Iris image pickup apparatus

• US 7,312,818 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikoma, Ken, Ooi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels; Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US10/201,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 348/78, 348/207.99, 382/117
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris

Abstract

An optical axis of a telephotographic camera for picking up an enlarged image of an iris is placed between guide unit for guiding a subject K into a range in which an iris image can be picked up and direction indication guide unit for indicating the direction in which the subject K is to be directed. If the subject K wears glasses, the face direction of the subject K is changed as indicated by the direction indication guide unit so that an image of illumination light from an iris lighting fixture on the lens, etc., of the glasses of the subject K does not overlap the iris image.

Claims

1. An iris image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup unit for picking up an iris image of a subject in a first or second position;

a direction indication guide unit for indicating to the subject that the subject will be guided to a second position and guiding the subject in a direction from the first position to the second position if the iris image picked up at the first position is not suited for authentication; and

a guide unit that emits light to guide a direction of the subject,

wherein the second position is at a position with respect to the image pickup unit different from that of the first position,

wherein said image pickup unit includes an optical axis directed toward the subject, and

wherein said optical axis is arranged between said guide unit and said direction indication guide unit.

2. The iris image pickup apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said direction indication guide unit is configured to inform the subject of the iris image pickup timing of the iris image to be picked up at the first position before said iris image is picked up at the first position.

3. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an iris illumination unit for applying illumination light in the direction of the subject, wherein an angle of the illumination light reflected off the subject increases as the subject is guided from the first position to the second position.

4. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said direction indication guide unit includes a light emitting diode, and the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing according to the lighting pattern of the light emitting diode.

5. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said direction indication guide unit informs the subject of the iris image pickup timing more than once.

6. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a flash unit for applying light for forcibly inducing the subject to blink.

7. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein an additional iris image is picked up before the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing.

8. The iris image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said image pickup unit is a second image pickup unit which picks up the iris image by a telephoto lens, the apparatus further comprising:

a first image pickup unit for picking up an image of a subject by a wide-angle lens;

wherein the direction indication guide unit displays a guide indication for indicating to the subject that the subject will be redirected to the second position and for redirecting the subject'"'"'s face from the first position to the second position before said second image pickup unit picks up the iris image when it is determined that the subject wears glasses from image pickup information of said first image pickup unit,

wherein said direction indication guide unit is configured to inform the subject of the iris image pickup timing of said iris image before said iris image is picked up.

9. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said direction indication guide unit includes a light emitting diode, and the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing according to the lighting pattern of the light emitting diode.

10. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said direction indication guide unit informs the subject of the iris image pickup timing more than once.

11. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a flash unit for applying light for forcibly inducing the subject to blink.

12. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein an additional iris image is picked up before the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing.

13. The iris image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said image pickup unit is a second image pickup unit which picks up the iris image by a telephoto lens, the apparatus further comprising:

a first image pickup unit for picking up an image of a subject by a wide-angle lens;

an iris illumination unit for applying illumination light in an iris direction of the subject; and

a control unit for operating said direction indication guide unit for redirecting and guiding the subject in a direction from the first position to the second position before said second image pickup unit picks up an iris image when it is determined that the subject wears glasses from image pickup information of said first image pickup unit,

wherein said first image pickup unit and said second image pickup unit are placed between said direction indication guide unit and said iris illumination unit, and,

wherein the second position is at a position with respect to the second image pickup unit different from that of the first position, and

wherein said direction indication guide unit is configured to inform the subject of the iris image pickup timing of said iris image before said iris image is picked up.

14. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said direction indication guide unit includes a light emitting diode, and the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing according to the lighting pattern of the light emitting diode.

15. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said direction indication guide unit informs the subject of the iris image pickup timing more than once.

16. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a flash unit for applying light for forcibly inducing the subject to blink.

17. The iris image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein an additional iris image is picked up before the subject is informed of the iris image pickup timing.

18. An iris image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup unit for picking up an iris image of a subject in a first or second position;

a direction indication guide unit for indicating to the subject that the subject will be guided to a second position and guiding the subject in a direction from the first position to the second position if the iris image picked up at the first position is not suited for authentication; and

a detection unit for detecting the distance to the subject,

wherein the second position is at a position with respect to the image pickup unit different from that of the first position, and

wherein a guide display position of said direction indication guide unit determines the angle in which the subject is to be directed based on detection information provided by the detection unit.

19. An iris image pickup apparatus comprising:

a first image pickup unit for picking up an image of a subject by a wide-angle lens;

a second image pickup unit for picking up an iris image of the subject in a first or second position by a telephoto lens;

a direction indication guide unit for displaying guide indication for indicating to the subject that the subject will be redirected to the second position and for redirecting the subject'"'"'s face from the first position to the second position before said second image pickup unit picks up an iris image when it is determined that the subject wears glasses from image pickup information of said first image pickup unit; and

a detection unit for detecting the distance to the subject,

wherein the second position is at a position with respect to the second image pickup unit different from that of the first position, and

wherein a guide display position of said direction indication guide unit determines an angle in which the subject is to be redirected based on detection information provided by the detection unit.

20. An iris image pickup apparatus comprising:

a first image pickup unit for picking up an image of a subject by a wide-angle lens;

a second image pickup unit for picking up an iris image of the subject in a first or second position by a telephoto lens;

a direction indication guide unit for indicating to the subject that the subject will be redirected to the second position and for indicating the direction in which the subject is redirected;

an iris illumination unit for applying illumination light in an iris direction of the subject;

a control unit for operating said direction indication guide unit for redirecting and guiding the subject in a direction from the first position to the second position before said second image pickup unit picks up an iris image when it is determined that the subject wears glasses from image pickup information of said first image pickup unit; and

a detection unit for detecting the distance to the subject,

wherein said first image pickup unit and said second image pickup unit are placed between said direction indication guide unit and said iris illumination unit,

wherein the second position is at a position with respect to the second image pickup unit different from that of the first position, and

wherein a guide display position of said direction indication guide unit determines an angle in which the subject is to be redirected based on detection information provided by the detection unit.