Recent Patents in Signal Processing (August 2015) – Fingerprint Analysis and Recognition

For our August 2015 issue, we cover recent patents dealing with various applications of fingerprint analysis and recognition. The section below covers patents granted recently for server and client side performance enhancement in fingerprint ACR systems, fingerprint matching methods, high speed fingerprint recognition systems, fingerprint preview quality enhancement, and finger print based authentication issues.

In patent no 9,071,868 a system and method are disclosed that improve the efficiency and performance of an Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) system. Several approaches are described that may be used alone or in combination to reduce total system computational costs related to the manner in which such an ACR means takes samples, called "fingerprints," of digital content being played by a television display device and transmits said fingerprints to a remote server to be compared to a database of fingerprints from known programming. Methods are described for implementing such system performance enhancement including varying sampling rates and other resolution metrics during the process of creating such fingerprints and transmitting them to the database server. The system and method disclosed also describes how to reduce the probability that, when compared to samples from already-identified programming, such fingerprints are incorrectly identified as being of programming other than that which they are in fact derived from.

The method of performing fingerprint matching in patent no. 9,070,002  includes a matching algorithm that combines affine moment invariants (AMIs) and translation, rotation and scaling invariants (TRS) based on moments analysis without requiring minutiae detection. Preprocessing normalizes the fingerprint image using the Federal Bureau of Investigation's wavelet scalar quantification (WSQ) compression standard definition. Analysis of the orientation field reliably and accurately determines the reference point. The area within a predetermined range around the detected reference point is used as a region of interest (ROI) for feature extraction. A directional filter bank transform (DFB) obtains directional components of the image. An invariant moment analysis on sub-bands of the filtered images extracts features while limiting the effects of noise and non-linear distortions. Absolute distance is used to match the fingerprints.

In patent no 9,066,114 a device is configured to perform a method that detects a trigger marker for an action corresponding to a segment of a multimedia signal. A fingerprint is generated based on the segment of the multimedia signal at a trigger time point. The generated fingerprint is stored in a database and communicated to the device. During playback of the multimedia signal, fingerprints of segments of the multimedia signal are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, one or more associated actions for the segment are retrieved by the device. The trigger time point may be determined as a time point near or at the segment of the multimedia signal with the matched fingerprint. In this way, trigger markers for actions may be enabled without modifying the multimedia signal.

The fingerprint feature identification system and method of patent no. 9,064,142 utilizes multiple feature points on a fingerprint to build feature triangles. Each of the feature triangles are classified as one of predetermined triangle classifications according to geometric data thereof. Every new feature triangle built from a new fingerprint is classified first and then compared with its geometric data to multiple filed feature triangles with the same triangle classification to shorten overall comparison duration.

In patent no. 9,047,605 a fingerprint analysis device is presented including a sensing mechanism including an adhesive member configured to perform at least a chemical analysis of a fingerprint and a sound emitting mechanism for emitting one or more sounds based on the chemical analysis of the fingerprint. The chemical analysis device further performs on-the-spot, substantially instantaneous chemical analysis of received fingerprints and emits or conveys audible and/or non-audible information based on the fingerprints received.

According to patent no. 9,031,291 a ridge flow based fingerprint image quality determination can be achieved independent of image resolution, can be processed in real-time and includes segmentation, such as fingertip segmentation, therefore providing image quality assessment for individual fingertips within a four finger flat, dual thumb, or whole hand image. A fingerprint quality module receives from one or more scan devices ridge-flow--containing imagery which can then be assessed for one or more of quality, handedness, historical information analysis and the assignment of bounding boxes.

Methods and devices for obtaining a fingerprint sample due to incidental contact with a fingerprint sensor when performing a gesture are described in patent no. 9,020,567. In one aspect, an electronic device includes a touchscreen display and a fingerprint sensor adjacent the touchscreen display. One or more processors are associated with instructions that cause a fingerprint sample to be obtained and that cause a gesture to be detected. The gesture is characterized by input representing movement that is directed at or from the fingerprint sensor. The input is received, at least in part, at an end of the touchscreen display that is nearest the fingerprint sensor.

Patent no. 8,995,730 proposes an image processing apparatus, which includes a data storage section configured to store image data as a density image containing a fingerprint or a palm print and ridge pattern direction distribution data which shows a direction distribution of a ridge pattern in a fingerprint or a palm print; a direction usage image enhancing section configured to execute ridge direction usage image enhancement processing on the density image based on the ridge pattern direction distribution data; and a direction extracting section configured to extract a first direction distribution of a first pattern which is contained in a ridge direction usage image enhanced image, from the ridge direction usage image enhanced image as a result of the ridge direction usage image enhancement processing to the density image. The direction usage image enhancing section executes first direction usage image enhancement processing on the density image based on first direction distribution data which shows a first direction distribution.

If you have an interesting patent to share when we next feature patents related to fingerprint analysis techniques, or if you are especially interested in a signal processing research field that you would want to be highlighted in this section, please send email to Csaba Benedek (benedek.csaba AT sztaki DOT mta DOT hu).

References

Number: 9,071,868
Title:   Systems and methods for improving server and client performance in fingerprint ACR systems
Inventors: Z. Neumeier and B. Reed
Issued:  June 30, 2015
Assignee: Cognitive Networks, Inc. (San Francisco, CA)

Number: 9,070,002
Title:   Method of performing fingerprint matching
Inventors: W.M. Al-Zahrani, L. Ghouti
Issued:  June 30, 2015
Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS (Dhahran, SA)

Number: 9,066,114
Title:   Method and device for generating and detecting a fingerprint functioning as a trigger marker in a multimedia signal
Inventors: J.C. Oostveen, W.R.T. Ten Kate,A.J.M. Denissen, D.K. Roberts
Issued:  June 23, 2015
Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (Emeryville, CA)

Number: 9,064,142
Title:   High-speed fingerprint feature identification system and method thereof according to triangle classifications
Inventors: W.H. Hsu, H.L. Hsu
Issued:  June 23, 2015
Assignee: Hsu; Wen-Hsing (Hsinchu, TW)

Number: 9,047,605
Title:   System and method for instantaneous fingerprint recognition and analysis resulting in targeted output
Inventors: T. Kountotsis
Issued:  June 2, 2015

Number: 9,031,291
Title:   Fingerprint preview quality and segmentation
Inventors:  J.M. Maurer, L.S. Hills
Issued:  May 12, 2015
Assignee: Aware, Inc. (Bedford, MA)

Number: 9,020,567
Title:   Authentication using fingerprint sensor in gesture path
Inventors: S.H. Fyke
Issued:  April 28, 2015
Assignee: BlackBerry Limited (Waterloo, Ontario, CA)

Number: 8,995,730
Title:   Image processing apparatus for analyzing and enhancing fingerprint images
Inventors: M. Hara; T. Hiroaki
Issued:  March 31, 2015
Assignee: NEC Solutions Innovators, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)