System and method for mobile biometric authentication

• US 7,512,254 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlson, Brad, Strat, Askold, Vollkommer, Richard M., Willins, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Wenpeng
• Application Number:
  US10/291,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: 382/117, 382/118, 382115-116, 340 583- 582, 340/5.81, 340/5.8, 340/5.2, 340/5.1, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 713/186, 234/454, 234/462.01, 234/462.09
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/168 Feature extraction; Face representation

Abstract

Described is a method and system for authenticating identity of a person using a portable device. The portable device may includes an imager, an image processing unit and a processor. The image processing unit reads encoded data in a first image from an imager of the device. The image processing unit extracts a portion of a second image from the imager to generate extracted portion data. The extracted portion of the second image corresponds to a portion of a person whose identity is to be authenticated. Stored biometric data for a person is located based on the data read from the first image. The processor compares the extracted portion data of the second image to the stored biometric data for a person.

Claims

1. A portable device for authenticating an identity of a person, comprising:

an imager;

an image processing unit reading encoded data in a first image from the imager, the image processing unit extracting a portion of a second image from the imager to generate extracted portion data, wherein the extracted portion of the second image corresponds to a portion of a person whose identity is to be authenticated; and

a processor for comparing the extracted portion data of the second image to stored biometric data for the person, wherein the stored biometric data is stored in a remote database and is located as a function of an identifier derived from the data read from the first image, wherein the identifier is transmitted from the portable device to the remote database, wherein the imager is a dual-illumination imager using a visual spectrum and a non-visible spectrum, wherein the imager includes a first light source for providing light in the visual spectrum, wherein the imager includes a second light source for providing light in the non-visible spectrum, and wherein the imager activates only the second light source in order to generate the second image.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the extracted portion data of the second image includes at least one of a facial recognition data and an image data of the person.

3. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the imager utilizes a visible spectrum to obtain the first and second images, the image processing unit generating at least one of the facial recognition data and the image data using the extracted portion of the second image.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the extracted portion data includes an iris of the person.

5. The portable device according to claim 4, wherein the imager utilizes a non-visible spectrum to obtain the second image, the image processing unit generating the iris data as a function of the extracted portion of the second image.

6. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first image is a bar code containing the identifier.

7. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the imager is a dual focus imager.

8. The portable device according to claim 7, wherein a first focus of the imager is used to obtain the first image and a second focus of the imager is used to obtain the second image, and wherein a field of view is the same for the first and second focuses.

9. The portable device according to claim 8, wherein the field of view is varied to correspond to a desired resolution of the first and second images.

10. A method for authenticating an identity of a person using a portable device, comprising the step of:

reading encoded data in a first image from an imager of the device using an image processing unit of the device;

extracting a portion of a second image from the imager using the image processing unit to generate extracted portion data, wherein the extracted portion of the second image corresponds to a portion of a person whose identity is to be authenticate;

locating stored biometric data for a person as a function of an identifier derived from the data read from the first image, wherein the stored biometric data is stored in a remote database and the identifier is transmitted from the portable device to the database; and

comparing the extracted portion data of the second image to the stored biometric data for a person using a processor of the device, wherein the imager is a dual-illumination imager using a visual spectrum and a non-visible spectrum. wherein the imager includes a first light source for providing light in the visual spectrum, wherein the imager includes a second light source for providing light in the non-visible spectrum. and wherein the imager activates only the second light source in order to generate the second image.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the extracted portion data includes iris data of the person.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining the second image using the imager which utilizes a non-visible spectrum;

with the image processing unit, generating the iris data as a function of the extracted portion of the second image; and

comparing the iris data to the stored biometric data.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first image is a bar code containing the identifier.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the imager is a dual focus imager.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a first focus of the imager is used to obtain the first image and a second focus of the imager is used to obtain the second image, and wherein a field of view is the same for the first and second focuses.

16. The portable device according to claim 15, wherein the field of view is varied to correspond to a desired resolution of the first and second images.

17. A system for authenticating an identity of a person, comprising:

a first image; and

a portable device including an imager, an image processing unit and a processor, the image processing unit reading encoded data in the first image from the imager, the image processing unit extracting a portion of a second image from the imager to generate extracted portion data,

wherein the extracted portion of the second image corresponds to a portion of a person whose identity is to be authenticated, the processor comparing the extracted portion of the second image to stored biometric data for a person, wherein the stored biometric data is stored in a remote database and is located as a function of an identifier derived from the data read from the first image, and wherein the identifier is transmitted from the portable device to the remote database wherein the imager is a dual-illumination imager using a visual spectrum and a non-visible spectrum, wherein the imager includes a first light source for providing light in the visual spectrum, wherein the imaszer includes a second light source for providing light in the non-visible spectrum, and wherein the imager activates only the second light source in order to generate the second image.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the extracted portion is an iris of the person, the imager utilizing a non-visible spectrum to obtain the iris, the image processing unit generating the iris data as a function of the iris, the processor comparing the iris data to the stored biometric data to determine if the person is authenticated.

19. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a remote server that includes the remote database,

wherein the first image is a bar code containing the identifier.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the imager is a dual focus imager.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein a first focus of the imager is used to obtain the first image and a second focus of the imager is used to obtain the second image, and wherein a field of view is the same for the first and second focuses.

22. The portable device according to claim 21, wherein the field of view is varied to correspond to a desired resolution of the first and second images.