Kyushu Institute of Technology

Syscom Japan, Inc.

Softcare Co., Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon

Topcon Corporation

Hitoshi Fujii

Kenji Okamoto

Naoki Konishi

Noriyoshi Takahashi

Takashi Yokokura

Hideo Tomoda

Masaru Satoh

Phuong Thuy Le

Takeshi Shirakawa

Tetsu Kuroki

Hiroyuki Ishihara

The present invention images a heartbeat strength representing the strength of pulsations (beats) on a map as a new dynamics index different from the conventional waveform numerical value. A computation section according to the present invention obtains, from time-course changes of the blood flow map obtained as a result of computation of blood flow speed, a signal intensity at a fundamental frequency determined from time-series blood flow data within a predetermined region, and calculates a heartbeat strength which represents the strength of heartbeats on the basis of the signal intensity. A display section images and displays the heartbeat strength calculated by the heartbeat strength computation section. Also, the display section displays the heartbeat strength calculated by the heartbeat strength computation section by superimposing the heartbeat strength on a combined map created by averaging a plurality of blood flow maps arranged in a chronological order.

Apparatus and method for imaging and analyzing hemodynamics

A blood flow image diagnosing device of the present invention includes a laser light irradiation system for applying laser light to an observation region of a biotissue having blood cells; a light receiving section having a plurality of pixels and adapted to detect reflection light from the observation region of the biotissue; an image capturing section for successively capturing a plurality of images on the basis of a signal from the light receiving section; an image storage section for storing the plurality of images; a computation section for computing the speed of blood flow within the biotissue from time course changes of output signals of the pixels throughout the stored images; and a display section for displaying a two-dimensional distribution which is the result of the computation as a blood flow map. The computation section includes a pigment concentration correction section.

Blood flow image diagnosing device and method

A blood flow image diagnosis device which diagnoses a blood flow map by separating, on the basis of a plurality of blood flow maps covering a specified time including one or more cardiac beats, a blood flow of a surface layer blood vessel observed in a surface layer in an observation region of a body tissue from a background blood flow of a peripheral background region. The device distinguishably displays a first blood flow map of the surface layer blood vessel and a second blood flow map of the background blood flow. The device calculates and compares information on a blood flow including blood flow value, blood flow waveform, or blood vessel diameter in the first and second blood flow maps, and displays the calculated information.

Blood flow image diagnosing device

In a personal authentication method using the subcutaneous bloodstream measurement where an expanded laser beam is irradiated onto a finger pad, light reflected from a subcutaneous blood vessel layer is imaged on an image sensor as a laser speckle using an optical system, a quantity that represents the rate of change with respect to time of the amount of light received for each pixel of the laser speckle is calculated, the values are used as a two-dimensional map to obtain a map showing the bloodstream of the finger pad, and the bloodstream map is comparison-checked against pre-registered data of individuals, the laser speckle is imaged on the image sensor using a region separate from a region irradiated by the laser beam as an observation region of the image sensor. A device for use in the method is also provided. Relating to a method and device for authentication using, e.g., a finger print pattern on the basis of the laser speckle, an improved technique capable of extracting, e.g., the finger print pattern accurately is provided.

Personal authentication method using subcutaneous bloodstream measurement and personal authentication device

Individual authentication method and apparatus therefor, wherein at least one information out of an eyeground blood vessel image information obtained by an optical means, eyeground blood flow distribution image information obtained by using a laser, and information relating to the change over time thereof is compared and collated with personal information registered in advance, and at least the one information out of the eyeground blood vessel image information, the eyeground blood flow distribution image information, and the information relating to the change over time thereof within a measurement field of view obtained in a direction of a line of sight fixed by a fixation target registered in advance is compared and collated with the personal information registered in advance. The fixation target for fixing the direction of the line of sight may be selected from a plurality of fixation points, such as a part of a character string, a part of a still image, or a part of a moving picture, and has an information of which of them to fixedly view registered in advance. An improved technology for further reinforcing the individual authentication method using measurement of an eyeground blood vessel pattern or an eyeground blood flow distribution is provided.

Method of authenticating individual and apparatus of authenticating individual used for the same

A personal authentication method comprising imaging, on an image sensor as a laser speckle using an optical system, light reflected from retinal blood vessels of the ocular fundus and a blood vessel layer in ocular fundus internal tissue when a laser beam is expanded and made to irradiate the ocular fundus, calculating a quantity that represents the rate of change with respect to time of the amount of light received for each pixel of the laser speckle, obtaining an ocular fundus blood flow map as a two-dimensional map of the numerical values of the quantity, and comparison-checking against pre-registered personal data utilizing at least one, observed in the blood flow map, of blood flow distribution data, a pattern reflecting the course of retinal blood vessels, a pattern reflecting the course of blood vessels in ocular fundus internal tissue observed superimposed thereon, and data on changes thereof over time, and a device therefor. In accordance with the method and device of the present invention utilizing the ocular fundus blood flow rate map, a personal authentication method and device can be obtained that have remarkably higher accuracy than conventional methods and devices.

Personal authentication method and personal authentication device utilizing ocular fundus blood flow measurement by laser light

The present invention provides a method for acquiring personal identification data by extracting a ridge-and-recess pattern corresponding to a fingerprint or a knuckle joint and lines on a palm by utilizing characteristics by which subcutaneous bloodstream distribution is spatially modulated by the ridge-and-recess pattern on the surface when measuring a subcutaneous bloodstream distribution based on a bloodstream measuring technology utilizing laser scattering, and by acquiring the same as personal identification data based on living body information, and the same method for acquiring personal identification data includes the steps of: irradiating a laser beam onto at least a part of a fingertip surface or a palm; imaging reflection light from subcutaneous blood vessel layers at an irradiation spot to which a laser beam is irradiated by receiving the same on an image sensor as laser speckles; calculating a change ratio of a light-receiving amount at respective pixels of the laser speckles; preparing a two-dimensional bloodstream map of the irradiation spot based on the numerical values obtained in the step of calculating a change ratio of a light-receiving amount; and storing a ridge-and-recess pattern of the irradiation spot appearing in the two-dimensional bloodstream map as personal identification data.

Method for acquiring personal identification data, personal identification method, apparatus for acquiring personal identification data, and personal identification apparatus

A personal authentication method is provided that includes imaging, on an image sensor as a laser speckle using an optical system, light reflected from a blood vessel layer in subcutaneous and internal tissues when a laser beam is expanded and made to irradiate a finger pad, calculating a quantity that represents the rate of change with respect to time of the amount of light received for each pixel of the laser speckle, obtaining a finger pad blood flow map as a two-dimensional map of the numerical values, and comparison-checking the blood flow map against pre-registered data of individuals, wherein using a near-infrared laser beam or using this in combination with a visible laser beam, comparison-checking against pre-registered data of individuals is carried out using a pattern reflecting a fingerprint occurring within the finger pad blood flow map obtained from reflected light and, observed superimposed thereon, an internal tissue blood flow distribution pattern, and there is also provided a device used for the method.

Personal authentication method and personal authentication device utilizing finger-tip blood flow measurement by laser light

Provided is a wide viewing angle ocular fundus blood flow imaging device in which the measurement field of view is enlarged and which includes a projection system that turns a laser beam into a rectangular spot on the ocular fundus, an observation system that images the rectangular spot on an image sensor placed on the corresponding image plane, an observation optical system for carrying out positioning of the laser spot, and a mechanism for monitoring the movement of an ocular fundus blood vessel image.

Wide viewing angle ocular fundus blood flow imaging device

An apparatus for imaging and displaying a blood stream state of an eye to be tested. A laser beam is first irradiated onto an eye to be tested. And light reflected from an irradiated area on the eye is detected and information about the reflected light is stored. And second, the bloodstream state of the eye are calculated on the basis of the information, the imaged results are displayed on a display means of the apparatus. At the same time, a pulse wave of a person to be tested is detected by a pulse wave detecting means, the wave shaped of the pulse wave is displayed by a display controlling means, which controls to display the measuring time and portion of the bloodstream state compositely on the present wave shape.

Growing community of inventors

Munakata, Japan

Hitoshi Fujii