US3859633A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Minutiae recognition system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1973-06-29
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Granted: 1975-01-07
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Expires: 1993-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A system for detecting bifurcations and ridge endings (minutiae) in a fingerprint or on similar patterns in which two lines merge into one. The print is optically scanned, converted into electrical signals and entered into a novel continuity logic network. The presence of a bifurcation in the network results in three distinct outputs on the periphery of the network from at least two sides. The split in the bifurcation may also be detected by reversing the polarity of the electrical signals and detecting a single output. Means are also provided for ensuring that a single bifurcation is detected only once. Ridge endings are treated as reverse-polarity bifurcations and can be detected by the same system elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Allen P Ho
- 👤 Yee-Ming Ting
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/12; G06V40/1347; G06V10/00; G06V10/40; G06V10/44; G06V10/457
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A system for recognizing minutiae in a fingerprint comprising: means for sensing selected areas of said fingerprint and for generating binary signals representative of the contrast between ridges and valleys in said fingerprint; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signal for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between ridges and valleys; means connected to said continuity logic means in response to said conductive path for providing an indication of a minutiae; and discriminator means connected to said continuity logic means for insuring that a particular minutiae is identified only once.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
A system for recognizing minutiae in a fingerprint comprising: means for sensing selected areas of said fingerprint and for generating binary signals representative of the contrast between ridges and valleys in said fingerprint; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signal for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between ridges and valleys; means connected to said continuity logic means in response to said conductive path for providing an indication of a minutiae; and discriminator means connected to said continuity logic means for insuring that a particular minutiae is identified only once.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises: scanning means for scanning said pattern; and means for converting the output of said scanning means into said binary signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as in claim 2 wherein said discriminator means is connected to the outputs of selected ones of said logic elements and is operative during each scanning interval for suppressing an indication of a minutiae sensed by said indication means during another scanning interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as in claim 3 further including: a source of a continuity signal connected to the inputs of the four logic elements which comprise the center of said matrix; and wherein said selected ones of logic elements include said centrally located elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
A system as in claim 4 further comprising: means for identifying the quadrant location of a particular minutia in said matrix; and wherein said discriminator means comprises: first gating means connected to said selected logic elements for transmitting a signal indicative of a conductive path during a scanning interval and for blocking said conductive path signal during other scanning intervals; and second gating meann responsive to the coincidence of a signal from said quadrant identifying means and a conductive path signal from said first gating means for gating only one signal for each particular minutia.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for recognizing the merger of two lines in a pattern consisting of lines and spaces between lines comprising: scanning means for scanning said pattern; means for converting the output of said scanning means into binary signals representative of the contrast between said lines and said spaces; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between said lines and spaces; means connected to said continuity logic means and responsive to said conductive paths for providing an indication of a merger of two lines; and discriminator means conneCted to said continuity logic means for ensuring that a particular merger is identified only once.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for recognizing the merger of two lines in a pattern consisting of lines and spaces between lines comprising: scanning means for scanning said pattern; means for converting the output of said scanning means into binary signals representative of the contrast between said lines and said spaces; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between said lines and spaces; means connected to said continuity logic means and responsive to said conductive paths for providing an indication of a merger of two lines; and discriminator means conneCted to said continuity logic means for ensuring that a particular merger is identified only once.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as in claim 6 wherein said discriminator means is connected to the outputs of selected ones of said logic elements and is operative during each scanning interval for suppressing an indication of a merger sensed by said indication means during another scanning interval.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as in claim 7 further including: a source of a continuity signal connected to the inputs of the four logic elements which comprise the center of said matrix; and wherein said selected ones of logic elements include said centrally located elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
A system as in claim 8 further comprising: means for identifying the quadrant location of a particular merger in said matrix; and wherein said discriminator means comprises: first gating means connected to said selected logic elements for transmitting a signal indicative of a conductive path during a scanning interval and for blocking said conductive path signal during other scanning intervals; and second gating means responsive to the coincidence of said quadrant identifying signal and a conductive path signal from said first gating means for gating only one signal for each particular merger.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
157 words
