Stripe Pattern Image Analysis Device for Fingerprint Coordinate Alignment

Solution Overview

Problem

In fingerprint analysis, low-quality latent fingerprints often fail automatic matching, leading to a heavy workload for examiners who must manually designate corresponding charting points, especially when image coordinates do not match, resulting in increased effort and potential for false analysis.

Innovation Solution

A stripe pattern image analysis device and method that employs nonlinear coordinate transformation to align corresponding points between two images, reducing the workload by automatically modifying and displaying the images in a way that minimizes the distance between matching points, using a combination of linear and nonlinear transformations to rectify image distortions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic matching function is used to extract corresponding ridge features, then the workload is reduced, but it fails when image quality is low causing false analysis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkload reductionVSAvoidanalysis accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary coordinate transformation to align the two fingerprint images before automatic matching. By transforming the coordinates of one image to match the coordinate system of the other image, the system prepares the images in advance to ensure accurate correspondence of ridge features, preventing false analysis while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system calculates the degree of coincidence between corresponding ridge features after matching and provides feedback to determine whether the images are from the same person. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify and correct false matches, ensuring reliable analysis results while maintaining efficient automated processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If manual designation of charting points is performed, then analysis accuracy is maintained, but the workload increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis accuracyVSAvoidworkload

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary coordinate transformation to align the two fingerprint images before automatic matching. By transforming the coordinates of one image to match the coordinate system of the other image, the system prepares the images in advance to ensure accurate correspondence of ridge features, preventing false analysis while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system calculates the degree of coincidence between corresponding ridge features after matching and provides feedback to determine whether the images are from the same person. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify and correct false matches, ensuring reliable analysis results while maintaining efficient automated processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If linear coordinate transformation is used to align images, then the process is simple, but it cannot rectify complex image distortions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransformation process simplicityVSAvoidimage alignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the transformation parameters from simple linear transformation to nonlinear coordinate transformation. By introducing additional transformation parameters that can model complex distortions, the system achieves high-precision alignment of fingerprint images while maintaining reasonable process complexity through automated parameter calculation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8891836B2Stripe pattern image analysis device, stripe pattern image analysis method, and program thereof

Publication Date: 2014.11.18 NEC CORP

AI summary

Provided is a stripe pattern image analysis device by which a burden of an appraiser regarding a new charting point searching designation operation can be reduced. The device includes a charting point modification element obtaining or modifying a first point located on a first stripe pattern image displayed in a first window, and a second point which is corresponding to the first point and located on a second stripe pattern image displayed in a second window; a nonlinear coordinate transformation element transforming the first stripe pattern image using a nonlinear coordinate transformation so that a first coordinate of the first point in the first window matches a second coordinate of the second point in the second window; and a charting figure edit and display element displaying the first stripe pattern image, transformed by the nonlinear coordinate transformation element by use of the nonlinear coordinate transformation, in the first window.