US5717512A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Compact image steering and focusing device
Assignee: Sensar Inc
•
Filing: 1996-05-15
•
Granted: 1998-02-10
•
Expires: 2016-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rectangular frame containing a pan/tilt mirror and at least one lens. There is a tilt plane bisecting the frame. A mirror drive motor is attached to the frame on one side of the tilt plane and a lens motor is attached to the frame on the other side of the tilt plane. The frame is rotatably attached to a stand and connected to a frame drive motor mounted on the stand. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. This system is preferably used with a narrow field of view camera and two wide field of view cameras. Images from the wide field of view cameras are used to focus the narrow field of view camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image on file.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. Chmielewski, Jr.
- 👤 George A. Vonhof
- 👤 Michael Negin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 06:28
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F19/00; G07F19/20; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/0816; G06; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/18; G06V40/19; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/37; G07F19/201; G07F19/207; H; H04; H04N; H04N13/00; H04N13/20; H04N13/204; H04N13/207; H04N13/239; H04N13/254; H04N13/296; H04N13/246; H04N2013/0074; H04N2013/0081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A compact image steering and focusing device comprising: a. a frame comprised of an end portion having a pair of substantially parallel, spaced apart arms extending from one face of the end portion, there being a tilt plane passing between and equidistant from the arms; b. a primary mirror pivotably attached between the arms and able to be rotated around a pan axis which is normal to the tilt plane; c. a mirror drive motor attached to the frame, connected to the primary mirror in a manner to be able to rotate the primary mirror about the pan axis, and positioned on one side of the tilt plane; d. a primary lens positioned between the arms and aligned with the primary mirror; e. a lens motor attached to the frame connected to the primary lens in a manner to be able to move the lens toward and away from the primary mirror and positioned on a side of the tilt plane opposite the side of the tilt plane on which the mirror drive motor is positioned; f. a stand to which the frame is rotatably attached for rotation about a frame axis transverse to the pan axis; and g. a frame drive motor mounted on the stand and connected to the frame in a manner to rotate the frame about the frame axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A compact image steering and focusing device comprising: a. a frame comprised of an end portion having a pair of substantially parallel, spaced apart arms extending from one face of the end portion, there being a tilt plane passing between and equidistant from the arms; b. a primary mirror pivotably attached between the arms and able to be rotated around a pan axis which is normal to the tilt plane; c. a mirror drive motor attached to the frame, connected to the primary mirror in a manner to be able to rotate the primary mirror about the pan axis, and positioned on one side of the tilt plane; d. a primary lens positioned between the arms and aligned with the primary mirror; e. a lens motor attached to the frame connected to the primary lens in a manner to be able to move the lens toward and away from the primary mirror and positioned on a side of the tilt plane opposite the side of the tilt plane on which the mirror drive motor is positioned; f. a stand to which the frame is rotatably attached for rotation about a frame axis transverse to the pan axis; and g. a frame drive motor mounted on the stand and connected to the frame in a manner to rotate the frame about the frame axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a second mirror attached to the frame and aligned with the primary lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the mirror drive motor is a linear drive motor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The drive of claim 1 also comprising a belt drive connected between the mirror drive motor and the mirror.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a belt drive connected between the frame drive motor and the frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a camera aligned with the primary lens in a manner so that light passing through the primary lens will go into the camera.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising at least one secondary mirror positioned between the primary lens and a camera.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a second lens positioned between the mirror and the primary lens.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a light source positioned so that a light beam emitted from the light source will be reflected from the primary mirror.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the light source is positioned so that the light beam will pass through the primary lens.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the light source can emit at least one of infrared light, visible light, a select band of frequencies, and both infrared and visible light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 9 also comprising a variable aperture lens positioned between the light source and the primary mirror.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the light source is a strobe light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 13 also comprising: a. a camera positioned to receive a light beam emitted from the light source, reflected by the primary mirror and reflected back from a scene; and b. a synchronizer connected to the camera and the light source for synchronizing the operation of the camera with the strobing of the light source.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 9 also comprising a strobing device connected to the light source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the light source is positioned around a camera body to give nearly on-axis illumination.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising at least one limit switch connected to one of the motors.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising at least one position sensor mounted on one of the frame and the stand in a manner to determine positions of at least one of the primary mirror, the primary lens and the frame.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising a second camera attached to the stand.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 20 also comprising a third camera attached to the stand wherein the second camera and the third camera have overlapping fields of view.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
The device of claim 21 also comprising an image processor which receives images of a subject in the overlapping fields of view from both the second camera and the third camera and processes those images to determine an x, y, z coordinate position relative to the second and third cameras for a point on the subject forward which point a first camera can be directed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
122 words
The device of claim 20 also comprising: a. a first camera aligned with the primary lens in a manner so that light reflected from the primary mirror and passing through the primary lens will go to the first camera; b. an image processor which receives images from the second camera and identifies at least one point in the images corresponding to a point on a subject being photographed by the second camera; and c. a controller connected to the image processor and the mirror drive motor which activates the mirror drive motor to position the primary mirror so that light reflected from the point on the subject to the primary mirror will be reflected by the primary mirror to the first camera.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 23 wherein the image processor is programmed to compare images from the second camera to determine if the subject is moving, calculate a motion path of a moving subject and direct the primary mirror motor to compensate for such motion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
84 words
The device of claim 1 also comprising: a. a narrow field of view camera which receives light reflected from a subject to the primary mirror and is reflected from the primary mirror to the narrow field of view camera; b. a wide field of view camera; and c. an image processor which receives images from both cameras and identifies at least one point in images received from at least one camera which point corresponds to a point of interest on a subject being imaged.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 25 wherein the image processor identifies the at least one point in images received from the one of the narrow field of view camera and the whole field of view camera.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the mirror drive motor, the lens motor, and the frame drive motor is a stepper motor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 27 also comprising a controller connected to the stepper motor and a position sensor connected to the controller wherein the position sensor provides signals to the controller and the controller supplies the stepper motor with corresponding drive signals.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 26 also comprising a controller connected to the DC motor and a position sensor connected to the controller wherein the position sensor provides signals to the controller and the controller supplies the DC motor with corresponding drive signals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the mirror drive motor, the lens motor, and the frame drive motor is a DC motor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3533683A
Cited
US3533684A
Cited
US3598107A
Cited
US3600098A
Cited
US4620318A
Cited
US4641349A
Cited
US5016282A
Cited
US5276546A
Cited
US5291560A
Cited
US5359674A
Cited
US5430809A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-09 | 2001-08-11 | 2002-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-09 | 2005-08-11 | 2006-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-09 | 2009-08-11 | 2010-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |