Fingerprint image optical input apparatus
First Claim
1. In an imaging apparatus, having a platen (1) composed of a transparent material with an exterior surface for the skin of a finger and an opposed interior surface;
- a light source (2), for directing light to or reflecting light off said interior surface of said platen adjacent to the skin of the finger;
a linear sensor array (4); and
a GRIN or relay lens array (3), for focusing the light from the top interior surface of the platen onto the linear sensor array,the improvement comprising;
(a) said linear sensor array (4) is stationary;
(b) said lens array (3) is stationary; and
(c) said lens array (3) is situated at an oblique angle to said platen (1).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fingerprint optical input apparatus comprises a contact image sensor for viewing a moving finger and providing a high contrast image. A narrow strip of the fingerprint touching a transparent platen is illuminated by sheet of collimated light normal to or at an oblique angle to the surface. The fingerprint image is viewed at an oblique angle by partially scattered light or by frustrated total internal reflection by a GRIN rod lens array and projected onto a linear array sensor. Various embodiments of the platen provide a compact design by using TIR or mirror reflections of the fingerprint image.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In an imaging apparatus, having a platen (1) composed of a transparent material with an exterior surface for the skin of a finger and an opposed interior surface;
- a light source (2), for directing light to or reflecting light off said interior surface of said platen adjacent to the skin of the finger;
a linear sensor array (4); and
a GRIN or relay lens array (3), for focusing the light from the top interior surface of the platen onto the linear sensor array,the improvement comprising;
(a) said linear sensor array (4) is stationary;
(b) said lens array (3) is stationary; and
(c) said lens array (3) is situated at an oblique angle to said platen (1). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a light source (2), for directing light to or reflecting light off said interior surface of said platen adjacent to the skin of the finger;
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12. In an imaging apparatus, having a platen (1) composed of a transparent material with an exterior surface for the skin of the finger and an opposed interior surface;
- a light source (2) for directing light to or reflecting light off said interior surface of said platen adjacent to the skin of the finger, a linear sensor array (4); and
a GRIN or relay lens array (3), the improvement comprising;(a) said light is partially scattered; and
(b) said lens array (3) is situated to focus the light scattered from the top interior surface of the platen onto the linear sensor array.
- a light source (2) for directing light to or reflecting light off said interior surface of said platen adjacent to the skin of the finger, a linear sensor array (4); and
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13. In the method of creating an image of an object with a varied surface, including the steps of:
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(a) shining a light from a stationary light source (2) underneath a transparent platen (1);
(b) collecting the resulting total internal reflection and frustrated total internal reflection and partially scattered light and directing it to a linear array sensor (4) to create an electronic image of the object thereon, the improvement comprising; (c) moving the object along the stationary platen (1) contemporaneously with said shining. - View Dependent Claims (14)
(c) measuring object motion speed and correcting for geometric errors in said electronic image.
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15. In the method of creating an image of an object with a varied surface, including the steps of:
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(a) shining a light from a stationary light source (2) underneath the platen (1) at an oblique angle to the platen (1);
(b) collecting the resulting light from the platen (1) and directing it to a linear array sensor (4) to create an electronic image of the object thereon the improvement comprising; (c) moving the object along the stationary transparent platen (1) contemporaneously with said shining.
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Specification