Method of reducing visibility of pulsed illumination while acquiring high quality imagery
First Claim
1. A method of providing active illumination during biometry:
- a) providing, to an eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired by a plurality of image frame acquisitions as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching, a first illumination modality that includes a first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses each synchronized with a corresponding one of the plurality of image frame acquisitions during an acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching;
b) providing, during the acquisition period to the eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired, a second illumination modality that includes a second plurality of infra-red illumination pulses being distributed unevenly between the first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses during the acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching, each of the second plurality of infra-red illumination pulses occurring at a different time instant from any image frame acquisition; and
adjusting an output of at least one of the first illumination modality or the second illumination modality to avoid photosensitive epilepsy or to reduce flicker to an observer,wherein the distribution of the second plurality of illumination pulses varies between pairs of the first plurality of illumination pulses, and a difference in intensity observed by the observer between the first illumination modality and second illumination modality is minimized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing active illumination during biometry that utilizes pulsed lighting synchronized to frame acquisition. Two distinct illumination modalities are provided: the first maximizes the quality of images captured by the imaging system, and the second minimizes the overall illumination perceived by the user in combination with the first. The two modalities are provided substantially simultaneously. The first modality always includes a set of pulses synchronized with frame acquisition. The second modality may be either a second set of pulses not synchronized with frame acquisition or constant background illumination. The two modalities may be generated by two separate sources of illumination or by the same single illumination source. Adding the second modality to the first reduces user discomfort and the chances of an epileptic response as compared to using the first modality alone. The two modalities may have different wavelengths, pulse durations, or intensities.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of providing active illumination during biometry:
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a) providing, to an eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired by a plurality of image frame acquisitions as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching, a first illumination modality that includes a first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses each synchronized with a corresponding one of the plurality of image frame acquisitions during an acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching; b) providing, during the acquisition period to the eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired, a second illumination modality that includes a second plurality of infra-red illumination pulses being distributed unevenly between the first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses during the acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching, each of the second plurality of infra-red illumination pulses occurring at a different time instant from any image frame acquisition; and adjusting an output of at least one of the first illumination modality or the second illumination modality to avoid photosensitive epilepsy or to reduce flicker to an observer, wherein the distribution of the second plurality of illumination pulses varies between pairs of the first plurality of illumination pulses, and a difference in intensity observed by the observer between the first illumination modality and second illumination modality is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of providing active illumination during biometry, comprising:
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selectively providing, to an eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired by a plurality of image frame acquisitions as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching, with a first illumination source, in a first illumination modality, the first plurality of periodic infra-red illumination pulses each synchronized with a corresponding one of a plurality of biometric image frame acquisitions during an acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching; selectively providing, during the acquisition period to the eye whose iris biometrics are being acquired, with a second illumination source different from the first illumination source, in a second illumination modality, a second plurality of periodic infra-red illumination pulses distributed unevenly between the first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses during the acquisition period for acquiring the iris biometrics as uniquely-identifiable biometric data for biometric matching and having a substantially inverse waveform of the first plurality of infra-red illumination pulses; and adjusting an output of at least one of the first illumination modality or the second illumination modality to avoid photosensitive epilepsy or to reduce flicker to an observer; wherein each of the second plurality of infra-red illumination pulses occurs at a different time instant from any image frame acquisition, the distribution of the second plurality of illumination pulses varies between pairs of the first plurality of illumination pulses, and a difference in intensity observed by the observer between the first illumination modality and second illumination modality is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification