WO2001084069A1

WO2001084069A1 - Firearm

Info

Publication number: WO2001084069A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/004862
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Jürgen PÖHS
Original assignee: Delsy Electronic Components Ag
Priority date: 2000-05-01
Filing date: 2001-04-30
Publication date: 2001-11-08
Also published as: AU2001263877A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a firearm, in particular, a handgun or small-arm, such as a pistol or revolver, having at least one device for identifying an individual by using dactyloscopy. Said device comprises: at least one light source (10) for illuminating and/or for transilluminating the front area of a finger; at least one sensor unit (30), which has, on its side assigned to the front area of the finger, at least one scanning unit (1) for recording optical images of the front area of the finger, and; at least one processing unit for determining the characteristic features of the front area of the finger, in particular, of the fingerprint.

Description

W A F F E

The present invention relates to a weapon, in particular a hand or hand gun, such as a pistol or revolver.

The problem with such weapons has always been that they should only be carried and operated by authorized persons due to their (life) endangering effects. Since the carrying and operating of such weapons requires both special training (think of the army or the police, for example) and a corresponding character qualification, which is documented, for example, by holding a weapon license, it can have all the more fatal consequences, if such a weapon "falls into the wrong hands", that is, for example, stolen in the context of a theft or a robbery and subsequently carried and used by unauthorized persons, such as criminals.

But also with regard to, for example, sport shooting events, it seems desirable to a certain extent to personalize such weapons, in particular handguns or handguns, such as pistols or revolvers, that is to say to assign a specific person authorized to carry and operate the weapon.

Based on the needs and necessities set out above, the present invention is based on the object of developing a weapon of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it can only be operated by persons authorized to do so.

This task is done with a weapon, especially a hand or hand gun, such as a

Gun or revolver solved by i the weapon according to the teaching of the present invention at least one device for dactyloscopic

Person identification with at least one light source for illuminating and / or for illuminating the front area of a finger, with at least one sensor unit, which has at least one scanning unit on its side assigned to the front area of the finger for recording optical images of the front area of the finger, and with at least one a processing unit for determining the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint.

According to the teaching of the present invention, this solution is based on a completely new principle in the field of weapons in that the user of the weapon is authenticated by means of his fingerprint. The basis for this is the device designed as an optical sensor with at least one external light source for the dactyloscopic device

Personal identification, the optical sensor being pixel-oriented (with, for example, approximately 240 pixels by approximately 360 pixels, corresponding to an active area of approximately twelve millimeters by approximately eighteen millimeters) “scanning” the surroundings to a certain extent and taking corresponding images.

Thus, the electronically adjustable and / or mechanically adjustable device for dactyloscopic person identification (two devices can also be implemented in the present weapon) integrated in the present weapon serves to record and process characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint. For this purpose, at least one light source is provided for illuminating and / or for illuminating the front area of the finger.

In at least one sensor unit, which has at least one scanning unit on its side assigned to the front area of the finger for recording optical images of the front area of the finger, the optical images of the same coming from the front area of the finger are sensed and subsequently processed in at least one processing unit , in which the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, are determined and ascertained.

Thus, the present invention surprisingly personalizes weapons This enables only a person who has placed the front area of the finger on the device for dactyloscopic person identification and who is considered authenticated or authorized by means of their fingerprint to be able to actuate the weapon.

In other words, this means that the authorization of the respective person after placing the front region of the finger on the device integrated in the present weapon, for example an extension of approximately 12.7 millimeters or approximately 19 millimeters or approximately 25.4 millimeters can have, checked and the weapon is released for use only in the positive case; consequently, any misuse of the weapon by unauthorized persons, ie persons who are not identified by dactyloscopy, is excluded.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device is arranged in the region of the handle of the weapon. This is ergonomically advantageous, because an arrangement of the device in the handle of the weapon corresponds to the usual grip position in a hand or handgun, in which the thumb and the four fingers encompass the handle, so that the front area of the index finger or the middle finger to a certain extent "automatically" and without any dislocations comes to rest on the device integrated in the handle.

Such an arrangement of the device in the handle of the weapon is also from a safety perspective Definitely recommendable, because in this way the dactyloscopic identification of a soldier or a police officer - for example in a suddenly emerging operational situation - takes place intuitively, that is without lengthy thinking, so that the weapon is immediately "sharp", ie ready to fire.

According to a particularly inventive further development of the present weapon, it has at least one ammunition unit for receiving / dispensing ammunition, at least one firing pin and at least one kickback detector, the ammunition unit and / or the firing pin having at least one electronically controllable securing mechanism for blocking the ammunition pickup / release or is assigned to lock the firing pin. In other words, this means that the ammunition and / or the firing pin, which can be actuated via the cock of the weapon, is released only by authorized persons, that is to say by the device integrated in the present weapon, who is identified by dactyloscopy.

In this context, the ammunition unit - for example in the case of a pistol - can be designed in the form of at least one magazine and / or - for example in the case of a revolver - in the form of at least one drum. The electronically controllable security mechanism now only allows the ammunition to be inserted and / or removed from the magazine or from the drum when a person with an authorized fingerprint logs on via the device integrated in the weapon at hand and has the appropriate authorization. According to an expedient development of the present invention, the ammunition unit can be assigned at least one charging station which likewise has at least one device for dactyloscopic person identification and by means of which the ammunition can be introduced into the ammunition unit.

Such an optional additional unloading station is not suitable for firing ammunition, but is used for the automatic loading of an ammunition unit, for example as part of the supply of ammunition to be consumed at a sport shooting event; The advantage here is that the ammunition to be used cannot be given to an unauthorized third person, because the ammunition can only be inserted into the ammunition unit after the dactyloscopic identification has been made at the charging station.

According to an alternative or additional expedient development of the present invention, the ammunition unit can be assigned at least one unloading station, which likewise has at least one device for dactyloscopic person identification and by means of which the ammunition can be removed from the ammunition unit.

Such an optional additional unloading station is also not suitable for firing ammunition, but is used for the automatic unloading of an ammunition unit, for example as part of the return of unused ammunition at a sport shooting event; The advantage here is that the unused ammunition is not given to an unauthorized third party can be passed on, because the ammunition is not released without proper dactyloscopic identification.

Such unloading stations can be designed independently of, expediently, however, uniformly and / or in one piece and / or in an integrated form with the charging stations, both the charging station and the unloading station being designed for ammunition of different calibers. The ammunition at the unloading station should only be removed by at least two authorized persons (so-called "four-eyes principle").

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the processing unit is connected to the security mechanism, the security mechanism being electronically operable by means of signals from the processing unit.

Depending on the result of the dactyloscopic identification, the processing unit therefore gives "red light" (in the case of a negative identification result) or "green light" (in the case of a positive identification result), that is to say electronically. controllable safety mechanism does not lock or lock the ammunition pick-up / release or lock or lock the firing pin.

The processing unit can be connected to the securing mechanism via at least one contact, in particular via at least one sliding contact, such a contact preferably in the ammunition unit of the weapon (for example a pistol) or in the handle of the weapon (for example a revolver).

This has the particular advantage that an accident-prone and reliable signal transmission between the processing unit and the electronically controllable security mechanism is guaranteed at all times even when the weapon is mechanically affected, for example when shaken during operation.

According to an expedient embodiment of the present invention, the device integrated in the present weapon is battery-operated. This follows simply from the fact that the weapon must be carried, for example on the body, that is to say transported, so that the need for a mobile electrical power supply arises.

In this context, it is recommended to use the security mechanism and / or the

Processing unit at least one

Associate accumulator unit, in particular at least one accumulator unit based on lithium and / or on silicon, for the electrical voltage supply. Such an accumulator unit is preferably integrated in the ammunition unit of the weapon (for example a pistol) or also in the handle of the weapon (for example a revolver), the accumulator unit being exchangeable and / or exchangeable and / or from the, according to a practical embodiment of the present invention Weapon, especially from the handle of the weapon, can be removed or inserted into the weapon, in particular into the handle of the weapon.

The accumulator opening unit can advantageously be designed in such a way that, after the accumulator unit has been charged, a capacity is kept available for, for example, about a week; In order to reliably and unexpectedly suspend the accumulator unit in this context, the accumulator unit emits at least one signal, in particular at least one acoustic and / or optical signal, when a predetermined remaining operating time, for example when a predetermined remaining operating time of approximately five hours is reached Warning signal, from.

Corresponding ammunition can thus be introduced into the ammunition unit without the loss of a cartridge after the accumulator unit has been charged. In this case, the ammunition can no longer be removed from the ammunition unit, unless a person with an authorized fingerprint logs on via the device integrated in the present weapon and there is a corresponding authorization.

If the present weapon is to be further developed in a particularly inventive manner, then at least one mechanical securing unit, for example at least one securing latch which locks the trigger and / or at least one securing device locking the firing pin, is provided. This mechanical securing unit remains fully functional even after the ammunition unit has been inserted into the weapon, with the weapon being unsecured It is only possible to place the front area of the finger on the device in a preferred manner when the mechanical securing unit is activated.

In this context, it should not be overlooked that the provision of the mechanical security unit also serves to save energy, since the weapon in question can be designed such that the electronically controllable security mechanism only releases the required electrical power supply after the mechanical security unit has been unlocked is fed.

According to a further development that is essential to the invention, the weapon and / or the charging station and / or the unloading station is provided with at least one transmitting / receiving unit for the wireless transmission of data and information, in particular data and information relating to the dactyloscopic person identification. In this way, the authorization to use the weapon can also be issued “wirelessly”, that is to say, for example, by means of radio signals.

In other words, this means that by means of the wireless transmission of data and information both before actuating the present weapon and after actuating the present weapon, a data and information comparison, in particular with respect to the data and information of the dactyloscopic person identification, is possible.

But also additional data, for example regarding the shooting person or the number and exact time of the shots can be transferred and registered by a central authority. This not only increases the transparency of the use of weapons, but also achieves a significant increase in safety, because a "black box" function can be implemented in the weapon, which transmits and communicates all relevant data and information by means of wireless transmission.

In this context, the wireless transmission of the data and information can for example be based on the "Bluetooth" standard and / or on the GPS standard (Global Positioning System) and / or on the GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communication) and / or based on the LAN standard (Local Area Network) and / or on the UMTS standard (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), with the use of the GSM standard currently being preferred worldwide due to the high degree of availability of GSM networks, whereas it is the use of the UMTS standard is a future option.

In particular, the "Bluetooth" standard makes it possible to release the use of the weapon only within a certain area (a so-called "square": for example the respective shooting range at sport shooting events or during training units of an army), that is to say that which can be identified by means of the device by means of a dactyloscopy The user of the weapon (for example, a sports shooter or a soldier) reports with the weapon for the permitted shooting range (for example at a Sport shooting event or at a military training area); if the user can now not identify himself by dactyloscopy, the area acquisition function mediated by "Bluetooth" does not give him approval for a certain area ("Square") or also centrally or individually for all areas ("Squares"), which in this respect provides an additional security mechanism represents when the risk of unnecessary shooting accidents is significantly reduced.

Regardless of this or in connection with this, the provision of a wireless transmission of the data and information on a GPS basis includes the possibility of precisely locating the location of the weapon including the associated charging station and / or including the associated unloading station, which is the case, for example, in the event of accidental loss of the Weapon or in the event of theft of the weapon is essential.

In the context of the present invention, the person skilled in the art will further appreciate that the device integrated in the present weapon makes it possible in principle to assign (groups of) weapons, (groups of) ammunition units and (groups of) people to one another as desired , because each module has a unique identifier (ID = identification):

For example, an ammunition unit, in particular a magazine, can be assigned to a specific group of people (for example, up to 2,000 people can be assigned to the same magazine (type) be authorized). An ammunition unit can also be assigned to a specific group of weapons.

An ammunition unit can also be "personalized" for certain total terms of the authorization or for certain usage cycles. Similarly, an ammunition unit, in particular a magazine, can be assigned to a specific time period (a so-called "time window") in which it is released and can be used; this effectively prevents abuse at sport shooting events, for example.

A particularly important advantage, already indicated above, can be seen in the fact that the weapon equipped with the device according to the present invention, in particular its ammunition unit, can record each release of the ammunition with the time, since the kickback detector registers the firing of the actual shot.

Furthermore, the weapon according to the present invention makes it possible to change, expand or delete the release parameters when the ammunition unit is returned, for example to extend the "time window" (with automatic winter / summer time function).

According to a particularly important feature of the present weapon, it is also possible to store and save additional data and information in the processing unit and to record it, for example with regard to the person shooting or the number and exact time of the shots. This will not only achieved more transparency when using weapons, but also a significant gain in security, because a "black box" function can be implemented in the weapon, so to speak, which records all relevant data and information in the processing unit.

As a result, it can be stated that the present invention opens up the possibility of registering all the ammunition units issued in an authorized, state or privately organized authority. This possibility can also be extended to the registration and statistical recording of all firing movements with weapons according to the present invention, so that, in addition to the safe handling of ammunition, an exact recording of the stock of used and unused ammunition is made possible.

According to one feature of the present weapon, which is essential to the invention, it has a teach-in mode, that is to say the matching of the fingerprint recorded by means of the device (so-called “finger matching”) is carried out using software, there being essentially two possibilities:

The so-called "finger matching" can be carried out electronically, for example, via at least one button "finger adjustment" provided on the weapon or the like; mechanically ^"way, the so-called" finger Matching ", for example, by means of at least one provided on the weapon setting means, such as by at least one regulating screw, in the form of an automatic scanning process.

A particularly uniform illumination of the front area of the finger and consequently particularly reliable results of the device integrated in the present weapon can be achieved in that the light source is expediently arranged to the side of the scanning unit. For the same purposes, the light can be emitted independently of this or in addition to this from the light source in the direction of the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger.

Accordingly, in the present weapon, the device enables adequate, reliable, timely illumination of the front area of the finger, in which both the device integrated in the present weapon is fully visible and the process of the dactyloscopic person identification is understandable for the person to be identified and is transparent and with which ultimately good and reliable results can always be achieved regardless of the ambient light conditions. For this purpose, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light source can be regulated as a function of the ambient light conditions.

Therefore, an adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC = "adaptive light control"), that is one Type "intelligent light control" provided, by means of which the deficits in changing ambient lighting conditions, such as changing room lighting or changing solar radiation, can be compensated for by adapting the device integrated in the present weapon or the algorithm controlling the device to the respective lighting conditions.

For this purpose, the weapon is preferably provided with at least one control means for regulating the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light source. With this control means, a continuous or temporary measuring method can be carried out, with which a permanently good image quality can be determined and with which, if necessary, optimal saturation can be achieved by means of short-term light pulses, matched to contrast and depth of field, the short-term light pulses in their duration and / or in their Intensity can be dosed exactly to the actually required amount of light.

According to an advantageous development of the present invention, the control means has: at least one detection module for detecting the ambient light conditions, the detection module being able to be embodied uniformly with the sensor unit and / or as part of the sensor unit; at least one evaluation module for determining the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses in adaptation to the ambient light conditions detected by the detection module, the Evaluation module can be formed uniformly with at least one evaluation unit and / or as part of at least one evaluation unit, which is preferably arranged downstream of the sensor unit; and at least one memory module for storing threshold values intended for regulating the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses, the memory module being able to be embodied uniformly with at least one memory unit and / or as part of at least one memory unit which is preferably arranged downstream of the sensor unit ,

The mode of operation and the function of the control means is, for example, such that the detection module detects the respective ambient light conditions, these are evaluated and analyzed in the evaluation module, and a comparison is made in the evaluation module with predetermined threshold values stored in the memory module.

Depending on the result of this comparison, the light source, which is connected to the control means and here in particular to the evaluation module, is then addressed by the control means, the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light source being adapted to the ambient light conditions determined.

As a result, the light pulses can be designed dynamically and adaptively both in terms of their duration and in terms of their intensity, so that for any type of ambient light (for example strong sunshine, weak sunshine, dim light, diffuse light, Gas light, moonlight, artificial lighting, ...) to provide the required light and thus to obtain high-contrast and deep images of the front area of the finger.

In particular, with the adaptive light control illuminances from zero lux to about 40,000 lux can be realized, the latter illuminance value roughly corresponding to direct sunlight. The results that can be achieved with this adaptive light control have a contrast and depth of field increase of up to about eighty percent compared to conventional lighting systems with continuous light, the type of light control according to the invention having the advantage that it changes the amount of light required in a time range of less than with changing lighting conditions Can dose and provide 100 milliseconds, so that an almost constant image quality can be obtained in all conceivable lighting conditions.

The advantage of the present weapon, which is essential to the invention, is therefore to be seen in the "intelligent control" which, as it were, adjusts the amount of light irradiated to a certain extent and calculates it separately for each area around the object to be illuminated, that is to say around the front area of the finger and makes it available so that overexposure or underexposure is excluded with a probability bordering on certainty.

In this context, statically working Illumination units, such as those provided in conventional devices for dactyloscopic person identification by means of at least one fingerprint, have a further disadvantage in that the amount of light they provide cannot be emitted on an object-related basis, i.e. a ten millimeter-thick object is emitted with the same amount of light as a five Millimeter-thick object is illuminated, which results in blurring and partial overexposure.

In contrast to this, the device integrated in the present weapon expediently enables the uniform illumination of an object, for example the front region of a finger, regardless of the strength of the object, which moreover also has a more or less strong light conductivity or more or may have less strong reflectivity, and regardless of whether this object is now illuminated frontally, laterally and / or from the back by stray light.

Accordingly, it does not matter in the device integrated in the present weapon, at what angle and from which point light is irradiated onto the object to be illuminated; only the duration and / or the intensity of the additionally required light is to be regulated individually for each area, but the recording of the optical images by the scanning unit is preferably controlled by means of light pulses emitted by the light source.

The advantages of the present adaptive light control ultimately lead to the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, can be determined without substantial change in the exposure times while maintaining the full contrast and depth of field.

The control means for the adaptive light control is expediently designed as at least one logic component and / or as at least one logic circuit, in particular as at least one standard logic component or as at least one programmable logic (FPGA = field programmable gate array). Alternatively or in addition to this, the control means can also be designed as at least one digital signal processing unit (DSP digital signal processor) and / or as at least one microcontroller.

As already stated above, the control means provided for the implementation of the adaptive light control in accordance with an expedient embodiment has at least one detection module, at least one evaluation module and at least one memory module. If the detection module is now preferably configured uniformly with the sensor unit and / or as part of the sensor unit, the photosensitive surface and / or the photosensitive layer of the sensor unit can use the adaptive light control to a certain extent self-regulate the amount of light required for each of its areas request what works particularly well if the evaluation module of the control means is designed uniformly with the evaluation unit and / or as part of the evaluation unit. Conventional devices for dactyloscopic person identification cannot do this because such known devices (cf. German laid-open specification DE 44 04 918 AI) regulate the incident light inflexibly and rigidly for the entire area of the scanning unit or the sensor unit; in contrast, only the adaptive light control is able to provide the required amount of light in terms of duration and / or intensity in the evaluation module with respect to optimum saturation for each area of the surface and / or the layer of the scanning unit or the sensor unit calculate and deliver immediately.

According to a particularly advantageous development of the present invention, it can be part of the adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC = "adaptive light control"), that is to say the "intelligent light control", that the electrical signals in the sensor unit and / or in the evaluation unit can be amplified via the various areas of the optical images. In this context, it can be of essential importance for the invention to make the amplification of the electrical signals in the sensor unit and / or in the evaluation unit variable over the different areas of the optical images.

The background of this particularly advantageous further development is the fact that the intensity distribution and consequently the contrast of the light scattered inside the front area of the finger are neither uniform nor constant over the entire width of the optical images, but in the middle areas of the optical images is less than in the edge areas of the optical images, which can be connected, among other things, that the at least one light source can be arranged laterally next to the scanning unit and that the light from the light source in the direction of that of the Scanning unit facing away from the front area of the finger to be covered or swept over the device integrated in the present weapon can be emitted.

As a result, less light reaches the central areas covered by the front area of the finger on the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered by the front area of the finger than in the lateral areas, so that the intensity and - directly proportional to this - the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas.

To remedy this shortcoming, according to a preferred development of the present invention, the amplification of the electrical signals in the central regions of the optical images can be greater, and in this case, for example, about a factor of 2 to 3 greater than the amplification of the electrical signals in the edge regions of the optical images his. Such electronic modulation by means of variable amplification factors can be carried out in each line of the optical images.

This allows for elegant, electronic The fact that the intensity and the contrast of the scattered light is weaker in the central areas than in the peripheral areas is compensated for, the amplification being selectable over the different areas of the optical images so that the product of respective / m scattered light intensity / contrast and respective gain factor is directly proportional output signal of approximately constant intensity; This technical measure significantly improves the quality of the results that can be obtained with the device integrated in the present weapon.

According to a further development of the present weapon, which is essential to the invention, its device is designed for the transition to a state of rest. This is advantageous insofar as the electrical voltage required for operating the device integrated in the present weapon is obtained from batteries (rechargeable battery unit; see above), optionally also with the aid of solar collectors, so that potential savings in this regard are highly welcome by providing a state of rest ,

For this purpose, at least one capacitive circuit, preferably integrated in the control means, can expediently be provided, by means of which the device integrated in the present weapon switches to the idle state (= so-called "sleep" mode) after a predetermined period of non-use and by means of which the device in the present weapon integrated device when hanging up or when swiping with the front area of the finger is "woken up" again, that is, goes back to an operational state.

As seen, both a "sleep" function and a "wake up" function can be implemented in the device integrated in the present weapon, the capacitive circuit should expediently be designed such that the idle weapon is in the present weapon integrated device can be activated within a period of about ten milliseconds to about 100 milliseconds.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device integrated in the present weapon can be switched off before a shot is fired in order to minimize the effects of the discharges and potential shifts acting on the weapon when the weapon is fired.

According to a particularly inventive further development of the present weapon, at least one additional or second device designed as a camera module for person identification is provided, the optics of the camera module, for example having at least one specially ground lens, exemplarily having a diameter of approximately 2.5 millimeters or an area of approximately 2 , 5 millimeters to about 2.5 millimeters. The camera module can be at least partially integrated into a fiber-optic area to be explained below.

If the optics of such a camera module For example, if it is designed for facial recognition, then, for example, when certain facial-specific features of a person are stored in the storage unit or in the processing unit of the weapon, a deliberate or erroneous shooting of a person, for example a hostage during sniper missions, can be prevented in a reliable manner, because by direct comparison of the face-specific features of the person stored in the storage unit or in the processing unit with the actual face-specific features of the person recorded by the camera module, the weapon can be blocked or released depending on the result of this comparison.

Alternatively or in addition to this, there is also the possibility of taking at least one picture, for example in the form of at least one photograph, when firing a shot with the weapon using the camera module, which is particularly useful in court in the case of questions of credibility or evidence that later emerged from experience. Not least for these reasons, it is advisable to arrange the optics of the camera module in the direction of the open end of the barrel or barrel of the weapon, especially at the muzzle of the weapon.

If the present invention is to be developed in a particularly advantageous manner, at least one fiber-optic region of constant density or of varying density must be provided in the device integrated in the present weapon, through which the optical images of the front area of the finger can be transported to the scanning unit.

In order to ensure proper transport of the light originating from the front area of the finger through the optionally provided fiber-optic area to the scanning unit, the fibers in the fiber-optic area are oriented essentially perpendicular to the entry surface and / or the exit surface of the fiber-optic area according to an embodiment of the invention.

For the same purposes, the fibers in the fiber optic area are arranged essentially parallel to one another in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As an alternative to this, the fibers in the fiber-optic area can have two directions, which are arranged at an angle to one another, according to a further development essential to the invention. In this case, an embodiment is preferred in which the fibers are arranged in layers in the fiber-optic region, the fibers within a layer being essentially parallel to one another and the fibers of adjacent layers at an angle to one another.

In the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the fibers of the fiber-optic region, which are arranged in one direction at an angle to the other direction, are expediently for transporting light toward the finger region facing away from the scanning unit covering side or to be covered over provided the device integrated in the present weapon, while the fibers of the fiber optic region arranged in the other direction are expediently provided for transporting the optical images of the front region of the finger to the scanning unit.

A special mention in this connection requires that the arrangement of an optical system can be obsolete to the extent that the above-mentioned preferred embodiment with two preferred directions for the fibers. uniform illumination of the front area of the finger can be ensured by the fibers of the fiber optic area arranged in one direction at an angle to the other direction.

According to a particularly inventive development of the present weapon, at least some of the fibers in the fiber-optic area are at least partially surrounded by (light) absorbing material in the form of a coating and / or in the form of a casing. As a result, light incident from outside through a side surface of the fibers and / or light incident from an adjacent fiber is absorbed, so that via each fiber only the light entering the fiber optic region at a certain point through the fiber optic region to the exit surface thereof is forwarded. In this way, a change in the light pattern obtained on the entry surface of the fiber-optic region is reliably avoided. According to an alternative or additional, also particularly inventive further development of the present weapon, at least some of the fibers in the fiber-optic area are at least partially surrounded by (light) reflecting material in the form of a coating and / or in the form of a sheath, which in the respective light Fiber is preferably reflected back from the wall of this fiber into the interior of this fiber. As a result, the transport of the optical images through the fiber-optic region to the scanning unit is favored insofar as each fiber only forwards the light entering the fiber-optic region at a certain region through the fiber-optic region to the exit surface thereof. In this way, a change in the light pattern obtained on the entry surface of the fiber-optic region is reliably avoided.

Regardless of the point of view of a possible additional optical system, there is an extension for the fiber optic area that extends into the area above the light source, so that the latter is covered and protected from manual intervention.

Since the scanning unit should naturally only be reached by light that carries the information relating to the optical images, that is to say that is scattered from the front area of the finger, it is advisable to provide at least one opaque barrier layer within the fiber optic region, because by means of this opaque barrier layer is prevented from the light source emitted light reaches the scanning unit immediately, i.e. without scattering in the front area of the finger. The barrier layer can be implemented, for example, in the form of closed fibers.

In order to enable a direct, not distorted detection of the light signals by the scanning unit, an embodiment is preferred in which the scanning unit is directly adjacent to the fiber optic area and / or in which the scanning unit is attached to the exit surface of the fiber optic area.

In order to implement the "sleep" function integrated in the present device, as set out above, as well as the "wake up" function, which is integrated in the device, as set out above, in a particularly inventive manner, recesses which form a braid or grid can be used, in particular in the form of tracks and / or in the form of lines, preferably etched into the fiber-optic area by means of acid, with at least one in these recesses _. Metal, in particular chrome, can be filled in, so that the metal, in particular chrome, is ported into the recesses.

The use of chromium is to be preferred due to the favorable properties of this metal, because chromium is both chemically and mechanically resistant, with the recesses causing only very little abrasion. In this way, the fiber-optic area is coated with a chrome braid or chrome grille, by means of which not only the so-called "capacitive start" of the device can be implemented, but also a grounding effect and a derivation of the electrostatic charge transported through the front area of the finger, that is, a effective ESD protection (ESD = electrostatic discharge) can be achieved by means of electronics designed for this purpose.

The recesses expediently have a width of approximately five micrometers; since the fibers of the fiber-optic area can have a diameter of about six micrometers and the pixels on the scanning unit can have a dimension of about fifty micrometers to about fifty micrometers, the chrome braid or chrome grating does not cause any noticeable reduction in the quality of the optical images that can be obtained; the loss of brightness caused by the chrome mesh or chrome mesh is also less than five percent.

With regard to the topology of the coating presented, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the fiber-optic region has at least one active zone and at least one passive zone, two active zones advantageously being provided between which a passive zone is arranged.

In this context, the preferably approximately rectangular active zones serve to trigger the capacitive start described above, which only occurs when the front one The area of the finger is positioned correctly, that is, when the front area of the finger touches both active zones simultaneously or rests on both active zones simultaneously.

In contrast to this, the passive zone, which advantageously has a larger area than the active zone, preferably has an approximately rectangular shape, has no electrical function, but rather serves to maintain the optical properties uniformly over the entire fiber-optic range.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the distance between the edge of the active zone and the edge of the passive zone is approximately fifty micrometers in view of an exemplary diameter of the fibers of the fiber optic region of approximately six micrometers and an exemplary dimensioning of the pixels on the scanner unit of approximately fifty Micrometers to about fifty micrometers to produce no unnecessary dividing lines in the optical images.

In order to achieve a simple positioning of the fiber optic area relative to the scanning unit, the width of the active zone and the passive zone can be selected to be at least as large as and in particular slightly larger than the width of the scanning unit, for example by the width of the active zone and the passive zone in is approximately thirteen millimeters and the width of the scanning unit is approximately twelve millimeters.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment According to the present invention, the braid or grating, and in particular the active zone, is preferably "bonded" and / or preferably galvanically connected from the upper side by means of at least one conductor track with at least one associated contact, which expediently has an expansion of approximately one millimeter to approximately two millimeters having. In this case, advantageously several, for example ten conductor tracks arranged at a distance from one another, in particular chrome tracks, are provided, which are practically at least partially connected to one another and thereby ensure a high redundancy of the connection to the assigned contacts.

According to a particularly inventive further development of the present weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification, the side of the fiber optic area facing the scanning unit is provided with at least one, in particular alphanumeric, identifier. Such an identifier yields significant advantages, in particular in the event of a failure or failure of the device, because in this case it is possible to use a digital one instead of an - otherwise usual, but no longer readable in the event of a failure or failure (-> among other things, problems with a warranty claim) Personalization of the device includes at least one unique identification number or the like in the data record.

In this context, the present invention benefits from the fact that the device is essentially based on the principle of the optical sensor, so that the identifier is read optically and in the data record to be transferred can be installed. The provision of such an identifier thus provides a further optional security feature, and if the guarantee becomes necessary, the identifier can also be read out through the fiber optic region by means of a microscope or the like.

The identifier applied, for example, when the light sources are inserted, is expediently assigned to the respective device, in particular the user or customer belonging to the respective device (-> special identifier), and can no longer be reached from the side of the fiber-optic region facing away from the scanning unit, in particular, cannot be changed or otherwise manipulated.

If the present weapon, in particular in the form of a pistol, is to be further developed in a particularly inventive manner, the device for dactyloscopic person identification is arranged in the region of the trigger of the weapon. In this way, the process of authentication or identification with respect to the person operating the weapon can be advantageously connected to a rapid, for example police, use of the weapon, so that it is not unnecessary when the weapon is released, in the case of self-defense possibly even life-threatening delays.

Advantageously, the device is at least partially integrated in the trigger of the weapon, so that Placing the front area of the finger on the device can be linked in a particularly skillful and expeditious manner with the trigger pulling; the technology of implementing the device in the fume cupboard can be used in the same way for axially mounted fume cupboards as well as for radially mounted fume cupboards.

In order to ensure proper transport of the light originating from the front area of the finger to the scanning unit, the deduction can be at least partially, in particular completely, formed by the fiber optic area. It may be advantageous here, for example, for reasons of material savings, for reasons of optics or also for synergetic reasons if the deduction is formed by the fiber-optic area at least in its area assigned to the front area of the finger.

If the transport of the light originating from the front area of the finger to the scanning unit is to be optimized, the fibers of the fiber optic area according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention have a shape which tapers towards the scanning unit, i.e. the thickness of the fibers is so far variable as this thickness decreases from the area of the trigger assigned to the front area of the finger towards the scanning unit.

According to a particularly inventive development of the present weapon, the scanning unit is to be swept in at least one of the front region of the finger in a direction of travel Drive-over area arranged, the drive-over area preferably being slit-shaped and preferably delimited by two narrow sides and by two long sides. The long sides expediently run transversely, in particular approximately vertically, to the direction of travel and to the narrow sides and are expediently designed to be many times larger than the narrow sides.

In this embodiment of the optionally provided drive-over area, the optical images of the front area of the finger, which can preferably be converted into electrical signals, are recorded to a certain extent on the basis of a spatial component that extends transversely, in particular approximately perpendicular, to the drive-over direction, and on the basis of a temporal Component which is defined by the front area of the finger being swept over the appropriately optically transparent passage area.

As a result, the scanning unit takes up very little space and can be accommodated compactly in the drive-over area, so that the device can be easily integrated into the weapon.

Due to the reduced material expenditure and the space-saving design, considerable cost savings can also be achieved, by means of which not only the device itself but also the weapon in which the device is integrated is inexpensive and thus also competitive on international markets.

The device is particularly advantageous can be implemented in the weapon if the scanning unit corresponds approximately in shape and size to the drive-over area. This technical measure also serves for a trouble-free and immediate transport of the optical images of the front area of the finger from the drive-over area to the scanning unit.

Regardless of this or in connection with it, it may be advisable to choose the dimension of the long sides so that it corresponds approximately to the width of the front area of the finger. This ensures that the dactyloscopic features of the finger are recorded over their full width by the scanning unit when the front area of the finger sweeps over the drive-over area in the drive-over direction.

In order to manifest a small and compact design not only of the scanning unit, but also of the drive-over area formed, for example, as at least one recess arranged in a plate, the dimensions of the narrow sides are of the order of magnitude of approximately 0.5 millimeters to approximately five millimeters, in particular in the Of the order of about two millimeters. The drive-over area and correspondingly the scanning unit in the drive-over direction are therefore very narrow.

If the present weapon is to be developed in a particularly advantageous manner, it is advisable to assign at least one detection unit for detecting the ambient light conditions and / or at least one light reflector unit to the light source. Here can by the detection unit determines which areas of the drive-over area and / or which areas adjacent to the drive-over area are just being swept by the front area of the finger:

If the detection unit reports weak or no incidence of light, this indicates that the area assigned to the detection unit is just being swept by the front area of the finger; on the other hand, if the detection unit reports normal and unimpaired incidence of light, this indicates that the area assigned to the detection unit has already been covered by the front area of the finger or will still be covered by the front area of the finger.

In this context, it appears essential to the invention that the sequence at which the above-mentioned messages from the individual detection units are used determines, among other things, the speed at which the front area of the finger sweeps over the drive-over area in the direction of travel, so that the above-mentioned messages from the individual detection units are controlled by the Recording of the optical images can be coupled, coordinated and synchronized by the scanning unit by means of light pulses emitted by the light source.

This works in a particularly excellent manner if, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detection unit and / or the light reflector unit is arranged around the light source, with that from the light source being achieved by the respective light reflector unit emitted light and / or the ambient light can be focused on the respective detection unit.

The device can be implemented in a particularly advantageous manner in the weapon if the fiber optic area is provided in the drive-over area and in this case corresponds approximately in shape and size to the drive-over area. This technical measure also serves for a trouble-free and immediate transport of the optical images of the front area of the finger from the drive-over area to the scanning unit.

According to a particularly inventive further development of the present weapon, the scanning unit records the optical images line by line, that is to say the scanning unit functions as a line scanner when the front area of the finger is moved over or pulled over the drive-over area. As seen, it is advisable to design the scanning unit in such a way that it can record a large number of optical images per unit of time, in particular line by line, with a realistic order of magnitude in the range of approximately 250 optical images per second.

In an essential manner according to the invention, these optical images recorded in particular in rows can then be combined in the sensor unit and / or in the processing unit to determine the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, to form an overall image.

As stated above, the front one In the present further development, the area of the finger is drawn in the drive-over direction over the drive-over area and consequently over the scanning unit. It should be taken into account here that such a sweep of the front area of the finger will not necessarily take place at a constant speed and, in the case of several dactyloscopic identification processes, will not necessarily take place at an identical speed. Not least for this reason, the recording of the optical images is controlled by the scanning unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention by means of light pulses emitted by the light source.

As already indicated above, the at least one light source fulfills an important function in the adaptive light control in the context of the present invention. It should be taken into account here that for the purpose of uniform illumination of the front area of the finger, in most practical applications, more than one light source is provided, for example two light sources or in particular four light sources, which can be arranged symmetrically to one another and / or which can be arranged laterally or annularly, in this case, in particular, can be arranged essentially uniformly around the drive-over area.

With regard to the aspect of the optical recognition of the characteristic features of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, which has already been mentioned above, according to a particularly advantageous development, the According to the present invention, at least one determining device is provided for determining the speed and / or the position of the front region of the finger.

By determining the respective speed and / or the respective position of the front area of the finger, the individual optical images recorded can be put together to form a meaningful overall image that allows dactyloscopic person identification.

In this connection, the determination device can preferably be formed by at least one of the light sources, the light source expediently emitting the light essentially in the direction of travel. This enables distance measurement or observation or direction finding by means of the light emerging from the light source, for example according to a method from measurement or control technology.

As an alternative or in addition to this, the determination device can have at least one inductive element and / or at least one capacitive element and / or at least one areally extended light element for essentially the same purposes. Determining the respective speed and / or the respective position of the front region of the finger is particularly favored in this context if the determining device is approximately slit-shaped and / or approximately strip-shaped and / or if the determining device is approximately rectangular to the drive-over area, in particular approximately in the drive-over direction.

According to a particularly important development of the present weapon, the respective duration and / or the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the respective light source can be selectively regulated in accordance with the ambient light conditions; In other words, this means that the respective duration and / or the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the individual light sources can be controlled independently of one another, in this case in particular as a function of predetermined threshold values. All of the light sources can therefore be controlled independently of one another, the respective duration and / or the respective intensity preferably being calculated individually in the evaluation module for each light source.

Not only the control of the light sources and the number of light sources, but also their arrangement plays an important role in the present invention. The fact that the light source can be arranged laterally next to the scanning unit and the light from the light source can be emitted in the direction of the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger Sufficient, reliable results allows early lighting of the front area of the finger.

Here the light falls on the front Region of the finger essentially from the side, at least some of the light penetrating into the interior of the front region of the finger and being scattered there, the scattering occurring essentially in all directions, including in the direction of the scanning unit; the present invention is therefore to a certain extent based on transmitted light technology, that is to say the optical images of the front area of the finger are processed as transmitted light images.

By placing the skin strips or papillary lines on the surface of the front area of the finger on the fiber optic area or bypassing the drive-over area during the process of dactyloscopic person identification, the skin strips or papillary lines "gradually" close the inputs of the fibers of the optionally provided fiber optic area , so that in these areas of the fiber-optic area closed by the skin strips or papillary lines, so-called through-light, or only very little scattered inside the front area of the finger, reaches the scanning unit.

In the areas of the recesses between the skin strips or papillary lines, on the other hand, more scattered light enters the fibers of the optionally provided fiber-optic area and consequently through the fiber-optic area to the scanning unit, which preferably has at least one photosensitive surface and / or at least one photosensitive layer, so that within the scope of the Weapon an extremely sensitive instrument for Dactyloscopic identification of people, in particular on the basis of the areas of the skin strips or papillary lines and on the basis of the areas between the skin strips or papillary lines, is provided.

The recorded optical images of the front area of the finger thus get into the scanning unit and are then analyzed and processed by means of the evaluation unit which is preferably assigned to the scanning unit and which, in an advantageous embodiment, is part of the processing unit. In this case, the data and information obtained during the analysis and during the processing can expediently be collected and stored in at least one storage unit which is preferably associated with the scanning unit and, in an advantageous embodiment, is part of the processing unit.

Thus, while the evaluation unit, which is designed, for example, as at least one electronic circuit, in particular as at least one ASIC (= Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), determines the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, (Between) the storage unit, which is designed, for example, as at least one chip unit, in particular as at least one SIM (= Subscriber Identification Module), stores the optical images and person-specific data, in particular dactyloscopic data, electronically in accordance with a preferred embodiment. In particular, the (registered) storage unit, which can be mounted, for example, in the case of revolvers in the accumulator unit of the weapon or in the handle of the weapon, when the ammunition unit assigned to the weapon is handed over by authorized authorities with the person-specific data, in particular with the dactyloscopic data, of the Carrier of the weapon or the ammunition unit are "charged" so that the person-specific data, in particular the dactyloscopic data, are stored in the storage unit. Independently of this or in connection with this, the evaluation unit can analyze the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, and compare them with characteristics stored in the storage unit, in order in this way to bring about individual dactyloscopic personal identification.

Depending on the type of use and the area of application of the weapon, the authorization to actuate the weapon according to the present invention can only be provided via the storage unit or can be stored in the ammunition unit for a larger number of authorized persons, the corresponding choice being made by the manufacturer of the weapon or can be taken by an authorized authority.

It is also important that both the device integrated in the present weapon is completely visible and the process of the dactyloscopic person identification can be understood by the person to be identified and is transparent, because this person only has to place the front area of his finger on the fiber optic area in a psychologically favorable manner or guide it in the direction of travel over the drive-over area and cover it with the front area of the finger, but not the finger in a cavity or put it in an opening.

Furthermore, as an optional feature of the weapon that is essential to the invention, the design for life detection (so-called "life support") is to be mentioned, that is, the present invention also applies to the areas between the skin strips or papillary lines and the areas between the skin strips or papillary lines it is possible to observe or investigate whether the illuminated object, such as the front area of the finger, is "alive", that is to say, for example, has blood flowing through it and / or has a pulse. In this context, the device integrated in the present weapon can be designed, for example, by comparing the results obtained for two different wavelengths to determine the oxygen saturation in the blood of the front region of the finger.

According to a further development that is essential to the invention, the method for life detection (so-called "life support") is based on an optical measurement of the steady decrease in the oxygen content due to the narrowing of the blood vessels when the front area of the finger is pressed onto the fiber-optic area of the weapon Contraption .

In this context, the underlying principle is that while the blood flows through the veins, oxygen is extracted from the surrounding tissue, while the blood is simultaneously contaminated with carbon dioxide; this creates a certain steady state in the ratio of oxyhemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin. If the blood flow, that is to say the throughput with blood per unit of time, is changed, a different flow equilibrium is also established.

If the front area of the finger is placed on the fiber optic area, the blood vessels constrict due to the pressure. The resulting increased flow resistance reduces the blood throughput of the tissue, so that the ratio of oxyhemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin shifts to the disadvantage of oxyhemoglobin. The oxygen uptake of the surrounding tissue remains constant.

Now the time of the measurement (s) is decisive. The first measurement should take place at the moment the front area of the finger is placed on, preferably triggered by a capacitive start. A series of - for example about fifteen - measurements within a relatively short time - for example within about half a second - shows a clear monotonous drop in the blood oxygen value until a new flow equilibrium has been established again. This effect is significant and is sufficient for a clear identification of a living finger. If, for application-specific reasons, the above-described capacitive start and consequently a detection of the moment of the narrowing is not possible, this method for life detection (so-called "life support") can also be implemented with an integrated pressure sensor according to a preferred embodiment. A change in the blood oxygen value as a function of the - always slightly - fluctuating contact pressure of the front area of the finger on the fiber optic area can be seen. As a rule, this is sufficient to make an equally significant statement; Difficulties can only arise in persons with inadequately supplied fingers, because the oxygen-rich blood flows very slowly back into the tips of the fingers, so that the oxygen content is relatively low.

Also, with the present invention, for example, a person could only be identified as authenticated or authorized if their current pulse rate deviates up or down from the stored pulse rate by no more than ten percent; the pulse frequency thus becomes a further criterion for personal identification.

According to a further development that is essential to the invention, the method for living detection with the aid of the pulse is based on the functional principle explained above. Here, however, alternatively or additionally, the periodic flow of blood through the veins caused by the pulse and the subsequent breakdown of the oxygen are advantageously analyzed. In In this connection, about two to about four pulse cycles are required, which can be studied precisely using Fourier analysis.

The pulse can be measured after resting the front area of the finger on the fiber optic area in the idle state, which can also be done after the extraction of the optical images obtained; this shortens the response time of the device integrated in the weapon.

These additional biometric data, for example relating to the pulse rate, reduce the likelihood of errors in the identification process because they make it possible to distinguish the "living" finger of the person to be identified by dactyloscopy from an earlier impression of this finger, in particular a "placebo finger". The existing data on the changes in the transparency of the front area of the finger allow the pulse rate of the person to be identified to be determined, preferably in the processing unit, and the transparency curve thus obtained to be used for medical purposes analogously to an electrocardiogram (EKG).

Furthermore, the device integrated in the weapon can also be used to determine optical images whose degree of sharpness is so high that even the sweat glands located in the front area of the finger, which are arranged differently for each person, are clearly and clearly recognizable, so that there is also the possibility of Use sweat glands for personal identification. According to an advantageous development of the present invention, the light source is arranged on the side of the device which is integrated in the present weapon and faces the scanning unit. This is a sufficient prerequisite for the light from the light source to be able to be emitted in the direction of the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger The front area of the finger of the person to be identified by dactyloscopy is illuminated from the side below.

Furthermore, the light source can advantageously be arranged laterally spaced from the scanning unit. This structural separation of the light source and the scanning unit is recommended insofar as, in order to achieve proper operation of the device integrated in the present weapon, it should be avoided that light comes directly from the light source into the scanning unit; rather, only light should come into the scanning unit, which preferably operates on a semiconductor basis, in particular on a silicon basis, which was previously scattered in the interior of the front region of the finger and consequently carries dactyloscopic information with regard to the skin strips or papillary lines.

According to a further development of the present weapon, which is essential to the invention, the light is from the light source to the one facing away from the scanning unit The front area of the finger to be covered or covered over from the side of the device integrated in the present weapon can be irradiated from the side. This further development is particularly considered when the light source is preferably arranged laterally next to or already close to the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger; in this development the light source and the light can also be arranged as it were _. Blast "flat" on the front area of the finger.

Optionally, the light source can be designed as a pulsed light source, which is designed for the emission of pulsed light, so that the device integrated in the present weapon can, for example, also work battery-operated due to the pulsed, precisely metered light (accumulator unit; see above). In any case, a significant reduction in the current required to operate the device integrated in the present weapon can be achieved because the ambient light can be used and the additionally required light can be precisely metered by means of the adaptive light control. The pulse duration of the emitted light pulses advantageously ranges from almost zero milliseconds to approximately ninety milliseconds.

In correspondence to this, the weapon can have at least one pulse generator unit for controlling the light source, the pulse generator unit expediently between the light source and at least one control element for the scanning unit is arranged.

In order to signal the person to be identified by dactyloscopy the respective operating state of the device integrated in the present weapon, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one display device is provided for displaying the various operating states of the device integrated in the present weapon.

In this case, the display device can expediently have at least one single-color or different-colored light display, which signals the various operating states of the device integrated in the present weapon (for example, green light: "device is ready for dactyloscopic person identification" or "device has duly identified person dactyloscopically"; red light: "device is not ready for dactyloscopic person identification" or "device has not correctly identified person dactyloscopically").

If the present invention is to be designed in a particularly elegant and / or compact manner in this context, it is advisable to integrate the display device into the light source and / or to design the display device and the light source uniformly.

In order, for example, to detect color-defective people, the detection of the respective operating status of the in • To enable the device integrated into the present weapon, the display device can also signal the various operating states of the device integrated into the present weapon in accordance with an advantageous alternative or supplementary embodiment by at least one flashing and / or pulsating light signal.

According to a particularly inventive development of the present invention, the light source is followed by at least one optical system. On the one hand, such an optical system has a certain protective function, that is to say the optical system prevents the person to be identified by dactyloscopy when the front area of the finger is placed on the fiber optic area or when the front area of the finger is guided over the drive-over area can touch the sensitive and easily damaged light source.

In a particularly advantageous manner, however, the optical system is designed to redirect the light emitted by the light source to the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit, which is to be covered or covered by the front region of the finger, and / or to distribute light emitted by the light source evenly and / or diffusely on the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered by the front region of the finger. This ensures uniform illumination of the front area of the finger, which creates informative optical images from the front area of the finger. This is essential for a convincing functioning of the device integrated in the present weapon.

It is preferred. the optical system is designed as at least one filter, as at least one lens, as at least one prism, as at least one light guide, as at least one light guide element and / or as at least one mirror, the use of the aforementioned optical elements alone or in combination, for example, from Available space or depending on the required degree of illumination.

Both to fulfill the protective function explained above and in terms of light distribution, it is advisable to choose plastic for the material of the optical system. Plastic is an inexpensive and robust material that has convincing optical properties, particularly in a transparent version.

In order to fulfill the protective function explained above, it can also be expedient if at least the side of the optical system facing away from the light source is coated with at least one material which is transparent to the light of the light source, in particular material which is transparent to infrared light and / or visible light is. This often makes it sensitive protects the optical system from damage, for example from scratching, and / or from dirt, the cleaning of the optical system also being facilitated by the coating with translucent material.

According to a particularly inventive further development of the present weapon, at least one advantageously ergonomically shaped finger guide is provided on the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over from the front region of the finger. Such a finger guide, which can be designed, for example, in the form of a groove, substantially simplifies the handling of the device integrated in the present weapon not only in a psychological but also in a practical manner for a user, for example a person identified by a dactyloscopy , because the person to be identified instinctively detects through the arrangement of the finger guide, in which (drive-over) direction and in which position the drive-over area on its side facing away from the scanning unit is to be covered by the front area of the finger. In this context, the drive-over area is preferably arranged centrally within the finger guide.

If the weapon according to the present invention is to be developed in a particularly skillful manner, it is advisable to design the optical system as a finger guide. In this way, the advantages of finger guidance, namely that Ensuring an optimal sweeping process of the front area of the finger to capture the characteristics, in particular the fingerprint, in a practical manner with the advantages of the optical system, namely, inter alia, the function as a deflection component for the light generated and the ensuring a clean, uniform illumination of the front to be illuminated Area of the finger.

In this context, a special mention needs to be made that the adaptive light control can be used to achieve smooth and smooth transitions for the most varied areas of the composable overall picture in a particularly advantageous manner. Thus, the interaction of the adaptive light control with the finger guidance optionally implemented in the optical system guarantees a uniform light distribution on the object to be illuminated with the greatest possible contrast.

The provisions set out above with regard to the coating of the optical system with translucent material also apply to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, in which at least the scanning unit and / or at least the side of the fiber optic region facing away from the scanning unit and / or at least that of the Scanning unit facing away from the front area of the finger to be covered or swept over the side of the drive-over area with at least one material permeable to the light of the light source, in particular with material permeable to infrared light and / or visible light. Here, such a coating can be of essential importance to the invention in that an undamaged, that is, among other things, unscratched, and clean scanning unit and / or an equally such fiber-optic area and / or an equally overriding area is essential for proper functioning of the device integrated in the present weapon ,

Both in the case of the optical system and in the aforementioned case, the material which is permeable to the light of the light source is, according to an advantageous embodiment, lacquer.

In relation to the present invention, it may be advantageous if the light source is a light-emitting diode (LED), the advantage of such light-emitting diodes being seen in particular in the fact that they are very small and consequently also in devices integrated in the present weapon can be used in which little space is available in the course of miniaturization, as is the case with the weapon according to the present invention. Further advantages are the low weight, the robust design, the low operating voltage and the long life of light-emitting diodes.

According to a preferred development of the present invention, the light source emits infrared light, wherein the infrared light can have a wavelength of approximately 900 nanometers, for example. The light source, which in an expedient embodiment is also infrared To be able to emit light of two different wavelengths, in order to avoid a disproportionately high heating of the device integrated in the present weapon, it should have an output of, for example, approximately 0.1 milliwatt to approximately five watts, in particular an output of approximately two milliwatts to approximately 100 milliwatts.

In order to give the device integrated in the present weapon a certain stability, the sensor unit is expediently arranged on at least one carrier unit. This carrier unit in turn can be arranged on at least one circuit board unit.

At least one opaque barrier layer may be provided between the light source and the scanning unit for the same purposes as _. the barrier layer serves within the fiber optic area. In this context, the material of the barrier layer impermeable to the light of the light source can be, for example, lacquer.

If the weapon in question is to be further developed in a manner essential to the invention, at least one filter, preferably a linear filter, is provided in order to absorb disturbing and excess ambient light and consequently to rule out oversaturation of the scanning unit with certainty.

In other words, this means that the adaptive light control has its optimal effect if the scanning unit does not, for example, "by itself" in normal daylight a state of oversaturation goes, whereby such an oversaturation state can be prevented in an expedient manner by the arrangement of the filter, because with this filter the device integrated in the present weapon can also work with an illuminance of the ambient light of more than about 3,000 lux, one of which realistic upper limit with an ambient light illuminance of around 40,000 lux.

For this purpose, the filter expediently has an absorption level of about 99 percent, that is to say the light-absorbing filter acts as a "dark room" as a result (in contrast to the filter with "window" disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift DE 44 04 918 AI, that do not offer effective protection against oversaturation and cannot function as a "darkroom").

The arrangement of the filter within the device integrated in the present weapon is determined by the structure, dimensions and purpose of the device integrated in the present weapon. However, it seems appropriate to arrange the filter between the fiber optic area and the scanning unit; and / or to arrange the filter on the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger; and / or the filter on the side facing the scanning unit, which is integrated in the present weapon Arrange device; and / or to provide the filter within the fiber optic range.

According to a particularly advantageous development of the present invention, it can be part of the adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC = "adaptive light control"), that is to say the "intelligent light control", to make the degree of absorption of the filter variable over the various areas of the optical images ,

The background of this particularly advantageous further development is the fact that the intensity distribution and consequently the contrast of the light scattered inside the front area of the finger are neither uniform nor constant over the entire width of the optical images, but rather less in the central areas of the optical images than in the Edge areas of the optical images is what is connected among other things with the fact that the at least one light source can be arranged laterally next to the scanning unit and that the light from the light source in the direction of that facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered by the front area of the finger sweeping side of the device integrated in the present weapon can be radiated.

As a result, less light reaches the central regions covered by the front region of the finger on the side of the device integrated in the present weapon facing away from the scanning unit and to be covered or covered by the front region of the finger than in that lateral areas, so that the intensity and - directly proportional to this - the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas.

To remedy this shortcoming, according to a preferred development of the present invention, the degree of absorption of the filter in the edge regions of the optical images can be larger, and in this case, for example, by a factor of 2 to 3 and / or by approximately six decibels to approximately ten decibels larger than the degree of absorption of the filter in the middle areas of the optical images.

It is therefore an optional technical measure that is essential to the invention, in which the density of the optical filter is designed to be variable over the various areas of the optical images in such a way that the density in the edge areas of the filter is greater, for example by a factor of 2 to 3 and / or greater by approximately six decibels to approximately ten decibels than the density of the filter in the central regions of the optical images.

In this way, the fact that the intensity and the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas can be compensated for in an elegant manner, by means of optical modulation, the degree of absorption being able to be selected selectively over the different areas of the optical images that that is directly proportional to the quotient of the respective / m scattered light intensity / contrast and respective degree of absorption Output signal is of approximately constant intensity; This technical measure significantly improves the quality of the results that can be obtained with the device integrated in the present weapon.

In this context, it should not be overlooked that the optional technical measure of optical modulation set out above has the further advantage over the optional technical measure of electronic modulation by means of a gain factor that amplification of interference, such as electronic noise or the like, has especially in the middle areas of the optical images when optical modulation is excluded; Rather, such undesirable interference can even be reduced by optical modulation.

The scanning unit can expediently have at least one component based on CMOS technology or at least one circuit based on CMOS technology (CMOS = complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor), as a result of which extremely low power consumption can be achieved.

According to a particularly inventive development of the present invention, the component based on CMOS technology, that is to say the so-called “CMOS sensor”, can be made extremely thin by means of a type of planing technique. In this context, the "CMOS sensor" has enough storage space and is also highly ESD-resistant (ESD = electrostatic discharge). In this context, the person skilled in the field of security technology will appreciate in particular that with a thinning CMOS component, that is to say with a thinning "CMOS sensor" for illumination, ambient light or a small one, for example in silicon from below, also fundamentally usable LED is sufficient.

Another significant advantage of the design in CMOS technology is not only the extremely low current consumption of only about 25 to 30 microamps in the idle state (= so-called "sleep" mode), but also the property essential to the invention that the "CMOS sensor "carries the entire control and lighting electronics.

Furthermore, the manufacturing process in CMOS technology enables an increase in both the quality and the performance values in terms of digitalization depth and in dynamics; From the existing information, the optimal values are determined for each image area by automatic software-implemented image correction in the "CMOS sensor", so that a homogeneous image is created.

Alternatively or in addition to this, at least one charge-coupled device or at least one charge-coupled circuit (CCD = charge coupled device) can be provided. In particular, this can be at least one single-area CCD which functions as a light-sensitive unit and which has no separate light-protected area. The person skilled in the art will appreciate in this connection as advantageous that a semiconductor area is required for CCD scanning units, which corresponds to only about half of the conventionally required area, because with CCD scanning units the image obtained can be read out immediately in the dark phase and does not have to be transported, as with conventional scanning units, into a light-insensitive area, which usually takes up about fifty percent of the sensor area and from which it is finally read.

The image build-up and the reading of the charges take place in the light-sensitive unit in an integrated form, the process of the image build-up and the process of reading the charges being temporally separate from one another in contrast to two-area CCDs. One-area CCDs are characterized, among other things, by the fact that they are significantly simpler and cheaper to produce than two-area CCDs, because in single-area CCDs the number of components with essentially the same dimensions of the light-sensitive unit is only about half as large with dual-range CCDs.

In this context, however, it should be taken into account that single-area CCDs cannot be used with continuous or steady illumination of the object to be illuminated, because if the image construction process and the readout process were carried out simultaneously, the resulting images would be mixed undesirably. For this reason, as already stated above, the light source can be designed as a pulsed light source which is designed for the emission of pulsed light. In correspondence to this, the weapon according to the present invention can have at least one pulse generator unit for controlling the light source, the pulse generator unit being expediently arranged between the light source and at least one control element for the scanning unit.

The person skilled in the art will appreciate in this connection as particularly advantageous that the illumination of the front area of the finger with light pulses results in a significant reduction in the instabilities and irregularities in the optical images obtained and, as a result, also in the electrical signals generated.

These effects are a direct consequence of the temporally short light pulses, preferably lasting about one millisecond, the influence of the blood flow in the front region of the finger to be examined on the quality of the optical images obtained becoming a negligible quantity.

Furthermore, the influence of the ambient light conditions on the optical image of the skin relief is decisively reduced by the reduction in the image construction time.

Accordingly, the use of the device integrated in the present weapon creates the possibility instead of a blurred one optical images, which result from the use of steady illumination and an exposure time corresponding to the image lead time, to obtain clear and sharp optical images which contain all information about the interior and / or the surface of the front area of the finger at a specific point in time ,

This improvement in the quality of the optical images obtained makes it possible to significantly reduce the frequency and probability of errors in the identification of dactyloscopic persons. It is now also possible to increase the information content of the dactyloscopic images as a result of obtaining additional biometric data, for example the peculiarities of the pulse, of the person to be identified by image sequence processing and thus to further improve the security of the person identification.

The use of pulsed light sources not only leads to the significant improvement in image quality described above, but also allows at least one camera with single-area CCDs to be used as light-sensitive units. The use of single-area CCDs enables high-quality images of larger areas to be obtained. This enlargement of the areas, together with the improvement in the stability of the optical images, leads to a further reduction in the probability of errors in the dactyloscopic person identification.

The production of single-area CCDs with a diagonal of the light-sensitive area of for example about 16 millimeters to for example about 24 millimeters and with a fiber optic input a technically rather uncomplicated task, whereby it is possible to produce relatively simple and inexpensive devices integrated in the present weapon. Furthermore, the devices with single-area CCDs integrated in the present weapon have less information distortion than devices with other types of charge transfer.

The use of single-range CCDs in devices that work with continuous or steady lighting is not possible because the continuous or steady light falls on the CCDs not only during the image build-up phase, but also during the readout phase, and thus the charges would mix, which would make it impossible to obtain clear optical images of the skin relief of the front area of the finger.

The present invention also relates to ammunition provided for a weapon with at least one device for dactyloscopic

Personal identification.

By adding certain additives to the propellant charge of the ammunition, each shot or series of ammunition can be prepared so that even individual cartridges can be personalized. A detection of the caliber of the cartridge type or the release of the cartridge can then only take place immediately before the ammunition is used up; in other words, this means that Ammunition is unusable until the personalization identification is carried out by authorized persons and the ammunition is released.

Further embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention are described below in the drawings with reference to FIGS. 1A to 11, by way of example ten exemplary embodiments of the weapon according to the present invention are illustrated.

It shows :

1A shows a first exemplary embodiment of a weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification according to the present invention, in supervision;

1B shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification integrated in the weapon from FIG. 1A, in a cross-sectional view along the section line I - I in FIG. 1A;

2A shows a second exemplary embodiment of a weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification according to the present invention, in supervision;

FIG. 2B shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification integrated in the weapon from FIG. 2A, in a cross-sectional view along the Section line II - II in Fig. 2A;

FIG. 2C, the fiber-optic region integrated in the device from FIG. 2B, in a top view;

3A shows a third exemplary embodiment of a weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification according to the present invention, in supervision;

3B shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification integrated in the weapon from FIG. 3A, in a cross-sectional view along the section line III-III in FIG. 3A;

3C shows a detail from the fiber optic area of the device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIG. 3B integrated in the weapon from FIG. 3A; FIG.

Fig. 3D the section of the fiber optic

3C in partial elevation;

4A shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification according to the present invention, in supervision;

4B shows the device for the dactyloscopic integrated in the weapon from FIG. 4A Personal identification, in an enlarged view;

4C shows the device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIG. 4B integrated in the weapon from FIG. 4A, in a cross-sectional view along the section line IV-IV in FIG. 4B;

5A shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of a weapon with a device for dactyloscopic person identification according to the present invention, in supervision;

5B shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification integrated in the weapon from FIG. 5A, in a cross-sectional view along the section line V - V in FIG. 5A;

6A shows a sixth embodiment of a

Gun with device for dactyloscopic

Personal identification according to the present invention, under supervision;

6B shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification integrated in the weapon from FIG. 6A, in an enlarged view;

6C shows the device for dactyloscopic person identification from FIG. 6B integrated in the weapon from FIG. 6A, FIG. in cross-sectional view along the section line VI - VI in Fig. 6B;

6D shows a detail from the fiber optic area of the device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIGS. 6B and 6C integrated in the weapon from FIG. 6A;

Fig. 6E the section of the fiber optic

6D in partial elevation;

7A is a diagram in which the contrast of the light scattered in the interior of the front region of the finger is plotted schematically over the width of the optical images;

7B is a diagram in which the amplification of the electrical signals selected in the device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIGS. 1B, 4B and 4C integrated in the weapons from FIGS. 1A and 4A is plotted schematically over the width of the optical images;

7C is a diagram in which the absorption selected in the device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIGS. 2B and 5B integrated in the weapons from FIGS. 2A and 5A is plotted schematically over the width of the optical images; 8A shows a seventh exemplary embodiment of a

Gun with device for dactyloscopic

Personal identification according to the present invention, in perspective view;

FIG. 8B the trigger of the weapon with the device for dactyloscopic person identification from FIG. 8A, in a perspective view; FIG.

Fig. 9 shows an eighth embodiment of a

Gun with device for dactyloscopic

10A shows a ninth exemplary embodiment of a

Gun with device for dactyloscopic

FIG. 10B the trigger of the weapon with a device for the dactyloscopic person identification from FIG. 10A, in a perspective view; FIG. and

11 shows a tenth exemplary embodiment of a

Gun with device for dactyloscopic

Personal identification according to the present invention, in perspective view.

Same or similar components or characteristics of the 1A to 11 are provided with identical reference numerals.

The ten exemplary embodiments of a weapon shown in FIGS. 1A to 11 (in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A each have a pistol with a magazine; in FIGS. 3A and 6A each have a revolver with a drum) each have a device 1 (see FIGS 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A) for dactyloscopic person identification.

This device 1 in turn has a plurality of light sources 10 (cf. FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 4C, 5B and 6C) for illuminating and / or for illuminating the front area of a finger.

Furthermore, the device 1 is provided with a sensor unit 40 (cf. FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C), which has a scanning unit 402 on its side assigned to the front region of the finger (cf. FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C) for taking optical images of the front area of the finger, and with a processing unit 70 (see FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C) for determining the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the Fingerprint.

The peculiarity of the weapon shown by way of example in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A can now be seen in the fact that the user of the weapon is authenticated by means of his fingerprint. This makes it possible, so to speak, to personalize weapons in such a way that only one person points the front region of the finger onto the device 1 for dactyloscopic person identification has hung up and is considered authenticated or authorized by means of her fingerprint, who can operate the weapon.

In other words, this means that the authorization of the respective person is checked after placing the front area of the finger on the device 1 and the weapon is released for use only in the positive case; consequently, any misuse of the weapon by unauthorized persons, ie persons who are not identified by dactyloscopy, is excluded.

Here, the device 1 is arranged in the region of the handle 2 of the weapon (see FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A). This is ergonomically advantageous, because an arrangement of the device 1 in the handle 2 of the weapon corresponds to the usual grip position in a hand or hand gun, in which the thumb and the four fingers enclose the handle 2, so that the front area of the index finger or of the middle finger comes to rest, so to speak, "automatically" and without any dislocations on the device 1 integrated in the handle 2.

Such an arrangement of the device 1 in the handle 2 of the weapon is also to be welcomed from a security point of view, because in this way the dactyloscopic identification of a soldier or a police officer - for example in a suddenly emerging operational situation - is carried out intuitively, that is without lengthy thinking, so that the weapon immediately "sharp", which means it is ready to fire. As can be seen from FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A, the weapon has an ammunition unit 3a, 3b for receiving / dispensing ammunition, one (not visible in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A) firing pin and a non-return detector 9 (see FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A), because the ammunition unit 3a, 3b and the firing pin have an electronically controllable safety mechanism 4 (see. Figures 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A) is assigned to lock the ammunition pick-up / release or to lock the firing pin.

In other words, this means that the ammunition or the firing pin which can be actuated via the cock of the weapon is only released by authorized persons, that is to say by means of the device 1 integrated in the present weapon, identified by a dactyloscope.

In this context, the ammunition unit 3a, 3b is in the form of a magazine 3a in the case of a pistol (cf. first embodiment in FIG. 1A, second embodiment in FIG. 2A, fourth embodiment in FIG. 4A and fifth embodiment in FIG. 5A) and in the case of a revolver (cf. third exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3A and sixth exemplary embodiment in FIG. 6A) in the form of a drum 3b. The electronically controllable security mechanism 4 now allows insertion and / or removal of the ammunition from the magazine 3a or from the drum 3b only when a person logs on via the device 1 with an authorized fingerprint and a corresponding one Authorization exists.

The processing unit 70 is connected to the security mechanism 4, the security mechanism 4 being electronically operable by means of signals from the processing unit 70. Depending on the result of the dactyloscopic identification, the processing unit 70 therefore gives "red light" (in the case of a negative identification result) or "green light" (in the case of a positive identification result), that is to say the electronically controllable security mechanism 4 does not block or block the ammunition holder / -give off or do not lock or lock the firing pin.

Here, the processing unit 70 is connected to the securing mechanism 4 via a sliding contact 5 (see FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A), such a sliding contact 5 in the magazine 3a of the gun (see FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A) or can also be integrated in the grip 2 of the revolver (see FIGS. 3A and 6A).

This has the particular advantage that a fault-prone and reliable signal transmission between the processing unit 70 and the electronically controllable security mechanism 4 is guaranteed at all times even when the weapon is subjected to mechanical action, for example when the weapon is shaken.

As can further be seen from FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A, the device 1 is battery-operated. This follows from the The fact that the weapon - for example on the body - must be carried, that is, transported, so that the need for a mobile electrical power supply arises.

