Biometric imaging system and method

• US 8,073,209 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Cross Match Technologies Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: McClurg, George W., Carver, John F., Scott, Walter Guy, Zyzdryn, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M
• Application Number:
  US11/103,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20050180619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,429 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 382125-127, 382/224
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/993 Evaluation of the quality of the acquired pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/67 by interactive indications to the user

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining a biometric image such as a ten-print fingerprint impression is provided. The system and method can include a live scanner having a platen and a finger guide coupled to the platen. The finger guide can be used to guide positioning of up to four fingers at a time onto the platen, and can include a physical barrier for separation of fingers or thumbs. The finger guide and physical barrier allow a determination of whether a left or right hand is placed on the platen. Fingerprint images can be separated into individual fingerprint images that can be placed onto corresponding areas of a fingerprint card.

Claims

1. A method for capturing and quality classifying fingerprint images, the method comprising:

generating, using a processing device, data representing a combined image of fingerprints of fingers scanned substantially simultaneously;

determining, using the processing device, individual fingerprint areas and shapes in the combined image;

separating, using the processing device, the combined image into individual fingerprint images having the fingerprint areas and shapes; and

quality classifying, using the processing device, the separated individual fingerprint images into at least one of acceptable, possibly acceptable, and unacceptable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the combined image is a first image captured,

wherein if the combined image is the first image captured, repeating the generating, determining, and separating.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting an indication of a result of the quality classifying.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a message indicating a switch from an automatic mode to a manual mode in response to an occurrence of a timeout.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the combined image of fingerprints is associated with a left hand or a right hand based on an angle between a diagonal and a base platen.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the combined image of fingerprints is associated with a left hand or a right hand based on a location of a pinky finger and a physical barrier.

2. The method of 1, further comprising:

comparing each of the separated individual fingerprint images to a corresponding previously captured acceptable fingerprint image.

3. The method of 1, wherein the fingerprint areas and shapes include concentrations of black pixels arranged in oval-like shapes.

4. The method of 1, wherein the quality classifying further comprises individually determining whether each of the separated individual fingerprint images are within a previously determined threshold associated with an acceptable quality fingerprint.

5. The method of 1, further comprising:

capturing a plurality of the combined images; and

selecting a highest quality classified one of the plurality of the combined images upon receiving a timeout.

8. The method of 7, wherein the outputting an indication includes using an indicator light.

9. The method of 8, wherein the indicator light comprises a multi-color LED.

10. The method of 1, wherein the quality classifying includes using an acceptable threshold and an unacceptable threshold.

11. The method of 10, wherein the acceptable threshold and the unacceptable threshold are based on customer requirements.

12. The method of 1, wherein the generating includes filtering the combined image of fingerprints to remove ridge and valley transitions.

13. The method of 12, wherein the filtering includes high frequency content of the combined image of fingerprints.

14. The method of 1, wherein the generating includes using a binarization process to replace gray areas of the combined image of fingerprints with either black or white pixels based on a black and white threshold point.

18. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

generating data representing a combined image of fingerprints of fingers scanned substantially simultaneously;

determining individual fingerprint areas and shapes in the combined image;

separating the combined image into individual fingerprint images having the fingerprint areas and shapes; and

quality classifying the separated individual fingerprint images into at least one of acceptable, possibly acceptable, and unacceptable.