Abstract:
An automated image recording and document generation system is disclosed that generates identity documents using image and text information that is input to the system using computer controlled video cameras. The image and text information is combined with other stored images, such as logos, signatures and seals, to produce official identity documents such as identity cards, drivers licenses and passports. Prior to use the system automatically enters a setup and calibration phase wherein a video camera images a backdrop having borders on the left and right vertical edges and the digitized video output is analyzed to adjust the camera zoom and to locate the center of the backdrop in front of which an individual will sit or stand to have their picture taken. The image of a person whose picture is taken is analyzed and is centered horizontally in a picture by adding or subtracting columns of background color to the left or right side of the picture as needed. The system also adjusts the iris of the camera for brightness. After setup an individual whose picture is to be taken is positioned in front of the backdrop and their picture is taken. The picture is analyzed to locate the edges of the face of the individual. The camera is tilted under control of the computer to roughly position the individuals face vertically in the picture. Thereafter, the system adds or subtracts scan lines of the backdrop color above the face of the individual to finally position the face in the picture. The picture is also electronically adjusted for gamma and picture brightness.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to image recording and document generation systems and, in particular, automated apparatus for input of images into a computer and the generation of identity documents using such images. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the prior art, documents such as identity cards, drivers licenses and passports required that an actual photograph be taken of an individual. The picture is then pasted or otherwise fastened to a base identity document on which is also placed the signature, thumbprint or other information concerning the individual. The base document may have pre-printed thereon official seals, signatures and other information. To hinder altering documents such as drivers licenses the photograph is fastened to the base document and is then heat sealed between plastic sheets. However, such security measures have only been a hindrance, and individuals determined to alter an identity document such as a drivers license open the plastic laminate, change the photograph, and reseal the license between the plastic sheets. Thereafter, a quick inspection of an altered document will not disclose that the document has been tampered with. 
     The production of prior art identity documents has been very labor intensive and time consuming. The operator must manually type in information on the base identity document, must get the individual to whom the document is to be issued to sign the document, manually take a photograph, crop the photograph to the right size, fasten the photograph to the base document and, finally, seal the document between plastic sheets. If the photograph taken was too dark, the operator must manually adjust the camera and take another, lighter, photograph. 
     In addition, even with improved semi-automated equipment that is used to take a picture and then print it on a base document that is made of plastic, the camera used to take the picture must be manually aimed to center the image of the individual in the picture taken with the camera. 
     Thus, there is a need in the art for new techniques and equipment for producing identity documents that are not easily altered, and that can be produced quickly and easily in an automated manner with minimal intervention by the operator of the equipment. 
     There is also a need in the art for apparatus and a method for automatically aiming a camera to center the image of an individual in a picture taken with the camera. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves the problems of the prior art. The operation of the computer based image recording system taught herein is automated to an extent that the operator of the equipment does not have to perform a number of the tasks performed in the prior art to create an identity document, yet a higher quality identity document is consistently produced. This speeds the production of such identity documents and reduces the number of human errors made in their production. In addition, the identity documents can have the photograph, signature, thumbprint and other personal identity information printed on the base identity document making it difficult, if not almost impossible, to alter the identity document. 
     Briefly, the imaging and document creation system comprises a computer with a control program; a CCD video camera for making a picture of, and then optical character reading, if necessary, cards with biographical data, signatures, fingerprints and other similar personal information thereon identifying an individual and storing the information in a data base; and the CCD video camera is used to take a picture of an individual, the picture is digitized and analyzed by the computer, and adjustments are automatically made to the camera and its physical position. 
     More particularly, during an initial calibration or setup phase of the system, the computer automatically controls the camera adjustments of the camera to initially set up the physical aiming, zoom, and brightness level of the camera. In this embodiment of the invention the video camera is preferably one of the Sony EVI family of video cameras. 
     In subsequent, actual operation, an individual stands in front of the camera before a backdrop of a known color and size. When a picture is taken of the individual, the video camera signal output is analyzed by the computer and, if necessary, the computer causes the camera&#39;s iris to be re-adjusted, and software processing of the picture is accomplished, to control the brightness of the picture to within acceptable levels. In addition, the video picture is processed by the computer to provide gamma correction to achieve a color picture with good overall contrast to bring out facial features, and the zoom control of the camera is controlled to achieve a uniform size of pictures of faces. The computer finally causes the picture to be electronically cropped to a pre-determined size, and the cropping is done in a way to center the face of the individual in the picture before it is stored and printed on an identity document being generated using the system. 
     During actual operation the computer also controls the operation of the another CCD video camera used to preferably scan one or more cards on which are located biographical data, signatures, fingerprints and other similar personal information identifying the individual for whom the identity document is being made. The computer performs optical character reading of the printed biographical data and stores the information in a file on the individual, and also takes pictures of the signature, fingerprints, and other similar personal information and stores the images in the file. In this embodiment of the invention the card scanner uses a small video camera or other high resolution PAL camera. 
     After all biographical information for an individual has been input to the system computer, a blank plastic card is inserted into a printer that utilizes dye diffusion printing on the card to produce a document, such as identity card or drivers license, which can only be altered with great difficulty. The printer, under control of the computer, prints on the plastic card governmental seals, authorizing signatures, other information, and the biographical information and picture of the individual to whom the finished identity card or drivers license is to be issued. A printer that can be used for this purpose is any sub-dye printer available from companies such as, but not limited to, Fargo and Eltron. The plastic cards may have pre-manufactured thereon holograms and other information, such as government seals, that indicate the authenticity of the card and make it near impossible to alter the cards. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a detailed block diagram of an imaging and document creation system in accordance with the teaching of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is detailed block diagram of the controller that interfaces the computer with the video cameras, lamp, printer and other equipment of the imaging and document creation system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In FIG. 1 is shown a detailed block diagram of an imaging and document creation system (hereinafter “system”) which includes the teaching of the present invention. The system utilizes a computer  10  that, in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, preferably uses a personal computer (PC) architecture that is readily available and relatively inexpensive. However, any computer may be used to implement the invention. Computer  10  has a monitor  9  and a keyboard  8  connected thereto that are both well known in the computer art and provide input and output means to computer  10 . Computer  10  also has a hard disk memory  11  for storing the computer control program used in controlling the system, including implementing the invention, pictures taken with the system, and the biographical information input thereto, such as biographical data, signature and fingerprints used in the production of identity documents. Other identification information may also be stored such as a scan of a person&#39;s eye, and voiceprints and these may be expanded as technology expands and creates new identification indicia. Hard disk memories are well known in the computer art and are not described in further detail herein. 
     Inserted into a standard expansion slot of computer  10  is a controller card  12 , unique to the system, that has a connector (not shown) on its rear that is used to connect the other major part of the system, the video subsystem, shown below controller card  12  in FIG. 1, together with computer  10 . Controller logic  23  is part of the separate camera subsystem which also includes video camera  17 , camera control  14 , battery charger  18 , battery  19  and lamp  20 . Controller card  12  provides the interface between computer  10  and the camera subsystem as described hereinafter. The connectors on controller card  12  include a serial port  13  used for connection to and sending control signals via controller logic  23  in the camera subsystem to video camera control circuit  14  to thereby control all aspects of operation of camera  17  such as zoom, focus, iris, white balance and exposure mode. Camera control circuit  14  is an integral part of camera  17 . Circuit  14  is shown separately only to understand some of the functions performed. The camera is preferably one of the readily available Sony EVI family of video cameras. However, other cameras may also be utilized. 
     Other connectors on controller card  12  supply power from the computer  10  power supply (not shown but well known in the art) through controller card  12  to battery charger  18  for recharging a rechargeable battery  19 . Battery  19  supplies power to a number of circuits including controller card  23 , lamp  20 , camera control  14 , and a tilt motors (not shown) that is part of video camera  17 ; and a signal to activate lamp  20  for calibration purposes and to momentarily illuminate an individual when their picture is to be taken using video camera  17 . Camera control circuit  14  is shown physically adjacent to camera  17  since circuit  14  is in reality an integral part of camera  17 . Circuit  17  includes the circuitry for controlling all aspects of the operation of camera  17  such as zoom, focus, iris diameter, exposure, and tilt. 
     Controller card  12  also provides an interface between computer  10  and frame grabber circuitry integral to the controller card, and that is described with reference to FIG.  2 . The frame grabber circuitry in controller card  12  operates under control of the system program stored in hard disk memory  11  and run by computer  10 , to capture the picture taken using camera  17  and information such as printed or typed data, a signature, fingerprints, and other identification indicia for an individual for whom an identity card is being produced using the system. The information and other identification indicia are scanned and entered into the system using a scanner that is not shown. The typed or printed information on the card is read using optical character reader software that is well known in the art and run using computer  10 , while signatures and images are scanned and saved as image information. All the information input to computer  10  via the frame grabber in controller card  12  is stored in hard disk memory  11  in a data base associated with the individual for whom the identity card is being produced, and some or all of it may be used to produce the identity card. In an alternate embodiment of the invention all data and images can be sent over a communication link (not shown) to be stored at a central location from where it can also be accessed. 
     After the equipment of the system is set up and backdrop  25  positioned in front of video camera  17 , the system is automatically calibrated to center the camera on backdrop  25 . Backdrop  25  is spaced from the front of video camera  17  in the order of four feet when the system is set up for operation. Backdrop  25  has a central colored area that is thirty-six inches wide with five inch wide vertical white borders on either side, and backdrop  25  must have a height of at least eight feet. The thirty-six inches between the five inch white borders is colored chroma blue or gray. In the following description only chroma blue is mentioned. These colors are selected since it facilitates removing the colored backdrop from a picture taken with camera  17 , if desired, leaving only the face that is stored in hard disk memory  11 , in a manner well known in the video art. This reduces the size of stored picture files, and standard compression techniques can reduce the file sizes even further. 
     To better understand how calibration is accomplished, details of the output signal from video camera  17  must first be described. In this embodiment of the invention camera  17  outputs a standard NTSC 640×480 frame pixel output. After calibration, as described hereinafter, during each of the 480 pixel scan lines, camera  17  will see the left most vertical white border of backdrop  25  as pixels  0 - 30 , the blue center area of backdrop  25  as pixels  30 - 610 , and the right most vertical white border of backdrop  25  as pixels  610 - 640 . A PAL 768×576 frame pixel output may also be used. During calibration left to right panning is accomplished with software, and not with physical movement of video camera  17 . The software processes the video signal output from video camera  17 , which is only generally aimed at the middle of backdrop  25 , to locate the left most and right most vertical white borders of backdrop  25 , and then to locate the mid point of the blue center area. This mid point is thereafter used as the horizontal center of the camera output. This is so even if camera  17  is physically pointed a little to the left or right of the mid point determined by the software, which is usually the case. 
     The next step during the calibration procedure is to adjust the picture size against backdrop  25 . In the event that the width of the blue backdrop  25  is not measured as being  580  pixels wide, computer  10  sends a correction signal to controller logic  23  that processes the signal and sends a control signal to camera control  14  to adjust the zoom control of camera  17  until  580  chroma blue pixels are counted by computer  10 . At this point the zoom reference number of camera  17  is read and stored. This step of the initial calibration is now completed. 
     Camera  17  has an automatic white balance that remains on so a white balance is not done as part of the initial calibration of the system. 
     The next step in the initial calibration process is to adjust the brightness control. To do this the system measures the brightness of the chroma blue background both with lamp  20  turned on and with lamp  20  turned off. These measurements are compared to a stored brightness level to be achieved, and computer  10  sends signals via controller card  12  to controller logic  23  which sends a control signal to camera control  14  to adjust the iris of camera  17  to achieve a course brightness level of the desired value. If the video signal is determined to be too bright, computer  10  sends a signal via controller card  12  to controller logic  23  that in turn sends a control signal to camera control  14  to close down the iris of camera  17  a small amount. The iris of camera  17  is opened a little if the video picture from video camera  17  is determined to be too dark. Subsequently a fine brightness level is electronically achieved while the equipment is in operation utilizing frame grabber  23 . The initial calibration process is completed. 
