JP2003050995A - Iris image input device and iris image input processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To capture an excellent iris image through easy positioning by an iris image input device for reading the image of the iris without a position shift and variation in distance due to shutter operation nor a blink in shutter timing. SOLUTION: If it is judged that an eyelid image is captured instead of the iris image owing to a blink (wink) of the eye E of a image pickup object person as to iris image data on the eye E, which are picked up by an image pickup element 22 of an image pickup unit 14a and successively stored in an iris data temporary image memory in a RAM in cycles of one second, iris image data which are obtained one second before and stored in the temporary image memory are read out and stored in an iris data image memory, so, for example, the image pickup object person performs shutter operation specially to securely capture an excellent iris image without a shift in image pickup position nor a failure in capturing the iris image owing to an intended blink in shutter timing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an iris image input device and an iris image input processing program for reading an iris image when performing biometrics authentication using the iris.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as an iris image input device for reading an iris image, a CCD (charge) through an imaging lens is used.
An optical image of the iris is captured by a solid-state image sensor such as a coupled device and stored in a storage device.

Heretofore, conventionally, when an iris image is picked up in a manual mode, after the person to be imaged makes the input mode, the eye of the person to be imaged is aligned with the image pickup lens and the position of the eye with respect to the image pickup lens and By operating the shutter in a state where the distance seems to be good, the iris image data captured by the image sensor is stored in the storage device.

When the iris image is picked up in the auto mode, the shutter is automatically operated after a certain period of time after the setting of the input mode, and the iris image data picked up by the image pickup device is taken into the storage device. .

[0005]

In such a conventional iris image input device, in the case of taking an image in the former manual mode, the person to be imaged has to perform a shutter operation while keeping his or her eyes on the image pickup lens. Therefore, the position and distance of the eyes with respect to the imaging lens change when the shutter is operated, and there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a good iris image.

Even in the latter auto mode, the captured image is automatically captured after a certain period of time after the input mode is set. Therefore, the timing of capturing the image does not coincide with the blinking. There was a problem that the capture of the iris image failed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. For example, a good iris can be easily aligned without causing a change in the position and distance for shutter operation and a blink at the shutter timing. An object of the present invention is to provide an iris image input device and an iris image input processing program capable of capturing an image.

[0008]

That is, the first iris image input apparatus according to the present invention is an image pickup means for picking up an image of an iris, and an image for storing an image for a fixed time picked up by this image pickup means. Storage means, image change determination means for determining a change in the image pattern captured by the image capturing means, and the image storage means when the change in the captured image pattern is determined by the image change determination means An image capturing unit that captures an image stored before a predetermined time is provided.

In such a first iris image input device according to the present invention, the iris image for a certain time taken by the image pickup means is repeatedly stored in the image storage means, and the iris image is picked up by the image pickup means. When it is determined that the image pattern to be changed from the pattern of the image of the iris to the pattern of the image of the eyelid accompanying the blink, for example, the image of the iris stored a predetermined time before is captured by the image storage means. The iris image is captured by using the change timing of the image pattern, that is, the timing of blinking by the person to be imaged as a shutter command.

A second iris image input device according to the present invention is such that an image pickup means for picking up an image of an iris and an image pickup distance of an image pickup object of the iris based on the iris image picked up by the image pickup means. Imaging distance determination means for determining whether the distance is proper, light emitting means for emitting light in a different form depending on whether the imaging distance is proper for the imaging distance determination means, and a light emission signal by the light emitting means A notification unit that guides to the direction of the image pickup target on the image pickup path by the image pickup unit and notifies the image pickup target.

In such a second iris image input device according to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the image pickup distance of the iris to the image pickup target is an appropriate distance based on the iris image picked up by the image pickup means. At the same time, the light emitting means emits light in different forms depending on whether or not this imaging distance is a proper distance,
Since the light emission signal from the light emitting means is guided to the direction of the image pickup target on the image pickup path by the image pickup means and is notified, the person to be imaged properly sees the light emission signal notified to his / her eyes when the iris is imaged. It will be possible to adjust to a proper imaging distance.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an iris image input apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

This iris image input device is composed of a computer, and a CPU (central p
rocessing unit) 11.

The CPU 11 controls the operation of each part using the RAM 13 as a work memory in accordance with an iris image input control program stored in advance in a storage device 12 including a hard disk and a flash memory.
In addition to the storage device 12 and the RAM 13, an imaging device 14 and an optical notification unit 15 are connected to the device 11.

