Method for prohibiting a person with a facial mask to operate an automatic teller machine

• US 20090251278A1
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southern Taiwan University
• Original Assignee: Southern Taiwan University
• Inventors: Sheu, Yih-Ran
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/162 using pixel segmentation or colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/40 Spoof detection, e.g. liveness detection

Abstract

A method for prohibiting a person with a facial mask to operate an automatic teller machine essentially includes the followings steps of: a) arranging a visual spectrum camera and an alarm unit approaching an automatic teller machine (ATM); b) capturing a facial picture of an experimental subject via the camera; c) judging if the picture performs generic facial features of a human face; if false, proceed Step g); d) if true, a facial temperature of the subject is detected to gain a measured temperature; e) comparing the measured temperature with a predetermined reference temperature; if the measured temperature is not within the reference temperature range, a spurious human face is determined and Step g) goes on; f) if the measured temperature is within the reference temperature range, a genuine human face is determined and the ATM is allowably operated without proceeding Step g); and g) activating the alarm unit to transmit a warning signal without operating the ATM.

Claims

1. A method for prohibiting a person with a facial mask to operate an automatic teller machine, comprising the following steps of:

a. arranging a visual spectrum image capturing unit and an alarm unit approaching an automatic teller machine (ATM);

b. capturing a subject visible spectrum picture of an experimental subject via said visual spectrum image capturing unit;

c. judging if said subject picture shows generic features of a human face;

if said face features are recognized as false, it then directly goes to Step g.;

d. if said face features are recognized as true, a facial temperature of the subject is detected to gain a measured temperature;

e. comparing said measured temperature with a predetermined reference temperature;

if said measured temperature resulting from the comparison fails to be within a range of said reference temperature, it is determined as a spurious human face and then directly proceeds said Step g.;

f. if said measured temperature resulting from the comparison is within the range of said reference temperature, it is determined as a genuine human face and said ATM is allowably operated without proceeding said Step g.; and

g. triggering said alarm unit to transmit a warning signal without operating the ATM.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said Step b. serves to sense said experimental subject for generating said subject picture and thence to perform an oval comparison in accordance with said subject picture, by which a block zone of a human face is presented for said Step c. to identify whether said block zone of said subject picture includes facial features of a genuine human face.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said Step c. includes the following steps of:

c1. converting said subject picture into YIQ color mode;

c2. performing an oval comparison in accordance with said subject picture and creating a block zone of a human face;

c3. applying a component Y of said YIQ color mode to substantially measure locations of eyebrows and eyes within said block zone of said human face; and

c4. carrying on said Step g. while failing to obtain said locations of said eyebrows and said eyes.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said Step c. includes the following steps of:

c1. converting said subject picture into YUV color mode;

c2. performing an oval comparison in accordance with said subject picture and creating a block zone of a human face;

c3. applying a component Y of said YUV color mode to substantially measure locations of eyebrows and eyes within said block zone of said human face; and

c4. carrying on said Step g. while failing to obtain said locations of said eyebrows and said eyes.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said Step c. includes the following steps of:

c1. converting said subject picture into HSI color mode;

c2. performing an oval comparison in accordance with said subject picture and creating a block zone of a human face;

c3. applying a component H of said HSI color mode to substantially measure locations of eyebrows and eyes within said block zone of said human face; and

c4. carrying on said Step g. while failing to obtain said locations of said eyebrows and said eyes.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said warning signal in said Step g. is alternatively transmitted to a near end or a remote end through a network.