Imaging systems and methods for obtaining and using biometric information

• US 7,844,081 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Kennedy, Mike O., McMakin, Douglas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed; Samir A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FITZPATRICK, ATIBA O
• Application Number:
  US11/435,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/107, 382/233, 382/173, 382/115, 342/90, 342/176, 342/109, 342/188, 342/179, 342/27, 342/180, 342/42, 342/175, 367/8, 348/222.1, 348/E5.024, 348/E5.031, 348/E5.138, 348/E5.141, 348/42, 348/E13.06, 348/148, 348/E7.085, 348/451, 348/663, 348/E5.006, 348/36
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/25 Recognition of walking or running movements, e.g. gait recognition

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of imaging systems and methods of using such systems. In one exemplary embodiment, one or more direct images of the body of a clothed subject are received, and a motion signature is determined from the one or more images. In this embodiment, the one or more images show movement of the body of the subject over time, and the motion signature is associated with the movement of the subject'"'"'s body. In certain implementations, the subject can be identified based at least in part on the motion signature. Imaging systems for performing any of the disclosed methods are also disclosed herein. Furthermore, the disclosed imaging, rendering, and analysis methods can be implemented, at least in part, as one or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the respective methods.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating two or more direct images of the body of a clothed subject by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation selected to substantially penetrate clothing and to substantially reflect from the body of the subject, wherein each of the two or more direct images comprises spatial coordinate data associated with the surface of the body of the subject, and wherein the two or more images indicate movement of the body of the subject over time; and

using a computer, determining a motion signature from the two or more images, the motion signature being associated with the movement of the body of the subject.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the subject based at least in part on the motion signature.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising,

determining an anthropometric measurement from the two or more images;

and

identifying the subject based at least in part on the anthropometric measurement in addition to the motion signature.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying comprises comparing the motion signature with a corresponding authenticated motion signature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the motion signature is a first motion signature, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining multiple additional motion signatures from the two or more images; and

randomly selecting the motion signature for comparison with the corresponding authenticated motion signature from among the first motion signature and the multiple additional motion signatures.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion signature is a gait signature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more direct images are captured at a rate of at least about two images per second.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 200 MHz to about 1 THz.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation from an antenna array concealed from the subject.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the subject is authorized to be in a secured area based at least in part on the motion signature.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more direct images also indicate that at least one concealed object is being carried by the subject, the method further comprising detecting the at least one concealed object.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more direct images are generated by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation from an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements being arranged into rows and columns.

12. One or more computer-readable memory components storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving two or more direct images of the body of a clothed subject, wherein the two or more images are generated by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation selected to substantially penetrate clothing and to substantially reflect from the body of the subject, wherein each of the two or more direct images comprises spatial coordinate data associated with the surface of the body of the subject, and wherein the two or more images indicate movement of the body of the subject over time; and

determining a motion signature from the two or more images, the motion signature being associated with the movement of the body of the subject.

13. An imaging system, comprising a processing system that executes the computer-executable instructions of claim 12.

14. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises identifying the subject based at least in part on the motion signature.

15. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

determining an anthropometric measurement from the two or more images; and

identifying the subject based at least in part on the anthropometric measurement in addition to the motion signature.

16. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 14, wherein the identifying comprises comparing the motion signature with a corresponding authenticated motion signature.

17. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 16, wherein the motion signature is a first motion signature, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining multiple additional motion signatures from the two or more images; and

randomly selecting the motion signature for comparison with the corresponding authenticated motion signature from among the first motion signature and the multiple additional motion signatures.

18. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the motion signature is a gait signature.

19. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the two or more images are generated at a rate of at least about two images per second.

20. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the two or more direct images are generated by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 200 MHz to about 1 THz.

21. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the two or more direct images are generated by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation from an antenna array concealed from the subject.

22. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises determining whether the subject is authorized to be in a secured area based at least in part on the motion signature.

23. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the two or more direct images also indicate that at least one concealed object is being carried by the subject, the method further comprising detecting the at least one concealed object.

24. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 12, wherein the two or more direct images are generated by irradiating the subject with electromagnetic radiation from an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements being arranged into rows and columns.

25. The one or more computer-readable memory components of claim 24, wherein the irradiating the subject comprises transmitting the electromagnetic radiation to the subject from a first antenna element of the antenna array, and detecting returned electromagnetic radiation that is associated with the first antenna element by a second antenna element and a third antenna element of the antenna array.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein the irradiating the subject comprises transmitting the electromagnetic radiation to the subject from a first antenna element of the antenna array, and detecting returned electromagnetic radiation that is associated with the first antenna element by a second antenna element and a third antenna element of the antenna array.