Vein Authentication Apparatus, Imaging Apparatus for Vein Authentication, and Vein Illuminating Method

• US 20100208949A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1382 Detecting the live character of the finger, i.e. distinguishing from a fake or cadaver finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns

Abstract

An imaging apparatus capable of expanding a range for use in acquiring a good-quality image, an authentication apparatus, and a light-source driving method are provided. The authentication apparatus includes an imaging portion including a plurality of imaging sections for imaging reflected light reflected from a vein plexus inside a finger and transmitted light transmitted through the vein plexus, the imaging portion being controlled such that the imaging sections perform imaging in different periods, an illuminating portion arranged on the same direction side as the imaging portion and configured to illuminate the vein plexus with near-infrared light, an authentication processing portion configured to perform authentication processing on the basis of an image imaged by the imaging portion and vein information previously stored, and an illumination control portion configured to control the illuminating portion such that the near-infrared light emitted from the illuminating portion is scattered behind a vein section corresponding to an imaging section being in an imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.

Claims

1. A vein authentication apparatus characterized by comprising:

an imaging portion including a plurality of imaging sections for imaging reflected light reflected from a vein plexus inside a finger and transmitted light transmitted through the vein plexus, the imaging portion being controlled such that the imaging sections perform imaging in different periods;

an illuminating portion arranged on the same direction side as the imaging portion with respect to the vein plexus and configured to emit near-infrared light;

an authentication processing portion configured to perform authentication processing on the basis of an image imaged by the imaging portion and vein information previously stored; and

an illumination control portion configured to control the illuminating portion such that the near-infrared light emitted from the illuminating portion is scattered behind a vein section corresponding to an imaging section being in an imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.

2. The vein authentication apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the illuminating portion includes a plurality of light sources, and

the illumination control portion is configured to control output of the plurality of light sources such that near-infrared light output from part of the plurality of light sources is scattered behind the vein section corresponding to the imaging section being in the imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.

3. The vein authentication apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the illumination control portion is configured to restrain illumination by a light source other than the part of the plurality of light sources.

4. The vein authentication apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the illuminating portion is configured such that an angle of a section for emitting near-infrared light varies, and

the illumination control portion is configured to make the angle of the section vary such that the near-infrared light emitted from the illuminating portion is scattered behind the vein section corresponding to the imaging section being in the imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.

5. An imaging apparatus for vein authentication, the imaging apparatus being characterized by comprising:

an imaging portion including a plurality of imaging sections for imaging reflected light reflected from a vein plexus inside a finger and transmitted light transmitted through the vein plexus, the imaging portion being controlled such that the imaging sections perform imaging in different periods;

an illuminating portion arranged on the same direction side as the imaging portion with respect to the vein plexus and configured to emit near-infrared light; and

an illumination control portion configured to control the illuminating portion such that the near-infrared light emitted from the illuminating portion is scattered behind a vein section corresponding to an imaging section being in an imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.

6. A vein illuminating method of driving an illuminating portion configured to illuminate a vein plexus inside a finger with near-infrared light, the illuminating portion being arranged on the same direction side as an imaging portion, the vein illuminating method being characterized by comprising:

controlling the illuminating portion such that, in the case where a plurality of imaging sections in the imaging portion for imaging reflected light reflected from the vein plexus inside the finger and transmitted light transmitted through the vein plexus perform imaging in different periods, the near-infrared light emitted from the illuminating portion is scattered behind a vein section corresponding to an imaging section being in an imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.