Abstract:
Provided is a biometric imaging device for imaging a biological feature, which includes a sensor for detecting an environmental parameter other than relating to surface topology of said biological feature. The detected environmental parameters like temperature and humidity levels are utilized in image reconstruction to eliminate erroneous structures caused by the environmental conditions. There is also provided a biometric imaging device, which includes a preparation device for use prior to sensing a biometric image. The preparation device is used for conditioning a parameter of the biometric information source, and/or for cleaning the biometric information source.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/305,187 filed on Jul. 16, 2001. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to biometric imaging devices and more particularly to biometric imaging devices for imaging biometric surfaces capable of compensating images according to non-biometric parameters.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    With the increasing importance of personal identification for the purpose of security in remote transactions in today&#39;s world of electronic communication, biometric identification techniques are rapidly evolving into a pervasive method for personal verification. Among the different biometrics proposed for such a purpose, such as fingerprints, hand prints, voice prints, retinal images, handwriting samples and the like, fingerprint analysis is amongst the best studied biometric techniques. Fingerprint sensing and matching is a reliable and thus widely used practice for personal identification or verification. In a common approach to fingerprint identification, a live fingerprint is scanned and electronically digitized. The digitized data generally contains information pertaining to characteristic features of the fingerprint, such as ridge endings, points of ridge bifurcation, and the core of a whorl, i.e. fingerprint minutiae. The digitized data is then compared with stored data relating to fingerprints that have been obtained previously from corresponding authorized persons, i.e. fingerprint templates. When a match is detected, within a predetermined level of security in the form of a predetermined acceptance rate, the individual is identified and a corresponding action is performed.  
           [0004]    In general, there are two types of errors associated with fingerprint identification. The first is a false reject or Type I error, and the second is a false accept or Type II error. A Type II error occurs when there is sufficient similarity between fingerprints of two individuals that one is mistaken for the other. A Type I error occurs for a variety of reasons, and refers to when an individual is not identified even though the individual is an authorized user registered with the system.  
           [0005]    It has been suggested that the underlying cause of errors in fingerprint analysis is that the amount of data from a fingerprint is too limited for it to be used in a biometric identification system involving a large number of users. Increasing resolution of the imaging devices to capture more detailed images of fingerprint minutiae, as well as the consideration of pore patterns of biological surfaces have both been applied to reduce the error rates which occur in fingerprint identification.  
           [0006]    The above-mentioned causes for failures in fingerprint verification are closely related to the applied imaging and analyzing techniques, and are typically responsible for Type II errors. There are, however, other sources for identification errors, which are primarily of a non-biometric nature. As part of a human body, the finger and more particularly the skin is submitted to the same physiological basic rules as any other part of the human body. The skin has elastic properties that allow a certain degree of flexibility either in an extending or in a constricting fashion. For example, in cold temperature conditions, the blood circulation in the extremities like fingers is reduced to maintain the body temperature. Conversely, in warmer temperature, the blood flow is increased. Thus, the condition of the fingertip and therefore the fingerprint profile itself may vary depending on the properties of the skin and the environmental conditions. This also implies slight modifications of the fingerprint to be characterized. Furthermore, the hygienic conditions of a hand, and more particularly that of the fingertip to be imaged, are also factors for possible interference in properly imaging a fingerprint. All this causes problems in a reproducibility of a fingerprint imaging process, and in turn leads to an increase in Type I or false reject error rates.  
           [0007]    It is highly advantageous to provide a biometric imaging device capable of compensating for non-biometric parameters, by either providing well-defined conditions for imaging a biological surface, or by sensing and correcting for conditions prevalent during the process of imaging the biological surface.  
           [0008]    It is of further advantage to reduce the Type I error rates in a given fingerprint identification process, thus enhancing the reliability of fingerprint imaging devices.  
         OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide a biometric imaging device incorporating a sensor for sensing external parameters potentially interfering with biometric characteristics.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the instant invention to provide a biometric imaging device allowing to compensating for non-biometric parameters interfering with biometric characteristics.  
           [0011]    It is further an object of the instant invention to provide a biometric imaging device comprising a preparation station for providing well-defined and reproducible conditions of the skin to be scanned.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a biometric imaging device for imaging a biological feature, the biometric imaging device comprising a first sensor for sensing the biological feature and for providing sensed image data relating to an image of a surface of the biological feature, a second sensor for detecting an environmental parameter other than relating to surface topology of said biological feature, and a processor for receiving the sensed image data and the detected environmental parameter and for image processing the sensed image data in dependence upon the detected external parameter.  
           [0013]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method for imaging a biological feature comprising the steps of sensing the biological feature and for providing sensed image data relating to an image of a surface of the biological feature, detecting an environmental parameter other than relating to surface topology of said biological feature, and image processing the sensed image data in dependence upon the detected external parameter  
           [0014]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a biometric imaging device for imaging a biological feature of a biometric information source, the biometric imaging device comprising a first sensor for sensing the biological feature and for providing sensed data relating to an image of the biological feature, and a preparation device positioned for in use contacting the biological surface at least one of temporarily near and simultaneously with a sensing of the biological surface the preparation device for conditioning a parameter of the biometric information source.  
           [0015]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method for imaging a biological feature of a biological information source comprising the steps of manipulating an environmental parameter of the biological information source and sensing image data of the biological feature, after manipulating the environmental parameter.  
           [0016]    According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for A method for imaging a biological feature of a biological information source comprising the steps of cleaning the biological information source; and sensing image data of the biological feature, after cleaning the biological information source.  
           [0017]    According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a biometric imaging device comprising a swipe contact imager disposed for having a fingertip passed there across, and a cleaning station disposed adjacent the swipe contact imager for having the fingertip passed there across, portions of the fingertip contacting the cleaning station prior to passing across the swipe contact imager, wherein in use portions of the fingertip are cleaned prior to being imaged in order to provide for imaging of a clean fingertip. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    Exemplary embodiments of the instant invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings, in which similar reference numbers designate similar items:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a prior art sensing device showing a sensing pad comprising a linear capacitive sensing array;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a biometric imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of a biometric imaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of a biometric imaging device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a biometric imaging device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is an image of a fingertip sensed under dry conditions; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is an image of a fingertip sensed under moist conditions. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    The method and system of the present invention are now described with reference to a capacitive contact swipe imager for sensing a biological surface. Of course, the present invention is not restricted to swipe imagers, or to capacitive contact imagers, but is optionally used with optical imagers, thermal imagers, and other types of imaging devices. Further, the invention is not restricted to imaging a fingerprint or a biological surface, but generally applies to imaging any biological feature that is susceptible to external conditions. An exemplary capacitive contact imager driver circuit is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,089 to Borza issued Jul. 7, 1998, incorporated herein by reference. An exemplary capacitive contact swipe imager is described in detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/984,354, filed Oct. 30, 2001, and incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0027]    In the capacitive contact swipe imager, a biometric information source is passed over a sensing pad, and data is recorded during the motion of passing over. The sensing pad comprises a plurality of individual capacitive sense elements, which are typically arranged in arrays of rows and columns. Preferably, in order to generate an image for analysis, a capacitive sensing element is smaller than half the smallest feature size to be sensed. Empirical studies have shown that a square plate of about 50 μm edge length is suitable for fingerprint sensing.  
         [0028]    The capacitive sensing elements are arranged as to form individual linear capacitive sensing arrays within a same sensing pad. Within each linear sensing array the rows are equally spaced by a given row spacing, and the columns are equally spaced by a given column spacing. Each linear capacitive sensing array has a capacitive detective area and a resolution, depending on an area and a number of rows and columns forming the linear capacitive sensing array. In practice there are about 10 rows and 200 columns of regularly spaced elements, occupying an area of approximately 0.1×2 cm 2 , in a representative linear capacitive sensing array. The capacitive sensing element density of the linear capacitive sensing array, which is inversely proportional to the row spacing and the column spacing of the linear capacitive sensing array, determines the resolution of the linear capacitive sensing array.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 1, a simplified block diagram of the capacitive contact swipe imager according to prior art is shown. A sensing pad  11  comprises a linear capacitive sensing array  12 . The sensing pad has an area of approximately 3×2 cm 2  for accepting a fingertip drawn across the sensing pad. In this example, the linear capacitive sensing array  12  comprises 10 rows and 300 columns. The linear capacitive sensing array  12  is connected through an analog switch matrix to facilitate reading of the image of a biological surface. Timing and sequencing logic (not shown) selects each element in the array, in turn, to produce a complete image of a fingerprint presented to the device.  
         [0030]    During the swiping process, a series of partial snapshots of the fingerprint is recorded. The individual images have a sensing time difference τ, which is determined by the timing and sequencing logic. A reconstruction of a composite image representative of the biological surface scanned is based on finding overlapping areas between captured partial images; the reconstruction is achieved for example in a puzzle-like fashion. A processor (not shown) is used to correlate data corresponding to the individual partial images with each other and with previously stored sample data.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 2, a simplified diagram of a first embodiment of a biometric imaging device according to the instant invention is shown. The biometric imaging device is based on the above-described capacitive contact swipe imager. Alternatively, the present invention is based on another type of contact imager, another type of swipe imager, an optical imager, a thermal imager, or the like.  
         [0032]    The biometric imaging device  20  includes a sensing pad  21 , which comprises a linear capacitive sensing array  22 . The biometric imaging device  20  further includes a processor  23 , as well as a sensor  24  for sensing external conditions. The parameters sensed by the sensor include ambient temperature and ambient humidity. Both the linear capacitive sensing array  22  as well as the sensor  24  are connected to the processor  23 . A biological surface, for example a fingertip, is passed over the sensing pad  21 , and a plurality of partial images is captured by the linear capacitive sensing array  22 , and processed by the processor  23 . The processor  23  constructs a composite image from the plurality of partial images. During image construction, the data sensed by the sensor  24  are taken into account by the processor  23 .  
         [0033]    In order to perform a best possible analysis of the biological surface, the processor  23  automatically introduces those parameters sensed by the sensor  24  for taking into account the physiological conditions of the biological surface imaged during the image process. For example, when used in Canada during winter, the extreme environmental conditions decrease the elasticity of the skin and conversely increase the dryness of the skin. Therefore, when sensing for example a fingerprint, the processor  23  transforms the image of the fingerprint accordingly, using for example a similarity transformation. This way, a processed image is obtained corresponding to predetermined or averaged environmental conditions for which the physiological characteristics of the skin are within predetermined or averaged limits.  
         [0034]    Referring to FIG. 3, a simplified diagram of a second embodiment of a biometric imaging device according to the instant invention is shown. The biometric imaging device  30  again includes a sensing pad  31 , which comprises a linear capacitive sensing array  32 , a processor  33 , as well as a sensor  34 . The sensor  34  is for sensing the conditions of the biological surface to be imaged. The biometric imaging device  30  further includes a roller  35  for guiding a biological surface to be imaged, for example a fingerprint, towards the linear capacitive sensing array  32 . The sensor  34  is disposed between the sensing pad  31  and the roller  35 . This way, it is most likely that the data sensed by the sensor  34  corresponds to the condition of the biological surface sensed by the linear capacitive sensing array  32 . Both the linear capacitive sensing arrays  32  as well as the sensor  34  are connected to the processor. When in use, a biological surface to be imaged, such as a fingertip, is positioned on the roller  35  and pushed forward towards the sensing pad  31 . While moving forward, the fingertip passes over the sensor  34 , where physiological parameters such as dryness and/or temperature are read. The sensor  34 , which is connected to the processor  33 , communicates the physiological information. In the example of using the biometric imaging device  30  in Canadian winter conditions, a temperature of the fingertip is lower than an average body temperature of 37° C., and a high degree of dryness is measured for the skin of the fingertip. The processor  33  receives the sensed information and includes the parameters for analyzing the fingerprint image. The analysis of the image data takes into account that because the skin is affected by the environmental conditions, the pattern of the fingerprint features is thereby affected. Therefore, the processor  33  transforms the image of the fingerprint accordingly to obtain a processed image corresponding to predetermined or averaged environmental conditions. Of course, the compensations induced by the processor  33  are different in warmer condition because they depend upon the reading of the sensor  34 . Other parameters sensed by the sensor  34  are for example a humidity level of the biological surface to be imaged. A high content of adherent moisture affects the relative height and depth of ridge and valley structures of fingerprint profiles. Thus, it is the detail of the ridge and valley structures that is lost in certain areas due to the collection of excessive moisture in the valleys. Appropriate data processing algorithms used during image reconstruction are possibly applied in order to restore undisturbed detail information.  
         [0035]    Referring to FIG. 4, a simplified diagram of a third embodiment of a biometric imaging device according to the instant invention is shown. As described above for the first and second embodiment, the biometric imaging device  40  includes a sensing pad  41 , comprising a linear capacitive sensing array  42 , a processor  43  and a sensor  44 . In the third embodiment, a cleaning station  46  is added to the biometric imaging device  40 . Optionally, a roller is also added to the biometric imaging device  40 . The cleaning station allows for cleaning the fingertip prior to imaging the fingerprint. It thus allows for removing as much dust or any impurity as possible for improving the quality of the image. A cleaning process in the form of, for example, a hand lotion dispenser, an air jet dispenser, a wire brush, a series of sponges for wetting and drying the fingertip alternately in order to remove dirt known to cause imaging problems, or any other convenient cleaning process is used. Advantageously, the cleaning station is disposed in a position for cleaning the fingertip before the fingerprint is imaged.  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 5, a simplified diagram of a fourth embodiment of a biometric imaging device according to the present invention is shown. The biometric imaging device  50  includes a sensing pad  51 , comprising a linear capacitive sensing array  52 , a processor  53  and a sensor  54 . The sensor detects the ambient temperature and the ambient moisture level for the biometric imaging device. Alternatively, the sensor  54  is installed in a way, so that the sensor  54  detects the physiological conditions of a biological surface to be imaged, such as a fingertip, the physiological conditions being for example the temperature and the dryness of the fingertip. Optionally, a roller is added to the biometric imaging device  50 . Further optionally, a cleaning station is added to the biometric imaging device  50 . The sensor  54  as well as the linear capacitive sensing array  52  are connected to the processor  53 . Further, two compensating devices  57  and  58  are added to the biometric imaging device. The compensating devices are possibly provided in the form of a moisturizer  57  for compensating for dryness and of thermal unit  58  for applying heat. Alternatively, only one or more than two compensating devices are added to the biometric imaging device  50 . If for example the biological surface to be imaged is a fingertip which dryness and/or temperature are lower than an average body temperature and dryness, the compensating devices adjust the conditions of the fingertip to comply with pre-defined standard conditions. Further, the compensating devices  57  and  58  are connected to the processor  53 . Therefore, according to the sensed information received from the sensor  54 , the processor  53  automatically compensates for non-biometric parameters by increasing the fingertip temperature via the thermal unit  58 , if the sensor  54  detects a temperature too low for allowing a non-distorted image of the fingerprint.  
         [0037]    Alternatively, the sensors  44  and  54  are omitted from the above embodiments of the biometric imaging devices  40  and  50 , wherein only cleaning or other preparation of the fingertip is performed prior to imaging thereof.  
         [0038]    Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, two exemplary images of a fingertip are shown, sensed according to dry and moist conditions of the fingertip. An image of the fingertip sensed under dry conditions, FIG. 6, exhibits ridge and valley structures, which are broken up into separate segments. For example, the structural elements  61 ,  62 ,  63  and  64 ,  65 ,  66  most likely belong to one continuous feature each. When the environmental conditions are known when the image is reconstructed, appropriate interpolation routines are applied as to eliminate possible image distortions due to dry environmental conditions. Similarly, an image of the fingertip sensed under moist conditions, FIG. 7, exhibits additional features connecting ridge structures, which blur the image of a fingertip. For example, the structural elements  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 ,  75  and  76  are most likely artifacts stemming from adhesive moisture to the fingertip. When the humidity and moisture levels are known when the image is reconstructed, appropriate data processing routines are employed to correct for erroneous structural features. Also, when the fingertip is conditioned prior to sensing using the preparation device, it is likely that far more less image distortions are recorded when the fingertip is sensed.  
         [0039]    The above examples refer to fingerprint imaging using a capacitive contact swipe imager, but the systems and methods described are equally applicable to other contact based biometric imaging including palm scanning and skin imaging in general. Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention are easily extended to any kind of image analysis of a biological feature, which is susceptible to external conditions.  
         [0040]    Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, various changes and modifications are optionally carried out by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.