Biometric system for biometric input, comparison, authentication and access control and method therefor biometric

A biometric input device (54), system and method includes a biometric input device having a scanning window (56) disposed in a side of a device body so as to facilitate positioning of a biometric sample such as a thumb. The biometric input device (54) includes an optical assembly (80) having a prism (82) with a focusing lens (84) disposed on a side thereof and optionally integrally formed therewith and associated with a scanning surface (92) of the prism disposed at the scanning window such that a light image may be generated therethrough and focused onto an imaging component (102) for conversion into a pixel output. A led (89) structured to emit light through a top surface of the prism functions to generate the light image of the biometric identifier such as the fingerprint.