For this purpose, the securing mechanism 4 and the processing unit 70 are assigned an accumulator unit 6 based on lithium for the electrical voltage supply. Such an accumulator unit 6 is integrated in the magazine 3a of the pistol (cf. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A) or in the handle 2 of the revolver (cf. FIGS. 3A and 6A), the accumulator unit 6 being interchangeable (cf. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A) or from the weapon, in particular from the handle 2 of the revolver, can be removed or inserted into the weapon, in particular into the handle 2 of the revolver (cf. FIGS. 3A and 6A).

The accumulator unit 6 is designed such that a capacity is held for about a week after the accumulator unit 6 has been charged; In order to rule out a surprising and unexpected suspension of the accumulator unit 6 in this context, the accumulator unit 6 emits an acoustic-optical warning signal when a predetermined remaining operating time of about five hours has been reached.

Accordingly, after the accumulator unit 6 has been charged, appropriate ammunition can be introduced into the ammunition unit 3a, 3b without losing a cartridge. Here, the ammunition can no longer be removed from the ammunition unit 3a, 3b, unless a person with an authorized fingerprint reports to the device 1 and there is a corresponding authorization.

In FIGS. 2A and 5A, the second and fifth exemplary embodiments illustrate, by way of example, how two mechanical securing units 7a, 7b, namely a securing latch 7a locking the trigger 31 and a securing device 7b locking the firing pin, are provided. These mechanical securing units 7a, 7b remain fully functional even after the ammunition unit 3a has been inserted into the weapon, wherein the weapon can only be unlocked by placing the front region of the finger on the device 1 when at least one of the mechanical securing units 7a, 7b is activated is.

The provision of the mechanical securing units 7a, 7b, which are also provided in the same or similar form in the first, third, fourth and sixth exemplary embodiment and are not shown in FIGS. 1A, 3A, 4A and 6A for the sake of clarity, also serves the purpose Possibility of saving energy, because the weapon is designed so that the required electrical voltage supply is supplied to the electronically controllable securing mechanism 4 only after releasing, that is to say after releasing at least one of the mechanical securing units 7a, 7b.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A, the weapon has a transmitter / receiver unit 8 for the wireless transmission of data and information, in particular data and Dactyloscopic Information

Personal identification, provided. In this way, the authorization to use the weapon can also be issued “wirelessly”, that is to say, for example, by means of radio signals.

In other words, this means that by means of the wireless transmission of data and information, a data and information comparison is possible both before the weapon is operated and after the weapon is operated, in particular with regard to the data and information of the dactyloscopic person identification.

Additional data, such as the person shooting or the number and exact time of the shots, can also be transmitted and registered by a central authority. This not only increases the transparency of the use of weapons, it also achieves a significant increase in security, because a "black box" function can be implemented in the weapon, which transmits and communicates all relevant data and information using wireless transmission.

The provision of a wireless transmission of the data and information also includes the possibility of precisely locating the location of the weapon when using the GPS standard, which is of considerable advantage, for example, in the event of the weapon being accidentally lost or the weapon being stolen.

The structure, the mode of operation, the structure and the effect of the device 1 integrated in the weapon for dactyloscopic person identification are explained in detail:

In that the light sources 10 are arranged laterally next to a fiber-optic area 30 of constant density (see FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C) and the light from the light sources 10 in the direction of the area facing away from the scanning unit 402, from the front area the side of the device 1 to be radiated (cf. first, second and third exemplary embodiment) or to be painted over (cf. fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment), the incidence of light on the front area of the finger essentially occurs from the side. At least part of the light penetrates into the interior of the front area of the finger and is scattered there, so that the scattering occurs essentially in all directions, including in the direction of the fiber optic area 30; consequently, the invention illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1A to 11 is based to a certain extent on the transmitted light technology, that is to say the optical images of the front area of the finger are processed as transmitted light images.

By placing the skin strips or papillary lines of the front area of the finger on the device 1 (see first, second and third exemplary embodiment) or covering device 1 (see fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment) in the process of the dactyloscopic person identification. , "close" the skin strips or papillary lines successively and line by line Inputs of the fibers 310 (see FIGS. 3C, 3D, 5D and 5E) of the fiber-optic region 30, so that in these regions of the fiber-optic region 30 closed by the skin strips or papillary lines there is little or no scattered inside the front region of the finger, so-called passage light reaches the scanning unit 402.

In the areas of the recesses between the skin strips or papillary lines, on the other hand, more scattered light enters the fibers 310 of the fiber-optic area 30 and consequently through the fiber-optic area 30 to the scanning unit 402, so that an extremely sensitive instrument for the dactyloscopic identification of people, in particular on the basis of the areas the skin strips or papillary lines and based on the areas between the skin strips or papillary lines.

The fibers 310 in the fiber-optic region 30 are surrounded by (light) reflective material in the form of a coating, which reflects the light in the respective fiber 310 back from the wall of this fiber 310 into the interior of this fiber 310. As a result, the transport of the optical images through the fiber-optic region 30 to the scanning unit 402 is favored insofar as each fiber 310 only forwards the light entering the fiber-optic region 30 at a certain region through the fiber-optic region 30 to the exit surface thereof. In this way, a change in the light pattern obtained on the entry surface of the fiber-optic region 30 is avoided.

The optical images of the The front area of the finger thus passes through the fibers 310 of the fiber-optic area 30 into the scanning unit 402, which is part of the sensor unit 40, and is then analyzed and processed by means of the processing unit 70, which is arranged downstream of the sensor unit 40.

Due to the differences in brightness between the areas of the skin strips or papillary lines and the areas between the skin strips or papillary lines, it is also possible with the invention shown in FIGS. 1A to 11 to observe or examine whether the illuminated object, for example the front area of the finger, "lives", that is, for example, through which blood flows and / or has a pulse (so-called "life support").

The method for life detection (so-called "life support") is based on an optical measurement of the steady decrease in the oxygen content due to the narrowing of the blood vessels when the front area of the finger is pressed onto the fiber-optic area 30 of the device 1 integrated in the weapon.

In this context, the underlying principle is that while the blood flows through the veins, oxygen is extracted from the surrounding tissue, while the blood is simultaneously contaminated with carbon dioxide; this creates a certain steady state in the ratio of oxyhemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin. If the blood circulation, i.e. the throughput with blood per unit of time, changed, a different flow balance also arises.

If the front area of the finger is therefore placed on the fiber-optic area 30, the blood vessels narrow due to the pressure. The resulting increased flow resistance reduces the blood throughput of the tissue, so that the ratio of oxyhemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin shifts to the disadvantage of oxyhemoglobin. The oxygen uptake of the surrounding tissue remains constant.

Now the time of the measurement (s) is decisive. The first measurement takes place at the moment the front area of the finger is placed on, preferably triggered by a capacitive start. A series of, for example, about fifteen measurements in a relatively short time, for example in about half a second, shows a clear monotonous drop in the blood oxygen value until a new flow equilibrium has been established again. This effect is significant and is sufficient for a clear identification of a living finger.

Furthermore, with the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 11, a person can only be identified as authenticated or authorized if their current pulse rate does not deviate up or down by more than ten percent from the stored pulse rate; the pulse frequency thus becomes a further criterion for personal identification.

In this context, the procedure is based on the Live detection with the aid of the pulse on the operating principle explained above. Here, however, the periodic flow of blood through the veins caused by the pulse and the subsequent breakdown of the oxygen are additionally analyzed, about two to about four pulse cycles being required, which are precisely studied using Fourier analysis.

The pulse can be measured after resting the front area of the finger on the fiber-optic area 30 in the idle state, which can also be done after the extraction of the optical images obtained; this shortens the response time of the device 1 integrated in the weapon.

These additional biometric data relating to the pulse beat reduce the likelihood of errors in the identification process because they make it possible to distinguish the living finger of the person to be identified by dactyloscopy from an earlier impression of this finger, in particular a "placebo finger". The existing data on the changes in the transparency of the front area of the finger allow the pulse rate of the person to be identified by dactyloscopy to be determined mathematically and the transparency curve thus obtained can be determined analogously

Use electrocardiogram (EKG) for medical purposes.

Furthermore, the device 1 can also be used to determine optical images whose degree of sharpness is so high that even those in the front area of the finger located, person-specific, differently arranged sweat glands are clearly and clearly recognizable, so that within the scope of the operation of the device 1 integrated in the weapon there is the possibility of also using the sweat glands for person identification.

The device 1 integrated into the weapon is completely visible; and the process of the dactyloscopic person identification is comprehensible and transparent for the person to be identified, because this person only has to place the front area of his finger on the device 1 in a psychologically favorable manner (cf. first, second and third exemplary embodiment) or in the direction of travel y to pass over the drive-over area 240 and to cover this with the front area of the finger (cf. fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment), but does not have to insert the finger into a cavity or into an opening.

The invention illustrated by means of the exemplary embodiments is further characterized in that the duration and the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light sources 10 can be regulated as a function of the ambient light conditions, that is to say an adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC = "adaptive") light control "), thus a kind of" intelligent light control "is provided, by means of which the deficits in changing ambient lighting conditions, such as changing room lighting or changing solar radiation, can be compensated for by the exemplary embodiments or the device 1 adapt the controlling algorithm to the respective lighting conditions.

For this purpose, a control means 40, 70 is provided for regulating the duration and the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light sources in the exemplary devices 1 integrated in the weapons. With this control means 40, 70, which is designed as a digital signal processing unit (DSP = digital signal processor) with a microcontroller, a continuous or temporary measuring method can be carried out, with which a permanently good image quality can be determined and with which, if necessary, an optimal contrast and depth of field coordinated saturation can be achieved by means of short-term light pulses, the duration and intensity of the short-term light pulses being precisely metered to the amount of light actually required.

The control means 40, 70 has a detection module 40 for detecting the ambient light conditions, the detection module 40 being embodied uniformly with the sensor unit 40 in the exemplary embodiments.

The detection module 40 is followed by an evaluation module 70a for determining the duration and the intensity of the light pulses in adaptation to the ambient light conditions detected by the detection module 40, the evaluation module 70a being embodied uniformly with an evaluation unit 70a which is arranged downstream of the sensor unit 40 and to which will be discussed in more detail below. A memory module 70b for storing threshold values intended for regulating the duration and the intensity of the light pulses is likewise connected downstream of the detection module 40, the memory module 70b being configured uniformly with at least one memory unit 70b, which is arranged downstream of the sensor unit 40 and to which subsequently is discussed in detail.

If the detection module 40 has detected the respective ambient light conditions, these are evaluated and analyzed in the evaluation module 70a, a comparison being made in the evaluation module 70a with predetermined threshold values stored in the memory module 70b.

Depending on the result of this comparison, the light sources 10, which are connected to the control means 40, 70 and in this case in particular to the evaluation module 70a, are addressed by the control means 40, 70, the duration and the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light sources 10 being indicated the ambient light conditions determined are adapted.

As a result, the light pulses can be designed dynamically and adaptively both in terms of their duration and their intensity, so that they can be used for any type of ambient light (e.g. strong sunshine, weak sunshine, dim light, diffuse light, gas light, moonlight, artificial lighting, ...) to provide the required light irradiation and thus to obtain high-contrast and deep images of the front area of the finger. In particular, with the adaptive light control illuminances from zero lux to about 40,000 lux can be realized, the latter illuminance value roughly corresponding to direct sunlight. The results that can be achieved with this adaptive light control have a contrast and depth of field increase of up to about eighty percent compared to conventional lighting systems with continuous light, whereby the exemplarily illustrated type of light control has the advantage that it changes the required amount of light in a time range of less with changing lighting conditions can dose and provide as 100 milliseconds, so that an almost constant image quality can be obtained in all conceivable lighting conditions.

Thus, a significant advantage of the device 1 shown by way of example is to be seen in the "intelligent control" which, as it were, adjusts the amount of light radiated to a certain extent and for each area around the object to be illuminated, that is to say around the front area of a finger calculated and made available separately, so that overexposure or underexposure in device 1 is excluded with a probability bordering on certainty.

The device 1 also enables the uniform illumination of an object, for example the front region of a finger, regardless of the strength of the object, which may also have a more or less strong light conductivity or a more or less strong reflectivity, as well as independently whether this object is frontal, is lit laterally and / or backside by stray light.

Accordingly, it does not matter at what angle and from which point light is shone onto the object to be illuminated; only the duration and the intensity of the additional light required must be regulated individually for each area. The advantages of the present adaptive light control ultimately lead to the fact that a finger image can be determined without any significant change in the exposure times while maintaining the full contrast and depth of field.

As already indicated above, the control means 40, 70 provided for the implementation of the adaptive light control has a detection module 40, an evaluation module 70a and a memory module 70b. The detection module 40 is now formed uniformly with the sensor unit 40

(cf. FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C), the photosensitive surface of the scanning unit 402 can to a certain extent itself request the required amount of light by means of the adaptive light control - specifically for each of its areas - which works in an excellent manner , because the evaluation module 70a of the control means 40, 70 is formed uniformly with the evaluation unit 70a

(see Figures 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C).

The adaptive light control is therefore able to relate the amount of light required in view of the ambient light conditions in terms of duration and intensity in the evaluation module 70a for each area of the surface of the scanning unit 402 to calculate an optimal saturation and deliver immediately.

With regard to the effects of adaptive light control, it is of substantial importance in the illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention that a filter 90 designed as a linear filter (cf. FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5B and 6C) is provided in order to avoid disturbing and absorb excess ambient light and consequently exclude oversaturation of the scanning unit 402 with certainty.

In other words, this means that the adaptive light control has its optimal effect if the scanning unit 402 does not, for example, go into a state of supersaturation "by itself" as a result of normal daylight, such a state of oversaturation being prevented precisely by the arrangement of the filter 90 Because this filter 90 allows the device 1 to work even with an illuminance of the ambient light of more than about 3,000 lux, a realistic upper limit being an illuminance of the ambient light of about 40,000 lux. For this purpose, the filter 90 has an absorption level of approximately 99 percent, that is to say the light-absorbing filter 90 acts as a "dark room" as a result.

The arrangement of the filter 90 within the respective device 1 is determined by the structure, dimensions and purpose of the device 1. This is the case with the first and fourth exemplary embodiments (see FIGS. 1B and 4C) the filter 90 is arranged between the fiber optic region 30 and the scanning unit 402; in the second and fifth embodiments

(see FIGS. 2B and 5B) the filter 90 is arranged on the side of the fiber-optic region 30 facing the scanning unit 402 and in this case within the fiber-optic region 30; and in the third exemplary embodiment (cf. FIGS. 3B and 6C) the filter 90 on the side of the device 1 facing away from the scanning unit 402 and to be covered (cf. FIG. 3B) or to be covered (cf. FIG. 6C) arranged.

As already indicated above, the light sources 10 perform an important function in the adaptive light control in the context of the present invention. It should be noted here that for the purpose of uniform illumination of the front area of the finger in the exemplary embodiments, more than one light source is provided (two light sources 10 or four light sources 10) which are arranged symmetrically to one another or which are annular, in particular essentially uniformly distributed are arranged around the fiber optic region 30 (cf. FIG. 4B).

The respective duration and the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the respective light source 10 can be selectively regulated in the exemplary embodiments in adaptation to the ambient light conditions; In other words, this means that the respective duration and the respective intensity of those emitted by the individual light sources 10 Light pulses can be controlled independently of one another, in particular as a function of predefined threshold values. All light sources 10 can thus be controlled independently of one another, the respective duration and the respective intensity being calculated individually in the evaluation module 70a for each light source 10.

The evaluation unit 70a and the storage unit 70b have already been mentioned above. In the first and fourth exemplary embodiments (cf. FIGS. 1B and 4C), these are provided in a structural unit as control means 70, which is connected to the light sources 10 and via a carrier unit 50 and via a circuit board unit 60 to the sensor unit 40; in the second and fifth exemplary embodiments (cf. FIGS. 2B and 5B), the control means 70 are provided in structural separation and are connected to the light sources 10 via a circuit board unit 60 and to the sensor unit 40 via a carrier unit 50 and via the circuit board unit 60; and in the third and sixth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIGS. 3B and 6C) into one

PCB unit 60 structurally and functionally integrated.

While the evaluation unit 70a, which is designed as an electronic circuit, namely as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), determines (temporarily) stores the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint Storage unit 70b, which is designed as a chip unit, namely as a SIM (= Subscriber Identification Module), electronically stores the optical images and person-specific data, in particular dactyloscopic data.

In particular, the (registered) storage unit 70b, which is mounted on the gun on the magazine 3a (cf. first, second, fourth and fifth exemplary embodiment, that is to say FIGS. 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A) and which in the turret in the handle 2 (cf. The third and sixth exemplary embodiment, that is to say FIGS. 3A and 6A) is mounted when the ammunition unit 3a, 3b assigned to the weapon is handed over by the authorities authorized for this purpose with the person-specific data, in particular with the dactyloscopic data, the holder of the weapon or the ammunition unit 3a, 3b are "charged" so that the person-specific data, in particular the dactyloscopic data, are stored in the storage unit 70b.

