Method and apparatus for providing strobed image capture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing strobed image capture, comprising:
- controlling, with a controller, at least one strobed illumination source to limit an amount of radiation from the illumination source that is applied to an illumination sensitive object;
synchronizing, with the controller, at least one camera with the strobed illumination source; and
capturing at least one image of the illumination sensitive object with the at least one camera, the object being illuminated at least in part by a plurality of photons from the strobed illumination source;
wherein the illumination sensitive object is an iris; and
wherein a light intensity of the strobed illumination source is increased during a strobe, while an average irradiance of the strobed illumination source remains below a safety threshold.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for strobed image capture includes stroboscopic illumination synchronized with one or more cameras to improve a signal to noise ratio, reduce motion blur and avoid object damage in sensor systems used to analyze illumination sensitive objects.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for providing strobed image capture, comprising:
-
controlling, with a controller, at least one strobed illumination source to limit an amount of radiation from the illumination source that is applied to an illumination sensitive object; synchronizing, with the controller, at least one camera with the strobed illumination source; and capturing at least one image of the illumination sensitive object with the at least one camera, the object being illuminated at least in part by a plurality of photons from the strobed illumination source; wherein the illumination sensitive object is an iris; and wherein a light intensity of the strobed illumination source is increased during a strobe, while an average irradiance of the strobed illumination source remains below a safety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for providing strobed image capture, comprising:
-
at least one camera at least one illumination controller for synchronizing with the at least one camera at least one illumination source for illuminating an illumination sensitive object with a plurality of photons; wherein the at least one camera captures at least one image of the illumination sensitive object at least in part from the plurality of photons reflected from the illumination sensitive object; wherein the illumination sensitive object is an iris; and wherein a light intensity of the strobed illumination source is increased during a strobe, while an average irradiance of the strobed illumination source remains below a safety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for performing iris recognition, comprising:
-
at least one camera arranged to define an image capture volume and configured to capture a plurality of images of a subject moving through the image capture volume, wherein at least one of the plurality of images contains at least a portion of an iris; an illumination source; a controller coupled to the illumination source and the at least one camera, the controller configured to provide illumination of the subject during operation of the at least one camera; and a processor for processing at least one of the plurality of images containing at least a portion of an iris to perform iris recognition; wherein the controller is configured to strobe the illumination source; and wherein the controller is configured to strobe the illumination source for a series of short pulses over a period of time having an intensity that is greater than a threshold limit value for a continuous wave output of the illumination source over the period of time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method of performing iris recognition from at least one image, comprising:
-
capturing, with at least one camera, a plurality of images of a subject moving through an image capture volume, at least one of the plurality of images containing at least a portion of an iris; synchronizing, with a controller, illumination from an illumination source with the operation of the at least one camera, wherein an illumination level provided by the illumination source generates sufficient reflected photons from the subject moving through the image capture volume captured by the at least one camera to produce a clear iris image while using a large distance between the at least one camera and the subject; processing, with a processor, at least one of the plurality of images containing at least a portion of an iris to perform iris recognition; and strobing, with the controller, the illumination provided by the illumination source; wherein a light intensity of the illumination source is increased during a strobe, while an average irradiance of the illumination source remains below a safety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification