PERSONNEL IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS

• US 3,648,240 A
• Filed: 01/15/1970
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthony J. Giordano, Ian H. Jacoby, Warren H. Fioretti
• Original Assignee: Anthony J. Giordano, Ian H. Jacoby, Warren H. Fioretti
• Inventors: Giordano, Anthony J., Jacoby, Ian H., Fioretti, Warren H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Application Number:
  US05/003,100
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 283/7 235/92V,92DN 250/219,227 356/159,160,71 340/146.3,149A,347PR
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/144 using a slot moved over the image; using discrete sensing elements at predetermined points; using automatic curve following means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus is provided to electrooptically gauge predetermined dimensions of a human hand, circuit means are provided which automatically compare the gauged hand dimensions with the same selected hand dimensions that have been previously recorded and the person'"'"''"'"'s identity is either verified or rejected.

Claims

1. Personnel identification apparatus comprising:

a. means having a generally planar surface for supporting the hand of a person seeking identity verification;

b. means for illuminating the peripheral edge surface of said supported hand;

c. Optic scanning means including photosensor means for generating spaced electrical pulses having a time separation corresponding to the distance between each of a plurality of selected points located along said illuminated hand periphery, said points being variably positionable with respect to said planar surface; and

d. Electronic circuit means responsive to said spaced electrical pulses for measuring and indicating distances between pairs of said selected points.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the plurality of selected points includes the fingertip to finger crotch length of each of a plurality of fingers.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the optical scanning means includes fiber optic light guides positioned to provide rectilinear optical scanning along the longitudinal axis of each of a plurality of fingers and along the longitudinal axis of at least one finger crotch.

4. Personnel identification apparatus comprising:

a. plate means for supporting a hand on a surface of said plate with the fingers oriented in predetermined positions;

b. light means for illuminating a hand supported on said plate;

c. optical scanning means including light responsive means for generating spaced electrical pulses having a time separation corresponding to the fingertip to finger crotch length of each of a selected plurality of fingers; and

d. electronic counter means for measuring the time separation between the spaced electrical pulses generated for each of said plurality of fingers.

5. Personnel identification apparatus comprising:

a. means having a generally planar surface for supporting the hand of a person seeking identity verification;

b. means for illuminating the peripheral edge of said supported hand;

c. Optical scanning means including photosensor means for generating spaced electrical pulses having a time separation corresponding to the distance between each of a plurality of selected points located along said illuminated hand periphery, said points being variably positionable with respect to said planar surface;

d. Electronic circuit means responsive to said spaced electrical pulses for measuring and indicating distances between pairs of said selected points;

e. Storage means for prerecording the distances between each of the plurality of said selected points; and

f. Circuit comparator means for comparing each of the prerecorded distances with each of the corresponding distances between selected points measured by the optical scanning means.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the comparator means produces an output signal when correlation exists between a prerecorded distance and a corresponding optically scanned distance.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 characterized in that said storage means comprises an identification card on which each of the prerecorded distances is digitally stored.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit means includes a clock pulse generator, a pulse counter and a gate operated between on and off conditions by said spaced electrical pulses to thereby control the flow of clock pulses to said counter.

9. Personnel identification apparatus comprising:

a. means having a generally planar surface provided to support the hand of a person seeking identity verification;

b. means for illuminating the peripheral edge surface of said supported hand;

c. optical gauge means comprising at least one photosensor having associated therewith a movable viewing aperture for sensing a plurality of spaced points along the illuminated peripheral edge of said hand and producing a separate response signal identifying each of said spaced peripheral points; and

d. electronic circuit means responsive to said separate response signals provided to measure and indicate distances between predetermined spaced peripheral points.

10. Personnel identification apparatus comprising:

a. means having a generally planar surface provided to support the hand of a person seeking identity verification;

b. means for illuminating the peripheral edge surface of said supported hand;

c. optical gauge means comprising at least one photosensor having associated therewith a movable viewing aperture for sensing a plurality of spaced points along the illuminated peripheral edge of said hand and producing a separate response signal identifying each of said spaced peripheral points;

d. electronic circuit means responsive to said separate response signals provided to measure and indicate distances between predetermined spaced peripheral points;

e. storage means for prerecording the distances between the predetermined spaced peripheral points; and

f. circuit means for comparing each of the prerecorded distances with each of the corresponding distances between the predetermined spaced peripheral points.

11. A method of identifying personnel comprising the steps of:

a. supporting the hand of a person seeking identity verification on a generally planar surface;

b. illuminating the peripheral edge of said supported hand;

c. generating by optical scanning means including photosensor means spaced electrical pulses having a time separation corresponding to the distance between each of a plurality of selected points along said illuminated hand periphery wherein said points are variably positionable with respect to said planar surface;

d. measuring in response to said spaced electrical pulses the distance between pairs of said selected points; and

e. indicating distances between pairs of said selected points.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

f. prerecording the distances between each of the plurAlity of said selected points; and

g. comparing each of the prerecorded distances with each of the corresponding distances between selected points measured by the optical scanning means.