Fingerprint image acquisition apparatus and method thereof

A fingerprint image acquisition apparatus including a fingerprint sensing device unit, a CCD device unit, and an image processing unit, the image processing unit comprising:

• an A/D converting unit for converting and outputting the fingerprint image outputted from the CCD device unit into a digital signal;
• an image buffer for storing the digital signal from the A/D converting unit;
• and
• a controller for watching a state of the image buffer to determine whether the fingerprint image is inputted and stored to the image buffer, and for storing the fingerprint image to a video memory if the storage of the fingerprint image is confirmed, wherein the controller is configured to:
• execute a process for setting a size of the fingerprint image frame;
• execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermind size;
• execute a process for setting a section of predetermined subdivided blocks;
• execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined number of center regions, wherein each center region includes a predetermined number of the subdivided unit blocks;
• and
• execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a peripheral region including a predetermined number of non-subdivided unit blocks.

A fingerprint image acquisition method comprising the steps of:

• confirming whether the fingerprint image generated by contacting a finger on a surface of a fingerprint sensing device unit is inputted and stored to an image buffer;
• dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined number of unit blocks if it is confirmed that the fingerprint image is stored to the image buffer;
• setting the divided fingerprint image into a center region and a peripheral region, each region having a predetermined number of unit blocks, and subdividing the respective unit blocks of only the center region into a predetermined number of subdivided blocks;
• thereby obtaining the differentiated images at the center region and the peripheral region.

A fingerprint image acquisition method comprising the steps of:

• confirming whether a fingerprint image generated by contacting a finger on a surface of a fingerprint sensing device unit is inputted and stored to an image buffer;
• setting a size of a fingerprint image frame if it is confirmed that the fingerprint image is stored to the image buffer;
• dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermined size;
• setting a predetermined subdivided block section;
• dividing the fingerprint image into a predetermined size of center region including a predetermined number of subdivided unit blocks;
• dividing the fingerprint image into a peripheral region including a predetermined number of unit blocks that are not subdivided.