Patent EP0061832A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0061832A2
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Apparatus and method for checking identity by means of the ocular fundus pattern
Assignee: EYE-D DEVELOPMENT II Ltd
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Filing: 1982-02-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-02-16
Abstract
Abstract In a method and apparatus for acquiring and recording an identification pattern from the reflectance of the fundus of an eye (36), a single light source (102) is operable to produce a substantially columnar source beam of infrared light directed into the fixated eye from a plurality of sequential, angularly divergent positions. The light is focused on the retina and reflected in part out of the eye. Variations in the ocular structure contribute to various reflected intensities. The intensity of the reflected light is detected, measured and recorded for each sequential angularly divergent position forming a unique and repeatable identification pattern, or "signature" for each individual.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Brian Hill
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:49
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/12; A61B5/00; A61B5/117; A61B5/1171; G; G06; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/18; G06V40/19
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for recording an identification pattern from the fundus of an eye, characterised by a light source (102-110) operable to produce a substantially columnar source beam of light, beam directing means (112,114 or 132) for directing at least a portion of the source beam into the eye from a plurality of sequential angularly divergent positions, the light substantially focusing on the fundus of the eye and being reflected in part out of the eye forming a reflected beam, detector means (126) for sequentially sensing the amount of light in the reflected beam at each angularly divergent position of the source beam, and means (138) for recording the amounts of light thus sensed to form an identification pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for recording an identification pattern from the fundus of an eye, characterised by a light source (102-110) operable to produce a substantially columnar source beam of light, beam directing means (112,114 or 132) for directing at least a portion of the source beam into the eye from a plurality of sequential angularly divergent positions, the light substantially focusing on the fundus of the eye and being reflected in part out of the eye forming a reflected beam, detector means (126) for sequentially sensing the amount of light in the reflected beam at each angularly divergent position of the source beam, and means (138) for recording the amounts of light thus sensed to form an identification pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the light from the light source consists essentially of infrared radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised by a light filter (104) disposed in the source beam of light operable to pass substantially only infrared radiation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the beam directing means comprises a prism (114) disposed in the source beam operable to deflect at least a portion of the source beam to direct it into the eye, and motive means (94,96,98) operable to rotate the prism so that the portion of the source beam entering the eye comes from various angularly divergent positions as the prism is rotated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, characterised by an encoder (100) attached to the motive means for determining the rotational position of the prism, and electrical means for associating the instantaneous rotational position of the prism and the instantaneous amount of light in the reflected beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the beam directing means comprises a mirror (132) disposed in the source beam. operable to direct a portion of the source beam into the eye, and a motor (94') having its shaft (134) attached to the mirror in non-perpendicular relation and operable to rotate the mirror so that the portion of the source beam entering the eye comes from various angularly divergent positions as the mirror is rotated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised by an encoder (100') attached to the shaft of the motor for determining the rotational position of the mirror, and electrical means for associating the instantaneous rotational position of the mirror and the instantaneous amount of light in the reflected beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by a beam splitter (112) located in the paths of the source and reflected beams allowing a part of one beam to pass therethrough and allowing a part of the other beam to be refelcted therefrom, thereby providing for coincident beams entering and exiting the eye.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
, Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by alignment means (86,84,88) for aligning the eye so that the light from the source beam is focused on the fundus of the eye in a pattern substantially centering on the optic disc.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by vision correction means (92) to slightly vary the columnar nature of the source and reflected beams to provide for vision correction for each of various users.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, characterised by refraction means (92) in the source and reflected beams to refract the light to provide for vision correction for the user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by vision fixation means (84) providing a fixation point, illumination means (86) for illuminating the fixation point, and columnating means (88) for columnating the light from the fixation point whereby the fixation point is caused to appear at infinity, the fixation point being observable when the eye is positioned in the source beam of light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, charcterised in that the column of light from the fixation point is arranged to intersect an axis around which the source beam is angularly divergent, at an angle of between 14 and 17 degrees.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for recording an identification pattern from both eyes, characterised by a dual set of the apparatus according to any preceding claim, the source beam from one apparatus being directed into one eye and the source beam from the other apparatus being directed into the other eye, and means for combining the two identification patterns thus recorded into a single identification pattern.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of recording an identification pattern from the fundus of an eye, characterised by the steps of directing at least a portion of a substantially columnar source beam of light (38) into the eye {36) from a plurality of sequential angularly divergent positions, the light focusing on the fundus and being reflected in part out of the eye forming a reflected beam, sensing the amount of light in the reflected beam at each angularly divergent position of the source beam, and recording the amounts of light thus sensed to form an identification pattern.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of recording an identification pattern from the fundus of an eye, characterised by the steps of directing at least a portion of a substantially columnar source beam of light (38) into the eye {36) from a plurality of sequential angularly divergent positions, the light focusing on the fundus and being reflected in part out of the eye forming a reflected beam, sensing the amount of light in the reflected beam at each angularly divergent position of the source beam, and recording the amounts of light thus sensed to form an identification pattern.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 15, characterised by the step of aligning the eye so that the light from the source beam is focused on the fundus of the eye in a pattern substantially centering on the optic disc (56).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 15 or 16, charact - erised by the step of bracing the head of the user to prevent movement thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 15, 16 or 17, characterised by the step of refracting the beams to provide for vision correction for the user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of recording an identification pattern from both eyes comprising repeating the steps of claim 15, 16, 17 or 18 for each eye and combining the two identification patterns thus obtained into a single identification pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for repeatably stabilizing the orientation and fixation of the human eyes, characterised by first and second fixation reticles (84) providing first and second fixation points, illuminating means (86) for illuminating the fixation reticles, columnating means (88) for columnating the light from the fixation reticles whereby the fixation points are caused to appear at infinity, the columns of light being substantially parallel and spaced apart substantially an interpupillary distance.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for repeatably stabilizing the orientation and fixation of the human eyes, characterised by first and second fixation reticles (84) providing first and second fixation points, illuminating means (86) for illuminating the fixation reticles, columnating means (88) for columnating the light from the fixation reticles whereby the fixation points are caused to appear at infinity, the columns of light being substantially parallel and spaced apart substantially an interpupillary distance.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
2 1. Apparatus according to claim 20, characterised by bracing means (28) for bracing the head of the user to prevent movement thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that the reticles (84) have an identical appearance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 20,21 or 22, characterised in that the reticles comprise crosshair patterns (84 * ).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 23, characterised in that the pattern of one reticle is one half of a crosshair pattern and the pattern of the other reticle is the other half of the crosshair pattern.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 20,21,22,23 or 24, characterised by refraction means (92) in the columns of light to refract the light to provide for vision correction for the user.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim 20 to 25, characterised by interpupillary distance varying means (30,74) to vary the distance between the columns of light to accommodate various users.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of repeatably stabilizing the orientation and fixation of the human eyes, characterised by the steps of bracing the head of the user to prevent movement thereof, providing the appearance of a first reticle (84) at infinity to one of the eyes (36), providing the appearance of a second reticle (84) at infinity to the other of the eyes, the images of the reticles being visible when both eyes are looking in a substantially parallel direction, orienting the eyes to align the images of the reticles, and fixating on the reticle images.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of repeatably stabilizing the orientation and fixation of the human eyes, characterised by the steps of bracing the head of the user to prevent movement thereof, providing the appearance of a first reticle (84) at infinity to one of the eyes (36), providing the appearance of a second reticle (84) at infinity to the other of the eyes, the images of the reticles being visible when both eyes are looking in a substantially parallel direction, orienting the eyes to align the images of the reticles, and fixating on the reticle images.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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