SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE ALGORITHM PROCESSING OF BIOMETRIC DATA

Abstract

A system performs processing of biometric information to create multiple templates. This allows biometric systems to be flexible and interact with a plurality of vendors' technologies. Specifically, a biometric sample is captured from a sensor and transmitted to a processing component. The biometric sample is then processed by a first algorithm to yield a biometric template and the template is stored and associated with a record identifier. The biometric sample is also processed by a second algorithm to yield a second template. The second template is stored and associated with the record identifier.

Claims

1. A biometric information processing system for identifying or verifying a subject, the system comprising: a scanning device for capturing a first biometric sample of a subject; a transmitting component for transmitting the first biometric sample from the scanning device to a processing component; a processing component for processing the first biometric sample by a first vendor's template generation algorithm to yield a first reference template; a processing component for processing the first biometric sample by a second vendor's template generation algorithm to yield a second reference template; a storage component for storing the plurality of reference templates in association with a record identifier identifying the subject. a second scanning device for receiving a second biometric sample from the subject; a transmitting component for transmitting the second biometric sample from the second scanning device to a processing component; a processing component for processing the second biometric sample by the first vendor's template generation algorithm or the second vendor's template generation algorithm to generate a match template; and a processing component for performing a comparison between the match template and the reference template to determine a degree of similarity and make a match determination.

2. The biometric information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the match determination is made for a live subject.

3. The biometric information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first biometric sample is processed using a reference profile before the first vendor's template generation algorithm yields the first reference template; and the second biometric sample is processed using a reference profile before the second vendor's template generation algorithm yields the second reference template.

4. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein a processing component processes the first biometric sample by a third template generation algorithm to yield a third reference template wherein the third reference template is associated with the record identifier.

5. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the storage component stores the first biometric sample in association with a corresponding record identifier.

6. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein when a processing component receives a request for a type of reference template from a requesting authority, the processing component determines if the requested type of reference template is available, and if not, creates it, and transmits the template to the requesting authority.

7. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein a processing component returns the result of the comparison to a requesting authority.

8. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises dimension, resolution, grayscale, shape, or orientation.

9. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises information adhering to FBI standards.

10. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises information adhering to DHS standards.

11. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the first biometric sample is a fingerprint, a facial image, an iris image, a retina image, a voiceprint, a DNA sample, a hand shape, or a signature.

12. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the scanning device is a livescan input device with at least 400 dots per square inch resolution.

13. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the first and second template generation algorithms perform feature extraction.

14. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the scanning device includes a plurality of sensors.

15. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the second scanning device is the same as the first scanning device.

16. The biometric information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the reference templates are not subsequently transformed after creation.

17. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein a processing component processes the first biometric sample by a third template generation algorithm to yield a third reference template wherein the third reference template is associated with the record identifier.

18. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the storage component stores the first biometric sample in association with a corresponding record identifier.

19. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein when a processing component receives a request for a type of reference template from a requesting authority, the processing component determines if the requested type of reference template is available, and if not, creates it, and transmits the template to the requesting authority.

20. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein a processing component returns the result of the comparison to a requesting authority.

21. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises dimension, resolution, grayscale, shape, or orientation.

22. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises information adhering to FBI standards.

23. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the information indicated by a reference profile comprises information adhering to DHS standards.

24. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the first biometric sample is a fingerprint, a facial image, an iris image, a retina image, a voiceprint, a DNA sample, a hand shape, or a signature.

25. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the scanning device is a livescan input device with at least 400 dots per square inch resolution.

26. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second template generation algorithms perform feature extraction.

27. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the scanning device includes a plurality of sensors.

28. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the second scanning device is the same as the first scanning device.

29. The biometric information processing system according to claim 3, wherein the reference templates are not subsequently transformed after creation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a template generation system in accordance with the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates the process by which a reference profile is used to create system-specific identifiable biometric images.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates the process by which a reference profile works in conjunction with an image enhancement system to create system-specific biometric images.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a biometric matching process.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a process by which a reference biometric is retrieved from a database for the purposes of matching.

[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates the process by which biometric matching takes place in the absence of a reference template.

[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a process by which a requesting authority executes matching through communication with a populated biometric database and template identifier.

[0032] FIG. 8 illustrates a process by which a template request results in the creation on an on-demand reference template used for the purposes of matching.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a schematic block diagram of a template generation system 107 incorporating therein a method of processing samples to generate templates for the purposes of storage, enrollment, or matching in accordance with the present invention.

