Biometrics-Based Identification Method and Apparatus

• US 20080157921A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Akkermans, Antonius Hermanus Maria, Rensen, Wouter Harry Jacinth, Hendriks, Robert Frans Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.83
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1394 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/40 Spoof detection, e.g. liveness detection

Abstract

The invention relates to an identification method carried out as follows. A surface structure and an inner structure of a body member are measured (ST1-ST4, ST7) so as to obtain a surface-structure measurement result (FPM) and an inner-structure measurement result (BVPM), respectively. The surface-structure measurement result (FPM) is compared (ST5) with a surface-structure reference result (FPR) that distinguishes an individual from other individuals. The inner-structure measurement result (BVPM) is compared (ST8) with an inner-structure reference result (BVPR) that is associated with the same individual and that distinguishes the individual from other individuals. The body member may be, for example, a finger. In that case, the surface structure comprises a fingerprint and the inner structure comprises a blood-vessel pattern.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method of identification comprising:

a measurement step (ST1-ST4, ST7;

ST101-106) in which a surface structure and an inner structure of a body member (FG1;

FG2) are measured so as to obtain a surface-structure measurement result (FPM) and an inner-structure measurement result (BVPM), respectively, the inner structure of the body member (FG1;

FG2) being measured by means of a radiation (GR;

RN) that traverses the body member so as to obtain a transmission image (IGT;

ITN) of the body member;

a surface-structure comparison step (ST5;

ST107) in which the surface-structure measurement result is compared with a surface-structure reference result (FPR) that distinguishes an individual from other individuals; and

an inner-structure comparison step (ST8;

ST109) in which the inner-structure measurement result is compared with an inner-structure reference result (BVPR) that is associated with the same individual and that distinguishes the individual from other individuals.

a body-member verification step (ST10-ST12;

ST111) in which a further radiation (RR;

RF) is applied to an object that should normally be the body member (FG1;

FG2) so as to obtain a verification image (IRT;

IRF), and in which step the verification image is compared with the transmission image (IGT;

ITN) of the body member so as to ascertain that the verification image (IRT;

IRF) represents the inner structure of the body member less clearly than the transmission image (IGT;

ITN).

13. A method of identification as claimed in claim 12, wherein the surface structure of the body member (FG1) is measured by means of the radiation (GR) that traverses the body member so that the transmission image (IGT) comprises features that belong to the surface structure and features that belong to the inner structure of the body member (FG1).

14. A method of identification as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method comprises an image-processing step (ST3) in which the transmission image (IGT) is processed so as to distinguish features that belong to the surface structure from features that belong to the inner structure of the body member (FG1).

15. A method of identification as claimed in claim 12, wherein the surface structure of the body member (FG2) is measured by means of a radiation (RF) that is reflected from a surface of the body-member so as to obtain a reflection image (IRF).

16. A method of identification as claimed in claim 12, wherein the surface structure, which is measured in the measurement step, comprises a fingerprint.

17. A method of identification as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inner structure, which is measured in the measurement step, comprises a blood-vessel pattern.

20. A computer-program product for an identification apparatus (AID1), the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that, when loaded into the identification apparatus causes the identification apparatus to carry out the method as claimed in claim 12.

18. An identification apparatus (AID1) comprising:

a measurement arrangement (FMD1) arranged to measure a surface structure and an inner structure of a body member (FG1) so as to obtain a surface-structure measurement result (FPM) and an inner-structure measurement result (BVPM), respectively, the measurement arrangement (FMD1) being arranged to measure the inner structure of the body member (FG1) by means of a radiation (GR) that traverses the body member so as to obtain a transmission image (IGT) of the body member, the measurement arrangement (FMD1) being further arranged to apply a further radiation (RR) to an object that should normally be the body member (FG1) so as to obtain a verification image (IRT);

a processor (PRC1) arranged to compare the surface-structure measurement result with an surface-structure reference result (FPR) that distinguishes an individual from other individuals, and to compare the inner-structure measurement result with an inner-structure reference result (BVPR) that is associated with the same individual and that distinguishes the individual from other individuals, the processor being further arranged to compare the verification image (IRT) with the transmission image (IGT) of the body member (FG1) so as to ascertain that the verification image (IRT) represents the inner structure of the body member less clearly than the transmission image (IGT).

19. An identification system (SID1) comprising an identification apparatus (AID1) as claimed in claim 18, and a database (DB) that comprises a set of unique characteristics (ID, FPR, BVPR) for each individual among a plurality of individuals, the set of unique characteristics comprising a surface-structure reference result (FPR) relating to a body member of the individual and an inner-structure reference result (BVPR) relating to the body-member (FG1).