IP Library Granted Patent US 12,205,401
Granted Patent B2
US 12,205,401 · App. 17/985,895 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Readout integrated circuit

Inventor: Chi-Ting Chen (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
G06V40/1318
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,205,401
App. No.
17/985,895
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A readout integrated circuit configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel is provided. The optical sensing panel includes a sensor array for fingerprint sensing. The readout integrated circuit includes a plurality of input terminals and a first discharging circuit. The plurality of input terminals are coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel. The first discharging circuit is coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals. The first discharging circuit serves to discharge an output terminal included in the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period. The readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal as a sensing signal. The first discharging circuit includes a first switch element controlled by a control signal and a first current source which generates the first current.

Claims (66)

1. A readout integrated circuit, configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel comprising a sensor array for fingerprint sensing, the readout integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of input terminals, configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel;

a first discharging circuit, coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals and configured to discharge an output terminal included in the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period, wherein the readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal of the optical sensing panel as a sensing signal; and

a pre-charging circuit, coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, wherein the pre-charging circuit is configured to charge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel to an initial voltage during a pre-charging period, and the initial voltage is lower than and approximate to a highest input voltage of an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the pre-charging period is earlier than the readout period,

wherein the first discharging circuit comprises:

a first switch element, controlled to be either conducted or not by a control signal, wherein a first terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, and a control terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the control signal; and

a first current source, coupled to a second terminal of the first switch element, wherein the first current source is configured to generate the first current.

2. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first current source is controlled by a first voltage to generate the first current, and the first current source comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, and the first current is transmitted from the first terminal of the first current source to the second terminal of the first current source,

wherein the first terminal of the first current source is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch element, the second terminal of the first current source is coupled to a reference voltage, and the control terminal of the first current source is coupled to the first voltage.

3. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control circuit, coupled to the first discharging circuit and configured to output the control signal to control an operating period which is a time length that the first discharging circuit discharges the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by the first current.

4. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second discharging circuit, coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel and configured to discharge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by a second current during the readout period.

5. The readout integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the second discharging circuit comprises:

a second current source, controlled by a second voltage to generate the second current.

6. The readout integrated circuit of claim 5 , wherein the second current source comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, and the second current is transmitted from the first terminal of the second current source to the second terminal of the second current source, wherein the first terminal of the second current source is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, the second terminal of the second current source is coupled to a reference voltage, and the control terminal of the second current source is coupled to the second voltage.

7. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the pre-charging circuit comprises:

a third switch element, controlled by a third control signal and comprising a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the third switch element is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, the second terminal of the third switch element is coupled to a pre-charging voltage, and the control terminal of the third switch element is coupled to the third control signal.

8. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second discharging circuit and the pre-charging circuit are disposed in the readout integrated circuit.

9. The readout integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second discharging circuit and the pre-charging circuit are disposed in a display panel where the sensor array is embedded.

10. The readout integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the first current is larger than or equal to the second current.

11. A readout integrated circuit, configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel comprising a sensor array for fingerprint sensing, the readout integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of input terminals, configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel;

a first charging circuit, coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals and configured to charge an output terminal included in the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period, wherein the readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal of the optical sensing panel as a sensing signal; and

a pre-discharging circuit, coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, wherein the pre-discharging circuit is configured to discharge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel to an initial voltage during a pre-discharging period, and the initial voltage is higher than and approximate to a lowest input voltage of an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the pre-discharging period is earlier than the readout period,

wherein the first charging circuit comprises:

a first switch element, controlled to be either conducted or not by a control signal, wherein a first terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, and a control terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the control signal; and

a first current source, coupled to a second terminal of the first switch element, wherein the first current source is configured to generate the first current.

12. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the first current source is controlled by a first voltage to generate the first current, and the first current source comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, and the first current is transmitted from the second terminal of the first current source to the first terminal of the first current source,

wherein the first terminal of the first current source is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch element, the second terminal of the first current source is coupled to a reference voltage, and the control terminal of the first current source is coupled to the first voltage.

13. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:

a control circuit, coupled to the first charging circuit and configured to output the control signal to control an operating period which is a time length that the first charging circuit charges the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by the first current.

14. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:

a second charging circuit, coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel and configured to charge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by a second current during the readout period.

