Automated fingerprint classification based on directional image tracing and core axis

Abstract

A new concept on the fingerprint core axis and the method to compute it in the fingerprint images were proposed,using the continuously distributed directional image tracing.Then,a new fingerprint classification algorithm based on the directional image tracing and fingerprint core axis was developed,which classified input fingerprints into six categories:arch,tented arch,left loop,right loop,twin loop and whorl.The experimental results obtained on the Set B fingerprint database of FVC2000,FVC2002 and FVC2004,the Set A fingerprint database of FVC2004 and our fingerprint database demonstrate that this algorithm is invariant to image rotation of any degrees,and successfully separates the twin loop fingerprint from the whorl fingerprint.For the 4 000 images in our fingerprint database,a classification accuracy of 95.6% for the six-class problem has been achieved.Therefore,it has better classification performance than previously reported in the literature.