Device for positioning a user by location with both eyes

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for positioning a user by positioning both eyes.

[0002] Such a positioning device may for example be used to position the user's face in front of an identification device recognizing the user's face or eyes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Human eye iris identification devices include cameras designed to capture user's iris images. It is necessary that the user's eyes are correctly positioned in relation to the cameras in order to obtain images of adequate quality in order to recognize the irises and identify the user.

[0004] Therefore, a connection to the identification device of the user setting devices has been conceived. The setting device detects the user's location and sends to him visual or voice information enabling him to adjust his position if it is not appropriate.

[0005] To facilitate user positioning, positioning devices generally show the user visual reference points (e.g. depicted in RP Wildes,: Iris Recognition: An Emerging Biometric Technology ", Proc. IEEE 85 (9): 13481363, 1997 , XP738562; WO0175810; JP2003298287), on which the user should position each of his eyes, but there are people who have one eye that better covers the space. These people tend to unwittingly use only that eye, called the dominant eye, to line up with the reference points. The result is an incorrect setting that prevents correct iris images from being obtained. Such positioning devices are therefore not suitable for use on these persons.

[0006] The only solution currently known to this problem is to teach users to position themselves correctly. However, this learning takes a relatively long time and this knowledge is quickly forgotten after a period of not using the setting device.

[0007] There are also identification devices in which cameras are mechanized to allow them to be positioned relative to the eyes of the user who remains stationary. However, these devices are relatively complex and expensive. In addition, there is a risk of confusion with the target eye of the camera.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0008] The object of the invention is to provide a means for accurately positioning the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0009] To this end, according to the invention, a user positioning device is provided comprising a frame with two positioning reference points arranged in such a way that each of them is visible to one user's eye when correctly positioned and means for creating an optical path between each of the user's eyes and the respective alignment reference point, the optical paths being optically separated from one another's eyes.

[0010] Thus, the right eye cannot see the alignment reference point corresponding to the left eye, and vice versa. We free ourselves from the dominant eye problem.

[0011] According to a first embodiment, the optical path forming means comprise an at least partially reflective prism, wherein the alignment reference points and the prism are arranged on the frame in such a way that the prism has surfaces substantially opposite the alignment reference points to reflect each reference point settings towards the respective user's eye.

[0012] The device has therefore a particularly simple design.

[0013] According to a second embodiment, the means for determining the optical paths have filtering means that preferably comprise two first type polarizers that are placed one before the other and opposite one of the alignment reference points and two second type polarizers which are arranged one before the second and opposite the second reference point of the setting.

[0014] When the user's eyes are aligned with the respective polarizers, the user sees two alignment reference points. In the opposite case, one of the user's eyes is aligned with two polarizers of different types in such a way that he cannot see the reference point.

[0015] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be shown below when reading the description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Reference will be made to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view from above

<td>devices</td><td>for setting according to the first</td>

<td>example</td><td>embodiments of the invention, wherein</td>

<td>user</td><td>is correctly positioned relative to</td>

<td>devices,</td><td></td>

Figure 2 is a view analogous to the view of figure 1, with the user being incorrectly

<td>set</td><td></td>

<td>• figure 3</td><td>shows the image seen through</td>

<td>user</td><td>in case of correct setting,</td>

<td>• figures 4 and</td><td>5 depict the images seen by</td>

<td>user</td><td>in case of incorrect one</td>

<td>settings,</td><td></td>

• figure 6 is a view analogous to figure 1 of the positioning device according to a variant of the first embodiment, • figure 7 is a view analogous to figure 1

<td>devices</td><td>for alignment with the other</td>

<td>example</td><td>embodiments of the invention, wherein</td>

<td>user</td><td>is correctly positioned relative to</td>

device, figure 8 is a partial schematic view in vertical view of this device, • figure 9 shows the image seen by the user when correctly positioned, • figures 10 and 11 show the images seen by the user in the event of incorrect orientation,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] The setting device according to the invention is here intended to provide a user identification apparatus operating by recognizing the iris of users. The identification apparatus includes, as is known, cameras 100 for acquiring user's iris images and an image processing module having in particular a database forming links between user identities and representative characteristics of their iris. Each camera 100 provides at least one image of one of the user's irises to a processing module in which the images are processed in such a way as to extract from them representative characteristics that are compared with representative characteristics found in the database.

[0018] With reference to figures 1 and 2, the positioning device according to the first embodiment of the invention has a frame generally designated 1 having a general U shape.

[0019] The frame has a front part 2 from which the right arm and the left arm 3.a, 3.b extend, respectively, having opposite surfaces 4.a, 4.b.

[0020] The surface 4.a of the right arm 3.a has a position reference point 5.a formed by the point and arrow of the change of position 6.a in a horizontal direction and facing away from the front part 2. Surface 4.b of the left arm 3.b it also has a setting reference point 5.b formed by a point and an arrow changing the position 6.bo of the horizontal direction and facing away from the front part 2.

[0021] The reflecting prism 7 having a triangular cross-section in plan view is mounted on the front part 2 of the frame 1 between the arms 3.a, 3.b. The reflecting prism 7 has surfaces 8, 9 forming an angle with the arms 3.a, 3.b. The two alignment lines 10 run horizontally on the surfaces 8, 9 of the reflecting prism 7. [0022] The cameras 100 of the identification apparatus are mounted here on the arms 3.a, 3.b to capture the images of the iris reflected by the respective surfaces 8, 9 of the reflection prism 7.

[0023] When the user stands in front of the setting device, he should do so to see a point 11 placed on the edge of the reflecting prism 7 between the two setting lines 10 drawn on it (see Figures 1 and 3). This point is actually created by superimposing user setting reference point images.

[0024] Two lines

5.a, 5.b seen through the eyes allow the user to set the head height. If this point is above top alignment line 10, the user should place his head lower and vice versa.

[0025] If the user is too far to the right, he can see on the surface 8 of the reflecting prism 7 the reflected image of the arrow and change in position 6.a, which indicates to him the direction in which he should move to position himself correctly, i.e. in this case the user should move left (see figures 2 and 4).

[0026] Conversely, if the user's head is too far to the left, he sees on the surface 9 of the reflection prism 7 the reflection of the change arrow 6.b, which indicates that he should move to the right so that it is correctly positioned (see figure 5) .

[0027] The reflecting prism 7 allows the creation of an optical path 12.a (represented by a dash-point line) between the user's right eye and the corresponding reference point of setting 6.a. and the 12.b optical path (represented by a dash-point line) between the user's left eye and the corresponding reference point of setting 6.b. 12.a and 12.b optical paths are optically separated from each other in relation to the user's eyes. Therefore, the reference point of setting 6.b to be seen by the user's left eye is not visible to his right eye and vice versa.

In a variant, the cameras 100 can be mounted on the front part 2 of the frame 1 on both sides of the reflection prism 7.

[0029] According to figure 6, another variant, the device may be shown to include a semi-reflective prism 21 instead of a reflecting prism 7. The cameras 100 are then positioned behind the semi-reflective prism 21.

[0030] With reference to figures 7 and 8 and in accordance with the second embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises a frame 30, on the surface of which are set reference points 31.a, 31.b, each of which is formed in this case by one point.

The 32.b, 32.a setting change arrow is respectively displayed above each reference point of the setting 31.a, 31.b. Arrows change setting 32.a,

32.b are horizontal and opposite to each other.

[0031] The filtering means are mounted on the frame 30 and positioned opposite the setting reference points 31.a, 31.b and setting arrows 32.a, 32.b.

[0032] The filtering means comprise a vertical polarizer 33.a located in front of the position reference 31.a and a horizontal polarizer 33.b located in front of the position reference 31.b (polarizers are represented by a dotted line in figure 8).

[0033] The filtering means also includes a vertical polarizer 34.a located before the change arrow 32.a and a horizontal polarizer 34.b located before the change arrow 32.b.

[0034] The filtering means further comprise a vertical polarizer 35.a located in front of the vertical polarizer 33.a and a horizontal polarizer 34.b and a horizontal polarizer 35.b located in front of the horizontal polarizer 33.b and vertical polarizer 34.a. The two setup lines 37 are shown horizontally on polarizers 35.a and 35.b to set the user in height (the principle is the same as for the first embodiment).

[0035] The pairs of adjacent polarizers a and b are separated by an opaque tape 36.

[0036] The polarizers 35.a and 35.b are located at a distance from the polarizers before which they are placed in such a way that:

• when the user is well positioned (figure 9), the right eye sees the setting reference point 31.a through the vertical polarizers 35.a and 33.a (the setting arrow 32.a is invisible because it is not in the eye axis and is obstructed through at least one of the opaque tapes 36; Setting arrow 32.b is invisible because it is located behind the horizontal polarizer 34.b), and the left eye sees the reference point of setting 31.b through the horizontal polarizers 35.b and 33.b (Setting arrow 32.b is invisible because it is not in the eye axis and is obstructed by at least one of the opaque tapes 36; the setting arrow 32.a is invisible because it is behind the vertical polarizer 34.a).

• when the user is moved to the right (figure 10), the right eye can see through vertical polarizers

35.a and 34.a the 32.a change arrow that indicates that he should move left.

• when the user is moved to the left (figure 11), the left eye sees through the vertical polarizers 35.b and 34.b the change arrow 32.b which indicates that he should move to the right.

The polarizers 34, 35 thus allow two optical paths 37.a and 37.b to be defined between each of the user's eyes and the corresponding alignment reference point. The optical paths are optically separated from each other in relation to the user's eyes.

[0038] Of course, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and variations of its implementation can be created without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0039] In particular, although the optical paths are optically separated from each other by the optical means in the described embodiments, it is possible to optically separate the optical paths by physical means such as a barrier forming a visual obstacle preventing the right eye from being seen by the left eye and vice versa.

[0040] Setting reference points or setting changes may have forms other than the forms described. [0041] Other types of polarizers than the described types of polarizers may be used. The filtering means may also include a red transmissive filter opposite the left eye and a blue transmissive filter opposite the right eye, where the set reference point to be seen by the left eye would then be red and the set reference point to be seen by the right eye would then be blue. Therefore, the red setting reference point cannot be seen by the right eye through the blue filter but is seen by the left eye through the red filter and vice versa. Of course, you can use other colors.

SAGEM Securite

Proxy:

EP 1 668 564 B1