     During actual operation of the equipment in taking a picture of an individual there is a second automatic calibration that takes place to center an individual&#39;s face in the picture being taken. This is the auto location step of calibration. An individual stands in front of backdrop  25 , roughly centered left-right. At the commencement of operation camera  17  is caused to perform a full frame 640×480 scan. With an individual standing in front of backdrop  25  there is a blue band above their head and, accordingly, there will be a transition from the chroma blue backdrop color to the top of the persons head, and from the chroma blue to either side of the individual&#39;s head. Responsive to its stored program, computer  10  counts the number of chroma blue scan lines in the picture above the persons head and compares the number to a stored number indicating the desired number of all chroma blue scan lines to be above the persons head. If there are too few chroma blue scan lines computer  10  sends a correction signal via controller card  12  to controller logic  23  which responds thereto and generates a control signal to camera control  14  to mechanically tilt video camera  17  upward to thereby increase the number of chroma blue scan lines that will appear above the persons head. This process is repeated in a loop fashion until the desired number of chroma blue scan lines appear above the persons head. At that time computer  10  ceases sending the correction signal to controller logic  23 , which in turn ceases generation of the control signal to camera  17 , and a tilt motor (not shown) in video camera  17  ceases to operate. 
     More particularly, if computer  10  determines that there are forty too few chroma blue scan lines above the subjects head, it sends the correction signal via controller card  12  to controller logic  23  that generates the control signal to camera control  14  to energize the tilt motor (not shown) in camera  17  to tilt camera  17  upward to capture approximately twenty more chroma blue scan lines, and the above described comparison is repeated. This time there will be twenty too few chroma blue scan lines and computer  10  again sends a signal via controller card  12  and controller logic  23  to camera control  14  to tilt camera  17  upward to capture ten more chroma blue scan lines, and the above described comparison is again repeated. This step is repeated until the desired number of chroma blue scan lines appearing above the head of the individual whose picture is being taken. This sets the upper picture border above the individual&#39;s head. If there are too many chroma blue scan lines above a subjects head, the process just described is repeated but with the tilt motor aiming camera  17  in the opposite direction. This completes the auto location step of the calibration during operation. 
     It should be understood that the above described mechanical tilt operation is the preferred embodiment of the invention when pictures are being taken, but this operation may be changed. A software tilt function may be accomplished in the same manner as described above for left to right panning. Then there will be no physical movement of video camera  17  after it is initially placed in position by an operator setting up the system for operation. The software will merely analyze the picture output from video camera  17  when a picture is being taken and will crop the picture to include the correct number of chroma blue lines above the subject whose picture is being taken. 
     The auto location calibration step being completed, the NTSC 640×480 pixel picture output from camera  17  is stored and processed by electronically clipping the picture to create a final picture having a 480×480 pixel size with the individual&#39;s face properly centered in the picture. This final picture is used to create identity and other documents and is stored in memory  11 . To assure that the individual&#39;s face is probably centered left to right in the final picture, a number of transition points from the chroma blue background to the left and right edges of the individual&#39;s head are first located. If the individual&#39;s head is off center in the picture, the electronic clipping is adjusted so that, on average, the number of chroma blue pixels in any scan line and on either side of the persons head are equal. This results in the individual&#39;s head being centered left to right in the final 480×480 picture. 
     After the auto location, but before the final picture taking and picture cropping described above, computer  10  analyzes the first picture taken by video camera  17 . In response to a brightness level analysis of the picture a final electronic brightness level adjustment is made. This brightness processing of digitized pictures is well known in the digital picture processing art. If the brightness level is too far off the desired level, computer  10  sends a brightness correction signal via controller card  12  to controller logic  23  which in turn generates a control signal over lead  13  to camera control  14  to control the iris of camera  17  and re-adjust the brightness level of the picture. Computer  10  continues to analyze the picture signal output from video camera  17 . When the brightness level is determined to be correct, computer terminates the correction signals it is generating. In turn, controller logic  23  ceases generation of the control signal it is sending to camera control  14  via lead  13 . The brightness level is now corrected and the operation of the system continues. 
