Under screen fingerprint scanners have been the craze of the flagship Android market ever since 2018. However, the technology hasn’t progressed for a while since it is very difficult to innovate on a fingerprint scanner.

Recently, from the Chinese national patent database, one insider from China has revealed that Xiaomi was recently awarded the patent of a new fingerprint scanning technology, which allows the user to be able to use the fingerprint sensor on any part of the screen. This is great news for the end-user, as you need not try as many times to unlock your phone as you need not place your finger accurately on the under-screen fingerprint scanner for it to be registered anymore because you can now unlock it anywhere on top of the screen.

In the patent, Xiaomi showcases how the technology works in that it will have an array of infrared LED light transmitters underneath the capacitive touch-screen layer and above the normal AMOLED display. The array of infrared light receivers will be located above the infrared LED light transmitters. All the infrared LED light transmitters and receivers mentioned above are the core building blocks for the all-screen fingerprint scanner.

First, when the user wants to scan their fingerprint on screen, he touches the screen with his finger, the capacitive touch screen registers the touch, the position and shape of the fingertip, then the array of infrared LED light transmitters emits light out the screen at only the shape and position of the fingertip. Do note that the surrounding LED light transmitters will not light up in this case. 

Next, the infrared light will be reflected back after in contact with the fingertip and reach the infrared light receivers. The data of the infrared light speed will then be used to map out the contour of the fingerprint, and then will compare to your saved fingerprint details to verify if the user is the same as the one saved. If true, the user will be able to unlock his smartphone from any part of the screen!

Huawei actually submitted a patent of their own all-screen fingerprinting technology back in August 2020 in six markets, including China, Europe, the US, Japan, Korea, and India. However, the technology has not been announced yet, which may be caused by supply sanctions towards the company. Here’s to hope that Xiaomi will be able to bring this technology to the smartphone market soon.

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(Via)

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