Iris recognition camera for an iris recognition system and a method of operation for an iris recognition camera

• US 7,768,572 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Se Woong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pasiewicz; Daniel M
• Application Number:
  US10/747,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 348 77- 78, 348/347, 348/162, 348/164, 348/240.99, 348/240.3, 348/335, 348/345, 348/348, 348/350, 348/357, 348/374, 382/115, 382/117, 359798-800, 396/100
• US Class Current: 348/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

An iris recognition camera is provided which includes a driving barrel configured to support a lens, a moving unit configured to reciprocatingly move the driving barrel to perform both focus and zoom operations, and a position sensor configured to detect a position of the driving barrel.

Claims

1. An iris recognition camera, comprising:

a driving barrel configured to support a single alignment of at least two lenses configured to serve as a wide-angle lens at all times, wherein the at least two lenses are respectively fixed to a predetermined position of the driving barrel so that intervals between all lenses in the single alignment of the at least two lenses are immutable;

a moving device comprising a single drive motor configured to reciprocatingly move the driving barrel to perform both focus and zoom operations at the same time; and

a position sensor attached to a casing of the iris recognition camera that is configured to detect a position of the driving barrel within the camera and configured to detect a user of the iris recognition camera.

2. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the moving device comprises:

the single drive motor;

a lead screw connected to the motor at one end; and

a rack coupled to an outer circumference of the lead screw.

3. The iris recognition camera according to claim 2, wherein the drive motor comprises a step motor.

4. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the driving barrel is provided at one side with a detecting portion configured to communicate with the position sensor so that the position sensor detects a position of the driving barrel.

5. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the single alignment of the at least two lenses has a focusing distance of 11.8.+−

0.1 mm.

6. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, further comprising one or more guide bars configured to guide the driving barrel during reciprocating movement.

7. The iris recognition camera according to claim 6, wherein the one or more guide bars comprises a pair of guide bars, respectively, positioned on opposite sides of the driving barrel.

8. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the position sensor is positioned behind the at least two lenses.

9. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the single alignment of the at least two lenses has an image pickup distance range of 20-70 cm.

10. The iris recognition camera according to claim 1, wherein the position sensor comprises one of an optical sensor or a contact sensor.

11. An iris recognition system comprising the iris recognition camera of claim 1.

12. A method of operation for an iris recognition camera, comprising:

detecting a user;

moving via a moving device comprising a single drive motor a camera lens of the iris recognition camera to an initial position detected by a position sensor, that is attached to a casing of the iris recognition camera, after the position sensor detects the user;

thereafter reciprocatingly moving via the moving device comprising the single drive motor the camera lens to perform both focus and zoom operations from the initial position to an image pickup location where a user'"'"'s iris can be captured, wherein the camera lens includes at least two lenses which are fixed respectively to a predetermined position of a driving barrel so that intervals of all lenses of the at least two lenses are immutable; and

performing the image pickup using an image pickup device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the image pickup device comprises a charge-coupled device.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the driving motor comprises a step motor.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the iris recognition camera further comprises a power transmission configured to transmit power for moving the camera lens.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the power transmission device includes a lead screw configured to be rotated by power from the drive motor, and rack screw-coupled to an outer circumference of lead screw.