     In addition, gamma correction is applied to the color of the face by computer  10  to achieve better overall contrast and to better bring out facial features. The pixels at the middle of the face in the picture are sampled and compared to a stored “normal” value. Gamma correction is applied to the picture as a result of this comparison. This type of gamma correction is well known in the digital picture processing art. 
     When computer  10  determines that the picture taken using video camera  17  is acceptable it then processes the digitized video picture to crop the picture to the desired 480×480 pixel size, and further to remove the chroma blue background from the picture as described above. Computer  10  then stores the final picture on hard disk memory  11  and proceeds to produce the identity document. 
     The system is normally set up to automatically take pictures of persons who stand before backdrop  25  and in front of camera  17  as previously described. However, the system may be needed to take a picture of a person in a wheelchair. The person may not initially be in the field of view of video camera  17 . When a person in a wheelchair is located in front of backdrop  25  before camera  17 , the operator of the system manually re-aims the camera at the person in the wheelchair. Thereafter, the system operates in the manner described above to electronically center the face of the person in the wheelchair in a picture. 
     Camera control circuit  14  is shown adjacent to camera  17  since circuit  14  is in reality an integral part of camera  17 . Circuit  17  includes the circuitry for controlling all aspects of the camera  17  operation such as tilt, zoom, focus, iris, white balance and exposure. 
     No detail is shown or described for a tilt motor control since they are both well known in the art. They are in use with all video camera surveillance systems in which the cameras are mounted on a base having pan and tilt motors that are controlled from a central location to point the camera under the control of a person at the central point. 
     As briefly described above, battery charger  18  is connected to the ISA or pCI bus  15  and receives power via the bus and controller card  12  and through controller logic  23  from a conventional power supply that supplies power to computer  10  to charge battery  19 . By powering the battery charger in this manner there is no need to be concerned over different voltages and frequencies of line power in foreign countries where our novel system may be used. Battery charger  18  is used to build up a charge in battery  19  to be used to energize circuits as enumerated above, and also lamp  20  when a picture is to be taken. Such battery chargers and associated batteries are well known in the art and are used in many cameras, even the inexpensive variety in which dry cell batteries are used to charge a flash capacitor at a slower rate and then the charge in the flash capacitor is discharged at a faster rate to energize the flash lamp. 
     Lamp  20  is energized by a signal from computer  10  sent to controller logic  23 , which in turn controls the operation of lamp  20 , both during the initial calibration phase, and when a picture is to be taken of an individual (not shown) sitting or standing in front of backdrop  25  and before video camera  17 . 
     When biographical data such as weight, age, birth date, height, race, and other such information is to be input to the image recording system it is manually input using keyboard  8  and is then printed by printer  27  on a card (not shown) in specific locations that are in a pre-determined spatial order. Other information such as signature, fingerprints and other indicia are also placed on the card or other cards in other pre-determined locations. The filled out card is inserted into a slot in the system. Frame grabber  23  also takes a picture of the signature, fingerprints and other such indicia and stores it as images on hard disk memory  11 . Alternatively, the biographical data may be manually entered into computer  10  via its keyboard (not shown) or via other means known in the art but also not shown. The system is now ready to generate an identity document using all the stored data. 
     For the purpose of producing an identity document printer  27  is utilized. Printer  27  utilizes a die diffusion printing process. Such a printer that can be used for this purpose is available from companies such as Fargo and Eltron. Printer  27  utilizes special blank plastic cards (not shown) to produce identity documents such as driver&#39;s licenses, military identification cards, and other similar identification cards. Such a plastic card is inserted into printer  27  that, under control of computer  10 , prints governmental seals, authorizing signatures, and other information on the plastic card; and also prints on the card the biographical information, signature, thumbprint, and picture of the individual to whom the finished identity card is to issued. The plastic cards may have pre-manufactured thereon holograms and other information, such as government seals, that indicate the authenticity of the card and make it almost impossible to alter the cards. 
     In FIG. 2 is shown a detailed block diagram of controller card  12 . Controller card  12  is inserted into a standard bus expansion slot in computer  10  in a manner well known in the art. The internal bus of computer  10  is shown in FIG. 2 as bus  28  and is the path via which computer  10  sends and receives signals to and from controller card  12  and other cards within the computer. Controller card  12  is based on an 8255CA controller chip from Intel Corporation, or an equivalent. This chip has three eight-bit inputs and a number of control leads. In the preferred operation one of the three eight-bit inputs to the 8255CA controller chip is used for the video bus  31  between controller card  12  and controller logic  23 . Others of the inputs and control leads are used to send signals to and receive signals from controller logic  23  to control the operations of the camera subsystem and receive video signals therefrom as previously described. 
     Controller card  12  has a connector via which a connection is made to controller logic card  23  in the camera subsystem. All correction signals, control signals and video signals pass between cards  12  and  23  via the connector. 
     The analog video signal output from video camera  17  passes through controller card  23  and is input via lead  31  to analog to digital (A/D) converter  32 . The analog video signal may be in NTSC or PAL formats, but in the embodiment of the invention described herein the analog video signal is in NTSC format. Converter  32  converts the analog video signal into a digital video signal on serial bus  33  that is input to a data formatter  34 . Data formatter  34  is under the control of control signals on lead  35  to convert the digital output from A/D converter  32  into a string of digital numbers in a proper timing sequence with the original analog video signal. The output from data formatter  34  is stored in frame memory  36  under control of control signals on lead  37  from grab control circuit  38 . 
     As the analog video signal from video camera  17  is input to A/D converter  32 , the signal is also input to sync separator  39  that provides outputs of horizontal sync pulses, vertical sync pulses, and odd or even field indication for interlace respectively on leads H, V and Field. The horizontal sync pulse from sync separator  39  is input to pixel clock generator  40  to produce a pixel or dot clock output that is applied to A/D converter  32  to aid in the digitization of the analog video signal. 
     The horizontal and vertical sync pulses, and odd or even field indication from sync separator  39 , and the pixel clock signal from pixel clock generator  40  are input to grab control circuit  38  that provides control signals to data formatter  34  and to frame memory  36 . 
     Computer  10  sends control signals to controller card  12  via bus  28  that are received by bus interface logic  41 . Some of these control signal are passed via serial port connector  30  to the external circuits to which it is connected as shown in FIG.  1 . Other signals from computer  10  on bus  28  are passed directly to or from serial port  30  to the circuits shown in FIG. 1 that are connected to these ports. 
     Bus interface logic  41  also receives signals from computer  10  via computer bus  28  to control the operation of grab control  38  to capture, store and forward video pictures, in digital format, from buffer  42  to computer  10  via bus  28  to be stored and analyzed. To do this the digitized video picture in frame memory  36  is transferred to buffer  42  from where computer reads the video picture, in digital format, to be stored in hard disk memory  11  associated with computer  10 . 
     In operation an individual for whom an identity document, such as a drivers license, will be made comes to the system operator at an appointed time. With them they will bring a card on specific areas of which are printed biographical information regarding the individual. This biographical data will include name, address, color of hair and eyes, weight, social security number, and other information. Before the operator of the system the individual will sign their signature in a specific area on the card. The individual may also have their thumb print placed in another specific area on the card. The individual then stands in front of video camera  17 . Behind the individual is backdrop  25 . The card is inserted in a slot of a scanner that is used to scan the card and transfer the data to computer  10  via controller card  12  as previously described. The individual&#39;s picture is taken and, after processing as previously described, is stored by computer  10  in image form in hard disk memory  11 . 
     After all information, picture and other images have been input to the system as described above computer  10  energizes printer  27 . The operator of the system inserts a special plastic card into printer  27  and computer  10  then controls the printer to generate an identity document for the person. On that identity document, if it is a drivers license, is printed the picture of the person, their signature and fingerprint(s), their biographical data such as address, birth date, blood type, and social security number; and also printed on the card are seals, authorizing signature and other information specified by the state that is issuing the drivers license. Due to the manner in which this card is printed it is almost impossible for anyone to modify the card. 
     While what has been described above is a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, as technology advances other identification information can be input to our novel system. For example, there is work being done regarding mapping a persons eye. An eye scanner can be connected to our novel system and the output therefrom can be stored in the database created using the system.