Regardless of this or in connection with this, the evaluation unit 70a analyzes the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, and compares these with characteristics stored in the storage unit 70b in order to achieve an individual dactyloscopic person identification in this way. Here, the data and information obtained during the analysis and during processing can also be collected and (re) stored in the storage unit 70b downstream of the sensor unit 40. The data and the information, in particular the fingerprint data and the data, are therefore in the storage unit 70b

Fingerprint information stored by persons to be identified by dactyloscopy, the data and information calculated in an evaluation process from the current optical images of the front area of the finger in the evaluation unit 70a being related to and compared with the data and information stored in the storage unit 70b can.

If there is a match in this comparison, the person using the device 1 is considered to be identified, authenticated or authorized, so that the use of the weapon is approved for this person; if there is a mismatch, however, the person using the device 1 is considered not identified, not authenticated or not authorized, so that the use of the weapon is still blocked for this person.

Depending on the type of use and the area of application of the weapon, the authorization to actuate the weapon can only take place via the storage unit 70b or can be stored in the ammunition unit 3a, 3b for a larger number of authorized persons, the corresponding choice being made by the manufacturer of the weapon or can be taken by an authorized authority.

As already indicated above, the exemplary embodiments shown are distinguished in that, on the one hand, adequate, reliable results timely illumination of the front area of the finger is possible, but on the other hand both the device 1 itself is completely visible and the process of the dactyloscopic person identification is comprehensible and transparent for the person to be identified.

The first, second and third exemplary embodiment (cf. FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B) differ from the fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B and 6C) in that, in the fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment, the scanning unit 402 is arranged in a drive-over area 240 (cf. FIGS. 4B, 4C, 5B, 6B and 6C) to be covered by the front area of the finger in a drive-over direction y, the Drive-over area 240 is slot-shaped and is delimited by two narrow sides 240s and two long sides 2401. In this connection it can be seen from FIGS. 4B and 6B that the long sides 2401 run perpendicular to the direction of travel y and to the narrow sides 240s and are designed to be many times larger than the narrow sides 240s.

The fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A to 6C are therefore based on the principle that the recording of the optical images of the front region of the finger that can be converted into electrical signals is based, as it were, on a spatial component that extends perpendicular to the direction of travel y , and takes place on the basis of a temporal component which is achieved by sweeping the optically transparent passage area 240 over the front Area of the finger is defined.

The scanning unit 402 in the fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment is therefore arranged from the front area of the finger in the travel direction y to be covered by the travel area 240. As a result, the scanning unit 402 takes up very little space and can be accommodated compactly in the drive-over area 240, so that the device 1 according to FIGS. 4A to 6C can be easily integrated into a weapon.

As a result of the reduced material expenditure and the space-saving design of the device 1 according to FIGS. 4A to 6C, considerable cost savings can also be achieved, by means of which not only the device 1 itself but also the weapon in which the device 1 is integrated are inexpensive and thus is also competitive in international markets.

As can be seen from a comparison of the top view of FIG. 4B with the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4C and from a comparison of the top view of FIG. 6B with the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6C, the scanning unit 402 roughly corresponds in shape and size to the drive-over area 240. This technical measure also serves for a trouble-free and immediate transport of the optical images of the front area of the finger from the drive-over area 240 to the scanning unit 402 located underneath.

It can also be seen from FIGS. 4B and 6B that the dimension of the long sides 2401 corresponds approximately to the width of the front area of the finger. This ensures that the dactyloscopic features of the finger are recorded over their full width by the scanning unit 402 when the front area of the finger sweeps over the travel area 240 in the travel direction y.

In order to manifest a small and compact design not only of the scanning unit 402, but also of the drive-over area 240 designed as a recess arranged in a plate (see FIGS. 4B and 6B), the drive-over area 240 and, correspondingly, the scanning unit 402 in the drive-over direction y very narrow. The scanning unit 402 thus takes up the optical images to a certain extent line by line, that is to say the scanning unit 402 functions as a line scanner when the front region of the finger is guided over or pulled over the drive-over region 240.

When viewed, the scanning unit 402 can record a large number of optical images per unit of time, in particular line by line, these optical images recorded line by line then being combined in the sensor unit 40 and in the processing unit 70 to determine the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, to form an overall image ,

In the fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A to 6C, the front region of the finger is moved over the drive-over region 240 and consequently over the Scanning unit 402 pulled away. It should be taken into account here that such a sweep of the front area of the finger does not necessarily take place at a constant speed and, in the case of several dactyloscopic identification processes, does not necessarily take place at an identical speed. Not least for this reason, the recording of the optical images is controlled by the scanning unit 402 by means of light pulses emitted by the light source 10.

As can be seen from FIGS. 4C, 5B and 6C, a fiber-optic area 30 is provided in the drive-over area 240, through which the optical images of the front area of the finger can be transported to the scanning unit 402. The shape and size of the fiber-optic area 30 corresponds approximately to the drive-over area 240. This technical measure also serves for a trouble-free and direct transport of the optical images of the front area of the finger from the drive-over area 240 to the scanning unit 402.

With regard to the aspect of the optical recognition of the characteristic features of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, which has already been mentioned above, in the fourth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIG. 4B) and in the sixth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIG. 6B) there is in each case a determining device 180 for determining the speed and position of the front region of the finger.

By determining the respective speed and the respective position of the front area of the Fingers can be put together to create a meaningful overall picture that allows dactyloscopic person identification.

For this purpose, in the fourth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIG. 4B), the determination device 180 is formed by a light source 10 ′, which essentially emits the light in the direction of travel y. This light source 10 'enables a distance measurement by means of observation or bearing by the light emerging from the light source 10' according to a method from measurement or control technology.

In the sixth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIG. 6B), the determination device 180 has an inductive element in the form of one or more coils for the same purposes. Determining the respective speed and the respective position of the front region of the finger is favored in that the determination device 180 is essentially slit-shaped and extends at right angles to the drive-over area 240, that is to say in the drive-over direction y.

Furthermore, in the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a supplementary device designed as a camera module 170 is provided for person identification (cf. FIG. 6B), this camera module 170 being partially integrated in the fiber-optic region 30 and the optics of the camera module 170 having a diameter of approximately 2 , 5 millimeters.

Since the optics of the camera module 170 for the Face recognition is designed, when storing certain face-specific features of a person in the memory / processing unit 70 (see FIG. 6C) of the device 1 according to the sixth exemplary embodiment, a direct comparison of the stored face-specific features of the person with the actual face-specific features recorded by the camera module 170 can be performed Characteristics of the person are made; depending on the result of this comparison, a blocking function or a release function can then be activated in the device 1 according to the sixth exemplary embodiment.

In addition to this, the camera module 170 can also be used to take an image, for example in the form of a photograph, which is particularly useful in court when questions of credibility or evidence arise. Not least for these reasons, the optics of the camera module 170 are arranged in the direction of the front area of the finger (cf. FIG. 6B).

In the first, second, fourth and fifth exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1B, 2B, 4C and 5B, the light sources 10 are each followed by an optical system 20 made of plastic in the form of a lens. On the one hand, this optical system 20 has a certain protective function, that is to say that the optical system 20 prevents the person to be identified by dactyloscopy from touching the sensitive and easily damaged light sources 10 when the front area of the finger is placed on it. In particular, however, the optical system 20 is designed to redirect the light emitted by the light sources 10 to the side of the device 1 facing away from the scanning unit 402 and to be covered or covered by the front region of the finger, and to deflect the light emitted by the light sources 10 To diffuse the side of the device 1 facing away from the scanning unit 402, which is to be covered by the front region of the finger (cf. first and second exemplary embodiment) or to be covered over (cf. fourth and fifth exemplary embodiment).

This ensures uniform illumination of the front area of the finger, which creates informative optical images from the front area of the finger. This is essential for the device 1 to function convincingly.

In this context, the fourth and fifth exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4C and 5B are distinguished in particular by the fact that the optical system 20 is designed as an ergonomically shaped finger guide. An ergonomically shaped finger guide, which is designed in the form of a groove (see FIG. 4B) and by which a user of the device is provided, is therefore provided on the side of the drive-over area 240 facing away from the scanning unit 402 and to be covered from the front area of the finger , for example a person to be identified by dactyloscopy, the handling of the device not only in psychological but also is also made substantially easier in practical terms, because the person to be identified instinctively detects by the arrangement of the finger guide in which (travel) direction y and in which position the travel area 240 on its side facing away from the scanning unit 402 from the front area of the finger is painted over. In this context, the drive-over area 240 is arranged centrally within the finger guide (see FIGS. 4B and 6B).

Accordingly, the advantages of finger guidance, namely, among other things, ensuring an optimal sweeping operation of the front area of the finger for capturing the characteristics, in particular the fingerprint, with the advantages of optical system 20, namely, inter alia, the function as a deflection component for the generated light and the like Ensure a clean, uniform illumination of the front area of the finger to be illuminated, connected.

In this context, a special mention needs to be made that the adaptive light control enables smooth and uniform transitions to be achieved for the most diverse areas of the overall composite picture. Thus, the interaction of the adaptive light control with the finger guidance implemented in the optical system 20 guarantees a uniform light distribution on the object to be illuminated with the greatest possible contrast.

In the first and fourth exemplary embodiments of the present illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 4C Invention is the side of the optical system 20 facing away from the light sources 10 with a material 80 which is permeable to the light of the light sources 10, that is to say coated with material 80 which is permeable to infrared light. This protects the not infrequently sensitive optical system 20 from damage, for example from scratching, and / or ^* from soiling, the cleaning of the optical system 20 also being facilitated by the coating with light-transmitting material 80.

In the same way, in the first and fourth exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1B and 4C, the side of the fiber-optic region 30 facing away from the scanning unit 402 is made of the material which is transparent to the light from the light sources 10, that is to say material 80 which is transparent to infrared light coated. In this case, such a coating of the fiber-optic area 30 can be of essential importance insofar as an undamaged, that is to say, among other things, unscratched and clean, fiber-optic area 30 is essential for the proper functioning of the device 1.

Both in the case of the optical system 20 and in the case of the fiber-optic region 30, the material 80 which is permeable to the light from the light sources 10 is lacquer.

In the first and third exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a supplementary device designed as a camera module 1 'is provided for person identification (cf. FIGS. 1A and 3A), the optics of the camera module 1 'having a diameter of approximately 2.5 millimeters.

Since the optics of the camera module 1 'are designed for facial recognition, when certain facial-specific features of a person are stored in the storage unit 70b or in the processing unit 70 of the weapon, an intentional or erroneous shooting of a person can be prevented, because by directly comparing those in the storage unit 70b or face-specific features of the person stored in the processing unit 70 with the actual face-specific features of the person recorded by the camera module 1 ', the weapon is blocked or released depending on the result of this comparison.

In addition to this, an image, for example in the form of a photograph, can also be taken when a shot is fired with the weapon by means of the camera module 1 ', which is particularly useful in court for questions of credibility or evidence that later emerged from experience. Not least for these reasons, the optics of the camera module 1 'are arranged in the direction of the open end of the barrel or barrel of the weapon, namely at the muzzle of the weapon (see FIGS. 1A and 3A).

In the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that the device 1 (see FIG. 2B) integrated in the gun (see FIG. 2A) changes to the idle state (= so-called "sleep" mode) after a predetermined period of non-use and that the one built into the gun The device 1 is "woken up" again when it is placed on or swept over with the front area of the finger, that is to say it returns to an operational state, for example in the context of an emerging police operation.

In this connection, both the "sleep" function and the "wake-up" function are implemented in the device 1 integrated in the gun in that recesses 150 which form a mesh or lattice are in the form of tracks and / or in the form of lines are etched into the fiber-optic region 30 by means of acid, a metal, namely chromium, being filled into these recesses 150; In other words, this means that the chrome ported into the recesses 150.

The use of chromium is to be preferred here on account of the favorable properties of this metal, since chromium is both chemically and mechanically resistant, the recesses 150 causing only very little abrasion on the fiber-optic region 30.

The fiber-optic region 30 is therefore coated with a chrome braid or chrome grille, by means of which not only the so-called "capacitive start" of the device 1 can be implemented, but also a grounding effect and a derivation of the electrostatic charge transported through the front region of the finger, that is to say a effective ESD protection (ESD = electrostatic discharge) can be achieved by means of electronics designed for this purpose. The recesses 150 have a width of approximately five micrometers; since the fibers 310 of the fiber-optic region 30 now have a diameter of approximately six micrometers and the pixels on the scanning unit 402 have a dimension of approximately fifty micrometers to approximately fifty micrometers, the chrome braid or chrome grating does not cause a noticeable reduction in the quality of the optical images which can be obtained; the loss of brightness caused by the chrome mesh or chrome mesh is also less than five percent.

With regard to the topology of the coating presented, the fiber-optic region 30 has two active zones 302, 306 and a passive zone 304 lying between the active zones 302, 306, as can be seen from the top view of FIG. 2C.

In this context, the rectangular active zones 302, 306 serve to trigger the capacitive start described above, which only occurs when the front area of the finger is positioned correctly, that is, when the front area of the finger has both active zones 302, 306 touched simultaneously or rests on both active zones 302, 306 simultaneously.

In contrast, the passive zone 304, which is also rectangular in shape and occupies a larger area than the active zones 302, 306, has no electrical function, but rather serves to maintain the optical properties uniformly over the entire fiber-optic region 30. Here, the distance between the edge of the active zone 302, 306 and the edge of the passive zone 304 is approximately fifty micrometers, in view of a diameter of the fibers 310 of the fiber-optic region 30 of approximately six micrometers and a dimensioning of the pixels on the scanning unit 402 of about fifty micrometers to about fifty micrometers not to cause unnecessary dividing lines in the optical images.

In order to achieve a simple positioning of the fiber optic area 30 relative to the scanning unit 402, the width of the active zones 302, 306 and the passive zone 304 is selected to be slightly larger than the width of the scanning unit 402: the width of the active zones 302, 306 and the passive zone 304 is approximately thirteen millimeters, whereas the width of the scanning unit 402 is approximately twelve millimeters.

As can be seen from the exemplary illustration in FIG. 2C, the active zones 302 and 306 are bonded by means of two conductor tracks 152, 154 and 156, 158 each with an associated contact (“pad”) 160 and 161 from the top "and galvanically connected, the contacts 160, 161 each having an extent of approximately one millimeter to approximately two millimeters. In this case, two conductor tracks arranged at a distance from one another are provided in the form of chrome tracks 152, 154 or 156, 158, by means of which a high redundancy of the connection to the assigned contacts 160 or 161 is ensured.

With regard to the fifth exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5B, the present invention is required It is particularly noteworthy that the side of the fiber optic region 30 facing the scanning unit 402 is provided with an alphanumeric identifier 190. Such an identifier 190 yields significant advantages, in particular in the event of a failure or failure of the device 1, because in this case instead of an - otherwise customary, but no longer readable in the event of a failure or failure (-> among other things, problems in the event of a warranty claim) - digital personalization of the device 1, at least one unique identification number or the like can be included in the data record.

Since the device 1 according to the fifth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIG. 5B) is essentially based on the principle of the optical sensor, the identifier 190 can be read optically and can be built into the data record to be transferred. A further security feature is therefore provided by the provision of the identifier 190, and in the event that a warranty service becomes necessary, the identification 190 can also be read out through the fiber-optic region 30 by means of a microscope or the like.

The identifier 190 applied, for example, when the light sources 10 are inserted, is assigned to the device 1 according to FIG. 5B, in particular to the user or customer (→ special identifier) belonging to the device 1 according to FIG. 5B, and is from the side facing away from the scanning unit 402 of the fiber-optic area 30 can no longer be reached, that is to say cannot be changed or otherwise manipulated. With regard to the first and fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is also necessary to mention that it is part of the adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC "adaptive light control"), that is to say the "intelligent light control", the amplification of the electrical signals in the sensor unit 40 or in the evaluation unit 70a over the different areas x (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) of the optical images to be variable.

The background to this is the fact that the intensity distribution and consequently the contrast of the light scattered inside the front region of the finger are neither uniform nor constant over the entire width x of the optical images, but rather less in the central regions of the optical images than in the edge regions of the is optical images (cf. diagram in FIG. 7A, in which the contrast of the light scattered in the interior of the front region of the finger is plotted schematically over the width x of the optical images); This is due, among other things, to the fact that the light sources 10 are arranged laterally next to the fiber optic region 30 and that the light from the light sources 10 in the direction of the region of the finger facing away from the scanning unit 402 (cf. first exemplary embodiment) or to be painted (see fourth exemplary embodiment) side of the device 1 can be blasted.

This leads to the central areas covered by the front area of the finger the side of the device 1 facing away from the scanning unit 402, which is to be covered by the front area of the finger (cf. first exemplary embodiment) or to be covered over (cf. fourth embodiment), less light than in the lateral areas, so that the intensity and - directly proportional for this - the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas.

In order to remedy this shortcoming in the first and fourth exemplary embodiments, the amplification of the electrical signals in the central regions of the optical images is greater by a factor of 2 to 3 than the amplification of the electrical signals in the peripheral regions of the optical images (cf. diagram in FIG. 7B, in which the amplification of the electrical signals selected in device 1 is plotted schematically over the width x of the optical images). Such electronic modulation by means of variable amplification factors is carried out in each line of the optical images.

