JP2005353014A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the quality of image in an imaging device suitable for biometrics by reducing the influence of a noise component on an imaging object in an image. <P>SOLUTION: A blood vessel projected light obtained by being scattered within a finger FG is guided to a solid imaging element 14c, and a blood vessel image BIM based on a blood vessel image signal S10 outputted from the solid imaging element 14c is reconfigured so that horizontal fringe noise components are smoothed. According to this, since the noise components based on a finger surface-reflected near infrared ray reflected by the surface of the finger FG can be smoothed, the reduction of extraction accuracy in a blood vessel formation pattern resulted from the finger surface-reflected near infrared ray can be prevented, and the reliability in authentication can be improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and is suitable for application to, for example, biometric authentication.

  Conventionally, as authentication information used in biometric authentication, a formation pattern such as a finger or palm fingerprint on the surface of a living body is generally used. However, in recent years, a blood vessel formation pattern (hereinafter referred to as blood vessel formation) in a living body. Called patterns) are also beginning to be used.

  In this case, the blood vessel is imaged using the property that light in the near infrared band (near infrared light) is specifically absorbed by deoxygenated hemoglobin (venous blood) or oxygenated hemoglobin (arterial blood) in the blood vessel. An authentication apparatus that generates an angiogenesis pattern based on the imaging result has been proposed.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 25, the authentication device 200 includes a light source unit 202 configured to cover the upper part of the finger insertion space 201 like a roof, and an imaging unit 203 that configures the lower part of the finger insertion space 201. The near-infrared light obtained by irradiating the finger inserted into the finger insertion space 201 from the light source 202a of the light source unit 202 with the near-infrared light and passing through the finger is imaged through the opening 204. Incident on the portion 203.

Then, the imaging unit 203 guides the near-infrared light to the camera 206 through a filter (not shown) that transmits only the near-infrared wavelength region, and extracts based on the blood vessel image obtained from the camera 206. The formed blood vessel formation pattern is generated as authentication information (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-30632 A

  By the way, in such an imaging unit 203, not only near infrared light obtained by transmitting through the finger but also near infrared light reflected on the finger surface is incident, so the near infrared light reflected on the finger surface is reflected. The generation of a blood vessel image including a noise component has a problem that the image quality of the blood vessel image is degraded.

  In addition, since the imaging unit 203 receives light such as visible light in the atmosphere together with near-infrared light, image quality can also be improved by generating a blood vessel image including light other than the near-infrared light as a noise component. There was a problem of causing a drop.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and intends to propose an imaging apparatus capable of improving image quality.

  In order to solve this problem, in the present invention, in an imaging apparatus that images a specific imaging target inside a living body, an irradiation unit that irradiates the living body with specific light having specificity to the imaging target from a predetermined irradiation direction A light guide means for guiding the specific light emitted from the irradiation means and obtained through the living body to the solid-state image sensor, and an image based on the image signal output from the solid-state image sensor corresponding to the irradiation direction. Image reconstructing means for reconstructing the brightness value in the direction to be smoothed is provided.

  Therefore, in this imaging device, since the noise component based on the specific light in the irradiation direction reflected on the surface of the imaging target can be dispersed, the influence of the noise component on the imaging target in the image can be reduced, Thus, the image quality can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) First Embodiment (1-1) Overall Configuration of Authentication Device In FIG. 1, 1 indicates the overall configuration of an authentication system according to the first embodiment as a whole, and controls the entire authentication system 1. It is configured by connecting an imaging device 3 and an authentication device 4 to a control device 2 that manages the device.

  The control device 2 includes a central processing unit, a work memory, and an information storage memory, and a plurality of types of data and programs are stored in the information storage memory. The control unit 2 executes various processes using the various information stored in the information storage memory as appropriate according to the program loaded in the work memory, and sends a predetermined control signal to the imaging device 3 or the authentication device 4 as necessary. The entire authentication system 1 is controlled so as to be transmitted.

  The imaging device 3 uses, for example, in the living body by utilizing specific absorption of near-infrared light (near-infrared light) by deoxygenated hemoglobin (venous blood) or oxygenated hemoglobin (arterial blood) in blood vessels. A blood vessel in a finger is imaged as an imaging target.

  Based on the blood vessel image obtained as the imaging result, the imaging device 3 generates a blood vessel formation pattern specific to the imaging subject at this time as data (hereinafter referred to as authentication information), and this is generated as the authentication device 4. To send.

  The authentication device 4 is connected to a registration database DB via a predetermined transmission path, and is generated by performing the same processing based on the imaging result in the same part as the imaging device 3 in the registration database DB. One or two or more angiogenesis patterns thus registered are registered as a registrant's angiogenesis pattern (hereinafter referred to as a registered angiogenesis pattern).

  The authentication device 4 is configured to execute a registration mode or an authentication mode in accordance with the mode signal of the control device 2, and in the registration mode, the blood vessel formation pattern of the authentication information supplied from the imaging device 3 is registered as a registered blood vessel. Register as a formation pattern in the registration database DB.

  In contrast, in the authentication mode, the authentication device 4 collates the blood vessel formation pattern of the authentication information supplied from the imaging device 3 with the registered blood vessel formation pattern registered in the registration database DB.

  Here, when a matching rate that is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold is obtained as a result of this collation, the authentication device 4 is not a registrant registered in the registration database DB. If a match rate higher than a predetermined threshold is obtained, it is determined that the person to be imaged is the registrant.

  As described above, in this authentication system 1, by authenticating using a blood vessel formation pattern unique to the living body, it is possible not only to prevent direct theft from the living body as compared with a fingerprint or the like on the surface of the living body. It is designed to prevent impersonation of registrants by the three parties.

(1-2) Specific Configuration of Imaging Device As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging device 3 is imaged by the imaging unit 10, the imaging control unit 20 that controls the imaging unit 10, and the imaging unit 10. The image processing unit 30 performs various processes on the blood vessel image obtained as a result.

(1-2-1) Configuration of Imaging Unit This imaging unit 10 has an imaging opening 11 provided at a predetermined position of the casing of the imaging device 3, and the surface of the casing is colorless and transparent made of a predetermined material. A lid CV is provided so as to cover the imaging opening 11, and a guide groove 12 (12 a and 12 b) for guiding the finger FG is provided on the imaging opening 11. A camera unit 14 is housed in the housing of the imaging device 3 below the imaging opening 11.

  As a result, the imaging unit 10 prevents inflow of foreign matter from the imaging opening 11 into the housing of the imaging device 3 and prevents the camera unit 14 from being soiled with the finger FG guided by the guide groove 12. Has been made to be able to.