A system for recognizing minutiae in a fingerprint comprising: scanning means for scanning selected areas of said fingerprint and for generating binary signals representative of the contrast between ridges and valleys in said fingerprint; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between ridges and valleys; means responsive to said conductive paths for detecting the existence of three groups of binary signals representative of a minutia; decoder means connected to said detecting means for providing an indication signal of said minutia; means responsive to each said group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said groups; and gating means responsive to said generating means and said binary signal groups for gating an indication signal if the number of signals in each said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
157 words
A system for recognizing minutiae in a fingerprint comprising: scanning means for scanning selected areas of said fingerprint and for generating binary signals representative of the contrast between ridges and valleys in said fingerprint; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between ridges and valleys; means responsive to said conductive paths for detecting the existence of three groups of binary signals representative of a minutia; decoder means connected to said detecting means for providing an indication signal of said minutia; means responsive to each said group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said groups; and gating means responsive to said generating means and said binary signal groups for gating an indication signal if the number of signals in each said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as in claim 10 wherein said conductive paths terminate at the outputs of logic elements which comprise the periphery of the matrix, and further comprising: converter means connected to said peripheral outputs for receiving said groups of signals in parallel and for transmitting said groups of signals serially to said detector means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
139 words
A system as in claim 11 further comprising: means for inverting the polarity of said binary signals; second continuity logic means including a second matrix of logic elements operative in response to said inverted binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between ridges and valleys; means connected to said second continuity logic means and responsive to said conductive paths for providing an indication of a split in a minutia; second decoder means connected to said single group detecting means for providing an indication signal of said split; means responsive to said single group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said group; and gating means for gating said indicating signal if the number of signals in said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said conductive paths terminate at the outputs of the logic element which comprise the periphery of said second matrix, and further comprising: second converter means connected to said peripheral outputs of said second matrix for receiving said single signal group and for transmitting said group serially to said detector.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
175 words
A system for recognizing the merger of two lines iN a pattern consisting of lines and spaces between lines comprising: scanning means for scanning said pattern; means for converting the output of said scanning means into binary signals representative of the contrast between said lines and said spaces; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between said lines and spaces; means responsive to said conductive paths for detecting the existence of three groups of binary signals representative of a merger of two lines; decoder means connected to said detecting means for providing an indication signal of said merger; means responsive to each said group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said group; and gating means responsive to said generating means and said binary signal groups for gating an indication signal if the number of signals in each said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
175 words
A system for recognizing the merger of two lines iN a pattern consisting of lines and spaces between lines comprising: scanning means for scanning said pattern; means for converting the output of said scanning means into binary signals representative of the contrast between said lines and said spaces; continuity logic means including a matrix of logic elements operative in response to said binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between said lines and spaces; means responsive to said conductive paths for detecting the existence of three groups of binary signals representative of a merger of two lines; decoder means connected to said detecting means for providing an indication signal of said merger; means responsive to each said group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said group; and gating means responsive to said generating means and said binary signal groups for gating an indication signal if the number of signals in each said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as in claim 14 wherein said conductive paths terminate at the outputs of the logic elements which comprise the periphery of the matrix, and further comprising: converter means connected to said peripheral outputs for receiving said groups of signals in parallel and for transmitting said groups of signals serially to said detector means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
140 words
A system as in claim 14 further comprising: means for inverting the polarity of said binary signals; second continuity logic means including a second matrix of logic elements operative in response to said inverted binary signals for forming conductive paths corresponding to the contrast between said lines and spaces; means responsive to said conductive paths for detecting the existence of a single group of binary signals representative of a split between two merged lines; second decoder means connected to said single-group detecting means for providing an indication signal of said split; means responsive to said single group of signals for generating an output of a predetermined number of signals irrespective of the number of signals in said group; and gating means for gating said indication signal if the number of signals in said group is less than said predetermined number.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as in claim 16 wherein said conductive paths teminate at the outputs of the logic elements which comprise the periphery of said second matrix, and further comprising: second converter means connected to said peripheral outputs of said second matrix for receiving said signal group and for transmitting said group serially to said detector.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-06 | 1978-07-08 | 1979-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-06 | 1982-07-08 | 1983-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-06 | 1986-07-08 | 1987-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |