Authentication apparatus employing image, method of authentication, authentication program product, and storage medium having the program stored therein

• US 20060215887A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yashiki, Masafumi, Nishimura, Koichi, Nakano, Takahiko
• Application Number:
  US11/375,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements

Abstract

In an enrollment mode a parameter value applied when a fingerprint pickup picks up an image of a fingerprint to be enrolled is stored to a non-volatile memory in association with image data. In an authentication mode the parameter value is read and set in the fingerprint pickup and a fingerprint is thus picked up. When an authentic, enrolled person undergoes fingerprint authentication a parameter value that matches an individual characteristic of the person is applied to pick up a fingerprint, and an image having a level of quality sufficient for authentication can be obtained. If a person other than an authentic, enrolled person undergoes fingerprint authentication, a parameter value that does not match an individual characteristic of the person is applied to pick up a fingerprint and an image signal is output, and this image signal cannot provide an image having sufficient quality. Only the image of the authentic, enrolled person can provide image quality sufficient for authentication.

Claims

1. An authentication apparatus comprising:

a pickup operative in accordance with a parameter value received to pick up an image of an object and outputting an image signal of said object;

a converter converting said image signal to image data and outputting said image data;

a parameter determinator operative in an enrollment mode in accordance with said image data to determine said parameter value;

a storage storing said parameter value determined by said parameter determinator and said image data output from said converter in association with each other; and

a comparison controller operative in an authentication mode to read said parameter value from said storage and output read said parameter value to said pickup, and compare said image data associated with said parameter value read from said storage with said image data output from said converter.

2. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said parameter determinator includes;

an image quality determinator determining in accordance with a prescribed level for said comparison an image quality level indicated by said image data output from said converter; and

a parameter adjuster adjusting said parameter value and outputting to said pickup said parameter value adjusted, wherein until said image quality determinator determines that said image quality level matches said prescribed level, said pickup'"'"'s picking up, said converter'"'"'s data conversion, said image quality determinator'"'"'s determination on image quality, and said parameter adjuster'"'"'s adjustment of said parameter value are repeated.

3. The authentication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said parameter adjuster adjusts said parameter value in accordance with a result of said determination made by said image quality determinator.

4. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pickup includes a brightness modifier modifying in accordance with said parameter value received a level in brightness of said object indicated by said image signal.

5. The authentication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said brightness modifier receives said image signal and modifies a direct current component of received said image signal in level in accordance with said parameter received.

6. The authentication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said brightness modifier modifies in accordance with said parameter value received a quantity of light illuminating said object in picking up said image of said object.

7. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said image data indicates binary data; and

said converter receives said image signal and converts received said image signal to binary data in accordance with a level in brightness of said received image signal.

8. The authentication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said image data indicates said binary data allowing each pixel to correspond to one of a black pixel and a white pixel; and

said prescribed level is indicated by a proportion of pixels of one of said black 5 pixel and said white pixel relative to all pixels of said image data.

9. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said object is a fingerprint.

10. A method of authentication effected by a computer performing an authentication process based on a result of comparing image data, comprising the steps of:

employing a pickup in accordance with a parameter value received to pick up an image of an object and output an image signal of said object;

receiving and converting said image signal to image data for output;

in an enrollment mode, determining said parameter value in accordance with said image data output at the step of converting;

storing said parameter value determined at the step of determining and said image data output at the step of converting in association with each other; and

in an authentication mode, reading said parameter value from said storage and outputting said read parameter value to said pickup, and comparing said image data associated with said parameter read from said storage with said image data output at the step of converting.

11. A machine readable storage device storing instruction executable by said computer to perform the method of claim 10.

12. A program product causing a computer to perform a method of authentication, comprising:

computer readable first program code means for causing said computer to operate in accordance with a parameter value received to use a pickup to pick up an image of an object and output an image signal of said object;

computer readable second program code means for causing said computer to convert to image data said image signal output by said computer readable first program code means, and output said image data;

computer readable third program code means for causing said computer in an enrollment mode to determine said parameter value as based on said image data output by said computer readable second program code means;

computer readable fourth program code means for causing said computer to associate said parameter value determined by said computer readable third program code means with said image data output by said computer readable second program code means and thus store said parameter value and said image data to a storage; and

computer readable fifth program code means for causing said computer in an authentication mode to read said parameter value from said storage and output said read parameter value to said pickup, and compare said image data associated with said parameter value read from said storage with said image data output by said computer readable second program code means.