Method and apparatus for securing passage on a common carrier and creating a passenger manifest

• US 20030058084A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: OʼHara, Sean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/963,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

Security on airplanes and other common carrier carriages is enhanced by establishing the identity of travelers and documenting their true identity as established by biometric characteristics that irrefutably identify an individual. A biometric characteristic is measured at the time of ticketing. The biometric characteristic is measured at the time of boarding to insure that the person who purchased passage and the person who boards are one and the same. Electronic copies of identifying data can be stored and shipped to external data bases.

Claims

1. A method of securing the passage of air travelers comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least a first measurement of a biometric characteristic of a prospective air traveler before authorizing passage of said prospective air travel;

prior to allowing individuals to board an airplane, obtaining a boarding-time measurement of said biometric characteristic of individuals seeking to board the airplane;

comparing the first measurement of said biometric characteristic of said air traveler, to the boarding-time measurements of said biometric characteristic of individuals seeking to board the airplane to determine if the first measurement of said biometric characteristic of said air traveler, substantially matches the biometric characteristic of an individual either;

seeking to board the airplane, or who has boarded the airplane.

2. A method of securing the passage of air travelers comprising the steps of:

upon an air traveler'"'"'s check in at an airport, obtaining at least a first measurement of a biometric characteristic of said air traveler;

issuing an authorization for said air traveler to board an airplane upon said first measurement of said biometric characteristic;

prior to allowing individuals to board an airplane, obtaining a boarding-time measurement of said biometric characteristic of individuals boarding the airplane;

comparing the first measurement of said biometric characteristic of said air traveler at check in, to the boarding-time measurements of said biometric characteristic of individuals boarding an airplane to determine if the check-in biometric characteristic of said air traveler corresponds to the boarding-time biometric characteristic of an individual boarding the airplane.

3. A method of identifying air travelers comprising the steps of:

upon an air traveler'"'"'s check in at an airport, obtaining a check-in measurement of a first biometric characteristic of said air traveler;

upon an air traveler'"'"'s check-in, obtaining a digital check-in photograph of said traveler;

correlating said air traveler'"'"'s check-in first biometric characteristic to said air traveler'"'"'s check-in photograph;

upon said check-in measurement of said biometric characteristic and upon obtaining said check-in photograph, issuing to said air traveler, a boarding authorization device;

upon presentation of said boarding authorization device to board an airplane, obtaining at least one of;

a boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic and a boarding-time photograph of individuals to board the airplane;

comparing at least one of;

the check-in first biometric characteristic of said air traveler and the check-in photograph, to;

the corresponding boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic and the boarding time photograph to determine if the air traveler is either boarding the plane or seeking to board the plane.

4. A method of identifying air travelers comprising the steps of:

upon an air traveler'"'"'s check in at an airport, obtaining at least a first measurement of a first biometric characteristic of said air traveler to create a numeric representation of said biometric characteristic of said air traveler;

authorizing said air traveler to board an airplane upon said first measurement of said biometric characteristic;

prior to allowing individuals to board an airplane, obtaining a boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic of individuals to board the airplane;

comparing the first biometric characteristic of said air traveler at check in, to the boarding-time measurements of said first biometric characteristic of individuals boarding an airplane to determine if the identity of the air traveler at check-in, corresponds to the identity of an individual boarding the plane;

upon detecting a mismatch between the biometric characteristic of said air traveler at check and the biometric characteristics of individuals boarding an airplane, inhibiting the departure of said airplane from said airport.

5. A method of identifying air travelers comprising the steps of:

obtaining from a prospective air traveler, at least a first measurement of a first biometric characteristic to create a numeric representation of said biometric characteristic of said prospective air traveler;

copying said numeric representation of said biometric characteristic to a boarding authorization device for a predetermined flight, for the prospective air traveler;

issuing said boarding authorization device for said predetermined flight to said air traveler;

prior to allowing individuals to board an airplane for said predetermined flight;

obtaining from individuals seeking to board the airplane, a boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic;

obtaining from individuals seeking to board the airplane, boarding authorization devices;

comparing said boarding-time measurements of said first biometric characteristic of individuals seeking to board the airplane to the numeric representation of said first biometric characteristic copied onto said boarding authorization devices to determine if said air traveler is either aboard the airplane or seeking to board the airplane; and

inhibiting the departure of said airplane if said air traveler is not aboard.