15. The readout integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the second charging circuit comprises:

a second current source, controlled by a second voltage to generate the second current.

16. The readout integrated circuit of claim 15 , wherein the second current source comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, and the second current is transmitted from the first terminal of the second current source to the second terminal of the second current source, wherein the second terminal of the second current source is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, the first terminal of the second current source is coupled to a reference voltage, and the control terminal of the second current source is coupled to the second voltage.

17. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the pre-discharging circuit comprises:

a third switch element, controlled by a third control signal and comprising a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the third switch element is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, the second terminal of the third switch element is coupled to a pre-discharging voltage, and the control terminal of the third switch element is coupled to the third control signal.

18. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second charging circuit and the pre-discharging circuit are disposed in the readout integrated circuit.

19. The readout integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second charging circuit and the pre-discharging circuit are disposed in a display panel where the sensor array is embedded.

20. The readout integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the first current is larger than or equal to the second current.

21. A readout integrated circuit, configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel comprising a sensor array for fingerprint sensing, the readout integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of input terminals, configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel; and

a first charging/discharging circuit, coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals and configured to charge or discharge an output terminal included in the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period, wherein the readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal of the optical sensing panel as a sensing signal,

wherein the first charging/discharging circuit comprises:

a first switch element, controlled by a first control signal; and

a second switch element, controlled by a second control signal, wherein a phase of the second control signal and a phase of the first control signal are inverted with each other.

22. The readout integrated circuit of claim 21 , further comprising:

a control circuit, coupled to the first charging/discharging circuit and configured to output the first control signal and the second control signal to control an operating period which is a time length that the first charging/discharging circuit charges or discharges the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by the first current.

23. The readout integrated circuit of claim 21 , wherein a first terminal of the first switch element is coupled to a first voltage, a second terminal of the first switch element is coupled to a control terminal of the first current source, and a control terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the first control signal; and

wherein a first terminal of the second switch element is coupled to the control terminal of the first current source, a second terminal of the second switch element is coupled to a reference voltage, and a control terminal of the second switch element is coupled to the second control signal.

24. The readout integrated circuit of claim 21 , wherein

when the first switch element is conducted, the second switch element is not conducted; and

when the second switch element is conducted, the first switch element is not conducted.

25. The readout integrated circuit of claim 21 , wherein the first charging/discharging circuit is configured to discharge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel when the readout integrated circuit is adapted for the optical sensing panel comprising sensor circuits with N-type transistors, and the first charging/discharging circuit is configured to charge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel when the readout integrated circuit is adapted for the optical sensing panel comprising sensor circuits with P-type transistors.

26. A readout integrated circuit, configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel comprising a sensor array for fingerprint sensing, the readout integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of input terminals, configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel; and

a first charging/discharging circuit, coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals and configured to charge or discharge an output terminal included in the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period, wherein the readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal of the optical sensing panel as a sensing signal,

wherein the first charging/discharging circuit comprises:

a first current source;

a first switch element, controlled by a control signal, wherein a first terminal of the first switch element is coupled to a first voltage, a second terminal of the first switch element is coupled to a control terminal of the first current source, and a control terminal of the first switch element is coupled to the control signal; and

a diode element, comprising an anode terminal and a cathode terminal, wherein one terminal of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal is coupled to the output terminal of the optical sensing panel, and the other terminal of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal is coupled to a first terminal of the first current source.

27. The readout integrated circuit of claim 26 , further comprising:

a control circuit, coupled to the first charging/discharging circuit and configured to output the control signal to control an operating period which is a time length that the first charging/discharging circuit charges or discharges the output terminal of the optical sensing panel by the first current.

28. The readout integrated circuit of claim 26 , wherein the first charging/discharging circuit is configured to discharge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel when the readout integrated circuit is adapted for the optical sensing panel comprising sensor circuits with N-type transistors, and the first charging/discharging circuit is configured to charge the output terminal of the optical sensing panel when the readout integrated circuit is adapted for the optical sensing panel comprising sensor circuits with P-type transistors.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2022
From: CHEN, CHI-TING
To: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 061818/0310 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17168185 · Feb 5, 2021
Provisional Application 62970713 · Feb 6, 2020
Related Publication 20230070145A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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