In this way, the fact that the intensity and the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas (see FIG. 7A) can be compensated for electronically, the amplification being selective over the different areas x of the optical images It can be chosen that the output signal of approximately constant is directly proportional to the product of the respective scattered light intensity / contrast (cf. FIG. 7A) and the respective amplification factor (cf. FIG. 7B) Intensity is; This technical measure significantly improves the quality of the results that can be obtained with the first and fourth exemplary embodiments.

With regard to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is also necessary to mention that each light source 10 is assigned a detection unit 12 (see FIGS. 4B and 4C) for detecting the ambient light conditions and a light reflector unit 14 (see FIGS. 4B and 4C) , The detection unit 12 can determine which areas of the drive-over area 240 and which areas adjacent to the drive-over area 240 are just being swept by the front area of the finger:

If the detection unit 12 reports weak or no incidence of light, this indicates that the area assigned to the detection unit 12 is just being swept by the front area of the finger; on the other hand, if the detection unit 12 reports normal and unimpaired incidence of light, this indicates that the area assigned to the detection unit 12 has already been covered by the front area of the finger or will still be covered by the front area of the finger.

In this connection, the sequence of the above-mentioned messages from the individual detection units 12 can be used, inter alia, to determine the speed at which the front area of the finger sweeps over the travel area 240 in the travel direction y, so that the The aforementioned messages from the individual detection units 12 can be coupled, coordinated and synchronized with the control of the recording of the optical images by the scanning unit 402 by means of light pulses emitted by each light source 10. This works particularly well because the detection unit 12 and the light reflector unit 14 are arranged around the light source 10, the light emitted by the light source 10 and the ambient light being focused on the respective detection unit 12 by the respective light reflector unit 14.

The second or fifth exemplary embodiment differs from the first or fourth exemplary embodiment not only in that a material which is permeable to the light of the light sources 10 is not applied to the optical system 20 or to the fiber-optic region 30, but above all in that the Light sources 10 are arranged on the side of the fiber optic region 30 facing the scanning unit 402, that is to say are located below the fiber optic region 30 (cf. FIGS. 2B and 5B).

This is a sufficient prerequisite for the light from the light sources 10 in the direction of the area facing away from the scanning unit 402 to be covered (see second exemplary embodiment) or to be covered (see fifth exemplary embodiment). Side of the device 1 is emitted, that is, the front area of the finger of the person to be identified by dactyloscopy is illuminated from the side below. With regard to the second and fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is also necessary to mention that it is part of the adaptive light control (= ALR or ALC "adaptive light control"), that is to say the "intelligent light control", the degree of absorption of the To design the filter 90 to be variable over the different areas x (see FIGS. 7A and 7C) of the optical images.

The background to this is the fact that the intensity distribution and consequently the contrast of the light scattered inside the front region of the finger are neither uniform nor constant over the entire width x of the optical images, but rather less in the central regions of the optical images than in the edge regions of the is optical images (cf. diagram in FIG. 7A, in which the contrast of the light scattered in the interior of the front region of the finger is plotted schematically over the width x of the optical images); this is due, among other things, to the fact that the light sources 10 are arranged on the side of the fiber-optic region 30 facing the scanning unit 402, that is to say they are located below the fiber-optic region 30 and that the light from the light sources 10 is directed in the direction of those of the scanning unit 402 The side of the device 1 facing away from the front area of the finger (cf. second exemplary embodiment) or to be painted over (cf. fifth exemplary embodiment) can be emitted.

This gets into the central, through the front area of the finger covered areas on the side of the device 1 facing away from the scanning unit 402, to be covered from the front area of the finger (see second exemplary embodiment) or to be painted over (see fifth exemplary embodiment), less light than in the lateral areas, see above that the intensity and - directly proportional to this - the contrast of the scattered light in the central areas is weaker than in the peripheral areas.

In order to remedy this shortcoming in the second and fifth exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the density of the optical filter 90 and consequently the degree of absorption in the edge regions of the optical images is greater by about a factor of 2 to 3 or by about six decibels to about ten decibels than the degree of absorption of the filter 90 in the middle regions of the optical images (cf. diagram in FIG. 7C, in which the absorption of the filter 90 selected in the device 1 is plotted schematically over the width x of the optical images).

In this way, the fact that the intensity and the contrast of the scattered light is weaker in the central regions than in the peripheral regions (see FIG. 7A) can be compensated for in a manner accomplished by means of optical modulation, the degree of absorption being selective over the different regions x of the optical ones Images can be selected so that the output signal, which is directly proportional to the quotient of the respective scattered light intensity / contrast (cf. FIG. 7A) and the respective degree of absorption (cf. FIG. 7C), is of approximately constant intensity; through this technical Measure is the quality of the results obtainable with the second and fifth embodiment significantly improved.

Furthermore, the light sources 10 in the illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention are arranged laterally spaced apart from the scanning unit 402. This structural separation of light sources 10 and scanning unit 402 is advantageous in that, in order to achieve proper operation of the device 1, it is to be avoided that light comes directly from the light source 10 into the scanning unit 402; rather, only light should come into the scanning unit 402 that was previously scattered inside the front area of the finger and consequently carries information regarding the skin strips or papillary lines.

The first, second, fourth and fifth exemplary embodiments also differ from the third and sixth exemplary embodiments in that the fibers 310 in the fiber optic region 30 are arranged essentially parallel to one another in order to properly transport the light bearing optical images originating from the front region of the finger to ensure through the fiber optic area 30 to the scanning unit 402.

As an alternative to this, the fibers 310, 320 in the fiber optic region 30 of the third and sixth exemplary embodiment (cf. FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3D, 6C, 6D and 6E) essentially have two directions which are arranged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to one another , The fibers 310, 320 are in this case The fiber-optic region 30 is arranged in layers, that is to say the fibers 310, 320 within a layer are essentially parallel to one another and the fibers 310, 320 from adjacent layers are arranged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to one another.

Here, in the third and sixth exemplary embodiment (see FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3D, 6C, 6D and 6E), the fibers 320 of the fiber-optic region 30 for transporting the light, which are arranged in one direction at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the other direction Light source 10 is provided on the side of the fiber-optic region 30 facing away from the scanning unit 402, while the fibers 310 of the fiber-optic region 30 arranged in the other direction are provided for transporting the optical images to the scanning unit 40.

In this context, a special mention needs to be made that the arrangement of an optical system 20 (see first, second, second, third, third) directions for the fibers 310, 320 is illustrated by the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3D, 6C, 6D and 6E. fourth and fifth exemplary embodiments) is obsolete insofar as uniform illumination of the front region of the finger is ensured by the fibers 320 of the fiber optic region 30 arranged in one direction at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the other direction.

Regardless of the point of view of omitting the optical system 20, the following offers itself for the fiber-optic area 30 an extension that extends into the area above the light source 10 so that the latter is covered and protected from manual intervention (see FIGS. 3B and 6C).

Since the scanning unit 402 is naturally only to be reached by light which carries the information relating to the optical images, that is to say that is scattered from the front region of the finger, two barrier layers 130 are provided in the fiber-optic region 30 in the second and fifth exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are opaque to the light from the light sources 10. These barrier layers 130 prevent light emitted by the light sources 10 from reaching the scanning unit 402 directly, that is to say without scattering in the front region of the finger.

The same purposes as the barrier layers 130 within the fiber-optic region 30 (cf. second and fifth exemplary embodiment) serve two barrier layers 140, which are provided between the light source 10 and the scanning unit 402 in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown and which are also for the light of FIG Light sources 10 are impermeable.

It should also be mentioned that in the third and sixth exemplary embodiments of the present invention (comparable to the first and fourth exemplary embodiments of the present invention), the side of the fiber optic region 30 facing away from the light sources 10 is made of a material that is transparent to the light of the light sources 10 80, that is coated with material 80 which is transparent to infrared light, for example with commercially available clear lacquer. This protects the not infrequently sensitive fiber-optic region 30 from damage, for example from scratching by vandals, and / or from soiling, the cleaning of the fiber-optic region 30 also being facilitated by the coating with translucent material 80.

Furthermore, the third and sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a display device 65 (cf. FIGS. 3B, 6B and 6C) for displaying the various operating states of the device 1. In order to signal the respective operating state of the device to the person to be identified by dactyloscopy, the display device 65 is provided with an illuminated display, which also enables color-defective persons to detect the respective operating state of the device 1 by means of a correspondingly flashing light signal.

Furthermore, the weapon according to the third and sixth exemplary embodiment is also designed for the transition to an idle state (= so-called “sleep” mode), which creates savings potential with regard to the power consumption of the device 1. For this purpose, a capacitive circuit 75 (see FIGS. 3B and 6C) integrated in the control means 40, 70 is provided, by means of which the device 1 switches to the “sleep” mode after a predetermined period of non-use and by means of which the device 1 is switched on Covering (see third exemplary embodiment) or when painting (see sixth exemplary embodiment) is "woken up" again with the front region of the finger, that is to say goes back into an operational state.

Thus, both a "sleep" function and a "wake up" function are implemented in the device 1, the capacitive circuit 75 being designed such that the device 1 which is in the idle state and is integrated in the weapon within a period of about ten milliseconds to about 100 milliseconds can be activated.

The device 1 integrated in the weapon can also be switched off before a shot is fired, in order to minimize the effects of the discharges and potential shifts on the device 1 that occur when the weapon is fired.

The last four exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 8A to 11, which otherwise have the same or similar properties and features as the first six exemplary embodiments of the present invention, differ from the six exemplary embodiments discussed above in that the device 1 for dactyloscopic personal identification is not integrated in the handle 2 of the weapon, but almost completely in the area of the trigger 31 of the weapon (= pistol in FIGS. 8A to 11).

As a result, the process of authentication or identification with respect to the person operating the pistol can be combined with rapid, for example police use of the pistol, so that it is not unnecessary when releasing the gun, in the case of self-defense under

Circumstances even life-threatening delays.

This means that the placing of the front area of the finger on the device 1 can be linked to the trigger 31 being pulled, the technology of implementing the device 1 in the trigger 31 in the same way for axially mounted prints (cf. FIGS. 8A, 8B and 9) as well as for radially mounted fume cupboards (cf. FIGS. 10A, 10B and 11).

In order to ensure proper transport of the light originating from the front area of the finger to the scanning unit 402, the trigger 31 is formed by the fiber optic area 30; As can be seen from the illustration in FIGS. 8A to 11, the trigger 31 is formed in particular in its area assigned to the front area of the finger by the fiber optic area 30.

In the seventh exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8A and 8B and in the ninth exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 11, the fibers 310 of the fiber optic region 30 have a shape which tapers in the direction of the scanning unit 402, that is to say the thickness of the fibers 310 increases from the front region of the finger assigned area of the trigger 31 towards the scanning unit 402; this optimizes the transport of the light originating from the front area of the finger to the scanning unit 402.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. weapon, in particular hand or hand gun, such as a pistol or revolver, comprising at least one device (1) for dactyloscopic person identification with at least one light source (10) for illuminating and / or for illuminating the front area of a finger, with at least one sensor unit (40), which has on its side assigned to the front area of the finger at least one scanning unit (402) for recording optical images of the front area of the finger, and with at least one processing unit (70) for determining the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular of the fingerprint.

2. Weapon according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) is arranged in the region of the handle (2) of the weapon.

3. Weapon according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the weapon at least one ammunition unit (3a; 3b) for receiving / dispensing ammunition; at least one firing pin; and has at least one kickback detector (9) and that the ammunition unit (3a; 3b) and / or the firing pin is assigned at least one electronically controllable safety mechanism (4) for locking the ammunition receptacle / release or for locking the firing pin.

4. Weapon according to claim 3, characterized in that the ammunition unit (3a; 3b) is designed in the form of at least one magazine (3a) and / or in the form of at least one drum (3b).

5. Weapon according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the ammunition unit (3a; 3b) can be assigned at least one charging station, which also has at least one device (1) for dactyloscopic person identification and by means of which the ammunition in the ammunition unit (3a; 3b ) can be introduced.

6. Weapon according to at least one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the ammunition unit (3a; 3b) can be assigned at least one unloading station, which also has at least one device (1) for dactyloscopic personal identification and by means of which the ammunition can be removed from the ammunition unit (3a; 3b).

7. Weapon according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the charging station and the unloading station are formed uniformly and / or in one piece and / or in an integrated form.

8. Weapon according to at least one of the claims

3 to 7, characterized in that the processing unit (70) with the

Security mechanism (4) is connected and that the security mechanism (4) by means of

Signals of the processing unit (70) can be actuated electronically.

9. Weapon according to claim 8, characterized in that the processing unit (70) with the securing mechanism (4) via at least one contact (5), in particular via at least one sliding contact, is connected.

10. Gun according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the processing unit (70) has at least one evaluation unit (70a) and at least one storage unit (70b).

11. Weapon according to claim 10, characterized characterized in that the storage unit (70b) is designed as at least one chip unit, in particular as at least one SIM (= Subscriber Identification Module), and / or in the storage unit (70b) the optical images and person-specific data, in particular dactyloscopic data, are electronic

are (temporarily) storable.

12. Weapon according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the evaluation unit (70a) is designed as at least one electronic circuit, in particular as at least one ASIC (= Application-Specific Integrated Circuit application-specific integrated circuit) and / or the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint.

13. Weapon according to at least one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the evaluation unit (70a) compares the characteristics of the front area of the finger, in particular the fingerprint, with characteristics stored in the storage unit (70b).

14. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the device (1) is battery operated.

15. Weapon according to at least one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the

Security mechanism (4) and / or the

Processing unit (70) at least one

Accumulator unit (6), in particular at least one

Lithium-based battery unit and / or

Silicon base, is assigned to the electrical power supply.

16. Weapon according to claim 15, characterized in that the accumulator unit (6) is designed to be replaceable and / or exchangeable and / or removable from the weapon or insertable into the weapon.

17. A weapon according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the accumulator unit (6) emits at least one signal when a predetermined remaining operating time, for example when a predetermined remaining operating time of about five hours is reached.

18. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that at least one mechanical securing unit (7a; 7b), for example at least one securing latch (7a) locking the trigger (31) and / or at least one securing device (7b ), is provided.

19. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the weapon and / or the charging station and / or the unloading station is provided with at least one transmitting / receiving unit (8) for the wireless transmission of data and information, in particular data and information of the dactyloscopic person identification.

20. Weapon according to claim 19, characterized in that the wireless transmission of the data and information on the "Bluetooth" standard and / or on the GPS standard (Global Positioning System) and / or on the GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communication) and / or based on the LAN standard (Local Area Network) and / or on the UMTS standard (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System).

21. Gun according to at least one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that at least one control means (40, 70) is provided for regulating the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light source (10).

22. Weapon according to claim 21, characterized in that the control means (40, 70) at least one detection module for detecting the

Umgebungslichtverhaltnisse; at least one evaluation module for determining the

Duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses in

Adaptation to those recorded by the registration module

Umgebungslichtverhaltnisse; and at least one memory module for storing has threshold values determined for regulating the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses.

23. Weapon according to claim 22, characterized in that the detection module is uniform with the sensor unit (40) and / or as part of the sensor unit _. it (40) is formed.

24. Gun according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the evaluation module is formed uniformly with the evaluation unit (70a) and / or as part of the evaluation unit (70a).

25: Weapon according to at least one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the storage module is formed uniformly with the storage unit (70b) and / or as part of the storage unit (70b).

26. Gun according to at least one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the control means (40, 70) is designed as at least one logic component and / or as at least one logic circuit.

27. Gun according to claim 26, characterized in that as control means (40, 70) at least one standard logic component or a programmable logic (FPGA = field programmable gate array) is provided.

28. Gun according to at least one of claims 21 to 27, characterized in that the control means (40, 70) is designed as at least one digital signal processing unit (DSP = digital signal processor) and / or as at least one microcontroller.

29. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the device (1) is designed for the transition to an idle state.

30. Weapon according to claim 29, characterized in that at least one capacitive circuit (75) is provided, by means of which the device (1) changes to the idle state after a predetermined period of non-use.

31. Weapon according to at least one of claims 21 to 28 and according to claim 30, characterized in that the capacitive circuit (75) is integrated in the control means (40, 70).

32. Weapon according to claim 30 or 31, characterized in that the capacitive circuit (75) is designed so that the device (1) which is in the idle state within a period of approximately ten milliseconds to approximately 100 Can be activated in milliseconds.

33. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 32, characterized in that the device (1) can be switched off before firing a shot.

34. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 33, characterized in that in the device (1) at least one fiber optic area

(30) is provided, through which the optical images of the front area of the finger can be transported to the scanning unit (402).

35. Weapon according to claim 34, characterized in that the fibers (310) in the fiber optic region (30) are oriented substantially perpendicular to the entry surface and / or to the exit surface of the fiber optic region (30).

36. Weapon according to claim 34 or 35, characterized in that the fibers (310) in the fiber optic region (30) are arranged substantially parallel to one another.

37. Weapon according to claim 34 or 35, characterized in that the fibers (310, 320) in the fiber optic region (30) have essentially two directions, which are arranged at an angle (α) to each other.

