Individual identification apparatus and method using frequency response

• US RE29,008 E
• Filed: 08/04/1975
• Issued: 10/19/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nova Electronics Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nova Electronics Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ott, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thesz, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US05/601,595
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5, 340/1, 73/67.2, 128/2 R, 181/.5 R
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0051 by applying vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1171 based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic apparatus and method suitable for automatic machine interrogation of individuals for identifying persons such as those seeking admittance to secure areas or seeking an extension of credit. Acoustical wave energy is applied by an oscillator and transducer to the person'"'"'s body, such as one end of an arm. Another transducer contacts another body part, such as the other end of the arm, to receive the body-transmitted energy. The frequency response characteristics of the body part are then detected by suitable correlation means to determine the amplitude and phase transfer functions. Comparison of a previously known transfer function of a person with a subsequently measured transfer function permits a machine decision whether the functions represent the same person.

Claims

1. A method for comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person as an aid in identifying individual persons, the method comprising:

a. applying sinusoidal physical vibration sonic wave energy to the human body of a first person;

b. detecting frequency response characteristics of at least a portion of said human body of said first person by detecting the frequency response of at least said portion to said applied wave energy;

c. storing data representing said characteristics;

d. subsequently applying sinusoidal physical vibration sonic wave energy to the human body of a subsequent person;

e. detecting frequency response characteristics of the body of said subsequent person by detecting the frequency response of at least said portion to said applied wave energy; and

f. comparing said characteristics of said first person with said characteristics of said subsequent person to determine whether said characteristics are within preselected tolerances of each other

wherein the frequency response characteristics which are detected comprise a transfer function between corresponding body parts of each said body.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein both the amplitude and phase shift portions of the transfer function are detected.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said wave energy is sonic energy and said energy is applied and detected at body parts having bones near the body exterior.

4. An apparatus for use in comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person as an aid in identifying individual persons, said apparatus comprising:

a. an audio oscillator having means for varying the oscillation frequency of said oscillator;

b. an electromechanical transmitting, transducer connected to be driven by oscillations generated by said audio oscillator, said transmitting transducer being positioned to apply its output vibratory oscillations to the body of a person;

c. an electromechanical receiving transducer positioned to receive vibratory oscillations from the body of said person generated by said transmitting transducer and to convert said vibratory oscillations to corresponding electronic oscillations;

d. correlation means connected to receive the output of said receiving transducer for providing an output representing a transfer function of said body from said transmitting transducer to said receiving transducer as a function of applied frequency said correlation means comprising;

an amplitude detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer, a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator, and data storage means connected to the amplitude detector and to the frequency signal means for storing the output of the amplitude detector as a function of applied frequency; and

e. a comparator means connected to said data storage means for comparing a subsequently stored output in said data storage means to a previously stored output in said data storage means to determine the difference between said stored outputs and for comparing said difference to a preselected tolerance and signal whether said difference is within the preselected tolerance.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said data storage means is an x-y plotter.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said data storage means comprises means for sampling the output of said amplitude detector at selected frequency intervals and means for storing data representing the sampled amplitudes.

7. An apparatus for use in comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person as an aid in identifying individual persons, said apparatus comprising:

a. an audio oscillator having means for varying the oscillation frequency of said oscillator;

b. an electromechanical transmitting, transducer connected to be driven by oscillations generated by said audio oscillator, said transmitting transducer being positioned to apply its output vibratory oscillations to the body of a person;

c. an electromechanical receiving transducer positioned to receive vibratory oscillations from the body of said person generated by said transmitting transducer and to convert said vibratory oscillations to corresponding electronic oscillations;

d. correlation means connected to receive the output of said receiving transducer for providing an output representing a transfer function of said body from said transmitting transducer to said receiving transducer as a function of applied frequency said correlation means comprising;

a phase detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer, a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator, and data storage means connected to the phase detector and to the frequency signal means for storing the output of the phase detector as a function of applied frequency; and

e. a comparator means connected to said data storage means for comparing a subsequently stored output in said data storage means to a previously stored output in said data storage means to determine the difference between said stored outputs and for comparing said difference to a preselected tolerance and signal whether said difference is within the preselected tolerance.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said data storage means is an x-y plotter.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said data storage means comprises means for sampling the output of said phase detector at selected frequency intervals and means for storing data representing the sampled phases.

