Biometric reader with micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) components

1 . A device comprising:

a plurality of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) components, wherein each respective MEMS component of the plurality of MEMS components is configured to actuate to cause one or more portions of a surface of the device to move; and

control circuitry configured to:

detect one or more points of contact of a finger of a user with a subset of portions of a plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identify a first subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device;

cause the first subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the finger with the subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measure, using positions of the first subset of MEMS components, topography of the finger;

detect a fingerprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the finger;

determine whether the fingerprint profile corresponds to a registered fingerprint profile;

detect one or more points of contact of the finger with one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identify one or more second subsets of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to one or more edge portions of the one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the surface of the device;

use the one or more second subsets of MEMS components to detect a gesture profile;

determine whether the gesture profile corresponds to a registered movement; and

authenticate the user based at least in part on determining that the fingerprint profile corresponds to the registered fingerprint profile and that the gesture profile corresponds to the registered movement.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components comprises: (a) one or more second MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device, at which the one or more points of contact are detected, and (b) one or more third MEMS components that correspond to a fingerprint profile area generally centered relative to the first subset of MEMS components; and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cause the one or more second MEMS components and the one or more third MEMS components to actuate in a pattern comprising at least one of actuating the MEMS components all at once, actuating the MEMS components in a sequence, actuating the MEMS components intermittently, actuating the MEMS components in a wave pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a ring pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a row pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a columnar pattern, or actuating the MEMS components in a diagonal pattern.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

detect one or more points of contact of a palm of the user with a second subset of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identify a second subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

cause the second subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the palm with the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measure, using positions of the second subset of MEMS components, topography of the palm;

detect a palmprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the palm;

determine whether the palmprint profile corresponds to a registered palmprint profile; and

wherein, to authenticate the user, the control circuitry is further configured to determine that the palmprint profile corresponds to the registered palmprint profile.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to provide signals used to detect the one or more points of contact of the finger of the user;

wherein, to detect the one or more points of contact of the finger with the subset of portions of the surface of the device, the control circuitry is further configured to:

compare a measurement derived from a signal from one or more of the plurality of sensors to a threshold; and

determine that the measurement is greater than the threshold.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of a touch sensor, a force sensor, a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, or a photoelectric sensor.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

set the first subset of MEMS components to an initial height;

determine whether the initial height of each of one or more MEMS components of the first subset of MEMS components has changed to a subsequent height; and

use a binary representation corresponding to a) the initial height or b) the subsequent height for each of the first subset of MEMS components to generate a 2D mapping of the finger.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, to cause the first subset of MEMS components to actuate, the control circuitry is further configured to:

set the first subset of MEMS components to a first height;

cause the first subset of MEMS components to be raised with respect to the finger in contact with the subset of portions of the surface of the device by causing incremental actuation of each of the first subset of MEMS components to a second height corresponding with contact with the finger; and

use each second height of each of the first subset of MEMS components to measure topography of the finger.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of portions of the surface of the device comprise a plurality of display pixels.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the finger is a first finger, the subset of portions of the surface of the device is a first subset of portions, and the control circuitry is further configured to:

detect one or more points of contact of a second finger with a second subset of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device, at substantially a same time as detecting the one or more points of contact of the first finger with the first subset of portions;

identify a second subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the second subset of portions;

cause the second subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the second finger with the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measure, using positions of the second subset of MEMS components, topography of the second finger;

detect a second fingerprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the second finger;

determine whether the second fingerprint profile corresponds to a registered second fingerprint profile; and

wherein, to authenticate the user, the control circuitry is further configured to determine the second fingerprint profile corresponds to the registered second fingerprint profile.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the finger, while in contact with the subset of portions of the surface of the device, is not moving; and

perform the identifying of the first subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components, and the causing of the first subset of MEMS components to be actuated, based at least in part on the determination that the finger is not moving while in contact with the subset of portions of the surface of the device.

