Fingerprint input apparatus and personal authentication system

• US 20050008202A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1329 Protecting the fingerprint sensor against damage caused by the finger

Abstract

The invention provides a fingerprint input apparatus capable of more stably providing an image of a higher definition than in prior technologies.

The fingerprint input apparatus includes an LED chip 10 and a solid image pickup device substrate 1 adapted to irradiate a finger 20 of a fingerprint inputting person with a light from the LED 10 and bearing a solid image pickup device for receiving light scattered in the interior of the finger, and reads the fingerprint of the finger 20 based on a light reception signal of the solid image pickup device. The solid image pickup device is constituted of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional image pickup device formed on a rectangular solid image pickup device substrate. A rectangular protective member 30 is adhered to a side, to be contacted by the finger 20, of the solid image pickup device substrate 1. In the protective member 30, among four sides L1, L2, W1 and W2 constituting a rectangular external shape, two longer sides L1 and L2 and a shorter side W1 have the same shape as the external shape of the solid image pickup device substrate 1.

Claims

1. A fingerprint input apparatus comprising illumination means, and solid image pickup device unit for irradiating a finger with a light from said illumination means and receiving, among the light, a light scattered from the interior of the finger, thereby reading a fingerprint image of said finger based on a light reception signal of said solid image pickup device unit, characterized in that:

said solid image pickup device unit is constituted of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional image pickup device formed on a solid image pickup device substrate;

a protective member is adhered to a side, contacted by the finger, of said solid image pickup device substrate; and

the fingerprint image of said finger is read while said finger placed on a surface of said protective member is made to slide in a predetermined direction.

2. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said protective member includes, at least in a part thereof, a portion having the same as shape an external shape of said solid image pickup device substrate.

3. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein both said solid image pickup device substrate and said protective member have a rectangular shape, and said protective member has the same shape, in at least two sides among four sides constituting said rectangular external shape, as the external shape of said solid image pickup device substrate.

4. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said solid image pickup device substrate has an oblong shape, and said at least two sides are longer sides of said oblong external shape.

5. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said solid image pickup device unit is formed with said rectangular external shape of a predetermined dimension, and a fingerprint image of said finger placed on the surface of said protective member is collectively read through said solid image pickup device unit.

6. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said illumination means includes a light source emitting infrared and/or near infrared light.

7. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said protective member is a silicon substrate of a predetermined thickness.

8. A fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said protective member includes electroconductive means.

9. A method for producing a fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a step of adhering an assembly of said solid image pickup device units and an assembly of said protective members; and

a step of dividing said adhered assemblies into individual units.

10. A personal authentication system characterized in employing a fingerprint input apparatus according to claim 1.

11. A personal authentication system according to claim 10, further comprising:

fingerprint registration means which registers in advance a fingerprint of said finger, read by said fingerprint input apparatus, as verification information of a person to be verified; and

fingerprint verification means which verifies whether the fingerprint image of said finger, road by said fingerprint input apparatus, matches with the registered image of said fingerprint registration means and outputs a result of the verification as a personal authentication signal.