Spinning disk ultrasonic transducer array and method

1. A fingerprint scanning system comprising:

an imaging surface capable of receiving a finger;

a rotatable disk, the disk having a pivot-location about which the disk rotates;

an ultrasound transducer joined to the disk and capable of providing information corresponding to a fingerprint of the finger;

a disk driver capable of rotating the disk in order to cause the transducer to move along a substantially circular path;

a linear driver capable of moving the pivot-location linearly;

a measurer capable of measuring linear positions of the pivot-location and arcuate positions of the transducer; and

a coupler capable of producing sets of coupled information, each set comprising one linear position of the pivot-location, one arcuate position of the transducer and information produced from the transducer at the pivot-location and arcuate position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluidic ultrasound transmission medium between the imaging surface and the transducer.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory in which is stored sets of coupled information corresponding to a desired portion of the circular path.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising additional ultrasound transducers, all of which are located on the disk substantially equidistant from the pivot-location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control system for controlling the position of the pivot-location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor programmed to control the linear position of the pivot-location and the arcuate position of the transducer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a memory for storing information related to the linear position of the pivot-location and the arcuate position of the transducer, and information from the transducer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the imaging surface is made of a polished substantially planar synthetic resin.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transducer is joined to the disk at a location that is not coincident with the pivot-location.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear driver includes a screw and a motor, and the system further includes a carriage supporting the probe arm, the carriage being movable linearly when the motor turns the screw.

11. A method of scanning a fingerprint comprising:

(A) receiving at least one finger on an imaging surface;

(B) providing (a) a disk that is pivotable about a pivot-location, (b) an ultrasonic transducer joined to the disk, and (c) a disk-driver capable of rotating the disk in order to cause the transducer to move along an arcuate path;

(C) recording a linear position of the pivot-location to provide a linear recording;

(D) recording an arcuate position of the ultrasonic transducer to provide an arcuate recording;

(E) sending an ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic transducer toward the finger;

(F) receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal;

(G) recording information about the reflected ultrasonic signal to provide recorded signal information;

(H) coupling the recorded signal information with the linear recording and the arcuate recording;

(I) rotating the disk using the disk driver;

(J) repeating steps D through H;

(K) moving the pivot-location linearly;

(L) repeating steps C through J.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending the ultrasonic signal through a fluidic ultrasound transmission medium.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising utilizing a control system to control the position of the pivot-location.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising utilizing a memory to store information related to the recorded linear position, the recorded arcuate position, and a change in time between sending the ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic transducer and receiving the reflected ultrasonic signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising using the stored information to display an image of the fingerprint.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising recording signal information relating to a change in time between sending the ultrasonic signal and receiving the reflected ultrasonic signal.

17. A method of scanning a fingerprint, comprising:

providing (a) an ultrasound transducer capable of providing information corresponding to a fingerprint of the finger, (b) a disk attached to the transducer, the disk having a pivot-location, (c) a linear driver capable of moving the pivot-location linearly, and (d) disk driver capable of moving the transducer along a substantially circular path about the pivot-location;

positioning the transducer in a waiting position;

sending an ultrasonic signal;

receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal;

using the reflected ultrasonic signal, determining whether a finger has been presented for scanning to provide a determination signal;

if the determination signal indicates a finger has been presented for scanning, then generating a first set of fingerprint information using the transducer at a first linear position and a first arcuate position;

moving the transducer arcuately to a second arcuate position using the arcuate driver;

generating a second set of fingerprint information using the transducer at the linear position and the second arcuate position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining whether a finger has been presented for scanning includes:

calculating an amount of time between sending the ultrasonic signal and receiving the reflected signal, and

comparing the determined amount of time to a predetermined time, the predetermined time being an amount of time expected for an ultrasonic signal to travel from the transducer to a finger, and back to the transducer.