JPH10293833A - Fingerprint matching device and composite fingerprint matching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fingerprint matching device capable of using a common optical system and handling a common fingerprint image data irrelevantly to how a finger is placed on a fingerprint collection surface of a prism. SOLUTION: This composite fingerprint matching device is provided with finger rest guides 18 and 19 consisting of recessed parts indicating a finger placing position in a specific finger placing direction (forward) or a reverse direction on the fingerprint collection surface of the prism. The device is provided with a memory 17a in which direction data showing the finger placing directions of the finger rest guides 18 and 19 are previously recorded and when the direction data indicates the reverse direction, a fingerprint image data processing part 17 registers the image data in the image memory 16 after converting the image data into 180 deg.-turned image data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a surface for contacting a fingerprint, and optically reads an image of the fingerprint in contact with the surface to collate it with fingerprint data registered in advance. The present invention relates to a fingerprint matching device and a composite fingerprint matching device including a plurality of fingerprint matching devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, information processing technology has been applied to society as a whole, and with the spread of information processing technology, it has become necessary to manage various systems and to ensure safety. At present, in the information processing field, input of personal identification number, magnetic card
It is a common practice to identify each individual using an IC card or the like. In addition, in the personal living environment, applications of these information processing technologies are also attracting attention for ensuring the security of keys of houses and automobiles, keys of lockers, and the like. This is because it is impossible to avoid the dangers of forgetting the personal identification number and losing, stolen, forgery, and the like of the key, the magnetic card, the IC card, and the like using the conventional method. Therefore, as a method for avoiding these dangers, it is advantageous to secure the system management and the security by identifying the individual by fingerprint collation using the unique and invariant fingerprint of the individual. It is.

Conventionally, such a fingerprint collation apparatus is configured as shown in FIG. 8, for example. In FIG. 8, a fingerprint collation device includes a prism 1 having a fingerprint collecting surface 1a, a light source 2 disposed on one side (a lower surface in the illustrated case) of the prism 1, and a prism (a lower surface of the prism 1). Lens group 3 and CCD arranged on the right side
A fingerprint reading sensor 5 including a photoelectric conversion element 4 such as a (charge-coupled element) and a fingerprint image from the photoelectric conversion element 4 are processed into fingerprint image data for collation, and the fingerprint image data for collation is used in advance. A fingerprint image data processing unit 6 for comparing the registered fingerprint image data for reference and performing fingerprint matching;

In the fingerprint collating apparatus having such a configuration, when an operator touches a finger on the fingerprint collecting surface 1a, light emitted from the light source 2 enters the prism 1 and the fingerprint on the fingerprint collecting surface 1a. Reflected by This reflected light exits from the prism 1, passes through the lens group 3, and enters the photoelectric conversion element 4. Then, it is photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element 4, and is taken in as fingerprint image data for collation by the fingerprint image data processing unit 6. Further, the fingerprint image data processing unit 6 compares the fingerprint image data for collation with the fingerprint image data for reference registered in advance, and performs fingerprint collation.

Here, since only the convex portion of the fingerprint comes into contact with the fingerprint collecting surface 1a, incident light is not totally reflected but irregularly reflected at this convex portion. Therefore, in the photoelectric conversion element 4,
The portion corresponding to the convex portion is identified as a dark portion, and the portion corresponding to the concave portion is identified as a bright portion.

[0006]

However, in such a fingerprint collating device, the finger placement direction of the right-angle prism 1 with respect to the fingerprint collecting surface 1a is prism 1, light source 2,
The direction is determined in one direction by being restricted by an optical system including the lens group 3 and the photoelectric conversion element 4.

By the way, when the fingerprint reading sensor 5 is attached to various devices, various finger placement directions may be required depending on the configuration of the various devices and the like. There is a problem that the mounting direction of the optical system must be changed according to the direction.

On the other hand, in a combined fingerprint collation device including a plurality of fingerprint collation devices 1, when a common optical system is used irrespective of the orientation of the finger, it is determined according to the orientation of the finger. Therefore, the orientation of the fingerprint image data changes. For this reason, each fingerprint matching device 1 cannot share the fingerprint image data for reference. Therefore, it is necessary for each fingerprint collation device 1 to store the fingerprint image data for reference in the image memory, and there is a problem that the cost is increased.

In view of the above, the present invention utilizes a common optical system and can handle common fingerprint image data regardless of the direction in which the prism is placed on the fingerprint collecting surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a matching device and a composite fingerprint matching device.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image pickup means for detecting a fingerprint image from a fingerprint collecting surface, and an image memory as a first memory for storing an image signal from the image pickup means. Generating fingerprint image data for collation based on the image signal read from the image memory serving as the first memory, and comparing the generated fingerprint image data with reference fingerprint image data registered in the image memory in advance. A fingerprint image data processing unit for performing fingerprint collation, and a finger placement guide for determining a finger placement position in a predetermined finger placement direction (forward direction) or in a reverse direction on the fingerprint collection surface. A second memory in which direction data indicating a finger placement direction of the finger placement guide is recorded in advance, wherein the fingerprint image data processing unit is configured to rotate the image data by 180 degrees when the direction data is in the opposite direction. Converted to And configured to be registered in the image memory as the first memory, the fingerprint collation apparatus is achieved.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the fingerprint of the finger in contact with the fingerprint collecting surface of the prism is illuminated by the light beam from the light source, and the light beam reflected by the fingerprint is incident on the light receiving surface of the image sensor. Then, fingerprint image data is obtained. In this case, placing the finger on the fingerprint collection surface of the prism
According to the finger placement guide, the finger is accurately positioned in a predetermined finger placement direction at a predetermined position with respect to the optical axis of the light beam from the light source.

At this time, when the finger placing direction by the finger placing guide is the forward direction, the fingerprint image data for collation by the image pickup device is recorded in the image memory as it is,
If the direction is reverse, the image data is recorded in the image memory as image data rotated 180 degrees. Accordingly, the fingerprint image data in the same direction is recorded in the image memory regardless of whether the finger placement direction by the finger placement guide is the forward direction or the reverse direction.

Therefore, in a complex fingerprint matching device including a plurality of fingerprint matching devices, even when fingerprint matching devices with different finger placement directions are mixed, each fingerprint matching device has a different finger placement direction. Is provided with a common optical system, and the fingerprint image data in each fingerprint collating device is image data in the same direction, so that it can be shared with each other. .

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. still,
Since the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, various technically preferred limitations are added.
The scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a fingerprint collating apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a fingerprint collation device 10
Is a right-angle prism 11 having a fingerprint collecting surface 11a, a light source 12 disposed on one side (lower surface) of the right-angle prism 11, and a lens disposed on the other side (right-side surface) of the right-angle prism 11. Group 13, aperture 13
c, a fingerprint reading sensor 15 including a photoelectric conversion element 14 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as an imaging unit, an image memory 16 as a first memory for storing a fingerprint image from the photoelectric conversion element 14, and an image memory The fingerprint image read from 16 is processed into fingerprint image data for collation, and the fingerprint image data for collation is compared with the fingerprint image data for reference registered in the image memory 16 in advance. A fingerprint image data processing unit 17 for performing fingerprint collation.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on the fingerprint collecting surface 11a of the right-angle prism 11, a finger placement guide 18 for regulating the finger placement direction is provided.
There are two types of finger placement guides having different finger placement directions with respect to the finger placement direction. FIG. 1 shows a type 1 finger placement guide 18 and FIG. 2 shows a type 2 finger placement guide 19. It is shown.

The finger placement guide 18 has a fingertip 20 located near the upper edge of the fingerprint collecting surface 11a of the prism 11 from the left, as indicated by the chain line in FIG. As shown by a chain line in FIG.
a, which is located near the lower edge, and provided with recesses along the shape of the finger corresponding to the respective directions and directions, so as to regulate the finger placement direction and the finger placement position of the finger to be fingerprint-collected. Is formed. Thereby, the finger placing direction and the finger placing position of the fingertip 20 from which the fingerprint is to be collected, the finger placing guide 18 in the forward direction as shown in FIG. 1, or the finger placing guide 19 in the reverse direction as shown in FIG. It can be restricted to a predetermined position on the fingerprint collecting surface 11a of the prism 11, preferably near the optical axis of the light beam from the light source 12.

Further, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17
Is a second memory 17a for recording direction data indicating the finger placement direction of the finger placement guides 18 and 19 (ie, data indicating the type of the finger placement guides 18 and 19, for example).
And is configured to be able to convert fingerprint image data for collation and reference into image data rotated by 180 degrees. This image data conversion is performed by hardware such as a data conversion unit or by software such as a data conversion program. Further, the first memory 16 and the second memory 17a may be provided in one storage device.

The fingerprint collation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above. When registering fingerprint image data for reference first, the operator operates the finger placement guide 1.
The fingertips 20 are positioned obliquely from the lower left in FIG.
Alternatively, in FIG.
Is in contact with the optical axis of the light beam from the light source 12 on the fingerprint collecting surface 11a of the prism 11 based on the shapes of the finger placement guides 18 and 19. Thereby, the light emitted from the light source 12 enters the prism 11 and is reflected by the fingerprint on the fingerprint collection surface 11a. This reflected light exits from the prism 11, passes through the lens group 13, and enters the photoelectric conversion element 14. Then, the image signal is photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element 14, and the image signal is once input to the fingerprint image data processing unit 17, and is registered in the image memory 16 as the first memory as fingerprint image data for reference. You.