The image pickup device 14 includes an image pickup lens 21 and a CC.
The image pickup unit 14a (see FIG. 2) in which the image pickup device 22 such as D is arranged, and the A / D conversion circuit which converts an electric signal corresponding to a picked-up image output from the image pickup device 22 into digital data are provided. The image data acquired by the imaging device 14 is stored in the image memory in the RAM 13.

Here, the image memory in the RAM 13 is the image pickup device 14 in the iris image input mode.
Iris data temporary image memory for repeatedly storing the iris image data continuously acquired for 1 second, and an eyelid image corresponding to the wink action of the imaging subject based on the iris image data acquired by the imaging device 14 There is provided an iris data image memory for deciding the change timing to the shutter timing as the shutter timing and recalling and storing the iris image data one second before from the temporary image memory.

In the iris image capturing mode, the optical notification unit 15 determines the image capturing distance and position based on the image data of the image capturing person acquired by the image capturing device 14, and determines the appropriate image capturing distance and position. There is a light emission signal through the image pickup lens 21 indicating that there is an eye E of the person to be imaged.
Half mirror 23 or L for visually informing
The ED 24 (see FIG. 2) and the like are provided.

FIG. 2 shows an image pickup device 1 of the iris image input device.
4 is a diagram showing an image pickup unit 14a and an optical notification unit 15 in FIG.

The image pickup unit 14a is provided with an optical circuit for forming an optical image of the eye E on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 22 through the image pickup lens 21, and between the image pickup lens 21 and the image pickup device 22. In the image pickup optical path, the half mirror 23 of the optical notification unit 15 is arranged with its mirror surface inclined by 45 ° with respect to the image pickup optical path.

Then, in the 90-degree refracting direction of the image pickup optical path which is reflected and refracted by the half mirror 23, the light emission form is changed depending on whether the focal distance to the eye E is appropriate, near, or far. An LED 24 is provided for placing a light emission signal on the image pickup optical path up to the eye E to notify.

Next, the operation of capturing an iris image by the iris image input device having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an iris input process by the iris image input device.

First, when the iris image input device is set to the image pickup mode and the image pickup person looks into the image pickup lens 21 of the image pickup unit 14a of the image pickup device 14, the image pickup device 2
The image data captured by the RAM 2 is read and the RAM 1
The iris data in 3 is stored in the temporary image memory (step S
1), the imaging lens 21 based on the read image data
It is determined whether the distance of the optical image to the eye E of the person to be imaged incident via is a proper distance with focus, is longer than the proper distance, or is shorter than the proper distance. S2).

Here, when it is determined that the distance to the eye E of the person to be imaged, which is determined based on the captured image, is longer or shorter than the proper distance, the blinking cycle of the LED 24 in the optical notification unit 15 is set to the above. Notification data for setting a shorter cycle is generated as the distance is closer to the proper distance, and the notification data is used to notify the LED 24 by lighting in a blinking cycle corresponding to the deviation from the proper distance (steps S3, S).
4).

Further, when the distance to the eye E of the person to be imaged is determined to be an appropriate distance, notification data for continuously lighting the LED 24 is generated, and the notification data continuously lights the LED 24 to be proper. The distance is notified (steps S3 and S4).

At this time, L of the optical notification unit 15
The light emission signal for informing the proper imaging distance by the ED 24 is
Since the light is reflected and refracted by the half mirror 30 and placed on the imaging optical path and is incident on the eye E of the person to be imaged, the user for imaging takes an appropriate image of his or her iris position while watching the light emission and blinking state of the LED 24. You can easily adjust to the distance.

Then, L of the optical notification unit 15
When the ED 24 is continuously turned on and the person to be imaged recognizes that the iris image pickup distance is appropriate, and when an instruction to capture the iris image is detected and determined, the RA
The iris image data stored one second before is recalled from the iris image data of the subject to be imaged, which is continuously captured and stored in the iris data temporary image memory in M13 by repeating for one second, and in the RAM13. Is stored in the iris data image memory (steps S5 → S6).

Now, the detection determination timing of the instruction to capture the iris image by the person to be imaged and the iris image data captured in response to the detection determination timing will be further described.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a concrete input process of the iris pattern accompanying the iris input process of the iris image input device.

That is, the person to be imaged looks into the imaging lens 21 of the imaging unit 14a of the imaging device 14,
In a state where the image pickup position is adjusted while observing the light emitting state of the LED 24 by the optical notification unit 15 on the image pickup optical path through the image pickup lens 21 (step A
1, A2), the iris image data captured by the image sensor 22 of the image capturing apparatus 14 is repeatedly stored for 1 second in the iris data temporary image memory in the RAM 13 (step A).
3).

