Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Eye examining or testing instrument – Objective type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-10-09
Manuel, George (Department: 3737)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Eye examining or testing instrument
Objective type
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299306
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to devices for guiding individuals to a desired location from which they may be photographed or examined.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are several methods known as biometrics for recognizing or identifying an individual. Some of these methods involve imaging of the face or eye and analyzing the facial features, retinal vascular patterns of the eye or patterns in the iris of the eye. A technique for iris recognition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,349 to Flom et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,560 to Daugman. The systems described in these references require the person being identified to hold at least one of their eyes in a fixed position with respect to an imaging camera that takes a picture of the eye.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,512 there is disclosed an automated teller machine which relies upon three cameras to identify the user of an automated teller machine. The first two cameras are wide field of view cameras which find the subject's head and locate the eye position in the image. A three-dimensional position in space for the eye is calculated from the images. From that information a narrow field of view camera is directed to that position. The narrow field of view camera then takes an image of the eye from which identification can be made. Although such a system has been made to work quite well, the use of multiple cameras is expensive. Furthermore, this system occupies significantly more space than a single camera system would occupy. Thus, there is a need for a single camera system which can acquire an image of the eye useful for identification of the individual. This system should be compact, easy to use and minimally intrusive.
The popularity of the internet has opened the marketplace for electronic commerce and electronic banking. As people desire to make more expensive transactions over the internet a demand has developed for a device to assure that the person at the customer's computer is truly the person who is authorized to conduct the transaction. Iris identification has proven to be a reliable way to identify individuals. Additionally, the use of video cameras connected to personal computers has grown as cheaper digital cameras have become available. Thus, the cameras are available to provide images of computer users for iris identification. However, those cameras can only be used if the user is properly positioned for a clear, well-focused image. Hence, there is a need for a device for directing the user to the proper position from which a well-focused image of that person can be made.
Holographic optical elements having a transmission hologram are well known devices on which a viewer can see different images or portions of images according to the angle at which he views the hologram created in the holographic optical element. However, prior to the present invention the art has failed to recognize that such devices could be used to direct a user to position his eye within a selected volume of space surrounding a focal point of a camera that is used to take an image of the user's eye.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We provide a device which directs a person to a desired location at which an image of the user's eye can be taken. The device includes a holographic optical element containing a transmission hologram containing indicia that indicate to a user when the user's eye is at the desired location or direct the user to move in a direction toward the desired location. In a present preferred embodiment the indicia are a cross and radially arranged arrows. The arrows are selectively visible to a user when the user is outside a desired location and the cross is visible when the user is at a desired location. When the user sees an arrow he is outside the desired location and the arrow points in a direction that the user should move his head to reach the desired location. The user moves his head until he sees a cross and no longer sees an arrow. A single camera is positioned so that when the user sees a cross and no longer sees an arrow he is positioned along or very close to the optical axis of the camera. In a preferred embodiment there is a processor and a memory connected to the camera that evaluates the quality of images being taken by the camera. When an acceptable image has been taken a green LED may illuminate or an audible camera click will sound telling the user that an acceptable image has been found. In an alternative embodiment a range finder is connected to the camera that directs the camera to adjust its lens so that the focal point of the camera will correspond to a distance from the camera at which the user is located. The user is directed to look at the alignment device and move his head to a position where he sees a cross and no longer sees an arrow using the arrow as a guide as to the direction that he should move. Then the eye of the subject is positioned for the camera to take a well-focused image.
We may provide a light source that illuminates the subject when he is in the desired position. In a preferred embodiment we provide an infrared light source and utilize an infrared camera.
This device including the camera can fit within a small housing of only a few cubic inches. We propose to incorporate our device into a video conferencing camera or a similar camera of the type used with personal computers. When so incorporated we prefer to use a separate CCD device to take the image used for identification purposes. A CMOS device or other sensor could be used as the imager.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4620318 (1986-10-01), Hill
patent: 4641349 (1987-02-01), Flom et al.
patent: 4662730 (1987-05-01), Outwater et al.
patent: 5194882 (1993-03-01), Penney
patent: 5291560 (1994-03-01), Daugman
patent: 5717512 (1998-02-01), Chmielewski, Jr. et al.
patent: 6064752 (2000-05-01), Rozmus et al.
patent: WO 97/46978 (1997-12-01), None
patent: WO 97/46979 (1997-12-01), None
patent: WO 97/46980 (1997-12-01), None
Braithwaite Michael
Govier Jeremy
Sadoulet Samuel P.
Manuel George
Sensar, Inc.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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