At this time, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17 firstly executes the photoelectric conversion element 1 as shown in the flowchart of FIG.
4, the image data captured in step ST1 is
Binarization is performed in step ST2. Thereafter, in step ST3, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17 further extracts an image of a rectangular area with a predetermined reference frame as shown in FIG. Subsequently, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17 reads the direction data from the second memory 17a in step ST4, and determines the directions of the finger placement guides 18 and 19 of the fingerprint collation device 10 in step ST5. In the case of the forward direction, that is, in the case of the type 2 finger placement guide 19,
If it is recorded in the image memory 16 as it is and the direction is opposite,
That is, in the case of the finger placement guide 18 of type 1, in step ST6, as shown in FIG.
After conversion into image data rotated by 0 degrees, the converted image data is recorded in the image memory 16. Thus, the reference fingerprint image data is registered in the image memory 16.

At the time of fingerprint collation, the operator places the fingertip 20 on the finger placement guides 18 and 19,
Similarly, a fingerprint image on the fingerprint collection surface 11a is formed on the photoelectric conversion element 14, and fingerprint image data for collation generated by photoelectric conversion is converted into a fingerprint image data processing unit 17
Is recorded in the image memory 16 via the.

At this time, the fingerprint image data processing section 17 first executes step ST1 as shown in the flowchart of FIG.
In step ST1, fingerprint image data for reference is read from the image memory 16, and in step ST12, the second memory 17a is read.
Read direction data from. Then, in step ST13, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17 determines the directions of the finger placement guides 18 and 19 of the fingerprint collation device 10, and determines that the directions are opposite, that is, the type 1 finger placement guide 18. In step ST14, the reference fingerprint image data is converted into image data rotated 180 degrees in step ST14. And
In step ST15, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17
As shown in FIG. 6, the fingerprint image data for collation is the read fingerprint image data for the forward direction (type 2) and the converted fingerprint image data for the reverse direction (type 1), as shown in FIG. The fingerprint collation is performed in comparison with the data.

In this case, the fingerprint collation device 10 can be configured to use one of the finger placement guides, for example, the type 1 finger placement guide 18, regardless of whether the finger placement guides 18 and 19 are placed in the forward or reverse direction. When the fingerprint image data for reference is registered and read out, the fingerprint image data is rotated by 180 degrees and converted so that a common optical system is used and a common reference image data is used. The fingerprint collation can be performed by using the fingerprint image data.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a composite fingerprint matching device in which the two fingerprint matching devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are connected via a control device. In FIG. 7, the composite fingerprint matching device 30 includes a first fingerprint matching device 31 provided with a type 2 finger placing guide 19, a second fingerprint matching device 32 provided with a type 1 finger placing guide 18, A control device 33 for controlling the fingerprint collation devices 31 and 32 is provided.

The composite fingerprint collating apparatus 30 having such a configuration is described.
According to the first embodiment, the collation between the fingerprint image data for collation fetched by the first fingerprint collation device 31 and the fingerprint image data for reference registered in the second fingerprint collation device 32 is performed by the first fingerprint collation device 31. , The fingerprint collation is performed as follows. That is, first, the control device 33 transfers the reference fingerprint image data registered in the image memory 16 of the second fingerprint matching device 32 to the first fingerprint matching device 31 as it is. In this case, the fingerprint image data for reference of the second fingerprint matching device 32 is, as shown in FIGS.
It is registered as conversion data rotated by 180 degrees.

As a result, in the first fingerprint collation device 31, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17
As shown in (1), the control device 33 reads the reference fingerprint image data transferred from the second fingerprint collation device 32, and reads the finger placement guide 1 of the fingerprint collation device 31.
8 direction data is read. Then, the fingerprint image data processing unit 17 determines that it is the type 2 finger placement guide 19, and does not rotate the reference fingerprint image data by 180 degrees. 1
5 and collated with the fingerprint image data for collation taken in. Thus, the type 1 finger placement guide 18 and the type 2
Fingerprint collating device 30 in which finger placement guides 19 are mixed.
In each of the fingerprint matching devices 31 and 32, fingerprint matching is performed based on the common reference fingerprint image data.

Therefore, it is not necessary for each of the fingerprint collation devices 31 and 32 to register the reference fingerprint image data in the image memory 16, and the required capacity of the image memory 16 as the whole composite fingerprint collation device 30 is reduced. Less is needed and costs are reduced. Further, the image memory 16
One fingerprint collation device, for example, only the fingerprint collation device 32, may be provided to register all reference fingerprint image data, and all fingerprint collation devices are provided with small-capacity image memories 16, respectively. The fingerprint image data for reference may be distributed and registered in the image memory 16 of each fingerprint matching device.

