Digital camera apparatus with biometric capability

• US 6,930,707 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barsness, Eric Lawrence, Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jerabek, Kelly L.
• Application Number:
  US09/746,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/78, 348/161, 348/231.99, 3482311-2313, 348335-344, 348/369, 382/117, 396/18
• US Class Current: 348/78
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris

Abstract

A digital camera contains biometric capability to identify a photographer, which is preferably provided by the camera'"'"'s own optical sensors. The biometric feature is preferably the iris of a photographer'"'"'s eye, which is recognized as unique for each individual. The camera captures an image of an iris, abstracts a set of distinguishing features, and matches this set to an on-board database. The iris image is preferably captured when the photographer brings his eye in the vicinity of the camera'"'"'s viewing window, through a combination of mirrors, lenses, prisms, and the like. This capability may be used to record the identity of a photographer with the image, as an anti-theft or privacy device, or to personalize the camera settings.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

a housing;

a digital optical sensing apparatus mounted within said housing, said digital optical sensing apparatus sensing optical images;

a first optical member focusing light representing a biometric parameter of a user of said digital camera for capture by said digital optical sensing apparatus, said light representing a biometric parameter of a user traversing a first light path through said camera from said first optical member to said digital optical sensing apparatus;

a second optical member focusing light from images of interest to be captured by said digital optical sensing apparatus, said light from images of interest to be captured traversing a second light path through said camera from said second optical member to said digital optical sensing apparatus, said second light path not being coincident in any segment with any segment of said first light path, said second light path encountering said digital optical sensing apparatus at a non-zero angle with respect to said first light path;

a processor for controlling operation of said digital camera, said processor operating said digital camera in at least two modes of operation, including;

(a) a first mode of operation, wherein said digital optical sensing apparatus senses a biometric parameter of a user of said camera, said processor identifying said user from said biometric parameter; and

(b) a second mode of operation, wherein said digital optical sensing apparatus captures and records an image of an object of interest.

2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein said biometric parameter is an iris of said user'"'"'s eye.

3. The digital camera of claim 1,

further comprising a viewing window for viewing an image of said object of interest by said user;

wherein, in said first mode of operation, said digital optical sensing apparatus senses light representing said biometric parameter, said light entering said camera through said viewing window.

4. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein said processor further associates user identifying data with a recorded image of an object of interest, said user identifying data being obtained using said biometric parameter.

5. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein said processor further selectively enables at least one camera function responsive to identifying said user from said biometric parameter.

6. The digital camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory, said memory for storing biometric parameters associated with a plurality of potential users of said digital camera;

wherein said processor identifies each user of said plurality of potential users of said camera by comparing a biometric parameter obtained from said digital optical sensing apparatus with said biometric parameters associated with said plurality of potential users in said memory, and, responsive to identifying a user, associates respective user identifying information with each digital image of an object of interest captured by said digital optical sensing apparatus.

7. The digital camera of claim 6, wherein said processor further associates at least one camera operating parameter value with each of a plurality of users, and wherein said processor, responsive to identifying said user from said biometric parameter, automatically sets said at least one camera operating parameter to the value corresponding to the identified user.