Fingerprint image acquisition apparatus and method thereof

1. 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 dividing the fingerprint image into a plurality of unit blocks with a predetermined size; and

execute a process for dividing the fingerprint image into a center region and a peripheral region, each including a predetermined number of unit blocks, and for subdividing each unit block of only the center region into at least two subdivided blocks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to divide the fingerprint image into 48 unit blocks in a 6×8 matrix.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the center region is set into at least one region.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set.

5. 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.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is also configured to divide only the unit blocks in a center region into at least two or more subdivided blocks.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the center region is set into at least one region.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set.

9. 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.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein each unit block of the center region of the fingerprint image is divided into at least two or more subdivided blocks.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the center region is set as at least one or more region.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set.

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each unit block of the center region of the fingerprint image is divided into at least two or more subdivided blocks.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the center region is set as at least one or more region.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the center region comprises a second center region in which the first unit block row and the last unit block row among the section of set subdivided blocks are set and a first center region in which the remaining subdivided unit blocks are set.