[0034] A biometric characteristic 100 is presented to a scanning device 102, which acquires a biometric sample 101, or identifiable biometric data, in the form of an image or recording 103. The image or recording 103 is enhanced and filtered 105, and distinctive characteristics extracted and encoded 106, through a process 104 which results in the generation of a biometric template 108. The template 108 can be used to enroll or match a user or can be stored for subsequent system usage. The same identifiable biometric data 103, or an identical copy thereof, is enhanced and filtered 110, and distinctive characteristics extracted and encoded 111, through a second specific process 109, which results in the generation of a second biometric template 112. The template 112 can be used to enroll or match a user or can be stored for subsequent system usage.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 2, in order to address the need in the marketplace for interoperability across devices, a method is presented through which a reference profile is used to generate system-specific identifiable images, which allow for automated creation of system-specific templates. This process improves on the traditional biometric acquisition method 101 by processing the enhanced image 201 through a system-specific reference profile 202, which encapsulates key characteristics of the enhanced image such as dimension, resolution, grayscale, shape, and orientation. The reference profile generates 203 a second identifiable image 204 from which system-specific templates can be generated for enrollment, matching, and storage in biometric systems.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, data contained in the reference profile 302 is used to enable an image quality processor 303 and an image cropping component 304. These work in conjunction 301 to produce system-specific images 305.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 4, the standard biometric template matching process is leveraged wherein a reference template 401 stored on file and a match template 402 are compared through a template matching process 400. This template matching process leads to a matching result 403.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 5, in the traditional authentication process, a biometric characteristic 501 is converted through template extraction 107 into a system-specific template 502. This template is compared 400 against a reference template stored in a template database 503 leading to a match result 504.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 6, the proposed system improves on the FIG. 5 process by enabling authentication when the reference template is not stored in the template database 503. After system-specific match template creation 104 form the identifiable image 601, both the extracted match template and the identifiable biometric data or sample are temporarily retained 602. The reference database is queried 603 to determine the presence of a reference template from the same system as the match template created in 104. If one or more reference templates from the individual providing data 601 are in the database, the standard authentication process occurs 400, 611. If the reference template is not in the database 503 then an enrollment template from a different biometric system, and associated with the individual providing data, is retrieved from the database 604. The reference profile 605 corresponding to the system whose template is on file 604 is used to process 300 the identifiable biometric data initially retained 602. The resultant images 305 are used to create match templates 104 which are compared 400 against the retrieved enrollment templates 604. If the two templates match 606, then the initial match template generate through the biometric system 104 is stored 608, 609 in the database 503 as a reference template and associated with the individual providing data, thereby expanding the range of biometric devices on which an individual can authenticate. The results of this successful match can be transmitted 610 such that the individual is authenticated 612 based on the legacy enrollment 604. If the templates do not match 611 the transaction reverts to an error state 607.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 7, there is provided a schematic block diagram of a template generation system 107 incorporating therein a method of processing samples to generate templates for the purposes of storage, enrollment, and matching in accordance with the present invention.

[0041] A biometric characteristic 100 is presented to a scanning device 102, which acquires a biometric sample 101, or identifiable biometric data, in the form of an image or recording 103. The image or recording 103 is enhanced and filtered 105, and distinctive characteristics extracted and encoded 106, through a specific process 104, which results in the generation of a biometric template 108. The template 108 can be used to enroll, verify, or identify a user or can be stored for subsequent system usage. The same identifiable biometric data 103 is enhanced and filtered 110, and distinctive characteristics extracted and encoded 110, through a second specific process 109, which results in the generation of a second biometric template 112. The template 112 can be used to enroll, verify, or identify a user or can be stored for subsequent system usage.

[0042] The templates are stored in template database 113. A Requesting Authority 114 sends a request for a biometric match from a requesting authority along with a match template 115, wherein the request identifies a given record identifier. The template database 113 locates from a plurality of storage units a reference template associated with the record identifier compatible with the match template. A template comparison is performed 116 and the result is transmitted to the Requesting Authority 114.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 8, a process is presented 800 by which a biometric sample is stored for the purpose of generating system-specific templates subsequent to request(s) by an authorized authority. In this process, a biometric characteristic 100 is acquired through a scanning device 102. This sample is transmitted 801 to a biometric storage component 802. At this point the biometric sample is available for usage by template requesters. A template requester 803 transmits a template request identifier along with a template algorithm ID. This template algorithm ID defines the algorithm through which a match template is to be generated for the template requester. A biometric template service 804 routes request packages in order to retrieve one or more biometric samples 805 from biometric storage 802. The biometric sample is transmitted along with the template algorithm ID 806 in order to retrieve the necessary system profile from the reference profile database and template generation databases 807. Once the reference profile and the template generation algorithm are selected 808 from the system profile database 807, the sample can be processed through the Multiple Algorithm Processing sequence 809, as per FIG. 3, in order to generate a compatible reference template 810. The reference template 810 can then be transmitted to the template requester for validation.