System for identifying a person

• US 20060005041A1
• Filed: 09/01/2003
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Herk, Johannes Johanna, Lazeroms, Markus Cornelis Jakobus
• Application Number:
  US10/526,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1171 based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/50 having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for identifying a person, comprising means for detecting a distribution of pressures, exerted by at least one foot (20) of the person on a surface, means for storing data of a number of persons, the data comprising a detected pressure distribution pattern (A,B,C) and an associated person identification code (X,Y,Z), and means for comparing a detected pressure distribution pattern (A) with stored pressure distribution patterns (A,B,C) until a match of pressure distribution patterns is found. The invention further relates to a method of identifying a person. The person is identified on the basis of a distribution of pressures, exerted by at least one of the feet (20) on a surface. When the user has placed one or both feet (20) on said surface, said distribution of pressures is detected. Subsequently, the detected pressure distribution pattern is compared with pressure distribution patterns stored in a storage medium, wherein each stored pressure distribution pattern is associated with a different user. As soon as a match of pressure distribution patterns is found, the identity of the user is known.

Claims

1. System for identifying a person, comprising:

means for detecting a distribution of pressures, exerted by at least one foot (20) of the person on a surface,

means for storing data of a number of persons, said data comprising a detected pressure distribution pattern (A,B,C) and an associated person identification code (X,Y,Z), and

means for comparing a detected pressure distribution pattern (A) with stored pressure distribution patterns (A,B,C) until a match of pressure distribution patterns is found.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure distribution detecting means comprise a matrix sensor (40).

3. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said surface comprises a platform (10) for receiving at least one foot (20) of the person, the pressure distribution detecting means (40) comprising a layer implemented in the platform (10).

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure distribution detecting means (40) comprise a matrix of electrical contacts, with a rubber having a pressure-dependent conductivity being placed between these contacts.

5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for storing detected pressure distribution patterns comprise a processor (50) having a storage medium (51).

6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that the processor (50) further comprises a comparator (52) for comparing a detected pressure distribution pattern (A) with the stored pressure distribution patterns (A,B,C).

7. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a system for identifying a user of a weighing device (1).

8. A method of identifying a person, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of:

detecting a distribution of pressures, exerted by at least one foot (20) of the person on a surface,

storing data of a number of persons, said data comprising a detected pressure distribution pattern (A,B,C) and an associated person identification code (X,Y,Z), and

comparing a detected pressure distribution pattern (A) with stored pressure distribution patterns (A,B,C), until a match of pressure distribution patterns is found.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said method is a method of identifying a user of a weighing device (1).