Finger guide device

Abstract

A finger guide device that positions a finger (or minutiae containing digit) of a human subject on a fingerprint sensor in a manner optimal for the data capture operation of authentication or identification of said subject wherein a relevant portion of the finger is in alignment with a sensor or scanner. Authentication or identification takes place by fingerprint matching. The finger guide device may also be used for enrollment of the initial fingerprint data into the system through one or more readings of the fingerprint and translation into a template for future comparison matching. The finger guide device may also serve to provide temperature or temperature equivalent tactile feedback or other forms of feedback to a user. The finger guide device may also contain an outer surface ridge which feels somewhat uncomfortable due to application of a high pressure per square inch on small areas of the finger when the finger is incorrectly positioned to encourage correct placement of the finger, which is more comfortable. The finger guide device may have a curved inside surface to contour to a wide variety of fingertip shapes and sizes, wherein the sides and front have shorter radii of curvature than the rearward portion of the finger guide device. The front of the finger guide device may have sufficient steepness of its sides and shortness of radius of curvature in order to serve as a stop positioning the tip of the finger approximately between 0.20 and 0.90 inch ahead of the center of the sensor. This is an ideal position to enroll and later to authenticate or identify a subject user. The finger guide device material or surface may be electrically conductive and thereby serve as a means to transmit a driver signal to the finger tissue to facilitate the improved use of capacitive or other types of electronic or electromagnetically operated fingerprint sensors requiring this electrical potential sensing means. Additional tactile enhancements such as twin positioning bumps or Braille or audio or mechanical motion or visual marking or indicator light feedback may be added within the finger guide device if desired. The level of the fingerprint sensor or scanner may be raised or lowered as an additional enhancement to alter the data capture characteristics. The finger guide device may be used in communication with electromechanical devices to serve the additional purpose of functioning as a switch or pointing device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application #60 / 624,303 entitled “Digit Locating Device and System for Fingerprint Scanner” filed on Nov. 3, 2004, by J. Scott Bechtel.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates generally to a finger guide called a finger guide device used to position a finger, thumb or human digit containing unique minutiae upon a scanner or sensor or other means to capture an image of the miniature features of a relevant portion of the said minutiae or underlying tissue, which is equivalently called a fingerprint. This finger guide device would be used with electronic, optical, electromagnetic, capacitive, electroluminescent, or similar scanners or sensors requiring repeated and reasonably accurate positioning in alignment with the scanner or sensor. Applications include the accurate identification of an individual with a minimal number of false rejects or repeats of the process for scanning...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] Previous devices to locate fingers for fingerprint imaging focused upon the need to hold (literally press and flatten) the finger against a flat scanning surface and tended to either locate the finger crudely from the front edge of the nail or the skin crease under the first joint in the finger. The intent was to substitute for the effect of rolling a print and pressure to flatten the finger was an important element. Modern semiconductor sensors require only a light touch and, as noted, often focus on repeating the scan or capture of the same relevant portion of the fingerprint over and over again. What is needed is a device that reduces the average number of attempts to authenticate known subjects by providing a simple circular, oval, rectangular, or square funnel like recess or guide for the finger that physically encourages the finger into the correct position opposite a scanner or sensor and may be further improved by providing a variety of tactile, mechanical movement, audio, or visual feedback means for the subject user in order to make it easier and more natural to “find” the right finger position again, even after substantial time has passed between enrollment and the next authentication attempt. In contrast, with basic flat surface sensors or even poorly designed sensors, this false reject rate for untrained subjects can range from ten to fifteen percent of all attempts. The finger guide device of the present invention provides an effective aid in positioning the finger in essentially the same position on a repeatable basis and a learning mechanism that assists subject users in developing the right position and touch (pressure) as well through a set of basic design and construction elements including physical shape, material properties, and surface finish properties. Additional feedback means may also be used to aid in the effectiveness of the finger guide device.

[0025] The finger guide device of the present invention may be used as a device to provide inputs to a system from a user. This embodiment of the present invention would include mechanical communication of the finger guide device to one or more pressure sensors or electrical capacitive sensors to sense when the finger guide device is touched or pressed. When the device is touched it may serve as an input or switch control device and when the device is pressed in one or more directions and with varying pressure or surface contact movement, it may serve as a proportional input device to facilitate a variety of input applications including but not limited to controlling machinery or equipment or as a pointing device for a computer. Placement of a finger in the finger guide device and applying pressure in axial or lateral directions or combined directions will allow a second utility use of the finger guide as a pointing device when the finger guide device is in communication with pressure sensors or switches. Changing or moving the points of touch contact with the sides of the recess will also facilitate utility use of the finger guide device as a pointer or control device if the surface contains sensors to detect the changes, said touch sensor means being known to those skilled in the art of producing touch sensitive pointing and control devices and herein are incorporated by reference rather than recited here in full detail.

Problems solved by technology

Such contact would introduce error because subjects trim their nails to different lengths and most would also find pressure against the nail tip uncomfortable, both conditions having been found in previous devices claimed to help position a finger upon a fingerprint reader or scanner.

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