Web-enabled live scanner and method for control

• US 20040025187A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Cross Match Technologies Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Cannon, Greg L., Siegel, William G., Kilp, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,930,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A web-enabled live scanner is provided. In one embodiment, a live scanner includes an image interface capable of being coupled to a network. A camera detects an image of a print. The image is stored in a memory. The image interface includes a web server, socket server, and a picture taker. A remote user can use a browser to control the web-enabled live scanner over a network.

Claims

1. A live scanner that can be accessed over a network, comprising:

a camera that detects images of prints; and

an image interface coupled to a browser over the network, wherein said image interface fulfills at least one control option selected by a user at the browser.

2. The live scanner of claim 1, wherein said image interface includes a web server.

3. The live scanner of claim 2, wherein said web server comprises an HTTP server.

4. The live scanner of claim 2, wherein said image interface includes a web server that serves a menu of control options to the browser.

5. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include an unconditional image delivery control option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the unconditional image delivery control option at the browser, said web server retrieves stored print image data representative of a detected print image and sends the retrieved print image data to the browser.

6. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include conditional image delivery control option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the conditional image delivery control option at the browser, said web server retrieves print image data representative of a detected print image and sends the retrieved print image data to the browser only when at least one delivery condition has been met.

7. The live scanner of claim 6, wherein said at least one delivery condition includes a socket present condition and a finger present condition.

8. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a provide file format option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the provide file format option at the browser, said web server retrieves a file of print image data in a particular file format and sends the retrieved file to the browser.

9. The live scanner of claim 8, wherein said file includes a bitmap file or a png file.

10. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a provide file format option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the provide file format option at the browser, said web server retrieves a file of print image data in a particular file format and sends the retrieved file to the browser.

11. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a display files listing option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the display files listing option at the browser, said web server retrieves data identifying a file of stored files in the live scanner and sends the retrieved data to the browser.

12. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a configure device option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the configure device option at the browser, said web server sends data relating to configuration of the live scanner to the browser.

13. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a configure device option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the configure device option at the browser, said web server sends data relating to a menu of device configuration options of the live scanner to the browser.

14. The live scanner of claim 13, wherein said device configuration options include at least one of the following configuration options:

device settings, browse file system, system log, set time/date, network configuration, release notes, image encryption, host name, system information, operation control, and administrator password change.

15. The live scanner of claim 4, wherein the control options include a device settings configuration option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the device settings configuration option at the browser, said web server sends data relating to at least one of user interface settings, camera settings, print image processing settings, and live scanner settings.

16. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the user interface settings include settings for toggling on or off a sound alert on an acceptable print scan, a sound alert on an unacceptable print scan, and play sound at start up.

17. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the camera settings include settings for contrast, gain, and integration time.

18. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the print image processing settings include settings for a ridge threshold and unacceptable image count threshold.

19. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the print image processing settings include settings for print image normalization, image orientation.

20. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the live scanner settings include an illumination level setting for setting an illumination level, and a finger sensor setting for toggling use of the finger sensor on or off.

21. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the live scanner settings include settings for selecting storage of different file format types.

22. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the live scanner settings include a setting for toggling on or off the capture of a rolled print.

23. The live scanner of claim 15, wherein the live scanner settings include a setting for toggling on or off the upsampling of images, and a setting for inputting a measured horizontal resolution value.

24. The live scanner of claim 1, further comprising:

an Ethernet physical interface; and

an Ethernet transceiver;

whereby, said image interface is communicatively coupled to the network through said Ethernet transceiver and Ethernet physical interface.

25. The live scanner of claim 24, wherein said Ethernet physical interface comprises a 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T interface.

26. The live scanner of claim 1, further comprising:

a finger sensor that senses the presence or absence of a finger on a platen of the live scanner.

27. The live scanner of claim 1, wherein said image interface includes a web server, a socket server, and a picture taker.

28. The live scanner of claim 27, wherein said socket server establishes a socket connection with the browser.

29. The live scanner of claim 28, wherein said camera detects and stores a new image in response to a finger present signal from a finger sensor or a request to take next picture sent from said picture taker, and when said camera stores a new image, said camera sends a first notify signal to said picture taker, and in response to said first notify signal, said picture taker generates and sends a second notify signal to the socket server;

whereby, the browser can automatically request an image from the web server in the live scanner.

30. A method for controlling a web-enabled live scanner, comprising:

establishing a web connection between a browser and the web-enabled live scanner;

providing a menu of control options at the browser, whereby, a control option can be selected by a user at the browser, and fulfilling the selected control option at the web-enabled live scanner.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said web connection establishing step establishes a web connection between a web server running in the web-enabled live scanner and the browser.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include an unconditional image delivery control option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the unconditional image delivery control option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes retrieving stored print image data representative of a detected print image and sending the retrieved print image data to the browser.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include a conditional image delivery control option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the conditional image delivery control option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes retrieving print image data representative of a detected print image and sending the retrieved print image data to the browser only when at least one delivery condition has been met.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said at least one delivery condition includes a socket present condition and a finger present condition, and wherein said sending step only occurs when a socket connection is present and a finger presence is detected.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include a provide file format option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the provide file format option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes retrieving a file of print image data in a particular file format and sending the retrieved file to the browser.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include a display files listing option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the display files listing option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes retrieving data identifying a file of stored files in the live scanner and sending the retrieved data to the browser.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include a configure device option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the configure device option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes sending data relating to configuration of the live scanner to the browser.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the control options include a device settings configuration option, and wherein, in response to a user selecting the device settings configuration option at the browser, said fulfilling step includes sending data relating to at least one of user interface settings, camera settings, print image processing settings, and live scanner settings.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein said web connection establishing step further includes coupling the browser and web-enabled live scanner through an Ethernet interface.