Surgery – Truss – Pad
Patent
1985-10-31
1987-10-13
Recla, Henry J.
Surgery
Truss
Pad
382 2, A61B 500
Patent
active
046991492
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to devices for the identification of individuals and finds particular application in instances where access is required to be restricted such as credit or cash dispensing or admission to secure sites or the operation of sensitive machinery.
To restrict access to items such as bank accounts, authorized individuals are customarily issued with identity cards bearing a unique alphanumeric code. Usually these cards bear impressed characters; they may also, or alternatively, contain magnetically encoded data or alternatively optically encoded data in the form of thin films readable only with special optical apparatus. A difficulty with cards of this type is that they can become lost or stolen, or the encoded data may be easily copied. It is therefore desirable to devise some means of identification which is unique to an individual and which, preferably cannot be separated from them. One possibility is to make use of fingerprints, which are known to be characteristic of a particular person--even identical twins possess different patterns. However, sophisticated optical apparatus would be required as the patterns are extremely fine.
In another personal identification system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,366, properties of the eye are used as a basis for recognition. Amongst the stable features contributing to a complex optical image are the number of retinal blood vessels and their relative angles and branching characteristics, the size of the optic disc, pigments or colouring patterns of the retina and the chloroidal vasculature. The method relies on the simplicity of optical access and the fact that the eye itself can form part of the optical system.
We have found that it is not necessary to rely on a means of identification which requires visual access to a characteristic of the human body. We have found that the pattern of subcutaneous blood vessels is characteristic of an individual, and that observation can be effected using radiation such as infra-red or thermal radiation to which the skin is translucent. If a sufficient intensity is employed, visible radiation in conjunction with appropriate filters may be used instead of infra-red radiation.
The location of blood vessels may be detected by differential temperature measurement. Alternatively, movement or the presence of blood can be detected by techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance or acoustic monitoring of the pulse.
By subcutaneous is meant lying beneath the skin and not accessible to normal visual observations.
According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for identifying an individual comprising means for detecting the arrangement of a network of subcutaneous blood vessels and comparator means for comparing said arrangement with a predetermined pattern.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the underneath of a scanning device used for the identification of individuals.
FIG. 2 shows in section, details of the construction of one element of the scanning device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of part of a circuit used in association with the scanner of FIG. 1 and
FIG. 4 is an example of several scans of an individual wrist using the apparatus of FIG. 1.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a carrier 1 has mounted thereon a plurality of scanning elements 2. Rotatably mounted on the block is a pair of encoder wheels 3. FIG. 2 illustrates a section through a single scanning element. This comprises a translucent block 4 in which are encapsulated infra-red radiation emitting diodes 5. The block acts as a radiation integrater and floods the adjacent surface of the skin 6 of an individual under test with infra-red radiation. The skin is transparent to the radiation which penetrates into and illuminates the subcutaneous region 7. The radiation is reflected by subcutaneous blood vessels 8 and is received by a photosensitive pin diode 9 which detects radiation reflected from the subcutaneous layer inc
REFERENCES:
patent: 3639905 (1972-02-01), Yaida et al.
patent: 4032889 (1977-06-01), Nassimbene
patent: 4301808 (1981-11-01), Taus
patent: 4393366 (1983-07-01), Hill
patent: 4473081 (1984-09-01), Dioguardi et al.
patent: 4489731 (1984-12-01), Baumberg
patent: 4545387 (1985-10-01), Balique
patent: 4565968 (1986-01-01), Macovski
Schlager, "A New Infrared Array Radiometer with Automatic Pattern Recognition for Medical Thermography", Eighth Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference Mar. 27-28, 1980, pp. 227-232.
Eye Identify Inc., Product Data Sheet, 1-1985.
Recla Henry J.
Smith Ruth S.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for the identification of individuals does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for the identification of individuals, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for the identification of individuals will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-405834