Adjustable guide for viewing biometric surface patterns

• US 7,031,502 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Mil'shtein, Samson, LaBrecque, Craig M., Pinsonnault, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Upreti, Ashutosh
• Application Number:
  US10/057,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 382/126, 382/115, 382/124, 396/14, 396/15, 340 552- 553
• US Class Current: 382/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/63 by static guides

Abstract

A guide can provide proper registration of an object such as a hand above a scanner device for imaging. The guide can include windows or slits so that the scanner device can produce an image such as a finger or palm in a natural state rather than being pressed against, for example, a flat surface such as glass. Thus, registration of a palm and/or a finger in the guide can be used to produce non-distorted high quality images of biometric patterns in their natural 3-dimensional state.

Claims

1. A device to register a biometric object for viewing, the device comprising:

a guide for aligning the biometric object to view multiple surface regions of the object in a substantially non-distorted state, the guide including multiple rails in which at least a portion of the object is aligned when resting therein, each rail of the guide including a window for viewing a corresponding surface region of the object; and

a base to which each of the multiple rails is movably attached, the base including at least one window for viewing a surface pattern on the object.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide is capable of aligning different-sized but similarly-shaped objects.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide for aligning the object is disposed between the object and a scanning device that generates images of the multiple surface regions of the object through the windows.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the object loosely registered in the guide is identified based on at least one unique pattern as viewed through an opening of the guide.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein a unique object is identified based on a biometric pattern of exposed flesh through a window of the guide.

6. A device as in claim 4, wherein the object is a hand in which patterns on fingers are viewed through windows of the rails and patterns on a palm are viewed through a window in the base.

7. A device as in claim 1 further comprising:

a scanner that produces an image of the object comprising of patterns viewed through the windows of the guide to identify the object.

8. A device as in claim 7, wherein the images of the object as viewed through the windows are compared to images stored in a database.

9. A device as in claim 1, wherein the object is a human hand and the guide can be adjusted based on a length of each finger.

10. A device as in claim 9, wherein a person associated with the hand can be identified based upon a biometric pattern viewed through at least one window.

11. A device as in claim 1, wherein undistorted surface patterns of biometric matter are viewed through the windows.

12. A device as in claim 1, wherein at least one window is a void in material from which the guide is formed.

13. A device as in claim 1, wherein the guide is made of plastic.