Abstract: A multimodal biometric identification system captures and processes images of both the iris and the retina for biometric identification. Another multimodal ocular system captures and processes images of the iris and/or the from both eyes of a subject. Biometrics based on data provided by these systems are more accurate and robust than using biometrics that include data from only the iris or only the retina from a single eye. An exemplary embodiment emits photons to the iris and the retina of both eyes, an iris image sensor that captures an image of the iris when the iris reflects the emitted light, a retina image sensor that captures an image of the retina when the retina reflects the emitted light, and a controller that controls the iris and the retina illumination sources, where the captured image of the iris and the captured image of the retina contain biometric data.

Abstract: Retinal blood vessels are detected for biometric identification by: receiving at least one image with retinal data; detecting an area in the image corresponding to a spatial variation in the image; and determining a blood vessel pattern relative in the area. The spatial variation may be determined according to a spatial intensity gradient. The area corresponding to the spatial variation may be defined by a fitted shape. A specific embodiment determines a structural measurement, such as a structural center of mass, in the area, and the blood vessel pattern is determined relative to the structural measurement. The blood vessel pattern may be determined by identifying blood vessel cross sections within the area and linking the blood vessel cross sections to determine blood vessels. Furthermore, each of the blood vessel cross sections may be represented by an N-vector determined by a N-parameter non-linear fitting function or a linear function combination.