In this way, with the iris image data of the imaging subject being repeatedly stored in the iris data temporary image memory, the winking operation (blinking) of the imaging subject is performed based on the iris image data written in the temporary image memory. When it is determined that the eyelid image has been captured (step A4), the iris image data stored in the temporary image memory one second before is read (step A5) and stored in the iris data image memory (step A6). ).

Therefore, according to the iris image inputting function of the iris image input device having the above-described structure, the iris data temporary image memory in the RAM 13 is continuously imaged by the image pickup device 22 of the image pickup unit 14a for one second. For the iris image data of the eye E stored in 1., when it is determined to capture and capture the eyelid image instead of the iris image by the blinking (wink action) of the eye E of the imaging target person, the temporary image memory 1 is stored. Since the iris image data of a second before is read out and stored in the iris data image memory, for example, when the person to be imaged separately performs a shutter operation, the image pickup position is displaced, and it is not intended at the shutter timing. It is possible to reliably capture a good iris image without failing to capture the iris image due to blinking.

Further, according to the iris image capturing function of the iris image input device having the above-described configuration, the imaging distance determined based on the iris image captured by the image sensor 22 is the proper focal length or longer than that. Depending on whether the distance is close or not, the LED 24 of the optical notification unit 15 is driven continuously when the distance is appropriate, and when the distance is not right, the LED 24 is blinked and driven in a shorter period as the distance is closer to the appropriate distance, and the light emission signal for determining the imaging distance is the imaging optical path. Since it is reflected and refracted by the upper half mirror 23 and is visually informed to the eye E of the person to be imaged, the person to be imaged looks through the image pickup lens 21 for iris image pickup, which is easy and reliable. The imaging distance of itself can be adjusted to an appropriate position. Further, as described above, good iris image data can be taken in only by performing the wink operation (blinking).

In the optical notification unit 15 in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, one LED 2 which can be visually recognized by the person to be imaged at the image pickup position.
4 is configured so that the proper distance for image capturing is easily and reliably notified by blinking drive in a shorter cycle as the image capturing distance of the iris becomes closer to the proper distance, and continuously driving when the proper distance is reached. However, for example, as shown in FIG.
Instead of the ED24, LEDs 24R, 24G, and 24B of three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) are provided, and the red LED 24R is provided when the imaging distance from the person to be imaged is longer than the appropriate distance.
Is turned on, and if it is within the proper distance, green L
The ED 24G may be driven to be turned on, and if the distance is shorter than the appropriate distance, the blue LED 24B may be driven to be turned on to notify the appropriate distance for imaging the iris through the imaging lens 21 as described above.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an optical notification unit using the LEDs 24R, 24G and 24B of three colors in the iris image input device.

In this case, each LED 2 is seen from the person to be imaged.
The light emission signals from 4R, 24G, and 24B are the imaging lens 21.
LED24R, 2 so that they can be seen at the same position in
Diffusion filter 25 in the center immediately before the emission direction of 4G, 24B
Is provided with a mask 26b around it.

Further, in the optical notification unit 15 (see FIG. 2 / FIG. 5) in the above embodiment, the light emission signals from the LEDs 24 / 24R, 24G, 24B for notifying the imaging distance are placed on the imaging optical path by the half mirror 23. The configuration is such that the person to be imaged can easily visually confirm through the image pickup lens 21 as the iris image is picked up. However, as shown in FIG. 6, two LEDs arranged on the left and right of the image pickup lens 21 are used.
The LEDs 27L, 2 are arranged so that the respective light fluxes from the 27L, 27R intersect at only an appropriate imaging distance on the imaging optical path.
Slits 28L and 28R are provided immediately before the light emitting direction of 7R,
An appropriate imaging distance may be set at a position where the light emission signals from the LEDs 27L and 27R located on both sides of the imaging lens 21 are both visible to the imaging subject.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an optical notification unit using the two-point confirmation type LEDs 27L and 27R in the iris image input device.

The method described in each of the embodiments, such as the iris input process shown in the flow chart of FIG. 3 and the concrete input process of the iris pattern accompanying the iris input process shown in the flow chart of FIG. Each method is a program that can be executed by a computer, and is a memory card (ROM card, RAM card, etc.), magnetic disk (floppy (R) disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD).
Etc.), and can be stored in an external recording medium 12a such as a semiconductor memory and distributed. Then, the computer of the iris image input device reads the program recorded in the external recording medium 12a into the storage device 12, and the operation is controlled by the read program, so that the iris image described in each of the above-described embodiments is displayed. It is possible to realize the reading function and execute the same processing by the method described above.

