IP Library Granted Patent US 9,740,909
Granted Patent B2
US 9,740,909 · App. 15/368,785 · Granted Aug 22, 2017

Electronic device with a fingerprint reader and method for operating the same

Inventors: Amber M. Pierce (Evanston, IL); Michael J Lombardi (Lake Zurich, IL)
Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
G06K9/00013G06K9/00067G06K9/00087
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,740,909
App. No.
15/368,785
Granted
Aug 22, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for operating an electronic device is provided, in which the device detects contact with a user's finger, scans its fingerprint and sets the orientation of the electronic device based on the fingerprint (e.g., whether is from the user's left hand or right hand) and on an angle of the fingerprint with respect to the device. This allows the electronic device to determine its orientation with respect to the user rather than with respect to the environment.

Claims (56)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, an indication of a contact of a finger of a user with a sensor;

determining, by the one or more processors, a fingerprint associated with the finger of the user;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether the fingerprint associated with the finger is from a left hand or from a right hand of the user;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether an angle of the fingerprint with respect to the sensor falls within a first range of angles or within a second ranges of angles that does not overlap with the first range of angles;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on whether the fingerprint associated with the finger is from the left hand of the user or from the right hand of the user, and further based on whether the angle falls within the first range of angles or within the second range of angles, an orientation of an electronic device relative to the user;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the orientation of the electronic device relative to the user, a configuration of one or more components of the electronic device;

configuring, by the one or more processors, and based on the determined configuration, the one or more components of the electronic device for use during operation of the electronic device; and

maintaining, by the one or more processors, based on the fingerprint and on the angle of the fingerprint with respect to the sensor, the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device at least until the contact of the finger with the sensor ceases.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to receiving information associated with a motion of the electronic device, disregarding the information associated with the motion of the electronic device to maintain the

a sensor that is configured to detect a contact of a finger of a user;

one or more components;

one or more processors; and

a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive an indication of the contact of the finger with the sensor;

receive an indication of a fingerprint associated with the finger;

determine whether the fingerprint associated with the finger is from a left hand or from a right hand of the user;

determine whether an angle of the fingerprint with respect to the sensor falls within a first range of angles or within a second ranges of angles that does not overlap with the first range of angles;

determine, based on whether the fingerprint associated with the finger is from the left hand of the user or from the right hand of the user, and further based on whether the angle falls within the first range of angles or within the second range of angles, an orientation of the electronic device relative to the user; configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device until the contact of the finger with the sensor ceases.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

authenticating the user based on the fingerprint,

wherein configuring the one or more components of the electronic devices occurs after authenticating the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device comprises determining one or more of a display orientation of a display of the electronic device, an earpiece assignment of one or more earpieces associated with the electronic device, a microphone assignment of one or more microphones of the electronic device, or a speaker assignment of one or more speakers of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device comprises:

responsive to determining that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determining a first display orientation of a display of the electronic device; and

responsive to determining that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determining a second display orientation of the display of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device comprises:

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the left hand and that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determining a first display orientation of a display of the electronic device;

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the left hand and that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determining a second display orientation of the display of the electronic device;

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the right hand and that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determining a third display orientation of the display of the electronic device; and

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the right hand and that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determining a fourth display orientation of the display of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device comprises identifying a main antenna of the electronic device and a diversity antenna of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the one or more components of the electronic device comprises engaging one or more proximity sensors of the electronic device.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

determine, based on the orientation of the electronic device relative to the user, a configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device;

configure, based on the determined configuration, the one or more components of the electronic device for use during operation of the electronic device;

maintain, based on the fingerprint and on the angle of the fingerprint with respect to the sensor, the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device at least until the contact of the finger with the sensor ceases.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions stored by the memory further cause the one or more processors to:

responsive to receiving information associated with a motion of the electronic device, disregard the information associated with the motion of the electronic device to maintain the configuration of the one or more components of the electronic device until the contact of the finger with the sensor ceases.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 ,

wherein the instructions stored by the memory further cause the one or more processors to authenticate the user based on the fingerprint, and

wherein the instructions stored by the memory cause the one or more processors to configure the one or more components of the electronic devices after authenticating the user.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 ,

wherein the one or more components comprise one or more of a display, one or more earpieces, one or more microphones, or one or more speakers, and

wherein the instructions stored by the memory that cause the one or more processors to determine the configuration of the one or more components cause the one or more processors to determine one or more of a display orientation of the display, an earpiece assignment of the one or more earpieces, a microphone assignment of the one or more microphones, or a speaker assignment of the one or more speakers.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a display, and wherein the instructions stored by the memory that cause the one or more processors to determine the configuration of the one or more components cause the one or more processors to:

responsive to determining that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determine a first display orientation of the display; and

responsive to determining that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determine a second display orientation of the display.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a display, and wherein the instructions stored by the memory that cause the one or more processors to determine the configuration of the one or more components cause the one or more processors to:

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the left hand and that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determine a first display orientation of the display;

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the left hand and that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determine a second display orientation of the display;

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the right hand and that the angle falls within the first range of angles, determine a third display orientation of the display; and

responsive to determining that the fingerprint is associated with the right hand and that the angle falls within the second range of angles, determine a fourth display orientation of the display.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions stored by the memory that cause the one or more processors to determine the configuration of the one or more components cause the one or more processors to identify a main antenna of the electronic device and a diversity antenna of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising one or more proximity sensors, and wherein the instructions stored by the memory that cause the one or more processors to configure the one or more components cause the one or more processors to engage the one or more proximity sensors.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: PIERCE, AMBER M.; LOMBARDI, MICHAEL J.
To: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
Reel/Frame 040516/0093 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
To: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 040813/0398 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14185343 · Feb 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61921828 · Dec 30, 2013
Related Publication 20170083743A1 · Mar 23, 2017