Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications (한국정보과학회논문지:소프트웨어및응용)

Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers (한국정보과학회)
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Fingerprint Image Quality Analysis for Knowledge-based Image Enhancement

지식기반 영상개선을 위한 지문영상의 품질분석

  • 윤은경 (연세대학교 컴퓨터과학과 생체인식연구센터) ;
  • 조성배 (연세대학교 컴퓨터과학과 생체인식연구센터)
  • Published : 2004.07.01
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Abstract

Accurate minutiae extraction from input fingerprint images is one of the critical modules in robust automatic fingerprint identification system. However, the performance of a minutiae extraction is heavily dependent on the quality of the input fingerprint images. If the preprocessing is performed according to the fingerprint image characteristics in the image enhancement step, the system performance will be more robust. In this paper, we propose a knowledge-based preprocessing method, which extracts S features (the mean and variance of gray values, block directional difference, orientation change level, and ridge-valley thickness ratio) from the fingerprint images and analyzes image quality with Ward's clustering algorithm, and enhances the images with respect to oily/neutral/dry characteristics. Experimental results using NIST DB 4 and Inha University DB show that clustering algorithm distinguishes the image Quality characteristics well. In addition, the performance of the proposed method is assessed using quality index and block directional difference. The results indicate that the proposed method improves both the quality index and block directional difference.

지문영상으로부터 특징점을 정확하게 추출하는 것은 효과적인 지문인식 시스템의 구축에 매우 중요하다. 하지만 지문영상의 품질에 따라 특징점 추출의 정확도가 달라지기 때문에 지문인식 시스템에서의 영상 전처리 과정은 시스템의 성능에 크게 영향을 미친다. 본 논문에서는 지문영상으로부터 명암값의 평균 및 분산, 블록 방향성 차, 방향성 변화도, 융선과 골의 두께 비율 등의 5가지 특징을 추출하고 계층적 클러스터링 알고리즘으로 클러스터링하여 영상의 품질 특성을 분석한 후 습성(oily), 보통(neutral), 건성(dry)의 특성에 적합하게 영상을 개선하는 지식기반 전처리 방법을 제안한다. NIST DB 4와 인하대학교 데이타를 이용하여 실험한 결과, 클러스터링 기법이 영상의 특성을 제대로 구분함을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 제안한 방법의 성능 평가를 위해 품질 지수와 블록 방향성 차이를 측정하여 일반적인 전처리 방법보다 지식기반 전처리 방법이 품질 지수와 블록 방향성 차이를 향상시킴을 확인할 수 있었다.

Keywords

References

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