Fingerprint sensing and enrollment

1. A method for constructing a unified image of biometric data, comprising:

receiving a sequence of images of biometric data that is captured over a given period of time by a biometric recognition sensor;

as the images in the sequence are received, repeatedly selecting a sliding window of images of biometric data from the sequence of images of biometric data, wherein each sliding window includes a given number of images in the sequence of images and at least one image that is not included in an immediately preceding sliding window;

selecting one or more images of biometric data to be included in the unified image of biometric data from at least one of the sliding windows; and

constructing the unified image of biometric data using the selected one or more images of biometric data.

2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if the unified image of biometric data is complete;

if the unified image of biometric data is not complete, prompting a user for one or more additional images of biometric data;

receiving the one or more additional images of biometric data; and

determining if at least one of the one or more additional images of biometric data is to be included in the unified image of biometric data.

3. The method as in claim 2 , wherein prompting a user for one or more additional images of biometric data comprises:

displaying an image showing the collected or uncollected portions of the unified image of biometric data; and

displaying instructions directing the user on collecting the one or more additional images of biometric data.

4. The method as in claim 3 , further comprising updating the display of the collected or uncollected portions of the unified image of biometric data when at least one additional image of biometric data is included in the unified image of biometric data.

5. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the instructions comprise at least one of readable instructions and pictorial instructions.

6. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising processing each image of biometric data in the sequence of images to reduce noise or unwanted artifacts.

7. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising processing each image of biometric data in a sliding window to reduce noise or unwanted artifacts.

8. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising processing each image of biometric data in the sequence of images to improve the image of biometric data.

9. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising processing each image of biometric data in a sliding window to improve the image of biometric data.

10. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising determining a location in the unified image for the one or more selected images of biometric data to be included in the unified image of biometric data.

11. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising determining if each image of biometric data in a slidinq window is of sufficient resolution prior to selecting an image of biometric data.

12. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising aggregating individual images of biometric data on a per-pixel basis for pixels substantially co-located in the sequence of images of biometric data.

13. The method as in claim 12 , wherein aggregating individual images of biometric data comprises aggregating individual co-located pixels by determining a statistical measure for the co-located pixels.

14. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the biometric data comprises at least a portion of one or more fingerprints of a user.

15. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising transforming the unified image of biometric data into a compressed data structure.

16. The method as in claim 15 , wherein the compressed data structure comprises at least one of a ridge flow data structure, a histogram of values in a ridge flow data structure, and a hash value.

17. A method for constructing and using a unified image of biometric data, comprising:

receiving a sequence of images of biometric data;

repeatedly selecting a sliding window of images of biometric data from the sequence of images of biometric data, wherein each sliding window includes a given number of images in the sequence of images and at least one image that is not included in an immediately preceding sliding window;

selecting one or more images of biometric data to be included in the unified image of biometric data from at least one sliding window;

constructing the unified image of biometric data using the one or more selected images of biometric data;

enrolling the unified image of biometric data, wherein the enrollment includes associating the unified image of biometric data with a user; and

recognizing and authenticating a subsequently received image of biometric data by determining if the image of biometric data matches at least a portion of the unified image of biometric data.

18. The method as in claim 17 , wherein enrolling the unified image of biometric data further includes storing the unified image of biometric data in a storage device.

19. The method as in claim 17 , further comprising:

prior to enrolling the unified image of biometric data, determining if the unified image of biometric data is complete;

if the unified image of biometric data is not complete, prompting the user for one or more additional images of biometric data;

receiving the one or more additional images of biometric data; and

determining if at least one additional image of biometric data is to be included in the unified image of biometric data.

20. The method as in claim 19 , wherein prompting the user for one or more additional images of biometric data comprises:

displaying an image showing the collected or uncollected portions of the unified image of biometric data; and

displaying instructions directing the user on collecting the one or more additional images of biometric data.

21. The method as in claim 20 , further comprising updating the display of the collected or uncollected portions of the unified image of biometric data when at least one additional image of biometric data is included in the unified image of biometric data.

22. A system, comprising:

a biometric recognition sensor including a sensing element adapted to receive a sequence of images of biometric data;

a processor connected to the sensing element and adapted to;

repeatedly select a sliding window of images of biometric data from the sequence of images of biometric data as the images in the sequence are received, wherein each sliding window includes a given number of images in the sequence of images and at least one image that is not included in an immediately preceding sliding window;

select one or more images of biometric data to be included in a unified image of biometric data from at least one sliding window;

construct a unified image of biometric data using at least one selected image of biometric data; and

a display connected to the processor for displaying to a user a prompt for collecting one or more additional images of biometric data.

23. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the biometric data comprises at least a portion of one or more fingerprints of the user.

24. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the prompt displayed to the user includes an image showing the collected or uncollected portions of the unified image of biometric data and instructions directing the user on collecting the one or more additional images of biometric data.