Randolph Steward Gluck

US Patent:

6578436, Jun 17, 2003

Filed:

May 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/571765

Inventors:

Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA
Steven H. Hovey - Goleta CA
Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01D 700

US Classification:

73862046

Abstract:

The present invention provides a pressure based fingerprint image capture device that includes an array of cantilevers or simply suspended bridges, with each pressure based sensor having a cantilever or a simply suspended bridge in contact with a conducting electrode that deforms under the load applied by the localized ridge on the fingerprint, and which provides contact to another conducting electrode thereby closing the electrical circuit, a switch in the simplest form, and providing a âpulseâ response from the sensor. In the quiescent state, each cantilever or simply suspended bridge structure contains an upper electrode which forms one part of the switch, while another conducting layer, the lower electrode at the bottom of the well of the individual sensor, forms the other part of the switch.

US Patent:

6672174, Jan 6, 2004

Filed:

Jul 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/912066

Inventors:

Keith T. Deconde - San Jose CA
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi - Fremont CA
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA
Steve H. Hovey - Goleta CA
Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA
Robert Dobkin - Monte Sereno CA

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01D 700

US Classification:

73862046

Abstract:

A fingerprint-sensing device with a sensor array that does not use active switching elements is fabricated on a base. Sensor support integrated circuits, which contain processing and addressing circuitry, are separately fabricated and subsequently mounted on the base, establishing electrical connections with an interconnect structure within the base, and are thus not integrated with the sensor array. The sensor support integrated circuits can be covered by a bezel structure and the sensor array by a covering material. In addition, a connection cable can be provided to connect the sensor array and the sensor support integrated circuits with a power source and to other external devices and to convey signals generated by the sensor array to the external devices.

US Patent:

6829950, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

May 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/146417

Inventors:

Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA
Steven H. Hovey - Goleta CA
Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01L 300

US Classification:

73862046

Abstract:

The present invention provides a pressure based fingerprint image capture device that includes an array of cantilevers or simply suspended bridges, with each pressure based sensor having a cantilever or a simply suspended bridge in contact with a conducting electrode that deforms under the load applied by the localized ridge on the fingerprint, and which provides contact to another conducting electrode thereby closing the electrical circuit, a switch in the simplest form, and providing a âpulseâ response from the sensor. In the quiescent state, each cantilever or simply suspended bridge structure contains an upper electrode which forms one part of the switch, while another conducting layer, the lower electrode at the bottom of the well of the individual sensor, forms the other part of the switch.

US Patent:

6889565, May 10, 2005

Filed:

Dec 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/038505

Inventors:

Keith T. DeConde - San Jose CA, US
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi - Fremont CA, US
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA, US
Steve H. Hovey - Goleta CA, US
Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA, US
Christopher Stoessel - Bodega Bay CA, US

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01D007/00

US Classification:

73862042

Abstract:

A sensor for identifying fingerprints or other skin textures includes an array of cells each including a membrane switch. Each switch includes a fixed lower electrode disposed on a chip substrate, and a flexible membrane disposed over the lower electrode and capable of flexing downward to establish electrical contact between the lower electrode and an upper electrode. The upper electrode can form the membrane itself or a layer of the membrane, or can be attached to other membrane layers. Switches situated underneath skin ridges change state (e. g. are closed) by the applied pressure, while switches underneath skin valleys remain in their quiescent state (e. g. open). Adjacent switch chambers are connected by fluid tunnels which allow the passage of air between the chambers. Each chamber is substantially closed to the exterior of the sensor, such that particles from the environment cannot contaminate the switch contact surface defined between the switch electrodes. The cells are preferably not hermetically sealed, such that the pressure within the chamber interiors can stay equal to the external (atmospheric) pressure in varying environmental conditions.

US Patent:

7059201, Jun 13, 2006

Filed:

Dec 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/747304

Inventors:

Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA, US
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi - Fremont CA, US
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA, US
Steven H. Hovey - Goleta CA, US

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01D 7/00

US Classification:

73862041

Abstract:

The present invention provides a pressure sensing device that includes at least one TMR sensor, and preferably an array of TMR sensors, with each TMR sensor having an insulating spacer layer interposed between a pinned and a free ferromagnetic layer. In an unbiased state, the magnetization vector of each of the ferromagnetic layers is preferably parallel to each other. Upon application of a small voltage, the magnetization vectors remain unchanged. Upon application of stress, the magnetization vector of the free magnetic layer will rotate, thus causing a corresponding and proportionally related change in the resistance of the sensor. This change in resistance can be sensed and used to calculate the stress applied thereto.

US Patent:

7290323, Nov 6, 2007

Filed:

Nov 14, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/714825

Inventors:

Keith T. Deconde - San Jose CA, US
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi - Fremont CA, US
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA, US
Steve H. Hovey - Goleta CA, US
Shiva Prakash - Santa Barbara CA, US
Robert Dobkin - Monte Sereno CA, US

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems, Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01R 3/00

US Classification:

29595, 295921, 29831, 29832, 73862046, 73862042, 73862041, 73862045, 438 50, 438 51

Abstract:

A fingerprint-sensing device with a sensor array that does not use active switching elements is fabricated on a base. Sensor support integrated circuits, which contain processing and addressing circuitry, are separately fabricated and subsequently mounted on the base, establishing electrical connections with an interconnect structure within the base, and are thus not integrated with the sensor array. The sensor support integrated circuits can be covered by a bezel structure and the sensor array by a covering material. In addition, a connection cable can be provided to connect the sensor array and the sensor support integrated circuits with a power source and to other external devices and to convey signals generated by the sensor array to the external devices.

US Patent:

7315115, Jan 1, 2008

Filed:

Oct 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/698696

Inventors:

Christopher J. Curtin - Friday Harbor WA, US
Duane A. Haven - Umpqua OR, US
George B. Hopple - Palo Alto CA, US
Lawrence S. Pan - Los Gatos CA, US
Igor L. Maslennikov - Encinitas CA, US
Michael J. Nystrom - San Jose CA, US
Jun Gordon Liu - Fremont CA, US
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA, US
Tomoo Kosugi - San Jose CA, US
James C. Dunphy - San Jose CA, US
David L. Morris - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Tokyo
Sony Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

H01J 1/62
H01J 63/04

US Classification:

313495, 313553, 313497, 313110

Abstract:

A light-emitting device contains getter material () typically distributed in a relatively uniform manner across the device's active light-emitting portion. An electron-emitting device similarly contains getter material (, and ) typically distributed relatively uniformly across the active electron-emitting portion of the device.

US Patent:

7373843, May 20, 2008

Filed:

Jun 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/145534

Inventors:

Srinivasan K. Ganapathi - Fremont CA, US
Keith T. DeConde - San Jose CA, US
Randolph S. Gluck - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Fidelica Microsystems - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01D 7/00

US Classification:

73862046, 73862041, 73862042, 73862043, 73862044, 73862045

Abstract:

A sensor for a textured surface (e. g. , a fingerprint) is provided. The sensor includes a flexible substrate and a flexible membrane supported above the substrate by one or more spacers. The sensor also includes multiple pressure sensor elements responsive to a separation between parts of the membrane and corresponding parts of the substrate. The membrane is conformable to the textured surface being sensed, so the variation in separation between substrate and membrane is representative of the textured surface being sensed. A preferred sensor array arrangement has a set of parallel substrate electrodes on the substrate facing the membrane and a set of parallel membrane electrodes on the membrane facing the substrate, where the substrate and membrane electrodes are perpendicular. The sensor array is preferably an entirely passive structure including no active electrical devices, to reduce cost. Row and column addressing circuitry can be provided as separate units (e. g.