§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6870946B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Compact optical fingerprint capturing and recognition system

Assignee: SecuGen Corp
•
Filing: 1999-07-30
•
Granted: 2005-03-22
•
Expires: 2019-07-30
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An apparatus and method for acquiring an image of a patterned object such as a fingerprint including a light refracting device, a focusing lens, a light source, and a biometric circuit for detecting the presence of a patterned object such as a fingerprint at the light refracting device. Incident light from the light source is projected through a light receiving surface of the light refracting device and is directly reflected off an imaging surface. The resulting image is projected through the focusing lens. The focusing lens has a diameter which is larger than the projection of the patterned object through the light refracting device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Harry H. Teng
  • 👤 Sung-Chan Jo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 17:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/12; G06V40/13; G06V40/1324

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 223 words
A compact apparatus for forming a high contrast, low distortion image of a patterned object including: a light refractor for reflecting and refracting light, the light refractor including; an imaging surface against which a patterned object to be imaged is to be placed; at least one light entrance surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which light enters the light refractor; and a viewing surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which an image of the object to be imaged is projected wherein the viewing surface and the imaging surface intersect to form an angle of between 52 and 72 degrees; at least one focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and for receiving and focusing an image of the patterned object projected through the viewing surface, the focusing lens having a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; and at least one light source located adjacent to the light receiving surface and for emitting incident light which enters the light refractor to create an image of the patterned object at the viewing surface, the light source defining a light source plane and positioned such that substantially all light emitted from the light source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the light source plane directly strikes the imaging surface of the light refractor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 223 words
A compact apparatus for forming a high contrast, low distortion image of a patterned object including: a light refractor for reflecting and refracting light, the light refractor including; an imaging surface against which a patterned object to be imaged is to be placed; at least one light entrance surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which light enters the light refractor; and a viewing surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which an image of the object to be imaged is projected wherein the viewing surface and the imaging surface intersect to form an angle of between 52 and 72 degrees; at least one focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and for receiving and focusing an image of the patterned object projected through the viewing surface, the focusing lens having a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; and at least one light source located adjacent to the light receiving surface and for emitting incident light which enters the light refractor to create an image of the patterned object at the viewing surface, the light source defining a light source plane and positioned such that substantially all light emitted from the light source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the light source plane directly strikes the imaging surface of the light refractor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a coating placed on the imaging surface, the coating selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the light refractor is a five faced triangular prism and the imaging surface includes a first rectangular face of the triangular prism different from both the viewing surface and the light entrance surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the light entrance surface uniformly spreads the incoming light into the light refractor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a biometric circuit having at least one contact located adjacent to the imaging surface, the biometric circuit for detecting the presence of a finger touching the at least one contact.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 133 words
A method of imaging a patterned object comprising: providing a light refractor having an imaging surface, a light receiving surface and a viewing surface; forming an angle between the imaging surface and viewing surface of between 52 and 72 degrees; placing the patterned object against the imaging surface of the light refractor; projecting incident light from a light source through the light receiving surface of the light refractor; directly striking the imaging surface with substantially all of the light emitted perpendicularly from the light source to create an image of the patterned object; and providing a focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and which has a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; projecting the image of the patterned objection through the focusing lens.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 133 words
