Three-dimensional object identifying system

• US 6,603,867 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Tadashi, Yasukawa, Kaoru, Sakai, Katsura, Sugino, Hajime, Ito, Kensuke
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US09/385,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/118, 382/124, 382/154, 382/203, 356/601-604, 356/610, 356/394, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.8, 340/5-1-, 340/5.52, 340/5.53
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A three-dimensional object identifying system is disclosed which identifies a three-dimensional shape object optically such as a part of a human body for preventing an information apparatus such as a personal computer from being used by any other illegitimate user than a legitimate user. The three-dimensional object identifying system has a function generating unit which generates modulation signals, light emitting elements which emit lights based on the modulation signals to a three-dimensional object, light receiving elements which receive reflected lights from the three-dimensional object and which produce detection signals, a correlation detecting unit which detects correlation information between each detection signal and modulation signal, and an identifying unit which performs identifying processing for the three-dimensional object on the basis of both pre-cataloged correlation information and the detected correlation information.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional object identifying system comprising:

a surface;

a signal generating part that generates a modulation signal;

a light emitting part that emits light based on said modulation signal to a three-dimensional object, the light emitting part being integral to the surface;

a light receiving part that receives reflected light from said three-dimensional object and produces a detection signal, the light receiving part being integral to the surface;

a detecting part that detects correlation information on the correlation between said detection signal and said modulation signal; and

an identifying part that performs identifying processing for said three-dimensional object on the basis of both precataloged correlation information and said detected correlation information.

2. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting part detects correlation information plural times, and said identifying part performs identifying processing on the basis of both said pre-cataloged correlation information and the detected correlation information.

3. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said identifying part detects said correlation information plural times continuously, and said identifying part identifies the motion of the three-dimensional object on the basis of both said pre-cataloged correlation information and the correlation information pieces detected plural times.

4. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting part has a light emitting element, and said light receiving part has a light receiving element.

5. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 4, wherein said light emitting part has a plurality of said light emitting elements, and lights are emitted to the three-dimensional object in plural directions from said plural light emitting elements.

6. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 4, wherein said light emitting element emits an infrared light.

7. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 4, wherein said light receiving part has a plurality of said light receiving elements and receives said reflected light at plural positions.

8. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said signal generating part generates a plurality of modulation signals so that a cross correlation value becomes almost zero.

9. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 8, wherein said plural modulation signals are a plurality of dipulse train signals of different timings, a plurality of trigonometric function signals of different periods, a plurality of trigonometric function signals which are of the same period but which are 90°

out of phase, a plurality of burst sine wave signals of different timings, a plurality of pseudo noise code (PN code) signals of different timings, a plurality of M sequence code signals taken out from plural taps of a single M sequence generator, or a plurality of orthogonal code signals which are in a relation of almost zero in terms of a cross correlation value.

10. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said signal generating part generates M kinds of modulation signals, said light emitting part has M number of light emitting elements which emit light respectively on the basis of said M kinds of modulation signals, said light receiving part has N number of light receiving elements, said detecting part has M×

N (=S) number of correlation detectors which, on the basis of one kind of said detection signal and one kind of said modulation signal, each detects correlation information on the correlation between said detection signal and said modulation signal, different sets of said detection signal and said modulation signal are inputted respectively to said S number of correlation detectors, and said identifying part performs the identifying processing on the basis of S number of correlation functions detected from said S number of correlation detectors.

11. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 10, wherein said correlation detectors are analog four-quadrant multipliers.

12. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 10, wherein said correlation detectors are each provided with an operational amplifier having an inversional input terminal and a non-inversional input terminal and also provided with a switching part that switches over said detection signal to either said inversional input terminal or said non-inversional input terminal on the basis of said modulation signal.

13. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 10, wherein a multiplexer for time-division processing is provided in an input portion of each of said correlation detectors.

14. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said identifying part is provided with a memory which stores a correlation information, a similarity calculator which calculates similarity on the basis of the correlation information stored in said memory and the correlation information detected by said detecting part, and a discriminator which identifies said three-dimensional object on the basis of said similarity.

15. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 14, wherein said detecting part detects a plurality of correlation information pieces for one three-dimensional object, said memory stores said plural correlation information pieces detected beforehand by said detecting part, and said similarity calculator calculates as similarity a Euclidean distance between a vector consisting of said plural correlation information pieces stored in advance and a vector consisting of said plural correlation information pieces later detected by said detecting part.

16. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 15, wherein said detecting part detects the correlation information plural times for one three-dimensional object, and said memory stores a mean value of the correlation information pieces detected plural times by said detecting part.

17. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 14, wherein said detecting part detects a plurality of correlation information pieces for one three-dimensional object, said memory stores a mean value vector and an inverse matrix of a variance-covariance matrix which are obtained on the basis of a vector comprising a plurality of correlation information pieces detected beforehand by said detecting part, and said similarity calculator calculates a Mahalanobis distance as similarity, said Mahalanobis distance being calculated on the basis of a vector comprising said plural correlation information pieces later detected by said detecting part, as well as said mean value vector and said inverse matrix of variance-covariance matrix.

18. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 14, wherein said discriminator recognizes that a three-dimensional object corresponding to said stored correlation information for which a similarity indicating the closest similarity among any calculated plural similarities has been calculated and a three-dimensional object corresponding to said correlation information detected later are the same.

19. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 14, wherein when said similarity indicates a similarity exceeding a predetermined threshold value, said discriminator recognizes that a three-dimensional object corresponding to said stored correlation information and a three-dimensional object corresponding to said correlation information detected later are the same.

20. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting part and said light receiving part are incorporated in a predetermined member which is for resting fingers thereon, said predetermined member having depressions for resting fingers therein.

21. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting part and said light receiving part are incorporated in a user interface device in an information apparatus.

22. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 21, wherein said user interface device is a keyboard input device, and identification of the three-dimensional object is performed in interlock with a key depressing operation on the keyboard.

23. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 21, wherein said user interface device is a mouse, and identification of the three-dimensional object is performed in interlock with an inputting operation conducted by a click button provided in said mouse.

24. The three-dimensional object identifying system according to claim 23, wherein identification of the three-dimensional object is performed at a time point shifted a predetermined time from the time point of input made by said click button.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a keyboard input device for the input of data to an information apparatus, having incorporated therein the light emitting part and the light receiving part.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mouse for the input of data to an information apparatus, having incorporated therein the light emitting part and the light receiving part.

27. An information apparatus comprising:

a general-purpose input device that inputs information corresponding to an input operation performed by an input operator;

a processing unit that processes the information inputted from said general-purpose input part;

a light emitting part that emits light to said input operator and that is integral to said input device;

a light receiving part that receives reflected light from said input operator and that is integral to said input device; and

an identifying part that acquires from said light receiving part light intensity information corresponding to the posture of at least a part of the body of said input operator when the input operator uses said general-purpose input device, and then performs identifying processing of the input operator on the basis of said light intensity information and cataloged information.

28. The information apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said identifying part performs identifying processing with use of light intensity information corresponding to specific input operation timing for said general-purpose input device.

29. The information apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said specific input operation timing indicates an instant at which a series of input operations are being performed for said information apparatus by said input operator and at which the body posture of said input operator has come to a standstill.

30. The information apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said general-purpose input device is a mouse.

31. The information apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said general-purpose input device is a keyboard.

32. The information apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a general-purpose input device for the input of information to an information apparatus, connected to the information apparatus as the general-purpose input device, and integrally provided with the light emitting element and the light receiving element.

33. The general-purpose input device according to claim 32, which is a mouse.

34. The general-purpose input device according to claim 32, which is a keyboard.