Vascular pattern detection systems

Abstract

In the examples provided herein, a vascular pattern recognition system integrated onto a portable card includes a vascular pattern detection system to obtain image data of blood vessels of a finger to be swiped across a detection area on the portable card, wherein the vascular pattern detection system includes a near infrared light source and an image sensor array. The vascular pattern recognition system also includes an image processor to process the image data to generate a scanned vascular pattern and compare the scanned vascular pattern to a pre-stored pattern stored on the portable card to authenticate the image data, and a security processor to generate a transaction code to authorize a transaction upon authentication of the image data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vascular pattern recognition system integrated onto a portable card, the system comprising:
 a vascular pattern detection system to obtain image data of blood vessels of a finger to be swiped across a detection area on the portable card, wherein the vascular pattern detection system includes a near infrared light source and an image sensor array;   an image processor to process the image data to generate a scanned vascular pattern and compare the scanned vascular pattern to a pre-stored pattern stored on the portable card to authenticate the image data; and   a security processor to generate a transaction code to authorize a transaction upon authentication of the image data, wherein the transaction code is transmitted through contact with a card reader or contactlessly via near field communication,   wherein a thickness of the vascular detection system is less than approximately two millimeters.   
     
     
         2 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vascular pattern detection system and the image processor are part of a first chip on the portable card, and the security processor is part of a second chip on the portable card,
 wherein the pre-stored pattern is stored on the first chip, 
 wherein the first chip and the second chip are distinct and communicatively coupled, and 
 wherein the image processor sends an indication of authentication of the image data to the security processor; or 
   wherein the vascular pattern detection system is part of a first chip on the portable card, and the security processor and the image processor are part of a second chip on the portable card,
 wherein the pre-stored pattern is stored on the second chip, 
 wherein the first chip and the second chip are distinct and communicatively coupled, and 
 wherein the image data is transmitted to the image processor, and 
 wherein the image processor sends an indication of authentication of the image data to the security processor; or 
   wherein the vascular pattern detection system, the image processor, and the security processor are part of a single chip on the portable card, and the pre-stored pattern is stored on the single chip,
 wherein the image processor sends an indication of authentication of the image data to the security processor. 
   
     
     
         3 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , wherein the vascular pattern detection system has an area approximately 25×30 mm 2  or smaller. 
     
     
         4 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , wherein the vascular pattern detection system comprises:
 a recessed region on the portable card, wherein the recessed region has a first sloping edge along a length on a first side and a second sloping edge along the length on a second side opposite the first side, wherein the recessed region is part of the detection area;   a first near infrared (NIR) light-emitting diode (LED) array positioned on the first sloping edge; and   an image sensor array to receive light emitted by the first NIR LED array and scattered from blood vessels of the finger.   
     
     
         5 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image sensor array within the detection area;   a near infrared (NIR) filter and spacer positioned above the image sensor array;   a microlens array positioned above the NIR filter and spacer; and   a NIR light source to emit light above the microlens array toward the finger, wherein the image sensor array receives light emitted by the NIR light source and scattered from the blood vessels of the finger.   
     
     
         6 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises a series of images, and further wherein processing the image data to generate a scanned vascular pattern comprises using an image stitching algorithm on the series of images to generate the scanned vascular pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor array is a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor array or a printed thin-film transistor-based photodiode image sensor array. 
     
     
         8 . The vascular pattern recognition system of  claim 1 , wherein the detection area has a width approximately a finger's width across and a length shorter than the width. 
     
     
         9 . A vascular pattern detection system on a portable card comprising:
 a recessed region having a width approximately a finger's width across and a length shorter than the width, wherein the recessed region has a first sloping edge along the width on a first side and a second sloping edge along the width on a second side opposite the first side;   a first near infrared (NIR) light-emitting diode (LED) array positioned along the first sloping edge; and   an image sensor array to receive light emitted by the first NIR LED array and scattered from blood vessels of a finger to be swiped along the width of the recessed region.   
     
     
         10 . The vascular pattern detection system of  claim 9 , wherein the image sensor array is positioned at a bottom of the recessed region, and the vascular pattern detection system further comprises:
 a second NIR LED array positioned along a second sloping edge of the recessed region, wherein the image sensor array further receives light emitted by the second NIR LED array and scattered from the blood vessels of the finger;   a NIR filter and spacer positioned over the image sensor array; and   a microlens array positioned over the NIR filter and spacer.   
     
     
         11 . The vascular pattern detection system of  claim 9 , wherein the image sensor array is positioned on the second sloping edge of the recessed region, the vascular pattern detection system further comprises:
 a NIR filter and spacer positioned over the image sensor array; and   a microlens array positioned over the NIR filter and spacer.   
     
     
         12 . A vascular pattern detection system on a portable card comprising:
 a scanning area having a width approximately a finger's width across and a length shorter than the width;   an image sensor array within the scanning area;   a near infrared (NIR) filter and spacer positioned over the image sensor array;   a microlens array positioned over the NIR filter and spacer; and   a NIR light source to emit light above the microlens array toward a finger to be swiped along the length of the scanning area, wherein the image sensor array receives light emitted by the NIR light source and scattered from blood vessels of the finger.   
     
     
         13 . The vascular pattern detection system of  claim 12 , wherein the NIR light source comprises:
 an edge emitting light-emitting diode (LED);   a light guide positioned over a portion of the microlens array, wherein light emitted by the edge emitting LED couples into the light guide and travels along the light guide via total internal reflection;   light scatterers positioned outside the light guide on a first surface closest to the microlens array to scatter light from the light guide toward the finger, wherein the light scatterers are positioned around a first pinhole array;   a second pinhole array positioned over the light guide and aligned with the first pinhole array to direct light scattered from the blood vessels to pixels of the image sensor array,   wherein a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of the blood vessels may be generated based on the received light.   
     
     
         14 . The vascular pattern detection system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a diffuser layer positioned between the emitted light from the NIR light source and the finger to be scanned, the diffuser layer to collimate light from the light scatterers, wherein the diffuser layer is positioned around the second pinhole array.   
     
     
         15 . The vascular pattern detection system of  claim 12 , wherein the NIR light source comprises:
 an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) array positioned above the microlens array.