38. Weapon according to claim 37, characterized in that the fibers (310, 320) are arranged in layers in the fiber optic region (30), the fibers (310, 320) within a layer essentially parallel to one another and the fibers (310, 320 ) mutually adjacent layers are arranged at an angle (α) to one another.

39. Weapon according to claim 37 or 38, characterized in that the fibers (320) of the fiber optic region (30) arranged in one direction at an angle (α) to the other direction for transporting light onto the from the scanning unit (402) The side of the device (1) facing away from the front area of the finger is covered and the fibers (310) of the fiber optic area (30) arranged in the other direction are used to transport the optical images of the front area of the finger Scanning unit (402) are provided.

40. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 39, characterized in that at least some of the fibers (310, 320) in the fiber optic region (30) are at least partially surrounded by absorbent material in the form of a coating and / or in the form of a casing ,

41. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 40, characterized in that at least some of the fibers (310, 320) in the fiber-optic region (30) are at least partially reflective Material in the form of a coating and / or in the form of a shell is surrounded.

42. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 41, characterized in that the fiber optic region (30) has an extent which extends into the region above the light source (10).

43. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 42, characterized in that at least one opaque barrier layer (130) is provided within the fiber optic region (30).

44. Weapon according to claim 43, characterized in that the barrier layer (130) is realized in the form of closed fibers (310).

45. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 44, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) directly adjoins the fiber-optic region (30) and / or that the scanning unit (402) is attached to the exit surface of the fiber-optic region (30) ,

46. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 45, characterized in that recesses (150), in particular in the form of tracks and / or in Form of lines into which the fiber optic region (30) are preferably etched using acid.

47. Weapon according to claim 46, characterized in that the recesses (150) are filled with at least one metal, in particular with chrome.

48. Weapon according to claim 46 or 47, characterized in that the recesses (150) have a width of about five micrometers.

49. Weapon according to at least one of claims 46 to 48, characterized in that the fiber optic region (30) has at least one active zone (302; 306) and at least one passive zone (304).

50. Weapon according to claim 49, characterized in that two active zones (302; 306) are provided, between which a passive zone (304) is arranged.

51. Weapon according to claim 49 or 50, characterized in that the active zone (302; 306) occupies a smaller area than the passive zone (304).

52. Weapon according to at least one of claims 49 to 51, characterized in that the active Zone (302; 306) and the passive zone (304) are each approximately rectangular.

53. Weapon according to at least one of claims 49 to 52, characterized in that the distance between the active zone (302; 306) and the passive zone (304) is approximately fifty micrometers.

54. Weapon according to at least one of claims 49 to 53, characterized in that the width of the active zone (302; 306) and the passive zone (304) is at least the same size and in particular slightly larger than the width of the scanning unit (402) ,

55. Weapon according to claim 54, characterized in that the width of the active zone (302; 306) and the passive zone (304) is approximately thirteen millimeters and that the width of the scanning unit (402) is approximately twelve millimeters.

56. Weapon according to at least one of claims 46 to 55, characterized in that the braid or grid and in particular the active zone (302; 306) by means of at least one conductor track (152, 154; 156, 158) with at least one associated contact (160 ; 161) is connected.

57. Weapon according to claim 56, characterized in that the contact (160; 161) a Has an extent of about one millimeter to about two millimeters.

58. Weapon according to claim 56 or 57, characterized in that a plurality of conductor tracks (152, 154; 156, 158) arranged at a distance from one another are provided.

59. Weapon according to at least one of claims 56 to 58, characterized in that the conductor tracks (152, 154; 156, 158) are at least partially connected to one another. °

60. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 59, characterized in that the side of the fiber optic region (30) facing the scanning unit (402) is provided with at least one, in particular alphanumeric, identifier (190).

61. Weapon according to claim 60, characterized in that the identifier (190) is assigned to the respective device (1).

62. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 61, characterized in that the device (1) is arranged in the region of the trigger (31) of the weapon, in particular the pistol.

63. Weapon according to claim 62, characterized in that the device (1) is at least partially integrated in the trigger (31).

64. Weapon according to claim 62 or 63, characterized in that the trigger (31) is mounted axially or radially.

65. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 61 and according to at least one of claims 62 to 64, characterized in that the trigger (31) is at least partially, in particular completely, formed by the fiber-optic region (30).

66. Weapon according to claim 65, characterized in that the trigger (31) is formed at least in its area assigned to the front area of the finger by the fiber optic area (30).

67. Weapon according to claim 66, characterized in that the fibers (310, 320) of the fiber optic region (30) have a shape which tapers in the direction of the scanning unit (402).

68. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 67, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) in at least one of the front region of the finger in a direction of travel (y) sweeping overriding area (240) is arranged.

69. Weapon according to claim 68, characterized in that the drive-over area (240) is optically transparent.

70. Weapon according to claim 68 or 69, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) corresponds in shape and size approximately to the drive-over area (240).

71. Weapon according to at least one of claims 68 to 70, characterized in that the drive-over area (240) is slot-shaped and is delimited by two narrow sides (240s) and two long sides (2401).

72. Weapon according to claim 71, characterized in that the long sides (2401) run transversely, in particular approximately vertically, to the direction of travel (y) and to the narrow sides (240s) and are designed to be many times larger than the narrow sides (240s).

73. Weapon according to claim 71 or 72, characterized in that the dimension of the long sides (2401) corresponds approximately to the width of the front region of the finger.

74. Weapon according to at least one of claims 71 to 73, characterized in that the dimension of the narrow sides (240s) is of the order of about 0.5 millimeters to about five millimeters, in particular of the order of about two millimeters.

75. Gun according to at least one of claims 68 to 74, characterized in that the drive-over area (240) is designed as at least one recess arranged in a plate.

76. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and according to at least one of claims 68 to 75, characterized in that the fiber optic area (30) is provided in the drive-over area (240).

77. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and according to at least one of claims 68 to 76, characterized in that the fiber-optic region (30) corresponds approximately in shape and size to the drive-over region (240).

78. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 77, characterized in that at least one determining device (180) is provided for determining the speed and / or the position of the front region of the finger.

79. Weapon according to claim 78, thereby characterized in that the determination device (180) is formed by at least one (10 ') of the light sources (10).

80. Weapon according to claim 79, characterized in that the light source (10 ') emits the light essentially in the direction of travel (y).

81. Weapon according to at least one of the claims

78 to 80, characterized in that the

Detection device (180) has at least one inductive element and / or at least one capacitive element and / or at least one areally extended light element.

82. Weapon according to at least one of claims 78 to 81, characterized in that the determining device (180) is approximately slot-shaped and / or approximately strip-shaped.

83. Weapon according to at least one of claims 78 to 82, characterized in that the determining device (180) extends approximately at right angles to the drive-over area (240).

84. Weapon according to at least one of claims 78 to 83, characterized in that the determining device (180) extends approximately in the transfer direction (y).

85. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 84, characterized in that at least one supplementary or second device for identifying people is designed as a camera module (l ¹ or 170).

86. Weapon according to claim 85, characterized in that the optics of the camera module (1 'or 170) is arranged in the direction of the open end of the barrel or barrel of the weapon or in the direction of the front region of the finger.

87. Weapon according to claim 85 or 86, characterized in that the optics of the camera module (l ¹ or 170) is arranged at the muzzle of the weapon or in the area of the drive-over area (240).

88. Weapon according to at least one of claims 85 to 87, characterized in that the optics of the camera module (1 'or 170) is designed for face recognition.

89. Weapon according to at least one of claims 85 to 88, characterized in that the camera module (1 'or 170) has a diameter of approximately 2.5 millimeters or an area of approximately 2.5 millimeters to approximately 2.5 millimeters.

90. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and according to at least one of claims 85 to 89, characterized in that the camera module (l ¹ or 170) is integrated into the fiber-optic region (30).

91. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 90, characterized in that the light source (10) is assigned at least one detection unit (12) for detecting the ambient light conditions and / or at least one light reflector unit (14).

92. Weapon according to claim 91, characterized in that the detection unit (12) and / or the light reflector unit (14) is arranged around the light source (10).

93. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 92, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) records the optical images line by line.

94. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 93, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) records a large number of optical images per unit of time.

95. Weapon according to claim 94, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) is approximately 250 records optical images per second.

96. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 95, characterized in that the recording of the optical images by the scanning unit (402) is controlled by means of light pulses emitted by the light source (10).

97. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 96, characterized in that the optical images can be converted into electrical signals.

98. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 97, characterized in that the light source (10) is arranged laterally next to the scanning unit (402).

99. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 98, characterized in that the light from the light source (10) in the direction of that of the scanning unit (402) facing away from the front region of the finger to be covered or swept over the side of the device (1) can be radiated.

100. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 99, characterized in that the duration and / or the intensity of the light pulses emitted by the light source (10) can be regulated as a function of the ambient light conditions.

101. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 100, characterized in that the electrical signals in the sensor unit (40) and / or in the evaluation unit (70a) can be amplified via the different areas of the optical images.

102. Weapon according to claim 101, characterized in that the amplification of the electrical signals in the sensor unit (40) and / or in the evaluation unit (70a) is variable over the different areas of the optical images.

103. Weapon according to claim 101 or 102, characterized in that the amplification of the electrical signals in the central regions of the optical images is greater than the amplification of the electrical signals in the peripheral regions of the optical images.

104. Weapon according to at least one of claims 101 to 103, characterized in that the amplification of the electrical signals in the central regions of the optical images is greater by a factor of 2 to 3 than the amplification of the electrical signals in the peripheral regions of the optical images.

105. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to '104, characterized in that more than one Light source (10) is provided

106. Weapon according to claim 105, characterized in that four light sources (10) are provided.

107. Weapon according to claim 105 or 106, characterized in that the light sources (10) are arranged symmetrically to one another.

108. Weapon according to at least one of claims 68 to 77 and according to at least one of claims 105 to 107, characterized in that the light sources (10) are arranged laterally or annularly around the drive-over area (240).

109. Weapon according to at least one of claims 68 to 77 and according to at least one of claims 105 to 108, characterized in that the light sources (10) are arranged uniformly distributed around the drive-over area (240).

110. Weapon according to at least one of claims 105 to 109, characterized in that the respective duration and / or the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the respective light source (10) can be selectively regulated in adaptation to the ambient light conditions.

111. Weapon according to at least one of claims 105 to 110, characterized in that the respective duration and / or the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the individual light sources (10) can be controlled independently of one another.

112. Weapon according to at least one of claims 105 to 111, characterized in that the respective duration and / or the respective intensity of the light pulses emitted by the individual light sources (10) can be controlled as a function of predetermined threshold values.

113. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 112, characterized in that the light source (10) is arranged on the side of the device (1) facing the scanning unit (402).

114. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 113, characterized in that the light source (10) is arranged laterally spaced from the scanning unit (402).

115. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 114, characterized in that the light from the light source (10) on the side of the device (1 ) can be irradiated from the side.

116. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 115, characterized in that the light source (10) is designed as a pulsed light source.

117. Weapon according to claim 116, characterized in that the light source (10) is designed to emit light pulses with a pulse duration of almost zero milliseconds to approximately ninety milliseconds.

118. Weapon according to claim 116 or 117, characterized in that at least one pulse generator unit is provided for controlling the light source (10).

119. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 118, characterized in that at least one display device (65) is provided for displaying the various operating states of the device (1).

120. Weapon according to claim 119, characterized in that the display device (65) has at least one monochrome or differently colored light indicator which signals the different operating states of the device (1).

121. Weapon according to claim 119 or 120, characterized in that the display device (65) is integrated in the light source (10) and / or in that the display device (65) and the light source (10) are uniformly trained.

122. Weapon according to at least one of claims 119 to 121, characterized in that the display device (65) signals the various operating states of the device (1) by at least one flashing and / or pulsating light signal.

123. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 122, characterized in that the light source (10) is followed by at least one optical system (20).

124. Weapon according to claim 123, characterized in that the optical system (20) emits the light emitted by the light source (10) onto the side of the device which faces away from the scanning unit (402) and is to be covered or swept over by the front region of the finger (1) deflects and / or that the optical system (20) the light emitted by the light source (10) on the side of the device (1) facing away from the scanning unit (402) and to be covered or covered over by the front region of the finger evenly and / or diffusely distributed.

125. Weapon according to claim 123 or 124, characterized in that the optical system (20) as at least one filter, as at least one lens, as at least one prism, as at least one Light guide, is designed as at least one light guide element and / or as at least one mirror.

126. Weapon according to at least one of claims 123 to 125, characterized in that the optical system (20) is made of plastic.

127. Weapon according to at least one of claims 123 to 126, characterized in that at least the side of the optical system (20) facing away from the light source (10) is coated with material (80) which is permeable to infrared light and / or visible light.

128. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 127, characterized in that at least one finger guide is provided on the side of the device (1) facing away from the scanning unit (402) and to be covered or covered over from the front region of the finger.

129. Weapon according to claim 128, characterized in that the finger guide is ergonomically shaped.

130. Weapon according to claim 128 or 129, characterized in that the finger guide is channel-shaped.

131. Weapon according to 'at least one of claims 68 to 77 and according to at least one of claims 128 to 130, characterized in that the drive-over area (240) is arranged centrally within the finger guide.

132. Weapon according to at least one of claims 123 to 127 and according to at least one of claims 128 to 131, characterized in that the optical system (20) is designed as a finger guide.

133. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 132 and / or according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and / or according to at least one of claims 68 to 77, characterized in that at least the scanning unit (402) and / or at least that of the side of the fiber-optic area (30) facing away from the scanning unit (402) and / or at least the side of the drive-over area (240) facing away from the front area of the finger that is facing away from the front area of the finger and also for infrared light and / or material (80) which is transparent to visible light is coated.

134. Weapon according to claim 127 or 133, characterized in that the material (80) which is permeable to infrared light and / or visible light is lacquer.

135. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 134, characterized in that the Light source (10) is a light emitting diode (LED).

136. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 135, characterized in that the light source (10) emits infrared light.

137. Weapon according to claim 136, characterized in that. that the infrared light has a wavelength of about 900 nanometers.

138. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 137, characterized in that the light source (10) emits infrared light of two different wavelengths.

139. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 138, characterized in that the light source (10) has a power of approximately 0.1 milliwatts to approximately five watts.

140. Weapon according to claim 139, characterized in that the light source (10) has a power of approximately two milliwatts to approximately 100 milliwatts.

141. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 140, characterized in that the sensor unit (40) on at least one carrier unit (50) is arranged

142. Weapon according to claim 141, characterized in that the carrier unit (50) is arranged on at least one printed circuit board unit (60).

143. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 142, characterized in that at least one opaque barrier layer (140) is provided between the light source (10) and the scanning unit (402).

144. Weapon according to at least one of claims 43, 44 or 143, characterized in that the material of the opaque barrier layer (130, 140) is lacquer.

145. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 144, characterized in that at least one filter (90) is provided.

146. Weapon according to claim 145, characterized in that the filter (90) is a linear filter.

147. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and according to claim 145 or 146, characterized in that the filter (90) between the fiber-optic region (30) and the scanning unit (402) is arranged.

148. Weapon according to at least one of claims 145 to 147, characterized in that the filter (90) on the side of the device (1) and / or is arranged on the side of the device (1) facing the scanning unit (402).

149. Weapon according to at least one of claims 34 to 67 and according to at least one of claims 145 to 148, characterized in that the filter (90) is provided within the fiber optic region (30).

150. Weapon according to at least one of claims 145 to 149, characterized in that the filter (90) has an absorption level of approximately 99 percent.

151. Weapon according to at least one of claims 145 to 150, characterized in that the degree of absorption of the filter (90) is variable over the different areas of the optical images.

152. Weapon according to claim 151, characterized in that the degree of absorption of the filter (90) in the edge regions of the optical images is greater than the degree of absorption of the filter (90) in the central regions of the optical images.

153. Weapon according to claim 151 or 152, characterized in that the absorption of the filter (90) in the edge regions of the optical images is greater by approximately a factor of 2 to 3 and / or greater by approximately six decibels to approximately ten decibels than the absorption of the Filters (90) in the middle areas of the optical images.

154. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 153, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) has at least one photosensitive surface and / or at least one photosensitive layer.

155. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 154, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) 'operates on a semiconductor basis.

156. Weapon according to claim 155, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) operates on a silicon basis.

157. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 156, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) has at least one component based on CMOS technology or at least one Has CMOS technology-based circuit (CMOS complementary MOS).

158. Weapon according to claim 157, characterized in that the component based on CMOS technology or the circuit based on CMOS technology is integrated on at least one smart card.

159. Weapon according to at least one of claims 1 to 158, characterized in that the scanning unit (402) has at least one charge-coupled device or at least one charge-coupled device (CCD).

160. Weapon according to at least one of the claims

1 to 159, characterized in that the

Device (1) for living detection (so-called

"life support") is designed.

161. Weapon according to claim 138 and according to claim 160, characterized in that the device (1) is designed by comparison of the results obtained for the two different wavelengths for determining the oxygen saturation in the blood of the front region of the finger.

162. Ammunition provided for a weapon with at least one device (1) for dactyloscopic _ personal identification, in particular according to at least one of claims 1 to 161.