Biometric imaging devices and associated methods

• US 10,244,188 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (DC Capital Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (DC Capital Partners, LLC)
• Inventors: Saylor, Stephen D., Pralle, Martin U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valentiner, Jeremy S
• Application Number:
  US14/864,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20160119555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for identifying an individual in both cooperative and non-cooperative situations are provided. In one aspect, for example, a system for identifying an individual can include an active light source capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of from about 700 nm to about 1200 nm, and an imager device positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation upon reflection from an individual to generate an electronic representation of the individual. The system can also include an image processing module functionally coupled to the imager device to receive the electronic representation. The image processing module processes the electronic representation into an individual representation having at least one substantially unique identification trait. The imager device can include a semiconductor device layer having a thickness of less than about 10 microns, at least two doped regions forming a junction, and a textured region positioned to interact with the electromagnetic radiation, and can have an external quantum efficiency of at least about 33% for at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm.

Claims

1. A system for identifying an individual, comprising:

an active light source capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of from about 800 nanometers (nm) to about 1200 nm;

an imager device positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation upon reflection from an individual to generate an electronic representation of the individual, the imager device comprising;

at least one infrared light detecting pixel having a silicon semiconductor device layer exhibiting a thickness of less than about 10 microns, the semiconductor device layer comprising at least two doped regions forming a junction and a textured region having a topology comprising a plurality of nanostructures or microstructures formed by one of lasing and chemical etching, the textured region being positioned to interact with the electromagnetic radiation so as to increase the path length within the semiconductor device layer, wherein the imager device has a quantum efficiency of at least about 33% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm and a responsivity in a range from about 0.1 Amps/Watt (A/W) to about 0.55 A/W for at least one wavelength in a range from about 1000 nm to about 1200 nm, wherein the at least one infrared light detecting pixel further comprises a thermal sensing layer disposed on a side of the semiconductor device layer opposite the incoming electromagnetic radiation for capturing thermal images of the individual; and

at least one visible light detecting pixel configured to detect at least one wavelength in the range of from about 350 nm to about 800 nm for capturing visible light images of the individual; and

an image processing module functionally coupled to the imager device and operable to receive the electronic representation, wherein the image processing module is operable to process the electronic representation into an individual representation having at least one substantially unique identification trait.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device layer is coupled to a bulk semiconductor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the active light source is two or more active light sources each emitting infrared electromagnetic radiation at distinct peak emission wavelengths.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the two or more active light sources emit infrared electromagnetic radiation at about 850 nm and about 940 nm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the imager device is capable of capturing the electronic representation with sufficient detail to identify the at least one substantially unique identification trait using electromagnetic radiation emitted from the active light source having at least one wavelength of from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm and having a scene radiance impinging on the individual at 3 meters that is at least 0.1 milliWatts/millimeter squared (mW/mm²).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the imager device is silicon-based and has a response time of from about 0.1 millisecond (ms) to about 1 ms and a quantum efficiency of at least about 33% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the imager device is silicon-based and has a response time of from about 0.1 millisecond (ms) to about 1 ms and a quantum efficiency of at least about 11% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 940 nm.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an analysis module functionally coupled to the image processing module, wherein the analysis module is operable to compare the at least one substantially unique identification trait with a known identification trait to facilitate identification of the individual.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic pan and zoom module operable to move at least one of the light source or the imager device in order to track the individual.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the imager device includes at least two imager devices.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least two imager devices includes a first imager device positioned and operable to generate a facial electronic representation of the individual and a second imager device positioned and operable to generate an iris electronic representation of the individual.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an automatic pan and zoom module operable to move at least one of the active light source or the imager device; and

a process module to analyze the facial electronic representation and provide the pan and zoom module coordinates for the face and iris.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is concealed behind an infrared transparent and optically opaque medium from the individual.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source, the imager device, and the image processing module collectively has a size of less than about 160 cubic centimeters.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic device into which the system is integrated, wherein the electronic device includes at least one of a mobile smart phone, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, and a tablet computer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein positive identification of the individual is operable to verify the individual in a financial transaction.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the imager device has a quantum efficiency of at least about 46% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm.

17. A method of identifying an individual, comprising:

emitting infrared electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of from about 800 nanometers (nm) to about 1200 nm toward the individual;

receiving the infrared electromagnetic radiation reflected from the individual into an imager device to generate an electronic representation of the individual, the imager device comprising;

at least one infrared light detecting pixel having a silicon semiconductor device layer exhibiting a thickness of less than about 10 microns, the semiconductor device layer comprising at least two doped regions forming a junction and a textured region having a topology comprising a plurality of nanostructures or microstructures formed by one of lasing and chemical etching, the textured region being positioned to interact with the electromagnetic radiation so as to increase the path length within the semiconductor device layer, wherein the imager device has a quantum efficiency of at least about 33% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm and a responsivity in a range from about 0.1 Amps/Watt (A/W) to about 0.55 A/W for at least one wavelength in a range from about 1000 nm to about 1200 nm, wherein the at least one infrared light detecting pixel further comprises a thermal sensing layer disposed on a side of the semiconductor device layer opposite the incoming electromagnetic radiation for capturing thermal images of the individual; and

at least one visible light detecting pixel configured to detect at least one wavelength in the range of from about 350 nm to about 800 nm for capturing visible light images of the individual;

processing the electronic representation into an individual representation having at least one substantially unique identification trait; and

using the at least one substantially unique identification trait to identify the individual.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one substantially unique identification trait includes an electronic representation of an iris sufficient to identify the individual.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic representation of the iris is captured by the imager device at a distance of from about 0.5 meter (m) to about 15 m from the individual.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein emitting infrared electromagnetic radiation further includes emitting infrared electromagnetic radiation from at least two active light sources each emitting at distinct peak emission wavelengths.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein electronic representations from each active light source are processed into individual representations each having at least one substantially unique identification trait, and wherein each individual representation is compared to verify identification results of the individual.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising moving the emitted infrared electromagnetic radiation and the imager device relative to movements of the individual in order to track the individual during receiving of the infrared electromagnetic radiation.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the imager device has a quantum efficiency of at least about 46% for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength of greater than 800 nm.