  The imaging unit 10 is provided with a near-infrared light source 13 (13a and 13b) that irradiates near-infrared light to the finger FG guided on the imaging opening 11. In the near-infrared light source 13, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an irradiation direction DY (FIG. 3) perpendicular to the finger pointing direction DX (FIG. 3) of the finger FG guided on the imaging opening 11. The position is selected so that the near-infrared light is irradiated to the belly part of the finger FG (hereinafter referred to as the finger pad).

  Thereby, in the imaging part 10, it irradiates with respect to the finger pad of the finger FG guided on the imaging opening part 11 from the near-infrared light source 13, and is absorbed by the hemoglobin which exists in the blood vessel tissue inside the said finger FG. In addition, near-infrared light that is scattered from a tissue other than the blood vessel tissue and obtained from the inside of the finger FG can be incident on the camera unit 14 through the imaging aperture 11 (hereinafter referred to as a finger). Near infrared light obtained from the inside of the FG is called blood vessel projection light).

  The camera unit 14 is a filter that transmits light corresponding to a wavelength in the near-infrared band (approximately 700 [nm] to 900 [nm]) in the optical path below the imaging opening 11 (hereinafter referred to as near-infrared light transmission). (Referred to as a filter) 14a, a lens 14b, and a solid-state imaging device 14c are sequentially arranged so that blood vessel projection light out of the light incident from the imaging opening 11 is guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c.

  In addition to this configuration, the camera unit 14 has a polarization axis in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation direction DY (that is, the same direction as the finger pointing direction DX) between the imaging aperture 11 and the near infrared light transmission filter 14a. A polarizing plate 15 is provided.

  In this case, in the camera unit 14, near infrared light reflected from the direction perpendicular to the finger pointing direction without passing through the inner side of the index finger FG (hereinafter referred to as finger surface reflected near infrared light). Is deviated from the optical path by the deflecting plate 15, whereas the blood vessel projection light passes through the deflecting plate 15 because it is scattered light inside the index finger FG.

  Therefore, the camera unit 14 includes the blood vessel of the blood vessel projection light (scattered light) and the finger surface reflected near infrared light (surface reflected light) incident from the imaging opening 11 via the near infrared light transmission filter 15. The projected light can be selectively guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c.

  This solid-state imaging device 14c has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a lattice shape, and photoelectrically converts blood vessel projection light in these photoelectric conversion elements. Then, the solid-state imaging device 14c reads out the charge charged to each photoelectric conversion device as a result of this photoelectric conversion in accordance with the charge readout pulse signal S1 supplied from the imaging control unit 20, and resets in accordance with the charge reset pulse signal S2, The read charge is output to the image processing unit 30 as a blood vessel image signal S10.

  In this manner, the imaging unit 10 can capture an image of a blood vessel inside the finger FG disposed to face the imaging opening 11 as an imaging target.

(1-2-2) Configuration of Imaging Control Unit As illustrated in FIG. 4, the imaging control unit 20 includes a light source driving unit 21, a clock generation unit 22, and a charge amount adjustment unit 23.

  The light source driving unit 21 corresponds to, for example, a voltage value input from an operation unit (not shown) among a plurality of voltage values set in advance so that near infrared light is larger than the intensity of normal light. Generate voltage. The light source driving unit 21 drives the near-infrared light source 13 by outputting this voltage to the near-infrared light source 13 (13a and 13b) as a light source drive signal S3.

  As a result, the near-infrared light source 13 (13a and 13b) is turned on, and the finger FG (FIG. 1) guided on the imaging opening 11 is irradiated with near-infrared light having intensity greater than that of normal light. The Rukoto.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the clock generator 22 generates a reference pulse signal S4 having a predetermined duty ratio as a unit period PT from the falling point to the next falling point, and adjusts the charge amount. The data is sent to the unit 23.

  The charge amount adjustment unit 23 sends the reference pulse signal S4 supplied from the clock generation unit 21 as it is to the solid-state imaging device 14c as a charge read pulse signal S1. In this case, in the solid-state imaging device 14c, the charges charged in the photoelectric conversion elements in the unit period PT (FIG. 5A) are periodically read out with the falling time as the reading start time.

  However, in this case, as shown in FIG. 6A, the solid-state imaging device 14c has a unit period PT due to the fact that the intensity of near-infrared light emitted from the near-infrared light source 13 is greater than that of normal light. In the middle of (FIG. 5A), a situation occurs in which the charge charged to each photoelectric conversion element is saturated.

  Therefore, the charge amount adjusting unit 23 executes an exposure time control process called an electronic shutter, and calculates the charge amount per unit period PT (FIG. 5A) charged in the solid-state image sensor 14c (each photoelectric conversion element). It has been made to limit.

  In practice, as shown in FIG. 5B, the charge amount adjusting unit 23 sequentially detects, for example, intermediate time points from the unit period PT of the charge read pulse signal S1 (reference pulse signal S4), and the intermediate time points are solid-state imaged. A charge reset pulse signal S2 is generated as a reset point of the charge charged in the element 14c (each photoelectric conversion element), and is sent to the solid-state image sensor 14c.

  As a result, in the solid-state imaging device 14c, as shown in FIG. 5C, the charge charged in the unit period PT is changed from the charge reset pulse signal S2 to the charge read pulse signal S1 (reference pulse signal S4). The period until the falling point (hereinafter referred to as a charge accumulation period) is limited only to EST.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, in the solid-state imaging device 14c, even when normal light is incident along with the blood vessel projection light, each photoelectric conversion element is charged as a photoelectric conversion result for the blood vessel projection light and the normal light. Therefore, the imaging sensitivity with respect to the blood vessel projection light in the solid-state imaging device 14c is not substantially affected by the normal light.

  In this way, the charge amount adjusting unit 23 restricts the amount of charge charged to the solid-state imaging device 14c (each photoelectric conversion element), so that the blood vessel projection light is brought into a state in which there is no substantial influence by the normal light. Therefore, the imaging sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device 14c can be adjusted.

  In addition to such a configuration, the charge amount adjusting unit 23 is configured to vary the charge accumulation period EST in accordance with the intensity of near infrared light applied to the living body.

  In this case, as the correspondence between the voltage value set in the light source driving unit 21 and the reset time point to be reset in the unit period PT (FIG. 5A), the charge amount adjusting unit 23 resets as the voltage value increases. A table correlated so as to delay the time is held, and based on this table, every time the voltage value of the voltage generated by the light source driving unit 21 changes, the reset time corresponding to the voltage value is detected. Set as. The charge amount adjusting unit 23 generates the charge reset pulse signal S2 by sequentially detecting the set reset time points.

