US6309069B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Personal identification
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
•
Filing: 1997-06-06
•
Granted: 2001-10-30
•
Expires: 2017-06-06
Abstract
Abstract An optical apparatus records light reflected from one or more of a user's facial features. While the image is captured, visible light from a display or other scene to be viewed by the user passes to the user's eye. A portable iris pattern capture device is used. Near-infrared light is directed towards the user's eye from where it is reflected back into the apparatus. Visible light from an LCD display mounted at the rear of the apparatus travels out to the user's eye from the apparatus. A hot mirror inside the apparatus directs the near-infrared light reflected from the user's eye to a camera unit, and does not significantly attenuate the visible light emanating from the display.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher H Seal
- 👤 Maurice M Gifford
- 👤 David J McCartney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:18
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/12; A61B3/1216; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/12; G06V10/14; G06V10/143; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/142; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/18; G06V40/19; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/37
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for providing an information signal characteristic of an eye, said apparatus comprising: a housing having an entrance window; an illumination source mounted on the housing, and operable to illuminate the eye over an area outside the pupil; and an image capture device mounted within the housing, in optical communication with said entrance window, and operable to provide an image signal representing one or more features of the anterior of the eye responsive to the incidence of light from the illumination source reflected from the eye; an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the eye and light from the illumination source and reflected from the eye travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said illumination light and said visible light such that substantially all illumination light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for providing an information signal characteristic of an eye, said apparatus comprising: a housing having an entrance window; an illumination source mounted on the housing, and operable to illuminate the eye over an area outside the pupil; and an image capture device mounted within the housing, in optical communication with said entrance window, and operable to provide an image signal representing one or more features of the anterior of the eye responsive to the incidence of light from the illumination source reflected from the eye; an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the eye and light from the illumination source and reflected from the eye travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said illumination light and said visible light such that substantially all illumination light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said visible light travels substantially unattenuated along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a display means operable to provide at least part of said visible image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said display means is operable, in use, to display the image captured by the image capture apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined type of light differs in spectrum from said visible light.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said optical device comprises a wavelength selective reflector effective to reflect either said visible light or said light of a different spectrum, and to allow the passage of the other.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said predetermined type of light substantially consists of non-visible light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said type of light substantially consists of near infra-red light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said optical device comprises a hot mirror.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one or more facial features comprise an iris pattern of the user.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said apparatus is arranged to be carried into an operative position by a user; said apparatus further comprises a transmission device operable to transmit said information signal derived from said image signal to a remote apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
165 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a user image capture apparatus operable to capture a user image of one or more facial features of a user responsive to the incidence of light reflected from the user; and an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the user's eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the user and user light reflected from the user travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said user light and said visible light such that substantially all user light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the user; and wherein said one or more facial features comprise an iris pattern of the user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
165 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a user image capture apparatus operable to capture a user image of one or more facial features of a user responsive to the incidence of light reflected from the user; and an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the user's eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the user and user light reflected from the user travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said user light and said visible light such that substantially all user light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the user; and wherein said one or more facial features comprise an iris pattern of the user.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
215 words
An identification apparatus for providing an information signal distinctive of the iris of an individual's eye, said apparatus comprising: a housing having an entrance window; an illumination source mounted on the housing, and operable to illuminate the eye over an area outside the pupil; and an image capture device mounted within the housing, in optical communication with said entrance window, and operable to provide an image signal representing one or more features of the front of the eye responsive to the incidence of light from the illumination source reflected from the eye; a wavelength selective reflector; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the wavelength selective reflector to the eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the eye and light from the illumination source and reflected from the eye travels along a second optical path via the wavelength selective reflector to said image capture apparatus; wherein said wavelength selective reflector is arranged to reflect one of said illumination light and said visible light such that substantially all illumination light of a predetermined spectrum travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light of a different spectrum travels further along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
215 words
An identification apparatus for providing an information signal distinctive of the iris of an individual's eye, said apparatus comprising: a housing having an entrance window; an illumination source mounted on the housing, and operable to illuminate the eye over an area outside the pupil; and an image capture device mounted within the housing, in optical communication with said entrance window, and operable to provide an image signal representing one or more features of the front of the eye responsive to the incidence of light from the illumination source reflected from the eye; a wavelength selective reflector; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the wavelength selective reflector to the eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the eye and light from the illumination source and reflected from the eye travels along a second optical path via the wavelength selective reflector to said image capture apparatus; wherein said wavelength selective reflector is arranged to reflect one of said illumination light and said visible light such that substantially all illumination light of a predetermined spectrum travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light of a different spectrum travels further along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said visible light travels substantially unattenuated along said first optical path towards the eye.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a display means operable to provide at least part of said visible image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said display means is operable, in use, to display the image captured by the image capture apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined type of light substantially consists of non-visible light.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said type of light substantially consists of near infra-red light.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said optical device comprises a hot mirror.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein: said apparatus is arranged to be carried into an operative position by a user; said apparatus further comprises a transmission device operable to transmit said information signal derived from said image signal to a remote apparatus.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
208 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a user image capture apparatus operable to capture a user image of one or more facial features of a user responsive to the incidence of light reflected from the user; and an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the user's eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the user and user light reflected from the user travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said user light and said visible light such that substantially all user light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the user; and wherein: said predetermined type of light differs in spectrum from said visible light; said optical device comprises a wavelength selective reflector effective to reflect either said visible light or said light of a different spectrum, and to allow the passage of the other; and said one or more facial features comprise an iris pattern of the user.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
208 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a user image capture apparatus operable to capture a user image of one or more facial features of a user responsive to the incidence of light reflected from the user; and an optical device; wherein, in use, visible light travels along a first optical path via the optical device to the user's eye to provide a visible image to be viewed by the user and user light reflected from the user travels along a second optical path via the optical device to said image capture apparatus; wherein said optical device is arranged to interact with at least one of said user light and said visible light such that substantially all user light of a predetermined type travels further along said second optical path towards said image capture apparatus, and a significant proportion of said visible light travels further along said first optical path towards the user; and wherein: said predetermined type of light differs in spectrum from said visible light; said optical device comprises a wavelength selective reflector effective to reflect either said visible light or said light of a different spectrum, and to allow the passage of the other; and said one or more facial features comprise an iris pattern of the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4109237A
Cited
US4266861A
Cited
FR2461481A1
Cited
US4256384A
Cited
US4533222A
Cited
US4394074A
Cited
EP0061832A2
Cited
FR2516778A1
Cited
FR2521851A1
Cited
GB2119941A
Cited
US4620318A
Cited
US4755043A
Cited
US4786142A
Cited
US4834528A
Cited
FR2604080A1
Cited
US4821118A
Cited
GB2201801A
Cited
WO1989004139A1
Cited
FR2627074A1
Cited
FR2630365A1
Cited
US5118179A
Cited
US4993068A
Cited
WO1992005736A1
Cited
US5214454A
Cited
US5291560A
Cited
WO1994009446A1
Cited
EP0534477A1
Cited
US5359669A
Cited
FR2690329A1
Cited
US5433197A
Cited
US5485241A
Cited
WO1994010900A1
Cited
US5576796A
Cited
WO1996007978A1
Cited
US5572596A
Cited
WO1997005578A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-10-29 | 2005-04-30 | 2005-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-10-29 | 2009-04-30 | 2009-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-10-29 | 2013-04-30 | 2013-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |