Model-based orientation field estimation for fingerprint recognition

Orientation field estimation is very important to automatic fingerprint recognition system. In this paper, a model-based algorithm for orientation field estimation is proposed. First the coarse field is computed by using conventional algorithms. Considering that the real orientation field is rather smooth except for several singular points, a combination model is proposed to approximate the coarse field. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the final estimation result is rather accurate and robust.