Data reader for reading biological data from constrained human body region

• US 20030030541A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokorotani, Mitsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A data reader constrains a human body region of an examinee in a readout position upon inflation of balloon members. The data reader can safely and reliably constrains the human body region, which is not uniform in outer profile, with a simple structure, and read biological data from the constrained human body region. The data reader is capable of reading biological data from the constrained human body region even when the examinee is not cooperative.

Claims

1. A data reader comprising:

data reading means for reading biological data from a human body region placed in a readout position;

region constraining means for constraining said human body region placed in said readout position; and

mode switching means for switching said region constraining means between a mode in which said human body region is movable and a mode in which said human body region is constrained.

2. A data reader according to claim 1, wherein said region constraining means has a balloon member which is inflatable and deflatable when a fluid is introduced under pressure into said region constraining means and discharged from said region constraining means, respectively, and said mode switching means comprises means for selectively introducing said fluid under pressure into said balloon member and discharging said fluid from said balloon.

3. A data reader according to claim 2, wherein said mode switching means comprises:

fluid introducing means for introducing said fluid under pressure into said balloon member;

fluid discharging means for discharging said fluid which has been introduced under pressure into said balloon member by said fluid introducing means; and

operation control means for controlling operation of said fluid introducing means and said fluid discharging means.

4. A data reader according to claim 3, further comprising:

internal pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of said fluid introduced under pressure into said balloon member;

said operation control means comprising means for controlling operation of said fluid introducing means and said fluid discharging means depending on the pressure of the fluid detected by said internal pressure detecting means.

5. A data reader according to claim 2, wherein said fluid comprises a gas.

6. A data reader according to claim 5, wherein said fluid comprises ambient air.

7. A data reader according to claim 2, wherein said balloon member has surface irregularities for presenting an increased frictional resistance to said human body region.

8. A data reader according to claim 1, further comprising:

placement detecting means for detecting when said human body region is placed in said readout position;

said mode switching means comprising means for switching said region constraining means depending on the detection by said placement detecting means.

9. A data reader according to claim 8, wherein said placement detecting means comprises means for detecting when said human body region contacts said data reading means.

10. A data reader according to claim 1, wherein said human body region comprises a hand finger;

said data reading means comprising means for scanning said hand finger and reading there from a fingerprint image as said biological data;

said region constraining means comprising means for constraining a cylindrical outer circumferential surface of said hand finger in a plurality of directions.

11. A method of reading data with a data reader according to claim 8, comprising the steps of:

controlling said mode switching means to switch said region constraining means to an initial mode in which said human body region is movable;

detecting when said human body region is placed in said readout position with said placement detecting means in said initial mode;

controlling said mode switching means to switch said region constraining means to the mode in which said human body region is constrained depending on the detection by said placement detecting means;

controlling said data reading means to read said biological data from said human body region in said readout position while said human body region is being constrained; and

controlling said mode switching means to switch said region constraining means to the initial mode in which said human body region is movable when the reading of said biological data with said data reading means is completed.