Image input device

• US 7,227,978 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Arai, Tatsuo, Komatsuzaki, Sakae, Takeda, Tsuneharu
• Primary Examiner(s): MARIAM, DANIEL G
• Application Number:
  US10/463,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 382/126, 382/296, 382/312
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1335 Combining adjacent partial images (e.g. slices) to create a composite input or reference pattern; Tracking a sweeping finger movement

Abstract

An image input device 1 includes a rotating roller 4 supported so as to be freely rotatable around a rotational axis thereof, wherein the roller 4 includes a line image sensor 3 and a Selfoc lens array 6 which are mounted not to rotate in the rotating roller 4 by a holder 51. The holder 51 functions as a light guide to introduce the light emitted from light emitting elements 52 to a finger 200 which is pressed against the peripheral surface of the rotating roller 4. Selfoc lens array 6 forms a one-dimensional optical image of the portion of the finger 200 which is in contact with the peripheral surface of the rotating roller 4, on the line image sensor 3, so that the line image sensor 3 obtains the one-dimensional optical image. Then, the one-dimensional optical images are combined by a composite buffer 15 in order, to create a two-dimensional optical image of the finger 200.

Claims

1. An image input device comprising:

a transparent cylinder supported so as to be freely rotatable around a rotational axis thereof;

a one-dimensional image pickup element disposed in the cylinder; and

an optical system which is disposed in the cylinder and which forms an image of a subject coming into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder on the one-dimensional image pickup element;

wherein the one-dimensional image pickup element includes a photoreceptive portion comprising photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a line on a silicon substrate, and the silicon substrate is mounted on a back surface of a film substrate having a surface facing the optical system so that the photoreceptive portion receives light emitted from the optical system; and

wherein bonding pads for inputting/outputting electrical signals are mounted on a surface of the silicon substrate on which the photoreceptive portion is provided, bumps serving as terminals of wires are provided on the back surface of the film substrate, and the bonding pads and the bumps are joined to one another to fix the one-dimensional image pickup element to the film substrate.

2. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the film substrate has a through hole at a position corresponding to an optical axis of the optical system, and the one-dimensional image pickup element is disposed at the through hole so that the photoreceptive portion is located at the position corresponding to the optical axis.

3. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the film substrate comprises a transparent portion at a position corresponding to an optical axis of the optical system, and the one-dimensional image pickup element is disposed at the transparent portion so that the photoreceptive portion is located at the position corresponding to the optical axis.

4. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein all of the film substrate is transparent, and the one-dimensional image pickup element is disposed so that the photoreceptive portion is located at a position corresponding to an optical axis of the optical system.

5. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the silicon substrate of the one-dimensional image pickup element is mounted on the back surface of the film substrate such that the photoreceptive portion extends from the outer edge of the film substrate.

6. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the optical system comprises a Selfoc lens array for forming an erect unmagnified image of the subject on the one-dimensional image pickup element.

7. The image input device according to claim 1, further comprising a light irradiator disposed in the cylinder for irradiating light to the subject coming into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder.

8. An image input device comprising:

a transparent cylinder supported so as to be freely rotatable around a rotational axis thereof;

a one-dimensional image pickup element disposed in the cylinder; and

an optical system which is disposed in the cylinder and which forms an image of a subject coming into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder on the one-dimensional image pickup element;

wherein the optical system comprises;

(i) a lens optical system to which light reflected from the subject is incident, and from which the reflected light is emitted, and (ii) a reflection optical system which reflects the light emitted from the lens optical system at least twice to emit the light substantially in parallel to an optical axis of the lens optical system and in a direction opposite to a direction along which the light is emitted from the lens optical system, wherein the one-dimensional image pickup element receives the light emitted from the reflection optical system; and

wherein the reflection optical system comprises a prism including;

a light-incident face to which the light emitted from the lens optical system is incident, a first total reflection face for totally reflecting the light incident from the light-incident face, and a second total reflection face to which the light reflected from the first total reflection face is incident and from which the incident light is totally reflected to the light-incident face, wherein the light that is totally-reflected from the second total reflection face is incident through the light-incident face to the one-dimensional image pickup element.

9. The image input device according to claim 8, further comprising a light irradiator, which is supported on a front surface of a substrate disposed in the cylinder, and which irradiates light to a portion of the peripheral surface of the cylinder with which the subject comes into contact;

wherein the one-dimensional image pickup element is mounted on a back surface of the substrate.

10. The image input device according to claim 9, further comprising light irradiator which irradiates light to a portion of the peripheral surface of the cylinder with which the subject comes into contact;

wherein the light irradiator is positioned outside of the cylinder.

11. The image input device according to claim 8, wherein the lens optical system comprises a Selfoc lens array.