Facial feature evaluation based on eye location

• US 20100002912A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Solinsky, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes interrogating a location along a face of a person with multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. Signals are established corresponding to detection of the wavelengths reflected from the location. A determination is made as to whether a disguising material covers at least a part of the face based on a difference in range to the location indicated by these signals. Alternatively, the signals may correspond to reflections by different portions of an eye of the person and a determination is made regarding the location of one or more eyes of the person based on the signals. In one particular nonlimiting form, a multispectral, three-dimensional signature of facial features is registered to eye location that may include the iris, nose, chin, mouth, check or the like for facial recognition/identification.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic radiation emitting device;

providing at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device;

directing multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic emitting device to scan a face of a person;

detecting at least one of the wavelengths reflected by a first portion of an eye of the person with the at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device to establish a first signal;

detecting at least one other of the wavelengths reflected by a second portion of the eye through a pupil thereof with the at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device to establish a second signal, the second portion being behind and interior to the first portion; and

determining a location of the eye relative to one or more facial features as a function of the first signal and the second signal, the first signal and the second signal being indicative of a distance separating the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the first signal is determined as a function of a first phase shift representative of a range to the first portion, the second signal is determined as a function of a second phase shift representative of range to the second portion, and

wherein the act of determining the location of the eye includes finding a difference between the first range and the second range to provide a value, and comparing the value to a threshold amount indicative of eye location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a retina of the eye.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal and second signal indicate a difference in range between the first portion and the second portion that correspond to the location of the eye, and which includes locating another eye of the person based on a second range difference.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the wavelengths is greater than 1.00 micrometer and the one other of the wavelengths includes a wavelength less than 1.00 micrometer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wavelength greater than 1.00 micrometer is at least 1.40 micrometers and the wavelength less than 1.00 micrometer is no more than 0.95 micrometer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is determined as a function of a first amplitude of reflection of the one of the wavelengths from the first portion, the second signal is determined as a function of a second amplitude of reflection of the one other of the wavelengths from the second portion, and the act of determining the location of the eye includes determining a ratio between the first amplitude and the second amplitude.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation includes one or more wavelengths between about 0.1 millimeter and 100 millimeters to determine if a disguising material at least partially covers the face.

61. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an analysis of an iris of the eye located by the act of determining the location of the eye;

wherein the performing of the analysis of the iris comprises detecting at least one of the wavelengths reflected by the iris.

62. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation are amplitude modulated.

63. The method of claim 1, wherein the first phase shift is determined simultaneously with a determination of a first amplitude of the wavelength reflected by the first portion of the eye, and the second phase shift is determined simultaneously with a determination of a second amplitude of the wavelength reflected by the second portion of the eye.

6. (canceled)

9. A method, comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising an electromagnetic radiation emitting device and at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device;

interrogating a face of a person with coherent electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic radiation emitting device, the coherent electromagnetic radiation including at least one wavelength reflected by a first portion of an eye of the face and at least one other wavelength reflected by a second portion of the eye, the second portion being behind and interior to the first portion;

determining a first range from the apparatus to the first portion and a second range from the apparatus to the second portion based on radiation reflected back to the at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device;

determining a location of the eye based on a difference between the first range and the second range; and

characterizing at least part of the face relative to the location of the eye for comparison to identification information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the part of the face includes an iris of the eye and further comprising evaluating an image of the iris for the comparison to the identification information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic radiation includes one or more wavelengths between about 0.1 millimeter and 100 millimeters to determine if a disguising material at least partially covers the face.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second portion includes a retina of the eye.

13. The method of claim 12, which includes locating a different eye of the person based on a second range difference, determining distance separating the eye and the different eye, and performing the characterizing as a function of the distance.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one wavelength is greater than or equal to 1.40 micrometers and the at least one other wavelength includes a wavelength less than or equal to 0.95 micrometer.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is amplitude modulated and the determining further includes comparing amplitude of the at least one wavelength to amplitude of the at least one other wavelength.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the characterizing includes evaluating three-dimensional facial information.

17. A method, comprising:

providing at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device;

detecting reflection of one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation by a first boundary along a face of a person with the at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device to capture spatial coordinate data;

detecting reflection of one or more other wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation by a second boundary along the face with the at least one electromagnetic radiation receiving device to capture spatial coordinate data, the detected reflection from the second boundary passing through at least a portion of the first boundary that overlaps the second boundary;

recognizing one or more portions of the face based on one of the first boundary and the second boundary; and

comparing at least part of the face to identification information in accordance with the recognizing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first boundary corresponds to an outer surface of an eye of the face, and the one or more portions of the face include the eye.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first boundary corresponds to make-up or a disguise on the face.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more portions of the face include an eye of the face and further comprising imaging an iris of the eye to compare to the identification information.

21. The method of claim 17, which includes interrogating the face with electromagnetic radiation including one or more wavelengths between about 0.1 millimeter and 100 millimeters to determine if a material at least partially covers the face.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more wavelengths include a wavelength greater than or equal to 1.40 micrometers and the one or more other wavelengths include a wavelength less than or equal to 0.95 micrometer.

23. The method of claim 17, which includes locating each of two eyes of the face as function of at least one of an amplitude difference and a phase difference.

24-60. -60. (canceled)