What is an FPM10A?
The FPM10A is a biometric fingerprint sensor that we can use in our projects with a processor like Arduino.
The sensor includes a 32-bit DSP processor that is responsible for reading and comparing previously registered fingerprints, being able to register up to 162 fingerprints.
The sensor’s response time is less than 1s, with a false positive rate (recognizing an unregistered fingerprint) of less than 0.001%, and a false negative rate (not recognizing a registered fingerprint) of less than 1%.
The FPM10A communication is done through UART at 9600, 19200, 28800, 38400, 57600 (default 57600), so it is very easy to connect it to a processor like Arduino.
The module’s operating voltage is 3.6 to 6.0V, with a maximum consumption of about 150mA.
Price
The FPM10A is one of the cheapest biometric sensors you can find. We can find it for about €5.50 on international sellers like Ebay and AliExpress.
Wiring Diagram
The FPM10A connection is done through UART. We only need to connect the Gnd and 5V power supply and the RX and TX pins.
Check the pin layout on your module and do not rely on the cable colors, as they may vary from one module to another.
The connection, seen from Arduino, would be as follows.
Code Examples
To read the FPM10A, we will use the Adafruit Fingerprint Sensor library.
To make the sensor work, we will first register the known fingerprints (Enroll) and then have the sensor read the fingerprints and compare them with the registered ones.
The library includes examples of both processes. A summarized version is as follows
Enroll
#include <Adafruit_Fingerprint.h>
#if (defined(__AVR__) || defined(ESP8266)) && !defined(__AVR_ATmega2560__)
// For UNO and others without hardware serial, we must use software serial...
// pin #2 is IN from sensor (GREEN wire)
// pin #3 is OUT from arduino (WHITE wire)
// Set up the serial port to use softwareserial..
SoftwareSerial mySerial(2, 3);
#else
// On Leonardo/M0/etc, others with hardware serial, use hardware serial!
// #0 is green wire, #1 is white
#define mySerial Serial1
#endif
Adafruit_Fingerprint finger = Adafruit_Fingerprint(&mySerial);
uint8_t id;
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
while (!Serial); // For Yun/Leo/Micro/Zero/...
delay(100);
Serial.println("\n\nAdafruit Fingerprint sensor enrollment");
// set the data rate for the sensor serial port
finger.begin(57600);
if (finger.verifyPassword()) {
Serial.println("Found fingerprint sensor!");
} else {
Serial.println("Did not find fingerprint sensor :(");
while (1) { delay(1); }
}
Serial.println(F("Reading sensor parameters"));
finger.getParameters();
Serial.print(F("Status: 0x")); Serial.println(finger.status_reg, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Sys ID: 0x")); Serial.println(finger.system_id, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Capacity: ")); Serial.println(finger.capacity);
Serial.print(F("Security level: ")); Serial.println(finger.security_level);
Serial.print(F("Device address: ")); Serial.println(finger.device_addr, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Packet len: ")); Serial.println(finger.packet_len);
Serial.print(F("Baud rate: ")); Serial.println(finger.baud_rate);
}
uint8_t readnumber(void) {
uint8_t num = 0;
while (num == 0) {
while (! Serial.available());
num = Serial.parseInt();
}
return num;
}
void loop() // run over and over again
{
Serial.println("Ready to enroll a fingerprint!");
Serial.println("Please type in the ID # (from 1 to 127) you want to save this finger as...");
id = readnumber();
if (id == 0) {// ID #0 not allowed, try again!
return;
}
Serial.print("Enrolling ID #");
Serial.println(id);
while (! getFingerprintEnroll() );
}
uint8_t getFingerprintEnroll() {
int p = -1;
Serial.print("Waiting for valid finger to enroll as #"); Serial.println(id);
while (p != FINGERPRINT_OK) {
p = finger.getImage();
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image taken");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_NOFINGER:
Serial.println(".");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEFAIL:
Serial.println("Imaging error");
break;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
break;
}
}
// OK success!
p = finger.image2Tz(1);
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image converted");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEMESS:
Serial.println("Image too messy");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_FEATUREFAIL:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_INVALIDIMAGE:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
Serial.println("Remove finger");
delay(2000);
p = 0;
while (p != FINGERPRINT_NOFINGER) {
p = finger.getImage();
}
Serial.print("ID "); Serial.println(id);
p = -1;
Serial.println("Place same finger again");
while (p != FINGERPRINT_OK) {
p = finger.getImage();
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image taken");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_NOFINGER:
Serial.print(".");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEFAIL:
Serial.println("Imaging error");
break;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
break;
}
}
// OK success!
p = finger.image2Tz(2);
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image converted");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEMESS:
Serial.println("Image too messy");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_FEATUREFAIL:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_INVALIDIMAGE:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
// OK converted!
