Fingerprint sensing device and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sensing fingerprints comprising:
- a) fingerprint differentiation means for internally reflecting illuminating radiation from points of illumination on a contact surface of the fingerprint differentiation means corresponding to fingerprint valleys in one or more fingers of the subject pressed in a contact zone on the contact surface, and for transmitting illuminating radiation through the contact surface at points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint ridges in the fingers of the subject;
b) illuminating means affixed to the fingerprint differentiation means for internally illuminating the contact surface with a plurality of sub-beams of illuminating radiation, the angle of incidence of the sub-beams to the contact surface being selected to provide for reflection of the sub-beams from points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint valley points and transmission of sub-beams through the contact surface at fingerprint ridge points which contact the contact surface;
c) sensing means for sensing sub-beams reflected from the contact surface and generating an electric signal for each sub-beam received; and
d) reflected beam focusing means affixed between the fingerprint differentiation means and the sensing means for focusing, on the sensing means, sub-beams reflected from the contact surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for sensing and digitizing a fingerprint from a subject finger comprising a prism, a pixilated illuminating radiation source such as a surface-emitting laser or a radiation source and a LCD affixed to the bottom surface of the prism and providing for the internal illumination, with a plurality of sub-beams, of the contact surface where the finger of the subject is pressed on the top surface of the prism, a photoelectric sensor to detect the sub-beam radiation reflected from the fingerprint valley points, and a lens for focusing the sub-beam radiation on the sensor. The fingerprint ridge contact points do not reflect incident sub-beam radiation. A computer can provide for sequential emission of the sub-beams so that a single cell photoelectric sensor can be used to detect the reflected sub-beams or a multiple cell photoelectric sensor can be used, with each cell corresponding to a particular sub-beam. Reflected sub-beam radiation corresponds to a fingerprint valley point. Non-reflected sub-beam radiation corresponds to a fingerprint ridge point. The fingerprint is converted to a set of binary codes that can be used for imaging or identification purposes.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sensing fingerprints comprising:
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a) fingerprint differentiation means for internally reflecting illuminating radiation from points of illumination on a contact surface of the fingerprint differentiation means corresponding to fingerprint valleys in one or more fingers of the subject pressed in a contact zone on the contact surface, and for transmitting illuminating radiation through the contact surface at points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint ridges in the fingers of the subject;
b) illuminating means affixed to the fingerprint differentiation means for internally illuminating the contact surface with a plurality of sub-beams of illuminating radiation, the angle of incidence of the sub-beams to the contact surface being selected to provide for reflection of the sub-beams from points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint valley points and transmission of sub-beams through the contact surface at fingerprint ridge points which contact the contact surface;
c) sensing means for sensing sub-beams reflected from the contact surface and generating an electric signal for each sub-beam received; and
d) reflected beam focusing means affixed between the fingerprint differentiation means and the sensing means for focusing, on the sensing means, sub-beams reflected from the contact surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for sensing fingerprints comprising:
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a) prism having a prism top surface on which one or more fingers of a subject can be pressed for fingerprint sensing, a prism bottom surface and a prism end surface;
b) illuminating means affixed to the prism bottom surface for internally illuminating points of illumination on the prism top surface with a plurality of sub-beams of illuminating radiation, the angle of incidence of the sub-beams to the prism top surface being selected to provide for reflection to the prism end surface from points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint valley points of the fingers of the subject pressed on the prism top surface and for transmission of sub-beams through the prism top surface at fingerprint ridge points which are in contact with the prism top surface;
c) sensing means for sensing illuminating radiation of sub-beams reflected from the prism top surface through the prism end surface and generating an electric signal for each sub-beam received; and
d) reflected beam focusing means affixed between the prism end surface and the sensing means for focusing, on the sensing means, sub-beams reflected from the prism top surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. Apparatus for sensing fingerprints comprising:
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a) prism having a prism top surface on which one or more fingers of a subject can be pressed for fingerprint sensing, a prism bottom surface and a prism end surface;
b) surface-emitting laser affixed to the prism bottom surface;
c) photoelectric sensor; and
d) one or more sensor lenses affixed between the prism end surface and the photoelectric sensor. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. Apparatus for sensing fingerprints comprising:
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a) prism having a prism top surface on which one or more fingers of a subject can be pressed for fingerprint sensing, a prism bottom surface and a prism end surface;
b) radiation source and pixilated LCD affixed to the prism bottom surface;
c) photoelectric sensor; and
d) one or more sensor lenses affixed between the prism end surface and the photoelectric sensor. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. Apparatus for digitizing fingerprints comprising:
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a) prism having a top contact surface sized for pressing of one or more fingers of a subject for fingerprint sensing and a prism bottom surface for admission of illuminating radiation;
b) illuminating means for internally illuminating the contact surface with a sequence of sub-beams;
c) sensing means for detecting sub-beam radiation internally reflected from the contact surface at points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint valleys of the subject fingers and detecting the non-reflection of sub-beam radiation from the contact surface at points of contact between fingerprint ridges and the contact surface;
d) reflected beam focusing means for focusing, on the sensing means, sub-beam radiation reflected from the contact surface; and
e) digitizing means for digitizing the fingerprints of the subject fingers based upon the sub-beam radiation detected and signals generated by the sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. Method for sensing fingerprints comprising:
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a) step of pressing one or more fingers of a subject on a transparent contact surface, b) step of internally illuminating the contact surface at points of illumination with a plurality of sub-beams of illuminating radiation, the angle of incidence of the sub-beams to the contact surface being selected to provide for reflection of the sub-beams from points of illumination corresponding to fingerprint valley points and transmission of sub-beams through the contact surface at fingerprint ridge points;
c) step of focusing sub-beams reflected from the contact surface; and
d) step of sensing focus ed sub- beams reflected from the contact surface and generating an electric signal for each sub-beam sensed. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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Specification