11. preselected tolerance. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said data storage means is an x-y plotter. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said data storage means comprises means for sampling the output of said amplitude detector at selected frequency intervals and means for storing data representing the sampled amplitudes. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. An apparatus for use in comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person, said apparatus comprising:

a. an audio oscillator having means for varying the oscillation frequency of said oscillator;

b. an electromechanical transmitting, transducer connected to be driven by oscillations generated by said audio oscillator, said transmitting transducer being positioned to apply its output vibratory oscillations to the body of a person;

c. an electromechanical receiving transducer positioned to receive vibratory oscillations from the body of said person generated by said transmitting transducer and to convert said vibratory oscillations to corresponding electronic oscillations;

d. correlation means connected to receive the output of said receiving transducer for providing an output representing a transfer function of said body from said transmitting transducer to said receiving transducer as a function of applied frequency said correlation means comprising;

a phase detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer, a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator, and data storage means connected to the phase detector and to the frequency signal means for storing the output of the phase detector as a function of applied frequency; and

e. a comparator means connected to said data storage means for comparing a subsequently stored output in said data storage means to a previously stored output in said data storage means to determine the difference between said stored outputs and for comparing said difference to a preselected tolerance and signal whether said difference is within the preselected tolerance. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said data storage means is an x-y plotter. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said data storage means comprises means for sampling the output of said phase detector at selected frequency intervals and means for storing data representing the sampled phases. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said correlation means comprises;

a. an amplitude detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer;

b. a phase detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer;

c. a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator; and

d. data storage means connected to the amplitude detector and to the phase detector for storing selected output of the amplitude detector as a function of applied frequency. .Iaddend.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said correlation means comprises:

a. an amplitude detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer;

b. a phase detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer;

c. a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator; and

d. data storage means connected to the amplitude detector and to the phase detector for storing selected output of the amplitude detector as a function of applied frequency. .Iadd. 11. A method for comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person, the method comprising;

a. applying sinusoidal physical vibration sonic wave energy to the human body of a first person;

b. detecting frequency response characteristics of at least a portion of said human body of said first person by detecting the frequency response of at least said portion to said applied wave energy;

c. storing data representing said characteristics;

d. subsequently applying sinusoidal physical vibration sonic wave energy to the human body of a subsequent person;

e. detecting frequency response characteristics of the body of said subsequent person by detecting the frequency response of at least said portion to said applied wave energy; and

f. comparing said characteristics of said first person with said characteristics of said subsequent person to determine whether said characteristics are within preselected tolerances of each other

wherein the frequency response characteristics which are detected comprise a transfer function between corresponding body parts of each said body. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein both the amplitude and phase shift portions of the transfer function are detected. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said wave energy is sonic energy and said energy is applied and detected at body parts having bones near the body exterior. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. An apparatus for use in comparing a subsequently interrogated person to a previously interrogated person, said apparatus comprising;

a. an audio oscillator having means for varying the oscillation frequency of said oscillator;

b. an electromechanical transmitting, transducer connected to be driven by oscillations generated by said audio oscillator, said transmitting transducer being positioned to apply its output vibratory oscillations to the body of a person;

c. an electromechanical receiving transducer positioned to receive vibratory oscillations from the body of said person generated by said transmitting transducer and to convert said vibratory oscillations to corresponding electronic oscillations;

d. correlation means connected to receive the output of said receiving transducer for providing an output representing a transfer function of said body from said transmitting transducer to said receiving transducer as a function of applied frequency said correlation means comprising;

an amplitude detector connected to the output of said receiving transducer, a frequency related signal means connected to said audio oscillator, and data storage means connected to the amplitude detector and to the frequency signal means for storing the output of the amplitude detector as a function of applied frequency; and

e. a comparator means connected to said data storage means for comparing a subsequently stored output in said data storage means to a previously stored output in said data storage means to determine the difference between said stored outputs and for comparing said difference to a preselected tolerance and signal whether said difference is within the