Serial.print("Creating model for #"); Serial.println(id);
p = finger.createModel();
if (p == FINGERPRINT_OK) {
Serial.println("Prints matched!");
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR) {
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_ENROLLMISMATCH) {
Serial.println("Fingerprints did not match");
return p;
} else {
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
Serial.print("ID "); Serial.println(id);
p = finger.storeModel(id);
if (p == FINGERPRINT_OK) {
Serial.println("Stored!");
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR) {
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_BADLOCATION) {
Serial.println("Could not store in that location");
return p;
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_FLASHERR) {
Serial.println("Error writing to flash");
return p;
} else {
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
return true;
}Operation
#include <Adafruit_Fingerprint.h>
#if (defined(__AVR__) || defined(ESP8266)) && !defined(__AVR_ATmega2560__)
// For UNO and others without hardware serial, we must use software serial...
// pin #2 is IN from sensor (GREEN wire)
// pin #3 is OUT from arduino (WHITE wire)
// Set up the serial port to use softwareserial..
SoftwareSerial mySerial(2, 3);
#else
// On Leonardo/M0/etc, others with hardware serial, use hardware serial!
// #0 is green wire, #1 is white
#define mySerial Serial1
#endif
Adafruit_Fingerprint finger = Adafruit_Fingerprint(&mySerial);
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
while (!Serial); // For Yun/Leo/Micro/Zero/...
delay(100);
Serial.println("\n\nAdafruit finger detect test");
// set the data rate for the sensor serial port
finger.begin(57600);
delay(5);
if (finger.verifyPassword()) {
Serial.println("Found fingerprint sensor!");
} else {
Serial.println("Did not find fingerprint sensor :(");
while (1) { delay(1); }
}
Serial.println(F("Reading sensor parameters"));
finger.getParameters();
Serial.print(F("Status: 0x")); Serial.println(finger.status_reg, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Sys ID: 0x")); Serial.println(finger.system_id, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Capacity: ")); Serial.println(finger.capacity);
Serial.print(F("Security level: ")); Serial.println(finger.security_level);
Serial.print(F("Device address: ")); Serial.println(finger.device_addr, HEX);
Serial.print(F("Packet len: ")); Serial.println(finger.packet_len);
Serial.print(F("Baud rate: ")); Serial.println(finger.baud_rate);
finger.getTemplateCount();
if (finger.templateCount == 0) {
Serial.print("Sensor doesn't contain any fingerprint data. Please run the 'enroll' example.");
}
else {
Serial.println("Waiting for valid finger...");
Serial.print("Sensor contains "); Serial.print(finger.templateCount); Serial.println(" templates");
}
}
void loop() // run over and over again
{
getFingerprintID();
delay(50); //don't ned to run this at full speed.
}
uint8_t getFingerprintID() {
uint8_t p = finger.getImage();
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image taken");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_NOFINGER:
Serial.println("No finger detected");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEFAIL:
Serial.println("Imaging error");
return p;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
// OK success!
p = finger.image2Tz();
switch (p) {
case FINGERPRINT_OK:
Serial.println("Image converted");
break;
case FINGERPRINT_IMAGEMESS:
Serial.println("Image too messy");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR:
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_FEATUREFAIL:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
case FINGERPRINT_INVALIDIMAGE:
Serial.println("Could not find fingerprint features");
return p;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
// OK converted!
p = finger.fingerSearch();
if (p == FINGERPRINT_OK) {
Serial.println("Found a print match!");
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_PACKETRECIEVEERR) {
Serial.println("Communication error");
return p;
} else if (p == FINGERPRINT_NOTFOUND) {
Serial.println("Did not find a match");
return p;
} else {
Serial.println("Unknown error");
return p;
}
// found a match!
Serial.print("Found ID #"); Serial.print(finger.fingerID);
Serial.print(" with confidence of "); Serial.println(finger.confidence);
return finger.fingerID;
}
// returns -1 if failed, otherwise returns ID #
int getFingerprintIDez() {
uint8_t p = finger.getImage();
if (p != FINGERPRINT_OK) return -1;
p = finger.image2Tz();
if (p != FINGERPRINT_OK) return -1;
p = finger.fingerFastSearch();
if (p != FINGERPRINT_OK) return -1;
// found a match!
Serial.print("Found ID #"); Serial.print(finger.fingerID);
Serial.print(" with confidence of "); Serial.println(finger.confidence);
return finger.fingerID;
}Download the Code
All the code from this post is available for download on Github. 