Fingerprint scanner auto-capture system and method
First Claim
1. A method of capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising the steps of:
- (a) capturing an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time;
(b) capturing a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time;
(c) performing a fingerprint image darkness test, including calculating average darkness values for a plurality of image darkness lines arranged in pairs of image darkness lines, said pairs of image darkness lines situated within an expected image capture region; and
(d) performing an image definition test.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of capturing an acceptable fingerprint image is disclosed herein. The method includes a step of capturing an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time. Once this initial fingerprint image is captured, a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time is captured. Next, an image darkness test is performed followed by an image definition test. If one or more of these tests indicates that the first intermediate fingerprint image is unacceptable, a subsequent intermediate fingerprint image at a subsequent intermediate image integration time is captured. This subsequent intermediate fingerprint image can be captured before the image definition test is performed. Additional intermediate fingerprint images can be captured until an image that has an acceptable darkness level as a well as an acceptable definition level is captured. Also disclosed is a fingerprint scanner that performs this method.
219 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising the steps of:
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(a) capturing an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time;
(b) capturing a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time;
(c) performing a fingerprint image darkness test, including calculating average darkness values for a plurality of image darkness lines arranged in pairs of image darkness lines, said pairs of image darkness lines situated within an expected image capture region; and
(d) performing an image definition test. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A fingerprint scanner for capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising:
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a camera that captures an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time and captures a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time; and
a processor that performs an image darkness test and an image definition test;
wherein said processor calculates average darkness values for a plurality of image darkness lines arranged in pairs of image darkness lines, said pairs of image darkness lines situated within an expected image capture region. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising the steps of:
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(a) capturing a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time;
(b) performing an image darkness test, including calculating average darkness values for a plurality of image darkness lines arranged in pairs of image darkness lines, said pairs of image darkness lines situated within an expected image capture region; and
(c) performing an image definition test. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A fingerprint scanner for capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising:
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means for capturing an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time and for capturing a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time; and
means for performing an image darkness test and an image definition test;
said means for performing a fingerprint image derkness test including means for calculating average darkness values for a plurality of image derkness lines arrangs in pairs of image darkness lines, said pairs of image darkness line situated within an expected image capture region. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A system controller for use in a fingerprint scanner, wherein said system controller performs a fingerprint image darkness test, and performs an definition test;
wherin said system controller calculates averags darkness values for a plurality of image darkness lines arranged in pairs of image darkness line, said pairs of image darkness lines situated within an expected image capture region. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising the steps of:
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(a) capturing an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time;
(b) capturing a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time;
(c) performing an image darkness test; and
(d) performing an image definition test;
wherein said step (d) comprises the steps of;
(i) determining a ridge count for each of a plurality of image definition test lines; and
(j) verifying that image definition is acceptable based on the ridge counts determined in said step (i). - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A fingerprint scanner for capturing an acceptable fingerprint image comprising:
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a camera that captures an initial fingerprint image at a nominal image integration time and captures a first intermediate fingerprint image at a first intermediate image integration time; and
a processor that performs an image darkness test and an image definition test;
wherein said processor determines a ridge count for each of a plurality of image definition test lines and verifies that image definition is acceptable based on the ridge count for each of the plurality of image definition test lines. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A system controller for use in a fingerprint scanner, wherein said system controller performs an image darkness test, and performs an image definition test;
wherein said system controller determines a ridge count for each of a plurality of image definition test lines within a fingerprint image and verifies that image definition is acceptable based on the ridge count for each of the plurality of image definition test lines.
Specification