System for promoting correct finger placement in a fingerprint reader

• US 6,501,847 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Derocher, Michael D., Helot, Jacques H.
• Primary Examiner(s): WERNER, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US10/163,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/124-127, 382/312, 382/315, 118/31.5, 283/68-70, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 356/71, 396/15, 707/6, 707/9, 713/186, 902/3, 902/6, 421/1
• US Class Current: 382/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A fingerprint reading system includes a guide mechanism that defines the path of a finger across an interrogation region defined by an imaging device and includes a locking mechanism that selectively restricts the guide mechanism. In one embodiment, the guide mechanism is a finger guide that is restricted from following its established slide path, unless there is an applied force in the direction generally perpendicular to the slide path. The finger guide includes a finger-supporting region with an opening configured to expose the finger to the imaging device. Following a fingerprint reading operation, the finger guide is returned to a rest position by at least one spring mechanism. Preferably, the locking mechanism is configured to require pressure on opposite sides of the finger guide, with the opposite sides being aligned with the slide path. This alignment is intended to provide proper finger placement, since it requires finger contact at both the forward and rearward sides of the finger-supporting region. In another embodiment, the guide mechanism is a pair of rollers that are restricted from rotation by at least one locking mechanism having a release member. The rollers are on the forward and rearward sides of an imaging window, while the release members are on the lateral sides, but are sufficiently close to the rollers that a single finger is in contact with the rollers and the release members during a fingerprint reading operation. The release members are depressable actuators that restrict roller rotation when the release members are in a relaxed condition.

Claims

1. A system for imaging a fingerprint comprising:

a housing having a window that defines an interrogation region;

an imaging device having a field of view aligned with said window, said imaging device being connected to said housing;

at least one roller adjacent to said window to accommodate ease of movement of a subject finger along said window, each said roller having a portion that extends from said housing;

a locking means for selectively restricting rolling motion of said at least one roller; and

a release member adjacent to said window to release said locking means in response to applied pressure, said release member being sufficiently close to said window and said at least one roller to enable said subject finger to simultaneously contact said release member, said window and each said roller.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one roller includes first and second rollers on opposite sides of said window.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each said roller includes a gear having a plurality of circumferential teeth, said locking means including a projection aligned to extend into one of said teeth.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said locking means includes a biasing member connected to bias projection into one of said teeth, said release member being cooperative with said biasing member to release said gear in response to applied pressure on said release member.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said release member is a depressible button.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a second release member on a side of said window opposite to said depressible button.