Personal identification system

• US 8,149,393 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kono, Miyuki, Umemura, Shin-ichiro, Miyatake, Takafumi, Harada, Kunio, Ito, Yoshitoshi, Ueki, Hironori
• Primary Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/654,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 356/71
• US Class Current: 356/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/145 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A personal identification system, which uses a vein pattern of a finger, optimizes the amount of light of a light source based on a captured finger image and emphasizes the vein pattern during image processing for identification.

Claims

1. A personal identification system comprising:

a positioning member, an image sensor, and a light source;

the positioning member being configured to position a finger of a person to be identified by mounting a side surface of the finger that extends between a palmar side and a dorsal side of the finger so that a surface of the finger that opposes the image sensor and includes a palmar side surface of the finger is arranged to not contact with a chassis of the personal identification device,

the light source being configured to irradiate the dorsal side of the finger when the finger is mounted by the positioning member, and

the image sensor being provided at the palmar side of the finger when the finger is mounted by the positioning member and configured to capture light from the light source passing through the finger from the dorsal side to the palmar side.

2. The personal identification system according claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes.

3. The personal identification system according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging processing unit for performing persona authentication for the person to be identified based on the finger in accordance with an image captured by the image sensor.

8. The personal identification system according claim 1, wherein the palmar side of the finger does not contact with the image sensor when the finger is mounted by the positioning member.

4. A personal identification system comprising:

a positioning member, an image sensor, and a light source;

the positioning member being configured to position a finger of a person to be identified by mounting a side surface of one of a pair of opposing sides of the finger that extend between a palmar side and a dorsal side of the finger so that a surface of the finger that opposes the image sensor and includes a palmar side surface of the finger is arranged to not contact with a chassis of the personal identification system,

the light source being configured to irradiate the dorsal side of the finger when the finger is mounted by the positioning member, and

the image sensor being provided at the palmar side of the finger when the finger is mounted by the positioning member and configured to capture light passing through the finger from the dorsal side to the palmar side of the finger.

5. The personal identification system according claim 4, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes.

6. The personal identification system according to claim 4, further comprising an imaging processing unit for performing persona authentication for the person to be identified based on the finger in accordance with an image captured by the image sensor.

7. A vein pattern detecting apparatus comprising:

a light source configured to irradiate a dorsal side of a finger of a person to be identified,

an imaging device provided at a palmar side of the finger and configured to capture light passing through the finger from the dorsal side to the palmar side of the finger, the light captured being indicative of a vein pattern within the finger, and

a positioning unit provided between the light source and the imaging device and configured to position the finger by mounting a side surface of the finger that extends between the palmar side and the dorsal side of the finger such that a surface of the finger that opposes the imaging device and includes a palmar side surface of the finger is arranged to not contact with a chassis of the vein pattern detecting apparatus.