Frederick W Kiefer

Title: The Innovations of Frederick W. Kiefer

Introduction

Frederick W. Kiefer is a notable inventor based in Williamsville, NY (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of fingerprint identification technology. With a total of 4 patents to his name, Kiefer's work has advanced the methods used in biometric security.

Latest Patents

Kiefer's latest patents include a sophisticated fingerprint identification system. This system utilizes a gray scale image of the fingerprint, converting it into a digitized format. The process involves enhancing the gray scale to ensure uniform contrast across the entire fingerprint image. It also includes down-sampling the enhanced image to limit the number of pixels analyzed. A gradient map of the fingerprint image is generated, and a calculation kernel is defined for ridge angle determination. The kernel traverses the gradient map in predetermined increments, smoothing the ridge angle map through Fourier filtering. Additionally, the image quality map is smoothed using erosion and dilation techniques. The frequency of ridges in the fingerprint image is determined by establishing lines perpendicular to ridge flow and sampling pixels along these lines.

Another patent focuses on a method for comparing fingerprints. This method records the location and angle of minutiae, along with a quality measure for each minutiae. It also captures the core and delta locations, as well as an image state map that defines high and low-quality areas. In matching fingerprints, ridge angle maps align the images, followed by a comparison of state maps and minutiae locations. The fingerprints are scored based on the closeness of the match using a dual hypothesis technique.

Career Highlights

Frederick W. Kiefer is currently employed at Calspan Corporation, where he continues to innovate in the field of biometric technology. His work has been instrumental in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of fingerprint identification systems.

Collaborations

Kiefer has collaborated with notable colleagues, including James R. Ort and Douglas L. Lange. Their combined expertise has contributed to the development of advanced technologies in their field.

Conclusion

Frederick W. Kiefer's contributions to fingerprint identification technology demonstrate his commitment to innovation and security. His patents reflect a deep understanding of biometric systems and their applications in real-world scenarios.