OVERVIEW OF ALGORITHMS EMPLOYED IN AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT PROCESSING (FROM INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIME COUNTERMEASURES - SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, PROCEEDINGS, 1977, BY JOHN S JACKSON - SEE NCJ-56184)

• NCJ Number: 56193
• Author(s): J P RIGANATI
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Ores Publications
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE BASICS OF ALGORITHMS USED IN ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL'S FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR INKED CARDS, LATENT IMPRESSIONS, AND DIRECTLY READ FINGERPRINTS.

Abstract

THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN THIS PAPER IS PRESENTED FOR PERSONS POSSESSING BOTH A SERIOUS INTEREST AND A SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE IN THE USES OF FINGERPRINTS. ANALYSES OF FINGERPRINTS PERFORMED BY EXPERT TECHNICIANS ARE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF BASIC PROCEDURES OR ALGORITHMS WHICH MAY BE DONE EQUIVALENTLY BY AUTOMATION. EXCLUDING THE TOPIC OF AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT PROCESSING FROM A SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL VIEWPOINT, THE DISCUSSION EMPHASISES INDIVIDUAL FINGERPRINT PROCESSING ASPECTS WHICH ARE CENTRAL TO THE AUTOMATION OF THAT PROCESSING. THE FINGERPRINT EXPERT COMBINES HIS JUDGMENT AND EXPERIENCE WITH A SET OF RULES TO PRODUCE A PERSONAL INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA. AUTOMATED PROCESSING SUBSTITUTES STATISTICAL CHARACTERIZATION FOR EXPERIENCE, AND ALGORITHMIC COMPLEXITY FOR JUDGEMENT. AN OVERVIEW OF THE ELEMENTS OF AUTOMATED PROCESSING INDICATES THE NATURE OF THE OPERATION AND DESCRIBES THE SIMILARITIES AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MANUAL AND AUTOMATED PROCESSING. SPECIFIC DISCUSSION INCLUDES THE DIGITAL FORMAT USED IN THE INKED CARD SYSTEM, AND ITS CONVERSION TO THE SAMPLED DATA FORMAT, AND SUBSEQUENT ENHANCEMENT OF THE FINGERPRINT AS A BINARY IMAGE. GRAPHIC DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).