The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 26, 1998
Michihisa Suga, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a fingerprint detecting device, the skin surface of a finger is pressed against a transparent body. A light source irradiates incident light from an inside of the transparent body on the skin surface. A thin surface film layer is formed on the surface of the transparent body, on which a three-dimensional pattern of the skin surface is transferred by pressing the finger, to pass the incident light from the light source an area where the surface film layer contacts the surface of the transparent body. A fluid layer is formed by sealing one of a gas and a liquid between the surface of the transparent body and the surface film layer. The fluid layer is pressed by the surface film layer on which the three-dimensional pattern of the skin surface is transferred and totally reflects the incident light from the light source in an area where the fluid layer contacts the surface of the transparent body. An image detection unit detects an image fingerprint pattern on the basis of the light from the light source, which is reflected by the surface of the transparent body, when the surface film layer comes into contact with the surface of the transparent body in accordance with the three-dimensional pattern of the skin surface. A method for this device is also disclosed.