A method of imaging a patterned object comprising: providing a light refractor having an imaging surface, a light receiving surface and a viewing surface; forming an angle between the imaging surface and viewing surface of between 52 and 72 degrees; placing the patterned object against the imaging surface of the light refractor; projecting incident light from a light source through the light receiving surface of the light refractor; directly striking the imaging surface with substantially all of the light emitted perpendicularly from the light source to create an image of the patterned object; and providing a focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and which has a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; projecting the image of the patterned objection through the focusing lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 6 including the step of the covering the imaging surface with a coating selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of detecting the presence of a finger at the imaging surface using a biometric circuit having at least one contact located adjacent to the imaging surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 184 words
A compact apparatus for forming a high contrast, low distortion image of a patterned object including: a light refractor for reflecting and refracting light, the light refractor including; an imaging surface against which a patterned object to be imaged is to be placed; at least one light entrance surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which light enters the light refractor; and a viewing surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which an image of the object to be imaged is projected wherein the viewing surface and the imaging surface intersect to form an angle of between 52 and 72 degrees; at least one focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and for receiving and focusing an image of the patterned object projected through the viewing surface, the focusing lens having a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; and at least one light source located adjacent to the light receiving surface and for emitting incident light which enters the light refractor to create an image of the patterned object at the viewing surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 184 words
A compact apparatus for forming a high contrast, low distortion image of a patterned object including: a light refractor for reflecting and refracting light, the light refractor including; an imaging surface against which a patterned object to be imaged is to be placed; at least one light entrance surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which light enters the light refractor; and a viewing surface adjacent to the imaging surface and through which an image of the object to be imaged is projected wherein the viewing surface and the imaging surface intersect to form an angle of between 52 and 72 degrees; at least one focusing lens adjacent to the viewing surface and for receiving and focusing an image of the patterned object projected through the viewing surface, the focusing lens having a diameter that is larger than a projection of the patterned object through the light refractor; and at least one light source located adjacent to the light receiving surface and for emitting incident light which enters the light refractor to create an image of the patterned object at the viewing surface.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3383657A Cited
US3527535A Cited
US3771124A Cited
US3771129A Cited
US3864042A Cited
US4003656A Cited
US3873970A Cited
US3865488A Cited
US3882462A Cited
US3891968A Cited
US3947128A Cited
US3982836A Cited
US3968476A Cited
US3975711A Cited
US4025898A Cited
US4210899A Cited
JPS5513446Y2 Cited
US4135147A Cited
US4120585A Cited
US4138058A Cited
US4140272A Cited
US4322163A Cited
JPS5953975B2 Cited
US4338025A Cited
US4253086A Cited
US4246568A Cited
JPS6242285Y2 Cited
US4258994A Cited
US4414684A Cited
US4336998A Cited
US4358677A Cited
US4353056A Cited
US4394773A Cited
US4340300A Cited
US4428670A Cited
EP0045915B1 Cited
US4385831A Cited
US4544267A Cited
JPS6050406B2 Cited
US4745268A Cited
US4835376A Cited
JPH0137934Y2 Cited
US4582985A Cited
US4429413A Cited
US4455083A Cited
JPS6159574B2 Cited
JPS5876705U Cited
JPS58144280U Cited
JPS6143380Y2 Cited
US4486180A Cited
JPS58201178A Cited
US4569080A Cited
JPS63679Y2 Cited
US4467545A Cited
JPH0146172B2 Cited
US4832485A Cited
JPS6365578B2 Cited
JPH0113678Y2 Cited
JPH0158069B2 Cited
JPS63678Y2 Cited
JPS59142675U Cited
JPS59103175U Cited
JPS59139481U Cited
US4681435A Cited
JPS59204019A Cited
JPS6220081Y2 Cited
US4553837A Cited
JPH021242Y2 Cited
US4537484A Cited
JPH0113677Y2 Cited
US4577345A Cited
JPH0250782B2 Cited
US4787742A Cited
US4905293A Cited
US4701959A Cited
US4872203A Cited
JPS6145371Y2 Cited
US4681438A Cited
JPS61198211A Cited
JPH0424881Y2 Cited
US5144680A Cited
JPS61145686U Cited
US4728186A Cited
JPS61151788U Cited
JPS61153779U Cited
JPS61221883A Cited
US4668995A Cited
JPS61240383A Cited
JPS61175868U Cited
JPS61175866U Cited
US4784484A Cited
US4636622A Cited
JPS61201380U Cited
US4729128A Cited
JPS61292786A Cited
US4783823A Cited
JPS6263381U Cited
JPS6272081U Cited
JPS6274175U Cited
JPS6274172U Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2008-03-21 2008-09-20 2009-03-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2012-03-21 2012-09-20 2013-03-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2016-03-21 2016-09-20 2017-03-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag