Patent ID: 7508960

Claim:
A biometric system comprising: a device for providing a pattern; the device comprising: a source of light; the source of light being of an intensity that is effective to project a pattern onto a diffusely reflecting object; and a source for providing the pattern; the source for providing the pattern being disposed between the source of light and the diffusely reflecting object upon which an image of the pattern is disposed; the source for providing the pattern being illuminated by the source of light; the pattern being disposed upon the object; an imaging device; the imaging device being disposed at a different location from the source of light; the imaging device being operative to obtain an image from light that is diffusely reflected from the object; a pattern comparison device; the pattern comparison device being operative to compare details of the pattern disposed upon the object and details of a reference pattern; and a biometric comparison device; the biometric comparison device being effective to compare an image of the object to one or more known images to make a biometric identification; the pattern comparison device rejecting the identification, if the pattern disposed upon the object does not match the reference pattern.