Mobile fingerprint scanner and docking station

• US 7,190,817 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultra-Scan Corporation (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schneider, John K., Turner, Horatio W. IV, Gojevic, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US09/658,638
• Time in Patent Office: 2,374 Days
• Field of Search: 382115-116, 382120-127, 382312-315, 713/186, 713/200, 713/300
• US Class Current: 382/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/155 use of biometric patterns for forensic purposes

Abstract

A system including a mobile or portable fingerprint scanner and one or more docking stations adapted to operatively receive the scanner. The scanner can be hand carried to various locations for obtaining fingerprint images and other information such as images from bar code scanning. The scanner is battery operated and has the capacity of storing a number of such images. The docking station is in the form of a receptacle into which the scanner is inserted after obtaining one or more images. While the scanner is operatively received in the docking station, the image(s) stored in the scanner are downloaded via a connection to a personal computer or the like, the scanner battery is recharged and the docking station performs various diagnostic operations on the scanner before it is withdrawn from the docking station for further use. In a typical law enforcement situation, the docking station is located within the law enforcement vehicle and the scanner can be used by law enforcement personnel at locations remote from the vehicle. In a typical security situation, a single scanner is carried by the security officer and a docking station is located at each checkpoint or location where the officer is to perform an inspection. Each bay station has a unique identification and there is bidirectional exchange of information between the scanner and the bay station so that the identity of the security officer can be confirmed and a record of the inspections is made which can be monitored at any time.

Claims

1. A fingerprint identification and security system comprising:

(a) a portable fingerprint scanner which can be carried on a person and which includes a time of day clock and a port for data communication to and from the scanner;

(b) a plurality of docking stations at locations where inspections are to be performed, each of the docking stations being in the form of a receptacle for receiving the scanner, each docking station having a microprocessor and a unique code identification, there being bidirectional data communication between the docking station and the scanner received therein; and

(c) a supervisory docking station in the form of a receptacle for receiving the scanner for downloading fingerprint images, times of day and docking station identifications from the scanner received therein; and

whereby when a security person makes a round when he reaches each inspection location he operates the scanner to image his fingerprint and then inserts the scanner into the docking station at that location and a record is made of the time of day, unique identification of the docking station and fingerprint image of the security person which is stored in the scanner and then at the end of the round the security person inserts the scanner into the supervisory docking station which downloads the fingerprint images and times of day correlated with the docking station identification codes.

2. A system according to claim 1, further including a computer operatively associated with the supervisory docking station for processing the downloaded fingerprint images, times of day and docking station identification codes.