Method and system for transforming an image of a biological surface

• US 20030007670A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited
• Original Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited
• Inventors: Hamid, Laurence
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1347 Preprocessing; Feature extraction

Abstract

Provided is a method of transforming an image of a biometric surface comprising the steps of sensing a biometric surface to provide biometric image data, receiving data relating to a plurality of parameters for use in transforming image data different parameters for resulting in differently transformed image data for a same biometric image data, the data received from another processor, transforming the biometric image data in accordance with the received data to provide transformed biometric image data in a format relating to the received data, and providing the transformed biometric image data as output image data having the format, wherein the transformed biometric image data is different for different parameters enabling provision of images of a same biometric surface having different image formats. There is further provided a biometric imaging device for executing the above described method, as well as memory for storing data, relevant to the above-described method.

Claims

1. A method of transforming an image of a biometric surface for use in identification of a person comprising the steps of:

sensing the topology of a biometric surface using a contact imaging device to provide sensed biometric image data having at least two rows and two columns;

receiving transform data relating to a plurality of transform parameters for use in transforming sensed biometric image data, different transform parameters for resulting in differently transformed image data for a same biometric image data;

transforming the sensed biometric image data in accordance with the received transform data to provide transformed biometric image data in a format other than a format of the sensed biometric image data relating to the received transform data; and

providing the transformed biometric image data as output image data having the format,

wherein the transformed biometric image data is different for different transform parameters enabling provision of images of a same biometric surface having different image formats.

2. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sensing a plurality of partial images using a contact swipe imager; and

constructing a composite image from said partial images to provide a sensed biometric image.

3. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, further comprising the step of capacitively sensing biometric image data of a biometric surface.

4. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the transformed biometric image data represents a framed feature of the biometric surface.

5. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 4, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to at least one of resolution, orientation, and line width.

6. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 5, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its resolution.

7. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 5, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its orientation.

8. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 5, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its line width.

9. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to its frame size.

10. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to a feature indicated in the parameters.

11. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the output image data is provided to one of a plurality of different compatible analysis applications.

12. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 11, wherein the step of transforming involves a same transform process for different ones of the compatible analysis applications, the same transform process transform result being variable in dependence upon the parameters.

13. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the captured image data are provided according to industry standard data formats.

14. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 2, wherein the biometric surface is a fingerprint.

16. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

sensing a plurality of partial images using a contact swipe imager; and

constructing a composite image from said partial images to provide a sensed biometric image.

17. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, further comprising the step of capacitively sensing biometric image data of a biometric surface.

18. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the transformed biometric image data represents a framed feature of the biometric surface.

19. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 18, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to at least one of resolution, orientation, and line width.

20. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 19, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its resolution.

21. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 19, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its orientation.

22. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 19, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its line width.

23. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to its frame size.

24. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to a feature indicated in the parameters.

25. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the output image data is provided to one of a plurality of different compatible analysis applications.

26. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 25, wherein the step of transforming involves a same transform process for different ones of the compatible analysis applications, the same transform process transform result being variable in dependence upon the parameters.

27. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the captured image data are provided according to industry standard data formats.

28. A method for imaging a biometric surface according to claim 15, wherein the biometric surface is a fingerprint.

30. A biometric imaging device according to claim 29, wherein the sensing device is a contact swipe imager for sensing data in the form of a plurality of partial images.

31. A biometric imaging device according to claim 30, further comprising a processor for constructing a composite image from said plurality of partial images.

32. A biometric imaging device according to claim 31, wherein the processor for transforming the sensed data is a same processor as the processor for constructing the composite image.

33. A biometric imaging device according to claim 29, wherein the sensing device is a capacitive sensing device.

34. A biometric imaging device according to claim 29, wherein the sensing device is a fingerprint sensor.

36. A biometric image interface according to claim 35, wherein the sensing device is a contact swipe imager for sensing data in the form of a plurality of partial images.

37. A biometric image interface according to claim 35, wherein the sensing device is a capacitive sensing device.

38. A biometric image interface according to claim 35, wherein the sensing device is a fingerprint sensor.

39. A biometric image interface according to claim 35, wherein the image analysis device is for comparing the transmitted output image data with template image data.

15. A method of transforming an image of a biometric surface for use in identification of a person comprising the steps of:

sensing the topology of a biometric surface using a contact imaging device to provide sensed biometric image data having at least two rows and two columns;

receiving transform data relating to a plurality of transform parameters for use in transforming sensed biometric image data, different transform parameters for resulting in differently transformed image data for a same biometric image data;

transforming the sensed biometric image data in accordance with the received transform data to provide transformed biometric image data in a format other than a format of the sensed biometric image data relating to the received transform data;

providing the transformed biometric image data as output image data having the format,

wherein the transformed biometric image data is different for different transform parameters enabling provision of images of a same biometric surface having different image formats;

providing template image data of a predetermined biometric surface; and

comparing the output image data to template image data for identifying the person.

29. A biometric imaging device for imaging a biometric surface for use in identification of a person, the biometric imaging device comprising:

memory for storing a plurality of transform parameters;

a transceiver for receiving transform parameters, for providing received transform parameters for storage in the memory, and for transmitting a signal in dependence upon data received, the signal for being transmitted to a receiver coupled with a host processor;

a sensing device for sensing the topology of the biometric surface and for providing sensed data relating to an image of the biometric surface; and

a processor for transforming the sensed data into transformed data relating to a transformed image in accordance with the plurality of transform parameters and for providing said transformed image from the biometric imaging device in the form of captured image data to the transceiver according to a format,

wherein the transformed biometric image data is different for different received transform parameters enabling provision of images of a same biometric surface having different image formats from a same biometric imaging device.

35. A biometric image interface for interfacing a sensing device with an image analysis device, the biometric image interface comprising:

memory for receiving and storing a plurality of transform parameters from the image analysis device;

a processor and memory for executing instructions for the biometric sensing device in accordance with the received transform parameters, for transforming the biometric data from the biometric sensing device, and for transmitting to the image analysis device output image data transformed in accordance with the received transform data, wherein transforming is performed differently for different transform parameters.

40. A memory for storing data, the memory having stored therein data relating to instructions for execution on a processor the instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving transform data relating to a plurality of transform parameters for use in transforming image data different transform parameters for resulting in differently transformed image data for a same biometric image data, the transform data received from another processor;

transforming the biometric image data in accordance with the received transform data to provide transformed biometric image data in a format relating to the received transform data; and

providing the transformed biometric image data as output image data having the format,

wherein the transformed biometric image data is different for different transform parameters enabling provision of images of a same biometric surface having different image formats.

41. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, the data including instructions for performing the steps of:

sensing a plurality of partial images using a contact swipe imager; and

constructing a composite image from said partial images.

42. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, the data including instructions for performing the step of capacitively sensing image data of a biometric surface.

43. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, wherein the transformed biometric image data represents a framed feature of the biometric surface.

44. A memory for storing data according to claim 43, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to at least one of resolution, orientation, and line width.

45. A memory for storing data according to claim 44, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its resolution.

46. A memory for storing data according to claim 44, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its orientation.

47. A memory for storing data according to claim 44, wherein the framed feature is transformed according to its line width.

48. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to its frame size.

49. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, wherein the transformed biometric image data is transformed according to a feature indicated in the parameters.

50. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, wherein the output image data is provided to one of a plurality of different compatible analysis applications.

51. A memory for storing data according to claim 50, wherein the step of transforming involves a same transform process for different ones of the compatible analysis applications, the same transform process transform result being variable in dependence upon the parameters.

52. A memory for storing data according to claim 40, wherein the captured image data is provided according to industry standard data formats.