Image capture apparatus and biometric authentication apparatus

• US 7,773,870 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Naruse, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval; Melissa J
• Application Number:
  US11/704,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20070196096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 396/535, 396/15
• US Class Current: 396/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/145 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/63 by static guides

Abstract

A biometric authentication apparatus includes an illumination section, an imaging section, a photographic subject placing section, and an authentication section. The illumination section irradiates at least near infrared light onto a biological portion placed in contact with a housing surface. The imaging section images a near infrared light image of the biological portion. The photographic subject placing section is provided in the vicinity of the illumination section, in which at least a part of the light emanation portion of the illumination section on a side where the imaging section is disposed is covered by the photographic subject when the photographic subject is placed. The authentication section performing biometric authentication by making a comparison between a specific pattern extracted from the near infrared light image of the biological portion imaged by the imaging section and a preliminarily registered specific pattern.

Claims

1. An image capture apparatus comprising:

an illumination section for illuminating a photographic subject placed in contact with a predetermined position of a housing surface;

an imaging section for imaging the photographic subject placed in contact with the predetermined position of the housing surface, the imaging section being disposed in a portion apart from a disposition position of the illumination section; and

a photographic subject placing section constituting a part of the housing surface and disposed in the vicinity of the illumination section, wherein a part of a light emanation portion of the illumination section is covered by the photographic subject when the photographic subject is placed in contact with the predetermined position,

and wherein the imaging section disposed in a portion apart from a disposition position of the illumination section is configured for imaging of the photographic subject along an optical axis that is external to the housing surface.

2. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographic subject placing section is disposed in the vicinity of the illumination section in a manner that at least a part of the light emanation portion of the illumination section on a side where the imaging section is disposed is covered by the photographic subject when the photographic subject is placed in contact with the predetermined position.

3. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging section is provided in a manner that the optical axis of an imaging optical system is directed to the vicinity upward of the disposition position of the illumination section.

4. The image capture apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the imaging section is provided either on the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided or on a housing face existing along substantially the same line as the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided.

5. The image capture apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the imaging section is provided either to a housing face or to a member, the housing surface including a stepped portion with respect to the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided.

6. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emanation portion of the illumination section is in the shape of a rectangle having long sides situated along a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction of an imaging optical system of the imaging section.

11. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emanation portion of the illumination section is in the shape of a rectangle having long sides situated along a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis direction of an imaging optical system of the imaging section.

7. A biometric authentication apparatus comprising:

an illumination section for irradiating at least near infrared light onto a biological portion placed in contact with a predetermined position of a housing surface;

an imaging section for imaging at least a near infrared light image incoming from the biological portion placed in contact with the predetermined position of the housing surface, the imaging section being provided in the vicinity of the illumination section;

a photographic subject placing section constituting a part of the housing surface and disposed in the vicinity of the illumination section, wherein at least a part of the light emanation portion of the illumination section on a side where the imaging section is disposed is covered by the photographic subject when the photographic subject is placed in contact with the predetermined position; and

an authentication section for performing biometric authentication by making a comparison between a specific pattern extracted from the near infrared light image of the biological portion imaged by the imaging section and a preliminarily registered specific pattern,

and wherein the imaging section provided in the vicinity of the illumination section is configured for the irradiating of the at least near infrared light onto the biological portion and the imaging of the near infrared light image along an optical axis that is external to the housing surface.

8. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the imaging section is provided in a manner that the optical axis of an imaging optical system is directed to the vicinity upward of the disposition position of the illumination section.

9. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the imaging section is provided either on the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided or on a housing face existing along substantially the same line as the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided.

10. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the imaging section is provided either to a housing face or to a member, the housing surface including a stepped portion with respect to the housing surface on which the illumination section is provided.