On October 9, 2014, the US Patent & Trademark Office published two patent applications from Apple that cover technologies relating to fingerprint ID and flexible displays with bent edges. The latter may have been applied to Apple's latest Apple Watch. Our report provides you with a brief intro to each of these inventions.

Invention #1 Enrollment Using Synthetic Fingerprint Image and Fingerprint Sensing Systems

In the first invention, Apple covers more about their fingerprint sensing system. The fingerprint sensing system includes: at least one sensor; at least one display device; at least one application processor; and at least one secure enclave processor. The application processor(s) receives fingerprint data from the sensor(s) and provides the fingerprint data to the secure enclave processor(s). The secure enclave processor(s) decodes the fingerprint data and provides a signal indicative of at least one matched node. The application processor(s), responsive to receipt of the signal indicative of the matched node(s), presents at least a portion of a synthetic fingerprint image via at least one display device corresponding to the matched node(s).





Apple notes that the system may display an image of a fingerprint on a display device during an enrollment process or testing process to provide feedback to a user regarding portions of the finger which need to be presented to the sensor. However, it may be undesirable to display an image of an actual user's fingerprint on the display for security reasons. Accordingly, it may be useful to display a synthetic fingerprint rather than the user's actual fingerprint for these operations.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 noted above is a schematic illustration of a fingerprint sensing system; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a synthetic fingerprint image displayed on a display device.

For more information, see patent application 20140301614.

Invention #2: Flexible Display with Bent Edge Regions

In the second invention, Apple covers an electronic device that may be provided with a flexible display. The display may have portions that are bent along a bend axis. For example, the edges of the display may be bent to help hide inactive display components from view by a user of the electronic device as noted in Apple's patent FIG. 7 below.

The display may have display circuitry such as an array of display pixels in an active area of the display. The active area may, for example, have a rectangular shape. The display may also have signal lines, contact pads, and other structures in the inactive area of the display. The inactive area may, for example, have the shape of a rectangular ring that surrounds the active area.

Apple notes that the invention may apply to a wrist-watch (perhaps used in the Apple Watch) or future devices such the iPhone, iPad, headphones, television and other devices.

Apple's patent FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a display in an illustrative configuration in which the right and left edges of display have been bent.





For more details on this invention, see patent application 20140299884.

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