Patent Document ID: 9536127
Application ID: 14624639
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A contactless biometric data collection device comprising: an image capture device configured to capture images of a subject hand in any of a range of positions and at each of a plurality of different focal distances, each of the images comprising at least one of a palm print and a plurality of fingerprints, wherein the image capture device comprises: an imaging camera configured to capture the images at a first image resolution level; and an electro-optics arrangement positioned between the hand and the imaging camera, the electro-optics arrangement including a plurality of light modulating elements and polarization sensitive optical elements having an optical path length that changes with different polarization states, so as to provide for capture of the images at each of the plurality of different focal distances; and a control system coupled to the image capture device, the control system being configured to: cause the image capture device to capture the images at each of the plurality of different focal distances, each image having a depth-of-focus that overlaps with a depth-of-focus of images at adjacent focal distances such that redundant image data is captured; register each image with positional data so as to create pixel correspondence between the images and between portions of the hand; create a composite image from the registered images captured at each of the plurality of different focal distances; generate a depth map of the hand from the plurality of images captured at each of the different focal distances using one of a depth from focus algorithm and a depth from defocus algorithm; determine a 3D shape of the hand using one of the depth from focus algorithm and the depth from defocus algorithm; and determine a distortion map based on the 3D shape signifying local variations in convexity and concavity of the hand; and unwrap the composite image using the distortion map to generate a single, high resolution image; wherein the redundant image data includes depth data and lateral image shifts introduced by the polarization sensitive optical elements, the lateral images shifts comprising sub-pixel shifts between respective images captured at the plurality of different focal distances; and wherein the images captured by the image capture device at each of the plurality of different focal distances and with the lateral image shifts introduced therein are captured in a 3D spiral pattern.