11 . A method comprising:

detecting one or more points of contact of a finger of a user with a subset of portions of a plurality of portions of a surface of a device;

identifying a first subset of MEMS components of a plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device, wherein each respective MEMS component of the plurality of MEMS components is configured to actuate to cause one or more portions of the surface of the device to move;

causing the first subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the finger with the subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measuring, using positions of the first subset of MEMS components, topography of the finger;

detecting a fingerprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the finger;

determining whether the fingerprint profile corresponds to a registered fingerprint profile;

detecting one or more points of contact of the finger with one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identifying one or more second subsets of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to one or more edge portions of the one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the surface of the device;

using the one or more second subsets of MEMS components to detect a gesture profile;

determining whether the gesture profile corresponds to a registered movement; and

authenticating the user based at least in part on determining that the fingerprint profile corresponds to the registered fingerprint profile and that the gesture profile corresponds to the registered movement.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the first subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components comprises: (a) one or more second MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device, at which the one or more points of contact are detected, and (b) one or more third MEMS components that correspond to a fingerprint profile area generally centered relative to the first subset of MEMS components; and

wherein the method further comprises:

causing the one or more second MEMS components and the one or more third MEMS components to actuate in a pattern comprising at least one of actuating the MEMS components all at once, actuating the MEMS components in a sequence, actuating the MEMS components intermittently, actuating the MEMS components in a wave pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a ring pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a row pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a columnar pattern, or actuating the MEMS components in a diagonal pattern.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting one or more points of contact of a palm of the user with a second subset of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identifying a second subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

causing the second subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the palm with the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measuring, using positions of the second subset of MEMS components, topography of the palm;

detecting a palmprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the palm;

determining whether the palmprint profile corresponds to a registered palmprint profile; and

wherein the authenticating the user is based at least in part on determining that the palmprint profile corresponds to the registered palmprint profile.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the detecting one or more points of contact of the finger further comprises:

comparing a measurement, derived from a signal from one or more of a plurality of sensors, to a threshold, wherein the one or more of the plurality of sensors are configured to provide signals used to detect the one or more points of contact of the finger of the user; and

determining that the measurement is greater than the threshold.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of a touch sensor, a force sensor, a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, or a photoelectric sensor.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

setting the first subset of MEMS components to an initial height;

determining whether the initial height of each of one or more MEMS components of the first subset of MEMS components has changed to a subsequent height; and

using a binary representation corresponding to a) the initial height or b) the subsequent height for each of the first subset of MEMS components to generate a 2D mapping of the finger.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to:

detect one or more points of contact of a finger of a user with a subset of portions of a plurality of portions of a surface of a device;

identify a first subset of MEMS components of a plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device, wherein each respective MEMS component of the plurality of MEMS components is configured to actuate to cause one or more portions of the surface of the device to move;

cause the first subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the finger with the subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measure, using positions of the first subset of MEMS components, topography of the finger;

detect a fingerprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the finger;

determine whether the fingerprint profile corresponds to a registered fingerprint profile;

detect one or more points of contact of the finger with one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identify one or more second subsets of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to one or more edge portions of the one or more adjacent subsets of portions of the surface of the device;

use the one or more second subsets of MEMS components to detect a gesture profile;

determine whether the gesture profile corresponds to a registered movement; and

authenticate the user based at least in part on determining that the fingerprint profile corresponds to the registered fingerprint profile and that the gesture profile corresponds to the registered movement.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein:

the first subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components comprises: (a) one or more second MEMS components that correspond to the subset of portions of the surface of the device, at which the one or more points of contact are detected, and (b) one or more third MEMS components that correspond to a fingerprint profile area generally centered relative to the first subset of MEMS components; and

wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry to cause the one or more second MEMS components and the one or more third MEMS components to actuate in a pattern comprising at least one of actuating the MEMS components all at once, actuating the MEMS components in a sequence, actuating the MEMS components intermittently, actuating the MEMS components in a wave pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a ring pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a row pattern, actuating the MEMS components in a columnar pattern, or actuating the MEMS components in a diagonal pattern.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry to:

detect one or more points of contact of a palm of the user with a second subset of portions of the plurality of portions of the surface of the device;

identify a second subset of MEMS components of the plurality of MEMS components that correspond to the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

cause the second subset of MEMS components to actuate based at least in part on detecting the one or more points of contact of the palm with the second subset of portions of the surface of the device;

measure, using positions of the second subset of MEMS components, topography of the palm;

detect a palmprint profile of the user based at least in part on the measured topography of the palm;

determine whether the palmprint profile corresponds to a registered palmprint profile; and

wherein, to authenticate the user, the control circuitry is further configured to determine that the palmprint profile corresponds to the registered palmprint profile.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the control circuitry configured to detect the one or more points of contact of the finger with the subset of portions of the surface of the device to:

compare a measurement derived from a signal from one or more of a plurality of sensors to a threshold, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to provide signals used to detect the one or more points of contact of the finger of the user; and

determine that the measurement is greater than the threshold.