FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM, FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS, FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION METHOD, AND BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS

In a fingerprint identification system, a fingerprint sensor 104 of a registration apparatus 2 reads a fingerprint in a larger region, whereas a fingerprint sensor 30 of an identification apparatus 4, which is smaller in size, reads a fingerprint in a smaller region. When registering a fingerprint, the fingerprint sensor 104 of the registration apparatus 2 reads a fingerprint, and a fingerprint registration circuit 14 generates binary image data based on the fingerprint which has been read. The binary image data is transferred to the identification apparatus 4 and stored in an image memory 16 of the identification apparatus 4. When identifying a fingerprint, the fingerprint sensor 30 of the identification apparatus 4 reads a fingerprint, and a fingerprint identification circuit 32 generates binary image data based on the fingerprint which has been read. Then, the binary image data is compared against the binary image data stored in the image memory 16.