Abstract: An object having an outer surface (e.g. a friction-ridge surface of a finger) and internal parts (e.g. tissue layer, papillae, blood vessels, fat, muscle, nail and bone) is scanned by a system having a transmitter, receiver and computer. One such system has a substantially planar piezoelectric transmit-layer, an ultrasonic receiver array having a plurality of receivers, and a platen. The transmit layer is caused to produce an ultrasound plane-wave traveling toward the object residing on the platen. Using the ultrasonic receiver, ultrasonic energy that has been reflected from the object is detected. The detected ultrasonic energy is analyzed to provide an analysis result, and the analysis result is compared to a template. A determination is made as to whether the analysis result and the template are similar, and the object is declared to be alive if the analysis result is determined to be similar to the template.

Abstract: Systems and methods of authorizing an activity, such as a financial transaction, are disclosed. Authorizing the activity may be accomplished by comparing a biometric sample to a biometric specimen. The sample is stored in a database and includes biometric information corresponding to two physiologically distinct portions of an individual. When that individual later is a person desiring to authorize an activity, he provides a specimen that includes biometric information corresponding to two physiologically distinct portions of his person. A comparison between the sample and the specimen is performed, and if a match is determined then the activity is authorized. If the comparison is performed and a match is not determined, then the activity is not authorized.

Abstract: Systems and methods of authorizing an activity, such as a financial transaction, are disclosed. Authorizing the activity may be accomplished by comparing a biometric sample to a biometric specimen. The sample is stored in a database and includes biometric information corresponding to two physiologically distinct portions of an individual. When that individual later is a person desiring to authorize an activity, he provides a specimen that includes biometric information corresponding to two physiologically distinct portions of his person. A comparison between the sample and the specimen is performed, and if a match is determined then the activity is authorized. If the comparison is performed and a match is not determined, then the activity is not authorized.

Abstract: The invention may be embodied as a fingerprint scanner having an ultrasonic wave detector, a platen, an ultrasonic wave generator located between the detector and the platen. The invention may be embodied as a method of scanning a finger. One such method includes providing a platen, a detector and a generator, the generator being placed between the platen and the detector. A finger may be provided on the platen, and an ultrasound wave pulse may be sent from the generator toward the finger. The wave pulse may be reflected from the finger, and received at the detector. The received wave pulse may be used to produce an image of the finger.

Abstract: A method of creating a friction-ridge image is disclosed. An energy transducer is aimed at a body part having skin. The transducer is used to obtain information about the papillae beneath an outer surface of the skin. The information about the papillae is used to obtain information about valleys between the papillae, and a friction-ridge image having friction-ridge valleys that correspond with the valleys between the papillae is created.

Abstract: A handprint scanner and related method are disclosed. The scanner may include a substantially cylindrical platen around which hands are placed for imaging. An ultrasound transducer array may be configured to spin just below the inner surface of the platen in order to collect information at discrete and precisely controlled points. The rotating transducer may be moved axially so that the result of collecting data in both the circumferential and axial directions results in a raster scan type image of the skin surface that is in contact with the platen.

Abstract: A hand scanner according to the invention may obtain an image of the hand and fingers including the bracelet crease/carpel delta area and palm surface regions up to the tips of the fingers using ultrasound measurement techniques. A hand scanner according to the invention may include a movable arcuate platen and an energy transducer. In a method according to the invention, the transducer may be moved back and forth while moving a platen surface in order to advance the hand and thereby produce a raster type scan image. In this manner, the image of the hand print may be collected as a raster image representative of the scanned surface of the friction ridge skin.

Abstract: The invention may be embodied as a fingerprint scanner having a housing, a curved-surface imaging system and a planar imaging system. The curved-surface imaging system may be capable of collecting information that may be used to produce a curved-surface image of a finger. The planar imaging system may be capable of collecting information that may be used to produce a planar image of one or more fingers at a time.