  Thereby, the charge amount adjustment unit 23 sets the limit amount of the charge charged in the solid-state imaging device 14c (each photoelectric conversion element) according to the intensity of the near infrared light irradiated from the near infrared light source 13 to the finger FG. Therefore, the imaging sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device 14c with respect to the blood vessel projection light can be adjusted to a state where there is no substantial influence by the normal light regardless of the intensity.

  In this way, the imaging control unit 20 can control the near-infrared light source 13 and the solid-state imaging device 14 respectively.

(1-2-3) Configuration of Image Processing Unit As shown in FIG. 4, the image processing unit 30 includes an image reconstruction unit 31, a binarization unit 32, and a pattern extraction unit 33.

  The image reconstruction unit 31 performs a predetermined frequency conversion process on the blood vessel image signal S10 output from the imaging unit 10, and reconstructs a blood vessel image based on the blood vessel image signal S10. Execute.

  Here, in the imaging unit 10 described above, the finger surface reflection near-infrared light is deflected out of the optical path by the polarizing plate 15 (FIG. 2), but all of the finger surface reflection near-infrared light is irradiated in the irradiation direction DY (FIG. 3). ) Along the finger pad surface, a part of the finger surface reflected near-infrared light is guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c together with the blood vessel projection light.

  Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, in the blood vessel image BIM based on the blood vessel image signal S10 output from the solid-state imaging device 14c, the noise component based on the finger surface reflection near infrared light together with the blood vessel component based on the blood vessel projection light. Will be included.

  And since this noise component is a photoelectric conversion result with respect to the reflected light (finger surface reflection near-infrared light) reflected along the irradiation direction DY (FIG. 3), it appears in the horizontal direction corresponding to the said irradiation direction DY ( Hereinafter, this noise component is referred to as a horizontal stripe noise component).

  Accordingly, the image reconstruction unit 31 reconstructs the blood vessel image BIM so that the luminance value in the horizontal direction of the blood vessel image BIM is smooth.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, for example, the image reconstruction unit 31 sets an extraction range AR corresponding to, for example, five adjacent vertical pixels at the left end in the blood vessel image BIM, and sets the extraction range thus set. Five vertical pixels in AR are extracted. Then, the image reconstruction unit 31 calculates a luminance average value in the five vertical pixels, and uses the calculated luminance average value as a pixel in the middle of the extraction range AR (vertical five pixels) extracted at this time (hereinafter, this is the center). This is generated as a pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the pixel).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the image reconstruction unit 31 sets the extraction range AR by shifting one pixel in the finger parallel direction, extracts five vertical pixels in the set extraction range AR, The extracted luminance average value of the five vertical pixels is generated as a pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the extraction range AR extracted at this time.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8C, the image reconstruction unit 31 sequentially extracts vertical 5 pixels so that the extraction range AR is shifted by 1 pixel at a time in the leftmost vertical column, and the extracted vertical 5 The average luminance value of the pixels is generated as a pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the extraction range AR extracted at this time.

  The image reconstruction unit 31 generates the luminance average value of the upper two pixels as the corresponding pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM for the upper two pixels, and similarly applies the lower two pixels to the lower two pixels. Are generated as pixels of the corresponding reconstructed blood vessel image RIM.

  The image reconstruction unit 31 also sequentially generates the pixels of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM so as to shift in a zigzag manner for the remaining columns as in the leftmost column as shown in FIG. The reconstructed blood vessel image RIM signal (hereinafter referred to as a reconstructed blood vessel image signal) S11 is sent to the binarization unit 32.

  As described above, the image reconstruction unit 31 sequentially generates the luminance average value of the vertical 5 pixels as the pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the vertical 5 pixels, and thus in the horizontal direction of the blood vessel image BIM. Image reconstruction processing is executed so that the luminance value is smooth.

  As a result, the image reconstruction unit 31 can disperse the horizontal stripe noise component included in the blood vessel image BIM, as is apparent from the experimental results shown in FIG. 10, and thus the horizontal stripe noise component of the blood vessel image BIM is smoothed. Thus, the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM can be generated.

  In addition to this configuration, the image reconstructing unit 31 performs pre-processing for executing the above-described image reconstructing process in accordance with the waveform state of the luminance histogram in the blood vessel image signal S10 output from the image capturing unit 10. The number of pixels is determined.

  Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the waveform state in this luminance histogram is a living body with a thin bone and a large body fat (FIG. 11A), a living body with a thick bone and a small body fat (FIG. 11B) or It differs depending on the child (FIG. 11C), and can be broadly classified into patterns (hereinafter referred to as histogram waveform patterns) according to biological elements such as sex, race, age and constitution of the living body. This has already been confirmed by the applicant.

  Therefore, the appearance amount of the horizontal stripe noise component in the blood vessel image BIM can be specified to some extent according to the histogram waveform pattern, and the correspondence between the histogram waveform pattern and the number of pixels in the column direction in the extraction range AR accordingly. Can also be identified.

  In practice, the image reconstruction unit 31 is connected to an information storage memory 34 (FIG. 4) in which the correspondence between the histogram waveform pattern and the number of pixels in the extraction range AR is stored as a table.

  Then, the image reconstruction unit 31 sequentially detects the luminance value in the blood vessel image signal S10 output from the imaging unit 10 for each pixel, and based on the detection result, the distribution of the luminance value for each pixel in the blood vessel image BIM is a luminance histogram. The number of pixels in the extraction range AR corresponding to the histogram waveform pattern of the luminance histogram is determined with reference to a table stored in the information storage memory 34.

  Thereby, the image reconstruction unit 31 can determine the extraction range AR corresponding to the horizontal stripe noise component in the blood vessel image BIM output from the imaging unit 10 at this time, and as a result, the horizontal stripe noise component of the blood vessel image BIM is determined. A smoothed reconstructed blood vessel image RIM can be generated.

  The binarization unit 32 sequentially performs A / D (Analog / Digital) conversion processing and binarization processing on the blood vessel image reconstruction signal S11, and obtains binary blood vessel image data obtained as a result (hereinafter referred to as this). D1 (referred to as binary blood vessel image data) is sent to the image reconstruction unit 32.

  The pattern extraction unit 33 performs a predetermined extraction process on the binary blood vessel image data D1, extracts a blood vessel formation pattern of blood vessels included in the binary blood vessel image, and uses this as authentication information D2 for the authentication device 4 (FIG. 1). ).

  In this way, the image processing unit 30 can generate a blood vessel formation pattern in the blood vessel inside the living body as the authentication information D2.

  The image processing by the image processing unit 30 is performed according to the image processing procedure RT1 shown in FIG.

  That is, when the image processing unit 30 acquires the blood vessel image signal S11 output from the imaging unit 10, the image processing procedure RT1 starts in step SP0, and proceeds to the subsequent step SP1, where the histogram waveform pattern in the blood vessel image signal S11 is obtained. For example, five vertical pixels are determined as the number of pixels in the extraction range AR (FIG. 8) corresponding to.

  Then, the image processing unit 30 proceeds to step SP2, sets the determined extraction range AR at the left end of the blood vessel image BIM (FIG. 7) (FIG. 8A), and sets the vertical 5 pixels of the set extraction range AR. Then, the process proceeds to the next step SP3, and the luminance average value of the extracted five vertical pixels is calculated.

  Subsequently, the image processing unit 30 proceeds to step SP4, generates the calculated luminance average value as a pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the five vertical pixels extracted in step SP2, and then performs the next step. In SP5, it is determined whether or not all the pixels in the blood vessel image BIM have been extracted.

  If a negative result is obtained here, this means that the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM is being generated. At this time, the image processing unit 30 proceeds to step SP6 and sets the extraction range AR. The setting is shifted by one pixel (FIG. 8B), and the process returns to step SP2 to repeat the above processing.

  If an affirmative result is obtained, this means that the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM has been generated. At this time, the image processing unit 30 proceeds to step SP7, and the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM. In step SP8, a blood vessel formation pattern is extracted from the binary blood vessel image and sent to the authentication device 4 (FIG. 1) as authentication information D2. Then, the process proceeds to the next step SP9. The image processing procedure RT1 is terminated.

  In this way, the image processing unit 30 performs image processing.

(1-3) Operation and Effect In the above configuration, the imaging device 3 irradiates the finger FG with near-infrared light from the irradiation direction DY orthogonal to the finger difference direction DX, and the inside of the finger FG. Blood vessel projection light obtained by scattering is guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c. Then, the imaging device 3 reconstructs the blood vessel image based on the blood vessel image signal S10 output from the solid-state imaging device 14c so that the luminance value in the horizontal direction corresponding to the irradiation direction DY becomes smooth.

  Therefore, in this imaging device 3, the horizontal stripe noise component based on the near infrared light (finger surface reflection near infrared light) reflected along the irradiation direction DY on the surface of the finger FG can be dispersed. The influence on the blood vessel component in the image can be reduced, and thus the image quality can be improved.

  In this case, the imaging device 3 includes a polarizing plate 15 that vibrates in a direction orthogonal to the irradiation direction DY (pointing direction DX). Therefore, in this imaging device 3, since the blood vessel projection light out of the blood vessel projection light and finger surface reflection near infrared light obtained from the finger FG can be selectively guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c, the finger surface reflection near The horizontal stripe noise component based on infrared light can be limited, and thus the image quality can be further improved.

  Further, the imaging device 3 extracts a blood vessel formation pattern based on the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM reconstructed so that the luminance value in the horizontal direction becomes smooth in this way, and generates this as authentication information D2. Since the extraction accuracy in the blood vessel formation pattern caused by the finger surface reflection near infrared light can be prevented, the authentication information D2 with high reliability can be generated. As a result, the reliability at the time of authentication can be improved. Can be improved.

  According to the above configuration, the blood vessel image based on the blood vessel projection light obtained by irradiating the finger FG with near-infrared light from the irradiation direction DY orthogonal to the finger difference direction DX and scattering inside the finger FG. Is reconfigured so that the luminance value in the horizontal direction corresponding to the irradiation direction DY becomes smooth, so that the horizontal stripe noise based on near-infrared light reflected along the irradiation direction DY on the surface of the finger FG The influence of the component on the blood vessel component in the image can be reduced, and thus the image quality can be improved.

(1-4) Other Embodiments In the above-described first embodiment, the imaging unit 10 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is applied as an imaging apparatus that images blood vessels inside the living finger FG. Although the case where it did in this way was described, this invention is not restricted to this, You may make it apply the various imaging device which consists of structures other than this structure.

  For example, it is possible to apply the imaging device 50 shown in FIG. In this imaging device 50, the near-infrared light source 51 (51a and 51b) obtained by changing the arrangement position of the near-infrared light source 13 (FIG. 2), and the shape and arrangement position of the guide groove 12 (FIG. 2). Is different from the imaging device 10 (FIG. 2) in that guide grooves 52 (52a and 52b) obtained by changing the above and shielding portions 53a and 53b are provided.

  Specifically, a near infrared light source 51 (51a and 51b) is provided on the opposite side of the imaging opening 11 across 52 (52a and 52b), and a part of the surface of the guide groove 52 is used to Shielding portions 53a and 53b that cover the irradiation direction DY of the infrared light source 13 are provided.

  If this imaging device 50 is applied, the incidence of normal light on the imaging opening 11 can be reduced by the shielding portion 53, the guide groove 52, and the finger FG guided by the guide groove 52. Not only the horizontal stripe noise component based on the near infrared light reflected along the irradiation direction DY on the surface but also the influence on the blood vessel component in the image by the noise component based on the normal light can be reduced.

  Moreover, the imaging device 60 shown in FIG. 14 can also be applied. This imaging device 60 is intended for near-infrared light obtained by transmitting through the finger FG, and is different from the imaging device 10 intended for near-infrared light obtained by scattering inside the finger FG. The structure is essentially different.

  Specifically, the imaging device 60 includes a near-infrared light source 61 (61a to 61c) that irradiates near-infrared light, and is on the optical path of the near-infrared light emitted from the near-infrared light source 61. The first filter 62 that transmits light in a specific near-infrared band of the near-infrared light, the near-infrared band that is absorbed by venous blood among the light obtained through the first filter 62, and its A second filter 63 and a solid-state imaging device 64 that transmit light in the vicinity are sequentially arranged.

  In the imaging unit 60, the finger FG is inserted between the first filter 62 and the second filter 63, and the inserted finger FG can be fixed. In addition to this, the imaging unit 60 is provided with a shielding unit 65 that shields the incidence of normal light, whereby light in the atmosphere outside the shielding unit 65 or ultraviolet light when imaging a blood vessel inside the finger FG. It is made possible to reduce the influence on the near-infrared light.

  If this imaging device 60 is applied, blood vessels can be imaged without performing exposure time control processing (electronic shutter) without irradiating the finger with near infrared light having intensity greater than that of normal light. It is possible to reduce power consumption and processing load. In addition, the influence of the noise component based on normal light on the blood vessel component in the image can be greatly reduced. The imaging device 60 is effective when used alone, not when mounted on a terminal device such as a home electronic device, personal computer, or cellular phone.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15 in which the same reference numerals are assigned to the parts corresponding to those in FIG. 14, an incident-side polarizing plate 70 is provided between the near-infrared light source 61 and the first filter 62 on the optical path of the imaging device 60. In addition, a light-receiving side polarizing plate 71 that vibrates in different directions such as a direction orthogonal to the vibration direction of the incident-side polarizing plate 70 may be provided between the second filter 63 and the solid-state imaging device 64.

