Biometric imaging system and method

• US 7,308,122 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Cross Match Technologies Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: McClurg, George W, Carver, John F, Scott, Walter G, Zyzdryn, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 382/125, 382/126, 382/127
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/993 Evaluation of the quality of the acquired pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/67 by interactive indications to the user

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining a biometric image such as a ten-print fingerprint impression is provided. The system and method can include a ten-print scanner having a platen and a finger guide coupled to the platen. The finger guide can be used to guide positioning a finger slap of four fingers at a time onto the platen. The ten-print scanner can also include at least four indicators that indicate an acceptable scan condition of each finger of a finger slap in response to a detected finger slap image.

Claims

1. A fingerprint workstation, comprising:

a print scanner, said print scanner comprising,

a platen,

a finger guide configured to position four finger slaps onto said platen, and

at least four indicators configured to provide feedback for each finger on the quality of a fingerprint image of said four finger slaps detected by the print scanner, wherein each of the at least four indicators correspond to a respective finger, and wherein the at least four indicators are positioned relative to the platen such that each of the at least four indicators is in physical proximity with the respective finger placed on the platen for scanning; and

a computer, interfaced to said print scanner via a communication link, configured to control said print scanner.

2. The fingerprint workstation of claim 1, wherein said finger guide includes a physical barrier for separating a ring finger from a middle finger.

3. The fingerprint workstation of claim 1, wherein said finger guide is sized to require diagonal placement of said four finger slaps.

4. The fingerprint workstation of claim 1, further comprising means for determining whether a right hand or a left hand is placed on said platen for scanning.

5. The fingerprint workstation of claim 4, wherein said means for determining whether a right hand or a left hand is placed on said platen for scanning includes means for determining whether a hand placed on said platen is placed at a diagonal.

6. The fingerprint workstation of claim 1, wherein each of the at least four indicators can be configured to indicate an acceptable placement of the respective finger relative to the platen.

7. A fingerprint workstation, comprising:

a ten-print scanner, said ten-print scanner comprising,

a platen,

a finger guide coupled to said platen, wherein said finger guide guides positioning of a finger slap of four fingers at a time onto said platen,

at least four indicators configured to indicate an acceptable scan condition of each finger of said finger slap in response to a detected finger slap image, wherein each of the at least four indicators correspond to a respective finger, and wherein the at least four indicators are positioned relative to the platen such that each of the at least four indicators is in physical proximity with the respective finger placed on the platen for scanning; and

a computer, interfaced to said ten-print scanner via a communication link, which is configured to communicate with said ten-print scanner.

8. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said finger guide includes a physical barrier for separating a ring finger from a middle finger.

9. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said finger guide is sized to require diagonal placement of said finger slap.

10. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, further comprising a controller that controls said ten-print scanner.

11. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said computer controls said ten-print scanner.

12. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said ten-print scanner further comprises a controller.

13. The fingerprint workstation of claim 12, wherein said controller determines whether a right hand or a left hand is placed on said platen.

14. The fingerprint workstation of claim 13, wherein said controller determines whether a hand placed on said platen is placed at a diagonal relative to a base of said platen.

15. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, further comprising at least one reading device, wherein said reading device reads data that correlates with said finger slap image.

16. The fingerprint workstation of claim 15, further comprising at least one read status indicator that indicates whether the reading of data was unsuccessful.

17. The fingerprint workstation of claim 16, wherein said at least one read status indicator is illuminated green when a read is successful and red when a read is unsuccessful.

18. The fingerprint workstation of claim 15, wherein said reading device comprises a barcode scanner.

19. The fingerprint workstation of claim 15, wherein said reading device comprises a magnetic-stripe reader.

20. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, further comprising a screen on which to view said finger slap images as they are scanned.

21. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said at least four indicators are light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

22. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said at least four indicators are bar-graph light-emitting diode (LED) indicators.

23. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, further comprising a power status indicator that indicates whether power is provided to said ten-print scanner.

24. The fingerprint workstation of claim 23, wherein said power status indicator is illuminated when power is applied to said ten-print scanner via an external power supply.

25. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said at least four indicators are positioned above said platen, each indicator having a one-to-one correspondence with a respective finger of said finger slap.

26. The fingerprint workstation of claim 25, wherein each of said at least four indicators reflects whether said respective finger of said finger slap is currently being imaged or is not currently being imaged.

27. The fingerprint workstation of claim 25, wherein each of said at least four indicators has a one-to-one correspondence with a respective individual digit image of said respective finger of said finger slap image and indicates whether an appropriate level of fingerprint quality has been achieved.

28. The fingerprint workstation of claim 27, wherein each of said at least four indicators reflects whether said respective individual digit image is acceptable, poor, or indeterminate.

29. The fingerprint workstation of claim 27, wherein quality threshold levels for said at least four indicators are changeable.

30. The fingerprint workstation of claim 27, wherein said at least four indicators are multi-color light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

31. The fingerprint workstation of claim 30, wherein a red LED indicates poor quality, a green LED indicates acceptable quality, and an amber LED indicates indeterminate quality.

32. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein said platen comprises a surface of a silicone pad attached to a side of a prism.

33. The fingerprint workstation of claim 7, wherein the size of an active fingerprint area of said platen is 2.05 by 3.6 inches at 500 dpi.