Patent ID: 6611614
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
An image acquisition apparatus, comprising:a plurality of sensor elements arranged in a hexagonal grid dimensioned for acquiring a fingerprint sufficiently differentiated for identifying a person; a plurality of processor elements each associated with a respective sensor element and integrated in accordance with said grid; each of said processor elements having a memory unit for storing values; each of said processor elements being connected to adjacent processor element in said grid for receiving values output by said adjacent processor elements; said sensor elements being constructed for a capacitive measurement within a patterned, electrically conductive layer; circuits associated with said sensor elements or said respectively assigned processor elements for generating a logic â€˜0â€™ or â€˜1â€™ depending on a capacitance ascertained by said sensor element; said processor elements being adapted to store a logic â€œ0â€  or â€œ1â€ ; and each of said processor elements being configured for implementing algorithms for: a) setting the stored value from â€˜1â€™ to â€˜0â€™ if at most one connected processor element communicates a value â€˜1â€™; b) setting the stored value from â€˜0â€™ to â€˜1â€™ if at least five connected processor elements communicate the value â€˜1â€™; c) setting the stored value from â€˜1â€™ to â€˜0â€™ if at least two connected processor elements communicate the value â€˜1â€™; d) setting the stored value from â€˜1â€™ to â€˜0â€™ if two connected processor elements of a first pair communicate the value â€˜1â€™ and two connected processor elements of a second pair communicate the value â€˜0â€™ and if the connected processor elements belonging to the same pair are adjacent to one another in the grid and are not adjacent to the processor elements of the respective other pair.