System for extracting information from an identity card

• US 20060072822A1
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acuant Inc. (GB Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: CSSN Incorporated (GB Group Plc)
• Inventors: Hatzav, Iuval, Ben-Shahar, Ilan, Hatzav, Daniel, Sharaby, Giyora
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/323 Copying cameras G03B27/34 - G03B27/70 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a unique and novel system for acquiring digital images of identification documents such as drivers license, passports, or medical insurance records using a digital camera so as to establish a high resolution image and extracting data automatically with machine vision tools so as to acquire accurate data. The present invention teaches also a system that acquires multi-spectral images of both sides of the identification document.

Claims

1. A system for extracting information from an identity document comprising:

at least one light source for illuminating the identity document;

at least one digital camera comprising a lens and a two-dimensional sensor array for acquiring at least one two-dimensional image of the identity document;

a processor for processing said at least one two-dimensional image and extracting textual information from the identity document.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator light for indicting the status of the system.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a box for housing said digital camera and said light source;

and a communication link for connecting said box to said processor.

4. A system according to claim 1, acquiring at least red green and blue images of the identity document.

5. A system according to claim 4, further acquiring at least one image selected from the group of IR reflection image, UV reflection image and fluorescence image.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising mirrors for simultaneously imaging both sides of said document.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

two light sources for illuminating both sides of said document; and

two digital cameras for imaging both sides of the identity document.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said light source includes a light diffuser for even illumination of the identity document.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said light diffuser is a light reflector.

10. A system according to claim 9, including light baffle for preventing direct illuminating the identity document by said light source.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein extracting information comprises the following steps:

boundaries between text and background are determined based on minimum contrast between the character and other colored data on the card;

black and white glyphs are extracted using the data of boundaries;

OCR recognizes symbols and characters.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein extraction of textual data from the identity document is assisted by prior knowledge of the type of said document.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein data acquisition is automatically initiated by sensing proper placement of the identity document.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein sensing proper placement of the identity document is performed using a sensor.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein sensing proper placement of the identity document is performed by acquiring images and performing at least partial image processing of said images.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein images used for sensing proper placement of identity card are of lower quality than images used for extracting information.