Ergonomic fingerprint reader apparatus
First Claim
1. A housing for a fingerprint acquisition device, comprising:
- a platen having a platen surface adapted to be contacted by a digit of a person'"'"'s hand, andfirst and second surfaces,the first surface having an aperture therethrough, the platen being disposed within the housing and the platen surface being in register with the aperture,the second surface being displaced from the first surface to provide a grasping surface,the housing being shaped to orient the digit relative to the platen to ensure a firm grip of the housing and substantially no lateral movement or shear of the digit as the print is being acquired, the housing also being shaped such flat the second surface contacts four digits of the user'"'"'s hand when a chosen, fifth digit is positioned on the platen in the first surface, whereby the natural grasp of the hand around the housing results in the chosen, fifth digit applying substantially even pressure to the platen and a broad print of the chosen, fifth digit can be acquired.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided an ergonomic fingerprint acquisition device comprising a housing having first and second exterior surfaces, the housing enclosing: a platen; a light source for irradiating the platen and any digit thereon with light; a light conducting plate; and image sensing device. The platen is disposed in register with an aperture in the first exterior surface. The second exterior surface is displaced from the first exterior surface to provide a grasping surface. The housing has a prehensile shape such as a sphere to permit grasping the first and second exterior surfaces while the person'"'"'s digit presses on the platen so that the digit applies even pressure to the platen and a broad print of the digit is acquired. The print may be conveyed to a remote location by a conductive wire, optical cable, infrared, inductive pickup, or radio frequency. In addition, the device may be combined with a data extracting device and perhaps a matching device for matching the print to data extracted from a card or food stamp. The device may be used in a notarization system for authenticating that a transaction to be charged against an account has been authorized by an account holder or in combination with a set-top box for use with a television set of the type that provides one or more operators with adjustable features including an adjustable service level and preference setting.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A housing for a fingerprint acquisition device, comprising:
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a platen having a platen surface adapted to be contacted by a digit of a person'"'"'s hand, and first and second surfaces, the first surface having an aperture therethrough, the platen being disposed within the housing and the platen surface being in register with the aperture, the second surface being displaced from the first surface to provide a grasping surface, the housing being shaped to orient the digit relative to the platen to ensure a firm grip of the housing and substantially no lateral movement or shear of the digit as the print is being acquired, the housing also being shaped such flat the second surface contacts four digits of the user'"'"'s hand when a chosen, fifth digit is positioned on the platen in the first surface, whereby the natural grasp of the hand around the housing results in the chosen, fifth digit applying substantially even pressure to the platen and a broad print of the chosen, fifth digit can be acquired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A housing for a fingerprint acquisition device, comprising:
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a platen having a platen surface adapted to be contacted by a digit of a person'"'"'s hand; first and second surfaces, the first surface having an aperture therethrough, the platen being disposed within the housing and the platen surface being register with the aperture, the second surface being displaced from the first surface to provide a grasping surface, the housing being shaped to orient the digit relative to the platen to ensure a firm grip of the housing and substantially no lateral movement or shear of the digit as the print is being acquired; and a hinge flexibly connecting the first and second surfaces at one margin, whereby the housing flexes in response to the grasping of the first and second surfaces within the hand of the person while the person'"'"'s digit presses on the platen to generally distribute pressure from the person'"'"'s hand across the housing and the platen. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A housing for a fingerprint acquisition device, comprising:
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a platen having a platen surface adapted to be contacted by a digit of a person'"'"'s hand; first and second surfaces, the first surface having an aperture therethrough, the platen being disposed within the housing and the platen surface being in register with the aperture, the second surface being displaced from the first surface to provide grasping surface, the housing being shaped to orient the digit relative to the platen to ensure a firm grip of the housing and substantially no lateral movement or shear of the digit as the print is being acquired; and a base shaped to universally support the housing, the housing being universally positionable in the base to a preselected position for grasping the first and second surfaces and acquiring the print. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A fingerprint acquisition device for acquiring a print from a person'"'"'s digit, comprising:
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a housing having first and second exterior surfaces, the housing enclosing; a platen having a platen surface; a light source for irradiating the platen surface and any digit thereon with light; means for conducting light from the irradiated platen surface; and image sensing means for sensing the conducted light, the first exterior surface having an aperture therethrough, the platen surface being disposed in register with the aperture, the second exterior surface being displaced from the first exterior surface to provide a grasping surface, the housing being shaped to orient a digit relative to the platen to ensure a firm grip of the housing and substantially no lateral movement or shear of the digit as the print is being acquired, the housing also being shaped such that the second surface contacts four digits of the user'"'"'s hand when a chosen, fifth digit is positioned on the platen in the first surface, whereby the natural grasp of the hand around the housing results in the chosen, fifth digit applying substantially even pressure to the platen and a broad print of the chosen, fifth digit can be acquired. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification