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US-12620265-B2 - Biometric capture system and associated method

US12620265B2US 12620265 B2US12620265 B2US 12620265B2US-12620265-B2

Abstract

The present invention refers to a biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person comprising a screen ( 1 ); an image capture module ( 2 ) which is configurated to move along a vertical guiding device ( 3 ), and an interface ( 5 ), which is disposed between the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ) and the base of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ); and wherein a digital visual element ( 4 ) is displayed on said screen ( 1 ); and a visual element ( 6 ) is displayed on said image capture module ( 2 ); and the biometric capture system is configured to execute a synchronized transition between the digital visual element ( 4 ) and the visual element ( 6 ) through the interface ( 5 ) for keeping the focus of the person. The invention provides solution, which handles naturally the human behaviour during a non-natural and unknown biometric capture process, making easier and faster the interaction with the user.

Inventors

  • Miguel Guilherme Leitmann

Assignees

  • VISION BOX-SOLUÇÕES DE VISÃO POR COMPUTADOR, S.A

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20221021
Priority Date
20211104

Claims (10)

  1. 1 . A biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person comprising: a processing unit; a screen ( 1 ), which is connected to said processing unit and is configured to start a workflow for a biometric capture of a person; a biometric camera for sensing and input of biometric data, which is connected to said processing unit; an image capture module ( 2 ) for capturing of the inputted biometric data from the biometric camera, wherein the biometric camera for sensing and input of biometric data is comprised in said image capture module ( 2 ), and wherein the image capture module ( 2 ) is connected to said processing unit; a vertical guiding device ( 3 ) comprising a base and a vertical trail, wherein the vertical trail of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) is connected to the image capture module ( 2 ), which is configured to vertically move along said vertical trail; and further comprising: an interface ( 5 ), wherein said interface ( 5 ) is disposed between the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ) and the base of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ); and wherein a digital visual element ( 4 ) is displayed on said screen ( 1 ); and wherein a visual element ( 6 ) is displayed on said image capture module ( 2 ); and wherein said biometric capture system is configured to execute a synchronized transition between the digital visual element ( 4 ) and the visual element ( 6 ) through the interface ( 5 ) for keeping the focus of the person; characterized in that the processing unit is configured: to send a first instruction to display the digital visual element ( 4 ) on said screen ( 1 ) for keeping the focus of the person; and to send a second instruction to move the said digital visual element ( 4 ) to a superior edge of said screen ( 1 ); and to send a third instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) from the base of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to the interface ( 5 ), wherein the said image capture module ( 2 ) is further configured to display the visual element ( 6 ) when the said image capture module ( 2 ) is placed at the interface ( 5 ) and next to the said digital visual element ( 4 ) for keeping the focus of the person; and to send a fourth instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) upward along the vertical guiding device ( 3 ), and synchronously to turn off the digital visual element ( 4 ), wherein the image capture module ( 2 ) is further configured to adjust its position on the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to capture biometric data according to the height of the person, while the visual element ( 6 ) keeps the focus of the person; and to send a fifth instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) downward along the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to the interface ( 5 ), after finishing the capturing of the biometric data, and synchronously to turn on the digital visual element ( 4 ) at the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ), when the said image capture module ( 2 ) reaches the interface ( 5 ), for keeping the focus of the person; and to send a sixth instruction to move the digital visual element ( 4 ) away from the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ) for keeping the focus of the person, and synchronously to turn off the visual element ( 6 ).
  2. 2 . The biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person, according to claim 1 , wherein the screen ( 1 ) is a touchscreen.
  3. 3 . The biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person, according claim 1 , wherein the biometric data is one or more selected from the group consisting of a facial feature geometry or an iris scan for enrolment, verification or identification.
  4. 4 . The biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person, according to claim 1 , wherein the digital visual element ( 4 ) is one or more selected from the group consisting of a digital image or a multimedia icon.
  5. 5 . The biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person, according claim 1 , wherein the screen ( 1 ) is disposed at an oblique angle in relation to the axis of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ).
  6. 6 . The biometric capture system for enrolment, verification or identification of a person, according to claim 1 , wherein at least one input device or a printer unit is connected to said processing unit, wherein said input device is selected from the group consisting of a keypad, which is configured for a user to input alphanumeric characters; a code reader device, which is configured to read an optically readable code; and a personal identification document reader; wherein the printer unit is configured to materialize a document.
  7. 7 . A method for verification, identification or enrolment of a person using a biometric capture system, defined according to claim 1 , characterized by comprising the following steps: a) providing a screen ( 1 ) to start a workflow for a biometric capture of a person; b) a processing unit sends a first instruction to display a digital visual element ( 4 ) on said screen ( 1 ) for keeping the focus of the person; c) the processing unit sends a second instruction to move the said digital visual element ( 4 ) to a superior edge of said screen ( 1 ); d) the processing unit sends a third instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) from the base of the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to an interface ( 5 ), wherein said interface ( 5 ) is disposed between the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ) and a base of a vertical guiding device ( 3 ), wherein the said image capture module ( 2 ) is further configured to display a visual element ( 6 ) when the said image capture module ( 2 ) is placed at the interface ( 5 ) and next to the said digital visual element ( 4 ) for keeping the focus of the person; e) the processing unit sends a fourth instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) upward along the vertical guiding device ( 3 ), and synchronously to turn off the digital visual element ( 4 ), wherein the image capture module ( 2 ) is further configured to adjust its position on the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to capture biometric data according to the height of the person, while the visual element ( 6 ) keeps the focus of the person; f) the image capture module ( 2 ) captures inputted biometric data from a biometric sensor; g) the processing unit sends a fifth instruction to move the image capture module ( 2 ) downward along the vertical guiding device ( 3 ) to the interface ( 5 ), after finishing the capturing of the biometric data, and synchronously to turn on the digital visual element ( 4 ) at the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ), when the said image capture module ( 2 ) reaches the interface ( 5 ), for keeping the focus of the person; h) the processing unit sends a sixth instruction to move the digital visual element ( 4 ) away from the superior edge of the screen ( 1 ) for keeping the focus of the person, and synchronously to turn off the visual element ( 6 ).
  8. 8 . The method for verification, identification or enrolment of a person using a biometric capture system, according to claim 7 , wherein the biometric data is one or more selected from the group consisting of a facial feature geometry or an iris scan.
  9. 9 . The method for verification, identification or enrolment of a person using a biometric capture system, according claim 8 , wherein the digital visual element ( 4 ) is one or more selected from the group consisting of a digital image or a multimedia icon.
  10. 10 . The method for verification, identification or enrolment of a person using a biometric capture system, according to claim 8 , wherein at least one peripheral unit is connected to the processing unit, wherein said peripheral unit is selected from the group consisting of an identity document reader; a contact card reader; a contactless card reader; a barcode scanner; a fingerprint scanner; a signature pad; an accessibility keypad; and a printer unit.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a National Phase of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/PT2022/050027 having International filing date of Oct. 21, 2022, which claims the benefit of priority of Portugal Patent Application No. 117556, filed Nov. 4, 2021, the contents of which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to biometric capture systems for the automated control of the identity of a person based on biometric data. The present invention is applicable to any context where biometric capture for enrolment, verification or identification is required, such as border control, passenger processing during a travel journey or for the issuance of identity documents. BACKGROUND ART The biometric capture processes and related systems known in the background art are non-natural processes and devices for humans, where user needs to learn how to use the device properly during its usage, making said process intrusive and slow. The lack of familiarity about how to use a certain device in a border control facility, for example, may result in higher processing times to properly capture biometric data from a passenger. The non-natural systems of the prior art result in longer lines of passengers or contribute to an increase of the investments in several machines, which are installed to work in parallel, in order to maintain an acceptable flow of persons during interactions before increase a border control facility. The systems and devices for biometric capture have advanced from simple cameras to complex touchpoints with high quality camera sensors, capable of adjusting the height of the camera and the light conditions to achieve the perfect capture. However, most of these prior art devices require a significant user interaction, wherein a user usually stands up before a machine and try to understand what is his or her role in the process, namely when and where shall he or she look to a camera to be captured. The devices of the prior art are characterized to send an explicit command to the user, demanding that the user must look at a camera. This command is displayed on a screen and, after receiving said command, an unfamiliarized user tries to look for the position of the camera on the machine, usually spending some time to identify the location of the camera. These problems are frequent in systems comprising a physical separation between the display where the user inputs data and receive commands and the camera for capturing biometric data. Therefore, there is a continuous need from the market to improve processing time, and to increase efficiency of operational areas. Moreover, there is a constant trend to increase the quality of captured images at biometric processes, such as ISO 39794-5. There is a need to make to develop a biometric capture system that be seamless and natural to use by humans, to increase the user experience, increase the throughput and optimize the operational efficiency where a biometric capture is required. There is a need to develop a system that solves the problems of the prior art by reducing the learning curve regarding the process of capturing of the biometric information. Solution to Problem The present invention solves the problems of prior art by developing a biometric capture system which contributes with a cross-device transition, offering to the user a continuous experience when the user interacts with a biometric touchpoint. The goal of the present invention is to provide a natural movement when the focus of the user must perform a transition from the display or screen towards biometric capture physical components, as well as on an opposite direction, from the biometric capture physical components towards the display. To instruct the user to look at the biometric capture device, a visual element using a combination of digital visual elements (4), for example animated icons and colorful graphic elements, is presented at the screen (1) to catch the focus of the passenger. The digital visual element (4) slides upwards until it disappears from the screen (1). Simultaneously, a physical component showing a related visual element (6) lights up on the vertical guiding device (3), where the image capture module (2) is located. In the most preferred embodiments according to the invention, the digital visual element (4) shown at the screen (1) and the visual element (6) displayed on the vertical guiding device (3) present a similar visual, which can be made of different shapes and colors. The image capture module (2), which comprises the physical element containing the visual element (2), slides upwards from its lowest position and moves vertically, creating the visual effect of an extension of the screen (1). In the most preferred embodiments according to the invention, the visual element (6) contained in the physical element is not visible to the user, when the physical element is located at its lowest pos