System and method for fingerprint validation

1. A method of validating a fingerprint, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a volumetric scan of a finger under test using an optical coherence tomography system;

wherein obtaining a volumetric scan comprises the steps of:

scanning a finger under test using the optical coherence tomography system to acquire plurality of A-scans which includes both a surface fingerprint and a sub dermal fingerprint;

combining the A-scans to acquire a plurality of B-scans;

combining the B-scans to obtain the volumetric scan;

processing said volumetric scan to obtain a two dimensional image of at least a portion of the surface fingerprint

and processing said volumetric scan to obtain a two dimensional image of at least a portion of the sub dermal fingerprint, where such portions are of substantially the same fingerprint region;

comparing, using image processing, said surface fingerprint and said sub dermal fingerprint to determine compatibility of said surface fingerprint and said sub dermal fingerprint where compatibility serves to validate said fingerprint; and

outputting results of said comparison of said surface fingerprint and said sub dermal fingerprint.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein further including the step of obtaining a plurality of a cross sectional tomographic scans at substantially the same location, thereby enabling in less than one second, determination of whether blood flows in said fingerprint.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of performing optical coherence tomography scan includes using multiple reference optical coherence tomography.

4. A system for fingerprint validation, said system comprising:

an optical coherence tomography system, generating volumetric scans of said fingerprint;

wherein generating a volumetric scan comprises:

scanning a finger under test using the optical coherence tomography system to acquire plurality of A-scans which includes both a surface fingerprint and a sub dermal fingerprint;

combining the A-scans to acquire a plurality of B-scans;

combining the B-scans to obtain the volumetric scan;

a processor module, said processor module containing memory, electronic control and processing, surface imaging control and processing; and

wherein aid processing module, using said volumetric scan, selects a two dimensional region on the surface fingerprint and a two dimensional region of said sub dermal fingerprint, said two dimensional regions being of substantially the same fingerprint region; and

wherein said processor module validates said fingerprint, by comparing said surface and sub-dermal two dimensional regions of said fingerprint, that said two dimensional regions are compatible;

and transmits validation status of said fingerprint to a device coupled to said system and which requires fingerprint validation as a pre-condition for device access.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said optical coherence to tomography system obtains said cross sectional tomographic scan and obtains said surface image.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said optical coherence tomography system obtains a plurality of cross sectional tomographic scans at substantially the same area, enabling in a time span of less than one second a determination of blood flow in said fingerprint.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said optical coherence tomography device functions as an imaging device and said device acquires and stores a plurality of volumetric scans of fingerprint to be validated.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein a set of B-scans is acquired, said set being of approximately eight scans, and compared to the stored volumetric scan, and wherein fingerprint validation occurs when said acquired set of B-scans is found to match a stored set of corresponding B-scans within said stored volumetric scan data.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein a primary fingerprint at an epidermis dermis interface of one or more B-scans are compared with the corresponding region of a surface fingerprint.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein a plurality of adjacent B-scans, constituting a volumetric scan from which a two dimensional sub-surface primary fingerprint is extracted and from which a two dimensional surface fingerprint is extracted and said extracted fingerprint is then compared with said two dimensional surface fingerprint.