  In this case, in the imaging device 60, the near-infrared light obtained by transmitting the finger FG from the near-infrared light source 61 through the incident-side polarizing plate 70 is depolarized by the incident-side polarizing plate 70. Therefore, the near-infrared light that is incident on the solid-state imaging device 64 via the light-receiving side polarizing plate 71 and reflects the surface of the finger FG is not depolarized by the incident-side polarizing plate 70. The side polarizing plate 71 is polarized in a direction different from that of the solid-state imaging device 64. Therefore, in the imaging device 60 shown in FIG. 15, in addition to reducing the influence of the noise component based on the normal light on the blood vessel component in the image, the image based on the noise component based on the near-infrared light reflected from the surface of the finger FG. The influence on the vascular component inside can also be reduced.

  In the first embodiment described above, a blood vessel inside the finger FG is applied as an imaging target. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, an eyeball part, a palm part, an arm part, and a calf part. Alternatively, it is possible to image blood vessels in various other biological parts such as the plantar part or the whole body.

  Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, as an irradiation unit that irradiates a living body with near infrared light peculiar to a blood vessel from a predetermined irradiation direction, the finger FG of the finger FG is irradiated from the irradiation direction DY (FIG. 3). Although the case where near infrared light is irradiated has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and near infrared light can be irradiated from various other irradiation directions. In this case, specific near-infrared light may be applied only to veins or only arteries of blood vessels, and specific light other than blood vessels inside the living body may be irradiated with specific light. May be.

  Further, in the above-described first embodiment, the light guide means that guides near-infrared light irradiated from the irradiation means and obtained through the living body to the solid-state imaging device is orthogonal to the irradiation direction DY. Although the case where the polarizing plate 15 having the polarization axis in the direction (that is, the same direction as the pointing direction DX) is described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the polarization is performed in a direction different from the irradiation direction DY. Various other polarizing plates having an axis can be provided.

  In this case, a vibration plate for normal light having a polarization axis in a direction different from the incident direction of normal light may be bonded to the polarizing plate 15. In this way, not only the horizontal stripe noise component based on the near infrared light reflected on the surface of the finger FG but also the influence on the blood vessel component in the image by the noise component based on the normal light reflected on the surface is reduced. be able to.

  Further, the near infrared light transmission filter 14a and / or other optical system lens may be used as the light guiding means without providing the polarizing plate 15.

  Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, as an image reconstruction unit that reconstructs an image based on the image signal output from the solid-state imaging device so that the luminance value in the direction corresponding to the irradiation direction becomes smooth. Although a case has been described where the luminance value in the horizontal direction corresponding to the direction orthogonal to the finger pointing direction DX (FIG. 3) is reconstructed, the present invention is not limited to this, and the finger pointing direction DX is not limited thereto. The near-infrared light may be irradiated to reconfigure so that the luminance value in the vertical direction corresponding to the finger pointing direction DX becomes smooth, or a combination thereof may be used.

In this case, as a specific reconstruction method, vertical 5 pixels are sequentially extracted so that the extraction range AR is shifted in a zigzag pattern (FIG. 9) pixel by pixel, and the luminance average value of the extracted vertical 5 pixels is obtained. The pixel is generated as a pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the extraction range AR extracted at this time, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a plurality of adjacent pixels in two vertical columns are extracted. The range AR may be used, and instead of the luminance average value, a value obtained by performing a predetermined frequency analysis process on five vertical pixels, or each pixel of the extraction range AR is multiplied by a predetermined ratio. Then, a value obtained by adding the multiplication results may be used.

  Further, in the above-described first embodiment, the case where the image processing unit 30 extracts the blood vessel formation pattern from one blood vessel image signal S10 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is temporal. The blood vessel formation pattern may be extracted from a plurality of blood vessel image signals (moving image signals) that are continuous with each other.

  In this case, the image processing unit 30 generates each reconstructed image signal by performing the above-described image reconstruction processing on each of the plurality of blood vessel image signals in the image reconstruction unit 31. The unit 30 can disperse not only horizontal stripe noise components based on near-infrared light reflected along the irradiation direction DY on the surface of the finger FG but also horizontal scanning noise peculiar to a moving image signal.

  Then, as an extraction method of the blood vessel formation pattern based on these reconstructed image signals, the image processing unit 30 extracts the horizontal stripe noise component by subtracting the corresponding blood vessel image signal from each reconstructed image signal, for example. A blood vessel formation pattern is extracted by sequentially performing binarization processing and pattern extraction processing on the reconstructed image signal of the noise component. In this way, it is possible to further prevent a reduction in extraction accuracy in the blood vessel formation pattern due to finger surface reflection near infrared light, and thus it is possible to generate authentication information D2 with higher reliability.

(2) Second Embodiment (2-1) Overall Configuration of Authentication Device In FIG. 16, in which parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals, 101 is the overall authentication system according to the second embodiment. The configuration is different from the authentication device 1 (FIG. 1) according to the first embodiment in that the imaging device 103 is connected to the control device 2 instead of the imaging device 3 (FIG. 1).

(2-2) Specific Configuration of Imaging Device As shown in FIG. 17 in which the same reference numerals are given to the corresponding parts in FIG. 1, the imaging device 103 has an imaging unit 110 and imaging control for controlling the imaging unit 110. And an image processing unit 130 that performs various processes on a blood vessel image obtained as a result of being imaged by the imaging unit 120.

(2-2-1) Configuration of Imaging Unit In this imaging unit 110, instead of the near infrared light sources 13a and 13b (FIG. 2), two light sources are combined as shown in FIGS. This is different from the imaging unit 10 (FIG. 2) according to the first embodiment in that a pair of near-infrared light sources 113a and 113b and near-infrared light sources 113c and 113d are provided.

  The near-infrared light sources 113a and 113b and the near-infrared light sources 113c and 113d are provided on the surface of the housing of the imaging device 60 at positions that are opposed to each other by 180 degrees with the solid-state imaging element 14c as the center.

In the near-infrared light sources 113a and 113b, as shown in FIG. 19, a direction orthogonal to the finger pointing direction DX of the finger FG guided on the imaging opening 11 (hereinafter referred to as a finger difference orthogonal direction). ) The position is selected so that near infrared light is emitted from the DY ₁ to the finger pad, and the other near infrared light sources 113c and 113d are in the same direction as or opposite to the finger direction DX ( hereinafter, this is referred to as pointing and parallel) its position as the near-infrared light from the DY ₂ is irradiated on the finger pad is selected.

In the imaging unit 110 thus irradiates the pointing and the orthogonal direction DY ₁ relative to finger pad of the finger FG, which is guided on the image pickup opening 11, the blood vessel projection light obtained from the inside the finger FG (Fig. 21 (A with incident is indicated by one-dot chain line) to the camera unit 14 in), the finger difference to finger pad guided finger FG is irradiated from a direction parallel DY _2, vessel projection light obtained from the inside the finger FG ( 21 (shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 21B) can be incident on the camera unit 14.

In addition to this configuration, in the camera unit 14 of the imaging unit 110, instead of the polarizing plate 15 (FIG. 2), a polarizing plate 115a having a polarization axis in the same direction as the pointing parallel direction DY ₂ and a pointing orthogonal direction DY. ₁ is provided with a polarizing plate 115 formed by laminating a polarizing plate 115b having a polarization axis in the same direction as ₁ .

In this case, the camera unit 14 (FIG. 17), when being irradiated near infrared light sources 113a, from 113b to pointing and orthogonal direction DY _1, finger from a direction which is perpendicular to the pointing and the orthogonal direction DY ₁ The surface-reflected near-infrared light is deflected from the optical path by the deflecting plate 115a, whereas the blood vessel projection light (scattered light) is scattered light and thus passes through the deflecting plates 115a and 115b.

On the other hand, the near-infrared light source 113c, when being irradiated to the finger difference parallel DY ₂ from 113d, finger surface reflection near infrared light from the direction perpendicular to the pointing and parallel DY ₂ deflection plate 115b The vascular projection light (scattered light) is scattered light and passes through the deflecting plates 115a and 115b.

  Therefore, the camera unit 14 uses the blood vessel projection among the blood vessel projection light and finger surface reflection near infrared light obtained from the near infrared light sources 113a and 113b or the near infrared light sources 113c and 113d via the finger FG. The light can be selectively guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c.

Thus, in the imaging unit 110, the blood vessel projection light obtained from a finger difference orthogonal direction DY ₁ through the finger FG through the solid-state imaging device 14c and sent to the image processing unit 130 as blood vessel image signals S10a, whereas, the finger the difference has been made from the direction parallel DY ₂ vessels projection light obtained through the finger FG to deliver to the image processing unit 130 as a blood vessel image signal S10b through the solid-state imaging device 14c.

(2-2-2) Configuration of Imaging Control Unit The imaging control unit 120 replaces the light source driving unit 21 (FIG. 4) as shown in FIG. Thus, it differs from the imaging control unit 20 (FIG. 4) in that a light source driving unit 121 that alternately time-division-controls the near-infrared light sources 113a and 113b and the near-infrared light sources 113c and 113d is provided. Yes.

  That is, the imaging control unit 120 uses the light source drive signals S3a and S3b corresponding to the voltage values set in advance so that the near infrared light is larger than the intensity of the normal light, and the near infrared light corresponding to each predetermined period. By outputting to the light sources 113a and 113b and the near infrared light sources 113c and 113d, the near infrared light sources 113a and 113b and the near infrared light sources 113c and 113d are alternately driven in a time division manner. ing.

As a result, the near-infrared light sources 113a and 113b and the near-infrared light sources 113c and 113d are alternately turned on, and the normal light is applied to the finger FG guided on the imaging opening 11, as shown in FIG. Near-infrared light of greater intensity is alternately alternated from the finger cross orthogonal direction DY ₁ (indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 21A) and the finger parallel direction DY ₂ (indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 21B). It will be irradiated.

In this case, in the imaging unit 110 described above, the finger surface reflected near-infrared light is deflected out of the optical path by the polarizing plate 115 (FIG. 17), but all of the finger surface reflected near-infrared light is in the finger difference orthogonal direction DY _1. or because does not reflect the pointing and is perpendicular to the parallel direction DY ₂ directions, a part of the finger surface reflection near infrared light is to be guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c with vascular projection light.

Therefore, in the blood vessel image BIMa based on the blood vessel image signal S10a output from the solid-state imaging device 14c, as shown in FIG. 21C, the finger surface reflection near-infrared light together with the blood vessel component based on the blood vessel projection light is obtained. The base noise component appears in the horizontal direction corresponding to the finger difference orthogonal direction DY ₁ (hereinafter, this horizontal noise component is referred to as a horizontal noise component).

On the other hand, the blood vessel image BIMb based on the blood vessel image signal S10b output from the solid-state imaging device 14c is based on the finger surface reflection near infrared light together with the blood vessel component based on the blood vessel projection light as shown in FIG. The noise component appears in the vertical direction corresponding to the finger parallel direction DY ₂ (hereinafter, this vertical noise component is referred to as a vertical noise component).

(2-2-3) Configuration of Image Processing Unit The image processing unit 130 reconstructs the corresponding blood vessel image BIMa and blood vessel image BIMb so that the horizontal noise component and the vertical noise component become smooth. Is provided in place of the image reconstruction unit 31 (FIG. 4), and a pattern extraction unit 133 that extracts a common portion from the binary blood vessel images of the reconstructed blood vessel images BIMa and BIMb is a pattern extraction unit 33 (FIG. It differs from the image processing unit 30 (FIG. 4) in that it is provided in place of 4).

  The image reconstruction unit 131 generates luminance histograms of both blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b output from the solid-state imaging device 14c, and calculates the difference in the number of pixels for each corresponding luminance value in these luminance histograms.

  Then, the image reconstructing unit 131 applies to both the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b when the total difference in the number of pixels of each luminance value (hereinafter referred to as the total number of pixels difference) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The same processing as the image processing (FIG. 12) in the image reconstruction unit 31 is executed.

  In other words, the image reconstruction unit 131 determines the number of pixels in the finger parallel direction in the extraction range AR corresponding to the histogram waveform pattern of the luminance histogram in the blood vessel image signal S10a with reference to a table stored in the information storage memory 34. .

  Then, as described above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the image reconstruction unit 131 uses the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM (FIG. 8) corresponding to the central pixel of the vertical 5 pixels, for example, the luminance average value of the vertical 5 pixels determined at this time. ) Are sequentially generated, and the reconstructed blood vessel image signal S11a of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM thus generated is sent to the binarization unit 32.

  Similarly, the image reconstruction unit 131 determines the number of pixels in the finger cross orthogonal direction in the corresponding extraction range AR from the histogram waveform pattern of the luminance histogram in the blood vessel image signal S10b. The determined luminance average value of, for example, 5 horizontal pixels is sequentially generated as a pixel of a reconstructed blood vessel image (not shown) corresponding to the central pixel of the 5 horizontal pixels, and the reconstructed blood vessel of the reconstructed blood vessel image thus generated is generated. The image signal S11b is sent to the binarization unit 32.

  In this way, the image reconstruction unit 131 performs the horizontal noise component (FIG. 21C) included in the blood vessel image BIMa and the vertical noise component (see FIG. 21) included in the blood vessel image BIIMb, similarly to the experimental result shown in FIG. 21 (D)) is distributed, and the corresponding blood vessel image BIMa and blood vessel image BIMb can be reconstructed so that the horizontal noise component and the vertical noise component become smooth.

  When the image reconstruction unit 131 does not execute such image processing, the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b output from the solid-state imaging device 14c are directly used as the reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b to the binarization unit 32. It is made to send out.

  The reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b are generated as binary blood vessel image data D1a and D1b by the binarizing unit 32 and sent to the pattern extracting unit 133.

  As shown in FIG. 22, the pattern extraction unit 133 includes a binary blood vessel image composed of horizontal noise components and blood vessel components corresponding to blood vessels that remain without being dispersed by the image reconstruction processing of the image reconstruction unit 131 described above, A blood vessel component that is a common part of both of the binary blood vessel images is extracted from the binary blood vessel image including the vertical noise component and the blood vessel component.

  In practice, as shown in FIG. 23, the pattern extraction unit 133 adds corresponding pixels in the binary blood vessel images of both the binary blood vessel image data D1a and D1b, and the pixel value is “ 2 ”is extracted (hereinafter referred to as a common partial pixel).

  Then, the pattern extraction unit 133 generates the common partial pixel extracted at this time as authentication information D10, and sends it to the authentication device 4 (FIG. 16).

(2-2-4) Imaging Process Procedure Here, the imaging process by the imaging device 103 (the imaging unit 110, the imaging control unit 120, and the image processing unit 130) is performed according to the imaging process procedure RT2 illustrated in FIG.

That is, when receiving an imaging command from the control device 2 (FIG. 16), the imaging device 103 starts the imaging processing procedure RT2 at step SP10 and proceeds to the subsequent step SP11. At this time, the finger FG guided by the guide groove 12 near infrared light sources 113a, by irradiating near-infrared light of pointing and orthogonal direction DY ₁ from 113b captures the finger FG inside the blood vessel, the process proceeds to the following step SP12 respect, near-infrared light light source 113c, captures the finger FG inside the vessel by irradiating near-infrared light of pointing and parallel DY ₂ from 113d.

  Then, the imaging apparatus 103 proceeds to step SP13, and the pixel number difference (pixel number difference) for each corresponding luminance value in the luminance histograms of both blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b obtained as the imaging results in steps SP11 and SP12. Sum) is calculated, and based on the calculation result, it is determined whether or not to perform image processing (FIG. 12) on the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b.

  If an affirmative result is obtained (when the total difference in the number of pixels is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold), this means that noise components (horizontal noise component and / or vertical noise component) are present in blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b. ) Is included.

  Therefore, in this case, the imaging apparatus 103 proceeds to step SP14, and performs image processing from step SP1 to step SP7 in FIG. 12 on the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b to obtain reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b. After the generation, the process proceeds to the next step SP15.

  On the other hand, when a negative result is obtained (when the total difference in the number of pixels is less than a predetermined threshold), the imaging apparatus 103 proceeds to the next step SP15 without performing image processing in step SP14.

  In step SP15, the imaging apparatus 103 recognizes the common part in the binary blood vessel images of the reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b (blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b) obtained as the image processing result in step SP14 as authentication information D10. Are generated and sent to the authentication device 4 (FIG. 16), and then the process proceeds to the next step SP16 to end the imaging processing procedure RT2.

  In this way, the imaging device 103 is configured to execute an imaging process.

(2-3) Operation and Effect In the above-described configuration, the imaging apparatus 103 includes the finger pointing orthogonal direction DY ₁ (FIG. 19) orthogonal to the finger pointing direction DX and the finger pointing parallel direction parallel to the finger pointing direction DX. Near infrared light of DY ₂ (FIG. 19) is irradiated onto the finger FG in a time-sharing manner, and blood vessel projection light obtained by scattering inside the finger FG is guided to the solid-state imaging device 14c.

  Then, the imaging device 103 extracts a common part from the binary blood vessel images of the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b (FIG. 20) output from the solid-state imaging device 14c.

Therefore, in the imaging apparatus 103, among these 2 blood vessel image (Fig. 22), near-infrared light reflected along the pointing and orthogonal direction DY ₁ and pointing and parallel DY ₂ on the surface of the finger FG (finger surface reflection near The original blood vessel component can be extracted leaving only the horizontal noise component and the vertical noise component based on (infrared light), so that the influence of the noise component on the blood vessel component in the image can be reduced, and thus the image quality Can be improved.

In this case, the imaging device 103, as necessary, the blood vessel image signals S10a, S10b before generating the binary blood vessel image (Fig. 20), a smooth luminance value in the horizontal direction corresponding to the pointing and orthogonal direction DY ₁ is together to reconstruct the blood vessel image based on the blood vessel image signal S10a so that reconstructs blood vessel image of the blood vessel image signals S10b as the luminance value in the vertical direction corresponding to the pointing and parallel DY ₂ is smooth, A common part is extracted from the binary blood vessel images of the reconstruction results.

  Therefore, in this imaging apparatus 103, the probability that the pixels corresponding to the horizontal noise component and the pixels corresponding to the vertical noise component become a common part even though they are not original blood vessel components is determined as the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b. Therefore, the blood vessel component can be extracted more appropriately, and thus the image quality can be further improved.

  Further, the imaging apparatus 103 can generate highly reliable authentication information D10 by generating the blood vessel component from which the common portion is extracted in this way as the authentication information D10. As a result, the reliability at the time of authentication can be improved. Can be improved.

According to the above configuration, the near-infrared light pointing and orthogonal direction DY ₁ and pointing and parallel DY ₂ was irradiated in a time-division finger FG, vascular projection light obtained by scattering at the inside of the finger FG Since the common part is extracted from the binary blood vessel images of the blood vessel image signals S10a and S10b based on the original blood vessel component, the original blood vessel component can be extracted leaving only the horizontal noise component and the vertical noise component. The influence of the component on the blood vessel component in the image can be reduced, and thus the image quality can be improved.

(2-4) Other Embodiments In the second embodiment described above, a blood vessel inside the finger FG is applied as an imaging target. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, an eyeball. Various other body parts such as a part, a palm part, an arm part, a calf part or a sole part, or blood vessels in the whole body can be imaged.

