Fingerprint scanning method

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

capturing a digital fingerprint of a finger using a fingerprint-capturing device;

collecting pressure measurements using pressure sensors associated with the fingerprint-capturing device as the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device;

determining a finger-sensor contact direction from the pressure measurements; and

storing the finger-sensor contact direction in association with the digital fingerprint for biometric authentication, wherein the biometric authentication succeeds upon recapturing the digital fingerprint with the associated finger-sensor contact direction.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising determining a contact force for each of the pressure sensors while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and creating a force profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising determining a total contact time along the finger-sensor contact direction.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the fingerprint-capturing device is part of a mobile device and wherein the method further comprises determining a tilt angle of the fingerprint-capturing device using an accelerometer of the mobile device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising measuring variations in tilt while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and determining a tilt profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising storing a first finger-sensor contact direction with a first digital fingerprint to define a first biometric authentication profile and storing a second finger-sensor contact direction with a second digital fingerprint to define a second biometric authentication profile, wherein user authentication matching the first biometric authentication profile grants access to all first set of device functions whereas user authentication matching the second biometric authentication profile grants access to a second set of the device functions.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a computing device cause the computing device to:

capture a digital fingerprint of a finger using a fingerprint-capturing device;

collect pressure measurements using pressure sensors associated with the fingerprint-capturing device as the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device;

determine a finger-sensor contact direction from the pressure measurements; and

store the finger-sensor contact direction in association with the digital fingerprint for biometric authentication, wherein the biometric authentication succeeds upon recapturing the digital fingerprint with the associated finger-sensor contact direction.

8. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 7 further comprising code that causes the device to determine a contact force for each of the pressure sensors while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and to create a force profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

9. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 further comprising code that causes the device to determine a total contact time along the finger-sensor contact direction.

10. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein the computing device is a mobile device and wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code that causes the device to determine a tilt angle of the fingerprint-capturing device using an accelerometer of the mobile device.

11. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 10 further comprising code to cause the device to measure variations in tilt while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and to determine a tilt profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

12. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 7 further comprising code for storing a first finger-sensor contact direction with a first digital fingerprint to define a first biometric authentication profile and for storing a second finger-sensor contact direction with a second digital fingerprint to define a second biometric authentication profile, wherein user authentication matching the first biometric authentication profile grants access to a first set of device functions whereas user authentication matching the second biometric authentication profile grants access to a second set of the device functions.

13. A computing device comprising:

a fingerprint-capturing device for capturing a digital fingerprint of a finger;

pressure sensors associated with the fingerprint-capturing device to collect pressure measurements as the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device;

wherein the processor is configured to determine a finger-sensor contact direction from the pressure measurements and to cause the memory to store the finger-sensor contact direction in association with the digital fingerprint for biometric authentication, wherein the biometric authentication succeeds upon recapturing the digital fingerprint with the associated finger-sensor contact direction.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor cooperates with the pressure sensors to determine a contact force for each of the pressure sensors while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and to create a force profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the processor cooperates with the pressure sensors to determine a total contact time along the finger-sensor contact direction.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising an accelerometer to determine a tilt angle of the fingerprint-capturing device.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the processor cooperates with the accelerometer to measure variations in tilt while the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device and to determine a tilt profile along the finger-sensor contact direction.

18. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor cooperates with the memory to store a first finger-sensor contact direction with a first digital fingerprint to define a first biometric authentication profile and to store a second finger-sensor contact direction with a second digital fingerprint to define a second biometric authentication profile, wherein user authentication matching the first biometric authentication profile grants access to a first set of device functions whereas user authentication matching the second biometric authentication profile grants access to a second set of the device functions.

19. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor cooperates with the pressure sensors to determine a contact time for each sensor.

20. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to: compare a total surface area of the scanned fingerprint to a predetermined threshold; grant access to a first set of applications if the threshold is met or exceeded; and grant access to a second set of applications if the threshold is not exceeded.