The data of the program for realizing each of the above methods can be transmitted on the communication network N in the form of program code, and the communication control unit 16 of the iris image input device connected to this network N.
It is also possible to implement the above-mentioned iris image reading function by taking in the program data described above.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned respective embodiments, but can be variously modified at the stage of carrying out the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Furthermore, each of the embodiments includes inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in one embodiment,
Even if the constituent elements shown in some embodiments are combined, the problem described in the section of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the section of the effect of the invention can be obtained. A configuration in which these constituent requirements are deleted or combined can be extracted as an invention.

[0043]

As described above, according to the first iris image input apparatus of the present invention, in a state in which the iris images for a certain time taken by the image pickup means are repeatedly stored in the image storage means, When it is determined that the image pattern captured by the image capturing unit has changed from, for example, an iris image pattern to an eyelid image pattern associated with blinking, the image storage unit stores the iris image stored a predetermined time before. Is captured, the iris image is captured using the timing of changing the image pattern, that is, the timing of blinking by the person to be imaged as a shutter command.

Further, according to the second iris image input device of the present invention, it is determined based on the iris image picked up by the image pickup means whether or not the image pickup distance of the iris to the image pickup target is an appropriate distance. At the same time, the light emitting means emits light in a different form depending on whether or not the imaging distance is an appropriate distance, and the light emission signal from the light emitting means is guided to the direction of the imaging target on the imaging path by the imaging means. You will be notified,
The person to be imaged can adjust the distance to an appropriate imaging distance by looking at the light emission signal notified to his / her eyes when imaging the iris.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to capture a good iris image easily with the alignment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an iris image input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an imaging unit 14a and an optical notification unit 15 in the imaging device 14 of the iris image input device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an iris input process by the iris image input device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a specific iris pattern input process associated with the iris input process of the iris image input apparatus.

FIG. 5: LEDs 3 of three colors in the iris image input device
The figure which shows the optical alerting | reporting unit using 4R, 24G, and 24B.

FIG. 6 is a two-point confirmation LE in the iris image input device.
The figure which shows the optical notification unit using D27L, 27R.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... CPU (central control unit) 12 ... Storage device 12a ... External recording medium 13 ... RAM 14 ... Imaging device 14a ... Imaging unit 15 ... Optical notification unit 16 ... Communication control unit N: Communication network E ... Eyes 21 ... Imaging lens 22 ... Image sensor 23 ... Half mirror 24 ... LED 24R ... Red LED 24G ... Green LED 24B ... Blue LED 25 ... Diffusion film 26a, 26b ... Mask 27L, 27R ... 2-point confirmation LED 28L, 28R ... slit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup unit for picking up an image of an iris, an image storage unit for storing an image for a predetermined time taken by the image pickup unit, and an image for judging a change in an image pattern picked up by the image pickup unit. A change determining unit; and an image capturing unit that captures an image stored by the image storage unit a predetermined time before when the image change determining unit determines a change in the captured image pattern. An iris image input device characterized by: 2. The iris image input device according to claim 1, wherein the image change determination means determines a change in the image pattern due to blinking. 3. An image pickup means for picking up an image of an iris, and an image pickup distance judgment means for judging whether or not the image pickup distance of the iris to an image pickup target is an appropriate distance based on the iris image picked up by the image pickup means. And a light emitting means that emits light in different forms depending on whether or not the imaging distance is an appropriate distance by the imaging distance determination means, and a light emission signal from the light emitting means of the imaging target on the imaging path by the imaging means. An iris image input device, comprising: a notifying means for guiding in a direction to notify. 4. The light emitting means is a plurality of light emitting means for emitting light of a plurality of colors, respectively, and emits different colors depending on whether or not the imaging distance is an appropriate distance by the imaging distance determining means. The iris image input device according to claim 3. 5. An image pickup means for picking up an image of an iris, a light emitting means provided in the vicinity of an image pickup path by the image pickup means so that its light emitting direction is toward an image pickup target, and a light flux of a light emitting signal by the light emitting means. And a light flux setting means for causing the image pickup means to intersect with each other only at a position of an appropriate image pickup distance on the image pickup path by the image pickup means. 6. An iris image input processing program for controlling a computer of an iris image input device, wherein the computer is an image pickup means for picking up an image of an iris, and an image for a predetermined time taken by the image pickup means. An image storage unit that stores the image storage unit, an image change determination unit that determines a change in the image pattern captured by the image capturing unit, and an image storage unit that stores the image when the change in the image pattern captured by the image change determination unit is determined. A computer-readable iris image input processing program that is caused to function as image capturing means for capturing an image stored a predetermined time before by the means.