In the above-described embodiment, a right-angle prism is used as the prism having the fingerprint collecting surface 11a. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a prism having a fingerprint collecting surface for obtaining a fingerprint image by total reflection is used. Obviously, a prism having the shape shown in FIG. Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which two fingerprint matching devices are included as a complex fingerprint matching device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a complex fingerprint matching device including three or more fingerprint matching devices. It is clear that the invention can be applied. Further, in the above-described embodiment, in the composite fingerprint matching device, the fingerprint matching devices are connected to each other via the control device, but the control device transfers the reference fingerprint image data between the fingerprint matching devices. Therefore, it is apparent that the present invention can be applied to a complex fingerprint matching device in which the control devices are omitted and the respective fingerprint matching devices are directly connected to each other.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, regardless of the finger placement direction of the prism with respect to the fingerprint collecting surface,
A fingerprint collation device and a complex fingerprint collation device that use a common optical system and can handle common fingerprint image data can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a fingerprint matching device provided with a type 1 finger placement guide according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a fingerprint matching device provided with a type 2 finger placement guide according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a fingerprint image data processing unit at the time of registering reference fingerprint image data in the fingerprint matching device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing processing of fingerprint image data for reference when registering the fingerprint image data of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of a fingerprint image data processing unit at the time of fingerprint image data matching in the fingerprint matching device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing processing of reference fingerprint image data at the time of fingerprint image data comparison in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a combined fingerprint matching device including two fingerprint matching devices according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing an overall configuration of an example of a conventional fingerprint matching device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: fingerprint collation device, 11: right angle prism, 1
1a: fingerprint collecting surface, 12: light source, 13: lens group, 14: photoelectric conversion element (imaging element), 15
..Fingerprint reading sensor, 16 ... Image memory, 17 ...
A fingerprint image data processing unit, 17a ... second memory,
18: Type 1 finger placement guide, 19: Type 2 finger placement guide, 20: Fingertip, 30: Composite fingerprint matching device, 31, 32 ... Fingerprint matching device, 33
··Control device.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for detecting a fingerprint image from a fingerprint collection surface, an image memory serving as a first memory for storing an image signal from the image pickup means, and an image read out from an image memory serving as a first memory. A fingerprint image data processing unit for generating fingerprint image data for collation based on the obtained image signal, comparing the generated fingerprint image data with reference fingerprint image data registered in the image memory in advance, and performing fingerprint collation; A finger placement guide for determining a finger placement position in a predetermined finger placement direction (forward direction) or a reverse direction on the fingerprint collection surface; and further, direction data indicating the finger placement direction of the finger placement guide is previously provided. The fingerprint image data processing unit converts the image data into image data rotated by 180 degrees when the direction data is in the opposite direction, and then converts the image data into an image memory as a first memory. Register Fingerprint verification apparatus characterized by construction as the that. 2. A fingerprint matching device comprising: a plurality of fingerprint matching devices connected to each other; wherein each fingerprint matching device stores a fingerprint image from a fingerprint collecting surface and an image signal from the capturing device. An image memory serving as a first memory, and fingerprint image data for collation is generated based on an image signal read from the image memory serving as the first memory, and a reference registered in the image memory in advance. A fingerprint image data processing unit for performing fingerprint comparison by comparing with fingerprint image data for use; a finger placement guide for determining a finger placement position in a predetermined finger placement direction (forward direction) or a reverse direction on the fingerprint collection surface; Further, for each fingerprint collation device, further comprising a second memory in which direction data indicating the finger placement direction of the finger placement guide is recorded in advance, the fingerprint image data processing unit, the direction data In the case of the reverse direction, after the image data is converted into image data rotated by 180 degrees, the image data is registered in the image memory as the first memory. A composite fingerprint collating apparatus characterized in that reference fingerprint image data registered in an image memory of another arbitrary fingerprint collating apparatus is read and fingerprint collation is performed. 3. A system comprising: a plurality of fingerprint matching devices mutually connected to each other; and a common control device for controlling these fingerprint matching devices, wherein each of the fingerprint matching devices includes a fingerprint from a fingerprint collecting surface. Imaging means for detecting an image; an image memory serving as a first memory for storing an image signal from the imaging means; and a fingerprint for collation based on the image signal read from the image memory serving as the first memory. A fingerprint image data processing unit that generates image data, compares the fingerprint data with reference fingerprint image data registered in the image memory in advance, and performs fingerprint collation; And a finger placement guide for determining a finger placement position in the forward direction or in the reverse direction. Further, for each fingerprint collation device, direction data indicating the finger placement direction of the finger placement guide is recorded in advance. Two The fingerprint image data processing unit, when the direction data is in the opposite direction, converts the data into image data rotated by 180 degrees, registers the image data in an image memory as a first memory, and The collation device reads the reference fingerprint image data registered in the image memory of any other fingerprint collation device via the control device with respect to the collation fingerprint image data captured there, and performs fingerprint collation. A composite fingerprint collation device characterized in that it is performed.