Abstract: The invention includes biometric security systems and related methods. In a device according to the invention there is an interface plate, a housing and a biometric receiver. The housing and biometric receiver may be mounted to the interface plate, and the interface plate may be secured to a mounting plate.

Abstract: Medical information systems and methods are disclosed. A database of pointers may be used to identify the location of medical information and a biometric may be required to obtain those pointers.

Abstract: An unsealed optical encoder does not function properly in a fluid other than air because the optics do not function when interfaced with a medium having an index of refraction significantly higher than air. The collimating lens of an optical encoder has two refracting surfaces, at least one of the refracting surfaces being convex. An orthogonal cap of the present invention is attached over an optical encoder's collimating lens to create a sealed air cavity between the convex refracting surface of the collimating lens and the orthogonal cap. This placement of the orthogonal cap is such that the collimated light leaving the sealed air cavity may enter the surrounding medium at an angle that is normal to the surface of the medium, such as transparent oil, so that the collimated light does not bend even though the light is traveling from air to a much slower medium.

Abstract: The invention may be embodied as a customer reward system or a method of rewarding a customer. A reward system may have a database of enrolled biometric samples, a point-of-sale station having a biometric-sample receiver, and a comparator in communication with the database and the point-of-sale station. In a method according to the invention, an enrollment station is provided and a first biometric sample is received along with an enrollment request. The first biometric sample may be enrolled in a database to provide an enrolled biometric sample. A point-of-sale station may be provided, and a second biometric sample may be received along with a point-of-sale request. The enrolled biometric sample may be retrieved and compared to the second biometric sample, and then a determination may be made as to whether the enrolled biometric sample is equivalent to the second biometric sample.

Abstract: The invention includes a system and a method of scanning fingerprints. A system may include an imaging surface, an ultrasound transducer, a probe arm joined to the transducer, a driver capable of moving the pivot location linearly and the transducer arcuately, a measurer capable of measuring a linear position of the pivot-location and an arcuate position of the transducer, and a coupler capable of coupling information corresponding to the linear position and the arcuate position with information from the transducer.

Abstract: The invention may include a fingerprint scanner having an ultrasonic wave emitter, a platen, an acoustic splitter and an acoustic detector. The invention may also include a method of scanning a fingerprint, wherein ultrasonic energy is provided and reflected with an acoustic splitter to provide first reflected energy, the first reflected energy may be reflected from a finger to provide second reflected energy, the second reflected energy may be received at the splitter, and allowed to pass through the splitter, and the second reflected energy may then be received at a detector.

Abstract: A method and a system of authorizing a transaction without using a man-made token is disclosed. In a method according to the invention, a biometric sample is registered, biometric information is provided, the biometric information is compared to the biometric sample, a determination is made as to whether the biometric information matches the biometric sample, and if a match is determined, then the transaction is authorized.

Abstract: The invention includes a system and a method of scanning fingerprints. A system may include an imaging surface, an ultrasound transducer, a probe arm joined to the transducer, a driver capable of moving the pivot location linearly and the transducer arcuately, a measurer capable of measuring linear and arcuate positions of the transducer, and a coupler capable of coupling information corresponding to linear and arcuate positions of the transducer with information from the transducer.

Abstract: A finger imaging system having a linear actuator, a pivot arm mounted to the linear actuator and an energy transducer mounted to the pivot arm is disclosed. The system may include an arcuate platen positioned to receive energy from the transducer. A finger may be placed on the platen, and the position of the transducer may be fixed at a first position relative to the length of the finger. The pivot arm may be moved in order to move the transducer along an arcuate path while maintaining the transducer at the first position relative to the length. As the transducer moves along the arcuate path, energy may be emitted from the transducer and reflected from the finger. The reflected energy may be detected and data corresponding to the amount of time between sending and receiving energy may be stored as data along with the linear and angular position of the transducer.

Abstract: The invention includes a finger scanner having an energy emitter, an analyzing surface, and a resting surface. The invention also includes a method of scanning a finger.