Digital image capture system for photo identification cards

• US 5,642,160 A
• Filed: 05/27/1994
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bennett, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US08/250,664
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 348/96, 348/98, 348/150, 348/156, 235/380, 235/382
• US Class Current: 348/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A digital image capture system for a photo identification card wherein a housing contains a video camera and a tray that selectively moves through a formed slot in the housing between a first fully inserted position within the housing and a second fully open position outside of the housing. The tray has a formed recess that receives an insert plate. The insert plate has a formed opening for holding a photo identification card of a person. Different insert plates could be utilized under the teachings of the present invention having different-sized formed openings for different-sized photo identification cards. The photo identification card is placed into the formed opening and then the tray is slid into the fully inserted position in the housing. A magnet in the housing firmly holds the tray in the fully inserted position and this fully inserted position is sensed by a micro-switch that becomes activated to turn on a pair of opposing lamps to fully illuminate the photo identification card in the tray. The camera captures a video image of the fully illuminated photo identification card and delivers it to a remote computer for storage in a captured image database. In the event the identification card does not carry a photo, a second video camera positioned remote from the housing is used to capture a likeness image of the owner of the card which is also stored in the computer.

Claims

1. A digital image capture system for a photo identification card, said system comprising:

a housing having a light box region from which light is excluded, said housing having a formed slot in said light box region,

a digital video camera having a lens, said lens located within said light box region above and substantially perpendicular to said formed slot, said digital video camera located outside of said light box region,

a tray operatively connected to said housing for moving through said formed slot between a first fully inserted position within said housing and a second fully open position outside of said housing, said tray filling said slot thereby excluding ambient light from said light box region when said tray is in said fully inserted position, said tray having a formed recess,

at least one insert plate for selectively engaging said formed recess of said tray, said at least one insert plate having a formed opening for holding said photo identification card when said photo identification card is inserted into said formed opening and when said tray is in said second fully open position, wherein the configuration of said formed opening is slightly larger than the configuration of said photo identification card,

means in said housing for maintaining said tray in said first fully inserted position,

illumination means in said light box region for illuminating said photo identification card when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, and

means in said housing sensing when said tray is in said first fully inserted position for activating said illumination means and said digital video camera, wherein when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, said lens is positioned above said photo identification card held by said formed opening in said insert plate, said photo identification card is illuminated by said illumination means, and said digital video camera captures through said lens a digital image of said photo identification card.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said maintaining means is a magnet.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said illumination means is a pair of lamps located on opposing sides of and above said formed opening in said insert plate.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said activating means is a micro-switch.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising means connected to said camera for adjusting the focus of said camera.

6. A digital image capture system for an identification card, said system comprising:

a computer, said computer having a captured image database,

a housing having a light box region from which light is excluded, said housing having a formed slot in said light box region,

a digital video camera having a lens, said lens located within said light box region above and substantially perpendicular to said formed slot, said digital video camera connected to said computer, said digital video camera located outside of said light box region,

a tray operatively connected to said housing for moving through said formed slot between a first fully inserted position within said housing and a second fully open position outside of said housing, said tray filling said slot thereby excluding ambient light from said light box region when said tray is in said fully inserted position, said tray having a formed recess,

one or a plurality of insert plates for selectively engaging said formed recess of said tray, each said insert plate having a formed opening for holding said identification card when said identification card is inserted into said formed opening and when said tray is in said second fully open position wherein the configuration of said formed opening is slightly larger than the configuration of said photo identification card,

at least one lamp in said light box region for illuminating said photo identification card when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, and

means in said housing sensing when said tray is in said first fully inserted position for activating said at least one lamp and said digital video camera, wherein when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, said lens is positioned above said photo identification card held by said formed opening in said insert plate, said photo identification card is illuminated by said illumination means, said digital video camera captures through said lens a digital image of said photo identification card, and said computer stores said digital image of said identification card in said captured image database.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said computer has a captured likeness database and wherein said system further comprises a second video camera connected to said computer and positioned remote from said housing, said second video camera capturing a digital image of the likeness of the owner of said identification card, said computer receptive of said digital image of said likeness from said second video camera for storing said digital image in said captured likeness database.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said activating means is a micro-switch.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising means connected to said camera for adjusting the focus of said camera.

10. A digital image capture system for an identification card, said system comprising:

a computer, said computer having a captured image database and a captured likeness database,

a housing having a light box region from which light is excluded, said housing having a formed slot in said light box region,

a digital video camera having a lens, said lens located within said light box region above and substantially perpendicular to said formed slot, said digital video camera connected to said computer, said digital video camera located outside of said light box region,

a tray operatively connected to said housing for moving through said formed slot between a first fully inserted position within said housing and a second fully open position outside of said housing, said tray filling said slot thereby excluding ambient light from said light box region when said tray is in said fully inserted position, said tray having at least one formed opening for holding said identification card when said identification card is inserted into said formed opening when said tray is in said second fully open position, wherein the configuration of said formed opening is slightly larger than the configuration of said photo identification card,

at least one lamp in said light box region for illuminating said photo identification card when said tray is in said first fully inserted position,

means in said housing sensing when said tray is in said first fully inserted position for activating said at least one lamp and said digital video camera, wherein when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, said lens is positioned above said photo identification card held by said formed opening, said photo identification card is illuminated by said illumination means, said digital video camera captures through said lens a digital image of said photo identification card, and said computer stores said digital image of said identification card in said captured image database, and

a second video camera connected to said computer and positioned remote from said housing, said second video camera capturing a digital image of the likeness of the owner of said identification card, said computer receptive of said digital image of said likeness from said second video camera for storing said digital image in said captured likeness database.

11. A digital image capture system for an identification card, said system comprising:

a computer, said computer having a captured image database,

a housing having a light box region from which light is excluded, said housing having a formed slot in said light box region,

a digital video camera having a lens,

a tray operatively connected to said housing for moving through said formed slot between a first fully inserted position within said housing and a second fully open position outside of said housing, said tray filling said slot thereby excluding ambient light from said light box region when said tray is in said fully inserted position, said tray having at least one formed recess for holding said identification card when said identification card is inserted into said tray when said tray is in said second fully open position, wherein the configuration of said formed opening is slightly larger than the configuration of said photo identification card,

at least one lamp in said light box region for illuminating said photo identification card when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, and

means in said housing sensing when said tray is in said first fully inserted position for activating said at least one lamp and said digital video camera, wherein when said tray is in said first fully inserted position, said lens is positioned above said photo identification card held by said tray, said photo identification card is illuminated by said illumination means, said digital video camera captures through said lens a digital image of said photo identification card, and said computer stores said digital image of said identification card in said captured image database.