Fingerprint scanning systems and methods

• US 8,331,775 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jack Harper
• Original Assignee: Jack Harper
• Inventors: Harper, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US12/580,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20110090541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 396/15, 396/286, 348/77
• US Class Current: 396/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0637 Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0662 with particular pseudorandom sequence generator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

Embodiments relate to methods and systems for gathering, archiving, transmitting, and processing forensic and latent fingerprints. An integrated forensic fingerprint scanning system is provided that includes a number of features for use with forensic-quality fingerprinting. One set of features of embodiments of the portable forensic fingerprint scanning system provides real-time feedback for accurate fingerprinting and training, including visual and/or audio feedback. Another set of features provides cadence-based functionality for improving fingerprinting results. Another set of features provides cryptographic-based approaches to secure highly sensitive collected fingerprint information against loss, theft, or surreptitious modification or tampering. Yet another set of features provides latent fingerprint collections and processing. Still another set of features provides various databasing functions, including centralized storage, data sharing, secure networking, etc. And another set of features provides compatibility with a large variety of jurisdiction-specific inputs and/or outputs, including linguistic interactivity, alerts, print cards, etc.

Claims

1. A method for handling forensic-quality fingerprinting data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a forensic fingerprinting system, an instruction from a user indicating commencement of a scan routine;

outputting, from the forensic fingerprinting system, an audiovisual pre-scan cadence to the user indicating a cadence speed;

commencing collection of forensic-quality fingerprint data from a subject finger using the forensic fingerprinting system in response to the instruction and substantially upon completion of the audiovisual pre-scan cadence;

outputting, from the forensic fingerprinting system, an audiovisual scan cadence to the user indicating the cadence speed during collection of the forensic-quality fingerprint data;

generating representative data as a function of the forensic-quality fingerprint data substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected; and

displaying the representative data using the forensic fingerprinting system substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected from a full-rolled fingerprinting of the subject finger performed by the user using the forensic fingerprinting system, the full-rolled fingerprinting being performed substantially at a roll speed.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

outputting, from the forensic fingerprinting system, an audiovisual speed comparison indicator configured to indicate to the user a difference between the scan cadence and the roll speed substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the audiovisual scan cadence to the user comprises displaying a visual representation of the scan cadence.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

displaying the representative data comprises displaying the representative data in a display area of the forensic fingerprinting system in a sweep direction substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected; and

displaying the visual representation of the scan cadence comprises displaying a visual indicia in the display area such that the visual indicia appears to sweep across the display area in the sweep direction at a rate indicative of the cadence speed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the visual indicia comprises a line drawn in the display area orthogonal to the sweep direction.

7. The method of claim 1, outputting the audiovisual scan cadence to the user comprises:

outputting an audible representation of the scan cadence.

8. The method of claim 7, outputting the audiovisual pre-scan cadence to the user comprises:

outputting an audible representation of the pre-scan cadence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cadence speed is configurable by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating the fingerprint data after the fingerprint data is collected to determine whether the fingerprint data is sufficient to represent a forensic-quality fingerprint; and

when the fingerprint data is insufficient to represent the forensic-quality fingerprint, directing the user to re-scan the subject finger.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

when the fingerprint data is sufficient to represent the forensic-quality fingerprint, storing the fingerprint data as validated forensic-quality fingerprint data on the forensic fingerprinting system.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

when the fingerprint data is sufficient to represent the forensic-quality fingerprint, communicating the fingerprint data as validated forensic-quality fingerprint data over a network.

13. A forensic fingerprinting device comprising:

a fingerprint scanning module configured to collect forensic-quality fingerprint data;

a processing module, communicatively coupled with the fingerprint scanning module, and configured to;

receive an instruction from a user indicating commencement of a scan routine;

output an audiovisual pre-scan cadence to the user indicating a cadence speed;

direct the fingerprint scanning module to commence a fingerprint scan substantially upon completion of the audiovisual pre-scan cadence;

output an audiovisual scan cadence to the user indicating the cadence speed during the fingerprint scan; and

generate representative data as a function of the forensic-quality fingerprint data substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected by the fingerprint scanning module; and

a display module, communicatively coupled with the processing module, and configured to display the representative data substantially in real-time as the forensic-quality fingerprint data is collected by the fingerprint scanning module.

14. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 13, wherein the processing module is configured to output the audiovisual scan cadence to the user by directing the display module to display a visual representation of the scan cadence.

15. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 14, wherein:

the display module is configured to display the representative data in a display area such that the representative data appears in the display area in a sweep direction; and

the display module is directed to display the visual representation of the scan cadence by displaying a visual indicia in the display area such that the visual indicia appears to sweep across the display area in the sweep direction at a rate indicative of the cadence speed.

16. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 13, further comprising:

an audio module, communicatively coupled with the processing module, wherein the processing module is configured to output the audiovisual scan cadence to the user by directing the audio module to output an audible representation of the scan cadence.

17. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 16, wherein the processing module is configured to output the audiovisual pre-scan cadence to the user by directing the audio module to output an audible representation of the pre-scan cadence.

18. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 13, further comprising:

a housing, configured to integratedly house the fingerprint scanning module, the processing module, and the display module.

19. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 18, further comprising:

a storage module, configured to securely store the forensic-quality fingerprint data,

wherein the housing is further configured to integratedly house the storage module.

20. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 18, further comprising:

a communications module, configured to securely communicate the forensic-quality fingerprint data over a network,

wherein the housing is further configured to integratedly house the communications module.

21. The forensic fingerprinting device of claim 13, wherein the fingerprint scanning module comprises an optical scanner configured to collect the forensic-quality fingerprint data by converting optical information from a subject finger into a digital representation of the optical information.