Fingerprint enrollment using elongated fingerprint sensor

1. A method of enrolling a fingerprint of a user's finger having a longitudinal finger axis, by means of a fingerprint enrollment system comprising:

an elongated fingerprint sensor for acquiring partial fingerprint images of said fingerprint, the fingerprint sensor having a sensing area being smaller than said fingerprint and having a longitudinal sensor axis;

processing circuitry connected to said fingerprint sensor for forming a fingerprint enrollment representation for said finger based on a plurality of acquired partial fingerprint images;

a memory; and

a user communication interface for providing instructions to said user, said method comprising the steps of:

instructing, through the user communication interface, the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a first finger orientation for achieving a first angle between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis;

acquiring, using said fingerprint sensor, a partial fingerprint image for said first finger orientation;

instructing, through the user communication interface, the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a second finger orientation for achieving a second angle, different from said first angle, between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis;

acquiring, using said fingerprint sensor, a partial fingerprint image for said second finger orientation;

forming, by said processing circuitry, the fingerprint enrollment representation for said finger based on the partial fingerprint images for said first and second finger orientations and a relation between said first angle and said second angle; and

saving, by said processing circuitry, the fingerprint enrollment representation to said memory together with an identifier for said fingerprint to thereby enroll said fingerprint.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second orientation is selected for said second angle to differ from first angle by at least 45°.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

instructing, through the user communication interface, the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a third finger orientation for achieving a third angle, different from said second angle, between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis; and

acquiring, using said fingerprint sensor, a partial fingerprint image for said third finger orientation,

wherein said fingerprint template is additionally based on the partial fingerprint for said third finger orientation and a relation between said third angle and said second angle.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said third finger orientation substantially corresponds to said first finger orientation.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said steps of:

instructing, through the user communication interface, the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a first finger orientation for achieving a first angle between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis;

acquiring, using said fingerprint sensor, a partial fingerprint image for said first finger orientation;

instructing, through the user communication interface, the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a second finger orientation for achieving a second angle, different from said first angle, between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis; and

acquiring, using said fingerprint sensor, a partial fingerprint image for said second finger orientation,

are repeated until it is determined, by said processing circuitry, that sufficient fingerprint information has been acquired.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:

determining, by said processing circuitry, a continuous area of said fingerprint jointly covered by said acquired partial fingerprint images; and

determining, by said processing circuitry, that sufficient fingerprint information has been acquired when said continuous area is greater than a predefined area.

7. A fingerprint enrollment system for enrolling a fingerprint of a user's finger having a longitudinal finger axis, said fingerprint enrollment system comprising:

an elongated fingerprint sensor having a sensing area being smaller than said fingerprint and having a longitudinal sensor axis;

a memory;

a user communication interface; and

processing circuitry connected to said fingerprint sensor, to said memory, and to said user communication interface for:

controlling the user communication interface to provide an instruction to the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a first finger orientation for achieving a first angle between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis;

controlling said fingerprint sensor to acquire a partial fingerprint image for said first finger orientation;

controlling the user communication interface to provide an instruction to the user to place said finger on the fingerprint sensor with a second finger orientation for achieving a second angle, different from said first angle, between said longitudinal finger axis and said longitudinal sensor axis;

controlling said fingerprint sensor to acquire a partial fingerprint image for said second finger orientation;

determining a fingerprint enrollment representation for said finger based on the partial fingerprint images for said first and second finger orientations and a relation between said first angle and said second angle; and

saving the fingerprint enrollment representation to said memory together with an identifier for said fingerprint to thereby enroll said fingerprint.

8. The fingerprint enrollment system according to claim 7 , wherein a longitudinal extension of the sensing area of said fingerprint sensor is at least one and one half times a transversal extension of the sensing area of said fingerprint sensor.