresponding to the positional detection signal DS
2
.
However, in the prior art information processing apparatus including the fingerprint detection unit
14
and the touch pad unit
24
as described above, since the operator should actually contact the two similar sensors
11
and
21
, there is a risk that the operator may contact each of the sensors
11
and
21
for a wrong purpose.
Furthermore, in case the known information processing apparatus is made portable, the two sensors
11
and
21
constitute an obstacle to achievement of making the known information processing apparatus compact, light and inexpensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide a touch pad having a fingerprint detecting function, which eliminates such a conventional risk that an operator may contact each of two sensors for a wrong purpose.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus employing the touch pad, which can be made compact, light and inexpensive so as to be suitable for portable use.
In order to accomplish these objects of the present invention, the touch pad of the present invention is characterized in that a single sensor acts not only as a fingerprint sensor but as a position sensor. Namely, a touch pad according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fingerprint and position sensor which acts not only as a fingerprint sensor for detecting a fingerprint of a finger but as a position sensor for detecting a position of contact of the finger with the position sensor; a processor for processing an output from the fingerprint and position sensor; and a fingerprint detection and touch pad controller for controlling the fingerprint and position sensor and the processor; wherein the processor selectively outputs one of fingerprint detection data and positional detection data to an information processing apparatus as an input from the finger.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5420936 (1995-05-01), Fitzpatrick et al.
patent: 5635723 (1997-06-01), Fujieda et al.
patent: 5838306 (1998-11-01), O'Conner et al.
patent: 5848231 (1998-12-01), Teitelbaum et al.
patent: 5991431 (1999-11-01), Borza et al.
patent: 4-158434 (1992-06-01), None
patent: 04-158434 (1992-06-01), None
patent: 7-129049 (1995-05-01), None
Ahmed Samir
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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