Abstract:
PURPOSE: An apparatus for generating a Markov model by class and a fingerprint classification method that optimizes the Markov model are provided to classify a fingerprint even if the quality of the fingerprint is poor. CONSTITUTION: A Markov model storage unit stores Markov Models of each class generated based on the direction value of a ridge for a plurality of fingerprint images. A class decision unit determines the class of a fingerprint image from the direction value of the ridge with reference to the Markov models of each class. The class of the fingerprint is determined from the direction value of the ridge(S830).