Whole-hand multispectral biometric imaging

• US 8,175,346 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Lumidigm Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Rowe, Robert K., Ennis, Matthew, Corcoran, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): STREGE, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US12/136,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 340/5.53, 340/5.83
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A number of biometric systems and methods are disclosed. A system according to one embodiment includes an illumination subsystem, an imaging subsystem, and an analyzer. The illumination subsystem is disposed to illuminate a target space. The imaging subsystem is configured to image the target space under distinct optical conditions. The analyzer is provided in communication with the illumination subsystem, the imaging subsystem, and the three-dimensional subsystem. The analyzer also has instructions to operate the subsystems to collect substantially simultaneously a plurality of images of the object disposed at the predetermined spatial location under multispectral conditions.

Claims

1. A whole-hand biometric sensor comprising:

a platen configured to receive a human hand, wherein a surface of the platen defines a target surface;

one or more illumination sources configured to illuminate at least a portion of the target surface;

a first imager configured to receive light from at least a portion of the target surface under a first optical condition;

a second imager configured to receive light from at least a portion of the target surface under a second optical condition, wherein the first optical condition is distinct from the second optical condition; and

an analyzer communicatively coupled with the one or more illumination sources and the plurality of imagers, wherein the analyzer is configured to control the operation of the one or more illumination sources, the first imager, and the second imager in order to produce a multispectral image of an object placed on the target surface from the light received at first imager and the second imager.

2. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer is configured to control the first imager and the second imager, and wherein the first imager and the second imager provide an image of the target space substantially simultaneously.

3. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first imager is configured to image a first spatial location on the target surface and the second imager is configured to image a second spatial location on the target surface, wherein the first spatial location and the second spatial location are distinct.

4. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein either or both of the first imager and the second imager comprise one or more optical element selected from the list consisting of a color filter, a color filter array, a linear polarizer, a circular polarizer, a diffuser, a collimator, a gratings, and a lens.

5. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first imager is focused

at a first focal plane and the second imager is focused at a second focal plane, wherein the first focal plane and the second focal plane are distinct.

6. The biometric system according to claim 1, further comprising at least a first processor coupled with the first imager and a second processor coupled with the second imager.

7. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a presence

detector configured to detect the presence of an object within the target space.

8. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first imager includes a

wafer-level camera and the second imager includes a wafer-level camera.

9. The whole-hand biometric sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first optical condition includes imaging a first portion of the target space and the second optical condition include imaging a second different portion of the target space.

10. A method for collecting a multispectral biometric image of a human hand, the method comprising:

illuminating at least a portion of a target surface of a platen;

receiving light from at least a portion of the target surface under a first optical condition;

separately receiving light from at least a portion of the target surface under a second optical condition substantially simultaneously as receiving light from the target surface under a first optical condition, wherein the first optical condition and the second optical condition are distinct; and

deriving a multispectral image of a skin site of the hand of a purported individual placed within the target surface from the light received under either or both of the first optical condition and the second optical condition.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first optical condition and the second optical condition is selected from the group consisting polarized light, total internally reflected light, light with specific wavelength, light within a specific wavelength band, light from a first subspace within the target space, and light from a first focal plane within the target space.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein a first imager provides a first image of at least a portion of the target space under the first optical condition and a second imager provides a second image of at least a portion of the target space under the second optical condition.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein first image has a resolution greater than the resolution of the second image.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising detecting the presence of an object on the target surface.

15. A biometric system comprising:

illumination means for illuminating a target space defined at least in part by a platen;

first imaging means for imaging at least a portion of the target space under a first optical condition and providing a first image;

second imaging means for imaging at least a portion of the target space under a second optical condition distinct from the first optical condition and providing a second image; and

processing means for controlling the illumination means, the first imaging means and the second imaging means, wherein the processing means is configured to derive a multispectral image of a skin site of the hand from the first image and the second image.

16. The biometric system according to claim 15, further comprising presence sensing means for sensing the presence of an object within at least a portion of the target space.

17. The biometric system according to claim 15, wherein the first optical condition and the second optical is selected from the group consisting polarized light, total internally reflected light, light with specific wavelength, light within a specific wavelength band, light from a first subspace within the target space, and light from a first focal plane within the target space.

18. The biometric system according to claim 15, wherein the illumination means includes a broadband light source.

19. The biometric system according to claim 15, wherein the first imaging means includes a wafer-level camera and the second imaging means includes a wafer-level camera.

20. The biometric system according to claim 15, wherein the first imaging means includes a first processor and the second imaging means includes a second processor.

21. The biometric system according to claim 15, wherein the first optical condition includes imaging a first portion of the target space and the second optical condition include imaging a second different portion of the target space.