OVERVIEW

FEATURES OF FINGERPRINT IMAGE

Generally fingerprint image consist of many features

Fig 1.1: Fingerprint Image

• Ridge ending - the abrupt end of a ridge
• Ridge bifurcation - a single ridge that divides into two ridges
• Short ridge, or independent ridge - a ridge that commences, travels a short
distance and then ends
• Island - a single small ridge inside a short ridge or ridge ending that is not
connected to all other ridges
• Ridge enclosure - a single ridge that bifurcates and reunites shortly afterward to
continue as a single ridge
• Spur - a bifurcation with a short ridge branching off a longer ridge
• Crossover or bridge - a short ridge that runs between two parallel ridges
• Delta - a Y-shaped ridge meeting , Core - a U-turn in the ridge pattern
Classification Algorithm

The algorithm shows actual processes to be done during classification

Block diagram of fingerprint classification algorithm

 Pattern Classes

Pattern class Core Delta

Arch 0 0

Tented arch 1 1(middle)

Left loop 1 1(right)

Right loop 1 1(left)

Whorl 2 2

Twin loop 2 2

This is used in classification purpose and make sorting of fingerprint more easier.
PREPROCESSING

Fingerprint images are usually obtained by a camera or sensor. The original

captured fingerprints are 256×256 grayscale images at 500 dpi. Identifying the grayscale
images directly is a tough mission. We should find some features to represent the
fingerprints and use them to accelerate the identification, precisely. Thus to improve the
clarity of the image some processing steps has to be followed on the accepted image
which are as follows.
 Preprocessing steps

Digital Image Processing

An image may be defined as a two-dimensional function, f(x, y), where x and y are
spatial (plane) co-ordinates, and the amplitude of f at any pair of co-ordinates (x, y) is
called the intensity or gray level of the image at that point. When x, y and the amplitude
values of f are all finite, discrete quantities, then the image is a digital image.

The field of digital image processing refers to processing digital images by means
of a digital computer. The process of acquiring an image of the area containing the text,
pre-processing that image, extracting (segmenting) the individual characters, describing
the characters in a form suitable for computer processing, and recognizing those
individual characters are the scope of digital image processing.

Fundamental steps involved in Digital Image Processing are as follows:

Image Acquisition
Capturing visual data by an imaging sensor.

Discretization /
Convert data into discrete form, compress data for
Digitization,
Quantization, efficient storage or transmission.

Image Enhancement Improving image quality, eliminating noise, .

Image Segmentation Partitioning the image or Constituent parts

Extracting distinct features from an image that are

Feature Selection
Image Representation
Image Interpretation
Figure 1.2: Stages in Digital Image
important for differentiating one class of object
from the other.
Assigning labels to an object based on information
provided by features.
Assigning meaning to a group of recognized
objects.
 Processing

Block Diagram

Fingerprint recognition is done when the input image is already stored in the
database or memory. First of all the input image is taken which is preprocessed by
different methods explain later, then the unique features are extracted which is useful part
in image identification. The simultaneous image processing is done from database and
finally the matching of these two patterns takes place and the decision will be taken that
whether the fingerprint is matched or not.

Fingerprint Feature
Preprocessing Classification
image extraction

Database Feature
Preprocessing Matching
image extraction

Decision
 SYSTEM
Sensor :