Further, in the above-described second embodiment, the finger pointing is used as the irradiation unit that irradiates the living body with the specific light from the first irradiation direction and the second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction. Although the case where near infrared light is irradiated on the finger pad of the finger FG from the direct direction DY ₁ and the finger difference parallel direction DY ₂ has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the other near various irradiation directions. Infrared light can be irradiated. In this case, specific near-infrared light may be applied only to veins or only arteries of blood vessels, and specific light other than blood vessels inside the living body may be irradiated with specific light. May be.

In a further second embodiment described above, is irradiated from the irradiation means, the near-infrared light obtained through the biometric as light guiding means for guiding the solid-state imaging device, a pointing and parallel DY ₂ same and a polarizing plate 115a having a polarization axis in the direction, has been dealt with the case of providing the polarizing plate 115 formed by laminating a polarizing plate 115b having a pointing and orthogonal direction DY ₁ and the polarization axis in the same direction, the present invention is Not limited to this, the main point is that the polarization axis is different in a direction different from the direction perpendicular to the finger differential direction DY ₁ (first irradiation direction) and the finger differential direction DY ₂ (second irradiation direction). Various polarizing plates can be provided.

  In this case, a vibration plate for normal light having a polarization axis in a direction different from the incident direction of normal light may be attached to the polarizing plate 115. In this way, since the influence on the blood vessel component in the image by the noise component based on the normal light reflected by the surface of the finger FG can be reduced, the image quality can be further improved.

  Further, the near-infrared light transmission filter 14a and / or other optical lens may be used as the light guiding means without providing the polarizing plate 115.

  Further, in the above-described second embodiment, the first image is reconstructed so that the luminance value in the direction corresponding to the first irradiation direction is smooth, and the direction in the direction corresponding to the second irradiation direction is set. As reconstruction means for reconstructing the second image so that the luminance value is smooth, 5 pixels in the vertical direction are sequentially extracted so that the extraction range AR is shifted in a zigzag shape (FIG. 9) pixel by pixel. The luminance average value of the five vertical pixels is described as being generated as the pixel of the reconstructed blood vessel image RIM corresponding to the central pixel of the extraction range AR extracted at this time, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of adjacent pixels in two vertical columns may be set as the extraction range AR, or a value obtained by performing a predetermined frequency analysis process on five vertical pixels instead of the luminance average value, or Extraction range A Each pixel of each multiplied by a predetermined ratio may be a value obtained by adding the multiplication results.

  Further, in the above-described second embodiment, the reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b are binarized as extraction means for extracting the common part of the binarized first image and second image. Although the case where binary blood vessel images (binary blood vessel image data D1a and D1b) are added has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and, for example, corresponds to a predetermined cross-correlation result in the reconstructed blood vessel image signals S11a and S11b. The pixels to be detected may be detected as a common part (blood vessel component).

  The present invention can be used when imaging a living body or when authenticating with a terminal device such as a home electronic device, personal computer, or mobile phone equipped with the imaging function.

It is a basic diagram which shows the whole structure of the authentication system by 1st Embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of the imaging device by 1st Embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the irradiation direction (1) of near-infrared light. It is a block which shows the structure of the imaging control part by 1st Embodiment, and an image process part. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of an electronic shutter. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the electric charge amount charged by photoelectric conversion. It is a basic diagram which shows the main component structure in a blood vessel image. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of generation of a reconstructed blood vessel image. It is a basic diagram which shows the extraction order of 5 vertical pixels. It is a basic diagram which shows before the process of an image reconstruction process, and after a process. It is a basic diagram which shows the histogram waveform pattern of the blood vessel image. It is a flowchart which shows an image processing procedure. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure (1) of the imaging device by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure (2) of the imaging device by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure (3) of the imaging device by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the whole structure of the authentication system by 2nd Embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of the imaging device by 2nd Embodiment. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the arrangement | positioning state of a near-infrared-light source. It is a basic diagram which shows the irradiation direction (2) of near-infrared light. It is a block which shows the structure of the imaging control part and image processing part by 2nd Embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the relationship between an irradiation direction and noise. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of a blood vessel component and a noise component. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of extraction of a common part. It is a flowchart which shows an imaging process procedure. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of the imaging device by the past.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,101 ... Authentication system, 2 ... Control apparatus, 3, 50, 60, 103 ... Imaging apparatus, 4 ... Authentication apparatus, 10, 110 ... Imaging part, 11 ... Imaging opening part, 12a, 12b ... Guide grooves, 13a, 13b, 61a, 61b, 61c, 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d ... Near infrared light source, 14 ... Camera unit, 14c, 64 ... Solid-state imaging device 115a, 115b... Polarizing plate 20, 120... Imaging control unit 30, 130... Image processing unit 21, 121. , 31, 131... Image reconstruction unit, 32... Binarization unit, 33, 133... Pattern extraction unit, 34... Information storage memory, 53a, 53b, 65. No. 63, second filter Filter, DX ...... pointing and direction, DY ...... irradiation direction, DY ₁ ...... pointing and orthogonal directions, DY ₂ ...... pointing and parallel, FG ...... fingers, RT1 ...... image processing procedure, RT2 ...... imaging processing procedure.

Claims (5)

In an imaging device that images a specific imaging target inside the living body,
Irradiating means for irradiating the living body with specific light having specificity to the imaging target from a predetermined irradiation direction;
A light guide means for guiding the specific light emitted from the irradiation means and obtained through the living body to a solid-state imaging device;
An image reconstructing means for reconstructing an image based on an image signal output from the solid-state image sensor so that a luminance value in a direction corresponding to the irradiation direction becomes smooth. The image reconstruction means includes
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image based on the image signal is reconstructed in units of a plurality of pixels in the irradiation direction so that a luminance value in a direction corresponding to the irradiation direction is smooth. . 2. Each image based on a plurality of image signals output from the solid-state imaging device is reconstructed so that a luminance value in a horizontal direction corresponding to the irradiation direction becomes smooth. Imaging device. The light guiding means is
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a polarizing plate provided on an optical path of the specific light and having an axis different from the irradiation direction. The irradiation means is
Irradiating the living body with the specific light in a time-sharing manner from a first irradiation direction and a second irradiation direction different from the first irradiation direction;
The image reconstruction means includes
The first image based on the first image signal output from the solid-state image sensor is reconstructed so that the luminance value in the direction corresponding to the first irradiation direction is smooth, and from the solid-state image sensor. Reconstructing the second image based on the output second image signal so that the luminance value in the direction corresponding to the second irradiation direction is smooth,
Binarization means for binarizing the first image and the second image reconstructed by the image reconstruction means;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an extraction unit that extracts a common part of the first image and the second image binarized by the binarization unit.