CrucialTec granted U.S. patent for in-display fingerprint sensor

CrucialTec has been granted a U.S. patent covering an in-display fingerprint solution designed to allow smartphone users to unlock and/or authenticate themselves by placing a finger directly on the device display, according to a new report out of The Investor.

The Display Fingerprint Solution’s (DFS) functionality is made possible by the fingerprint sensor being embedded directly in the display, with all components of the sensor being transparent in nature.

The US patent approval appears to be a continuation of a similar CrucialTec patent covering a “transparent fingerprint sensor” that allows smartphone touchscreens to recognize fingerprints, which was reported last month.

At the time, it was reported that CrucialTec was planning to obtain an expanded number of patents relating to the technology, with this latest patent likely being one of them.

The company said it is also planning to launch DFS-equipped devices “as early as this year” with smartphones and wearable devices being the first devices to leverage the technology.

A CrucialTec official said that while smartphone displays will localize the technology in a specific spot, the entire display of smartwatches will likely be equipped with DFS.

This most recent patent approval suggests that the company will soon release the technology to the general public.

It is also consistent with a report in February that said CrucialTec will begin supplying its in-display fingerprint sensors before the end of the year.

In-display fingerprint sensors, such as DFS, will likely further help to drive and maintain the recent trend in smartphone vendors seeking to maximize the display to body ratio of a smartphone’s front panel, by reducing the bezel levels in use.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  CrucialTec  |  fingerprint technology  |  patents