iPhone 5S Fingerprint Scanner Could Be Built Into the Display

A new Apple patent filing suggests that the rumored fingerprint scanner for the iPhone 5S could be built into the display.

When using a semiconductor fingerprint sensor, or integrated circuit fingerprint sensor, in a portable electronic device, for example, a mobile telephone, it may be desirable to locate the integrated circuit of the fingerprint sensor separately from the finger sensing region. Separating the finger sensing integrated circuit (IC) from the finger sensing area may be particularly advantageous when the finger sensing area is relatively thin and transparent so that it may be placed over the top of a display of the portable electronic device, and wherein the IC may be located in a nearby non-display region of the portable electronic device.


The patent itself is for a fingerprint sensor that generates a finger measurement with reduced noise.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a finger sensor that can generate a reduced noise finger measurement from a finger, for example, positioned in a finger sensing area at a relatively large distance from the finger sensing integrated circuit.

Many believe Apple will offer fingerprint scanning in the next iPhone aided by its acquisition of AuthenTec.