6. A method of identifying air travelers comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least a first measurement of a first biometric characteristic of an air traveler;

obtaining a digital photograph of said air traveler;

storing said digital photograph of said air traveler and said biometric characteristic of said air traveler;

transmitting at least one of said digital photograph of said air traveler and said biometric characteristic of said air traveler to a law enforcement agency data base;

upon said first measurement of said biometric characteristic, issuing to said air traveler, an authorization device enabling said air traveler to board a predetermined airplane;

obtaining a boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic of individuals to board said predetermined airplane;

comparing the first measurement of said first biometric characteristic of said air traveler, to the boarding-time measurements of individuals boarding said predetermined airplane to determine if the air traveler at check-in is either boarding the predetermined airplane, or has boarded the predetermined airplane.

7. A method of securing the passage of individuals on a common carrier comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least a first measurement of a first biometric characteristic of a prospective traveler;

comparing said first biometric characteristic of said prospective air traveler to the first biometric characteristics of individuals in a first data base;

notifying at least one law enforcement agency of the correspondence of said first biometric characteristic of a prospective traveler to the biometric characteristic of an individual in said first data base.

8. A method of securing the passage of individuals on a common carrier comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least a first measurement of a first biometric characteristic of a prospective traveler;

comparing said first biometric characteristic of said prospective traveler to the first biometric characteristic of a plurality of individuals in a first data base;

inhibiting the passage of said prospective traveler on said common carrier if said first biometric characteristic of said prospective traveler substantially corresponds to the first biometric characteristic of at least one individual of said plurality of individuals in said first data base.

9. A method of securing the passage of individuals on a common carrier comprising the steps of:

receiving access to first data base of biometric characteristics of individuals;

obtaining from a prospective traveler, a first biometric characteristic of said prospective traveler;

comparing said first biometric characteristic of said prospective air traveler to the biometric characteristics in said first data base;

issuing a boarding authorization device to said prospective traveler based upon the result of comparing said first biometric characteristic of said prospective air traveler to the biometric characteristics in said first data base;

prior to allowing individuals to board a carriage device, obtaining from each of said individuals, boarding authorization devices; and

at the time of boarding a carriage device, obtaining from each individual seeking to board said carriage device, a boarding-time measurement of said first biometric characteristic;

comparing said boarding time measurement of said first biometric characteristic to previously-obtained first biometric characteristics and to said biometric characteristics in said data base;

inhibiting the departure of said carriage device based upon the results of the step of comparing said boarding time measurement of said first biometric characteristic to previously-obtained first biometric characteristics and to said biometric characteristics in said data base.

10. A method of identifying passengers boarding a common carrier comprising:

determining a first biometric characteristic of an individual;

generating data representing the biometric characteristic of said individual;

copying said data representing said biometric characteristic onto a boarding pass for said common carrier;

recovering said boarding pass from said individual as a condition to boarding said common carrier.

11. A common carrier security system comprised of:

a check-in terminal comprised of;

at least a first biometric sensor for measuring a first biometric characteristic of an individual when said individual is proximate to said check-in terminal;

a first computer operatively coupled to said first biometric sensor and generating a first numeric representation of said first biometric characteristic;

a gate terminal comprised of;

at least a second biometric sensor for measuring said first biometric characteristic of an individual when said individual is proximate to said gate terminal;

a second computer operatively coupled to said second biometric sensor and generating a second numeric representation of said second biometric characteristic;

a server computer, for enabling the comparison of said first biometric characteristic to said second biometric characteristic and for enabling the determination of whether said first and second characteristics are substantially the same;

a data network, operatively coupling together said check-in terminal, said gate terminal and said server.

12. A common carrier security system comprised of:

a check-in terminal comprised of;

at least a first biometric sensor for measuring a first biometric characteristic of an individual when said individual is proximate to said check-in terminal;

a first computer operatively coupled to said first biometric sensor and generating a first numeric representation of said first biometric characteristic;

a gate terminal comprised of;

at least a second biometric sensor for measuring said first biometric characteristic of an individual when said individual is proximate to said gate terminal;

a second computer operatively coupled to said second biometric sensor and generating a second numeric representation of said second biometric characteristic, said second computer comparing said first biometric characteristic to said second biometric characteristic and determining whether said first and second characteristics are substantially the same;

a data network, operatively coupling together said check-in terminal, said gate terminal and for sending a signal that said first and second biometric characteristics were determined to not be substantially the same.

13. A common carrier security system comprised of:

a terminal comprised of;

at least a first biometric sensor for measuring a first biometric characteristic of an individual when said individual is proximate to said check-in terminal;

a first computer operatively coupled to said first biometric sensor and generating a first numeric representation of said first biometric characteristic.