Method and apparatus for biomertic verification with data packet transmission prioritization

• US 20040168091A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited
• Original Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited
• Inventors: Hillhouse, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification

Abstract

An authentication mechanism for use with biometric systems which optimizes data extraction on areas or regions having a high probability of matching a reference biometric template, allows a reduction in both the size and number of data packet transmissions to be made to a biometric matching engine and includes data packet transmission prioritization.

Claims

1. A method of biometric authentication comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first biometric information sample;

b) extracting biometric data from the first biometric information sample, the extracted biometric data relating to features reproducibly extractable from said biometric sample;

c) grouping the biometric data into at least a first packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof and comprising data sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits and at least a second packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof; and

,

d) transmitting at least one biometric datum of the at least a first packet to the biometric matching engine as a first packet relating to the first biometric information sample.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of:

performing one of authenticating the user in dependence upon the at least one of the at least a first packet and transmitting another packet only when the user is other than authenticated in dependence upon the at least one of the at least a first packet.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of transmitting another packet comprises the step of transmitting one of the at least a first packet unless all of the at least a first packet were already transmitted.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least a first packet comprises data likely sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the at least a first packet are ordered in dependence upon a likelihood of being sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by the biometric matching engine within predetermined limits, and wherein the step of transmitting one of the at least a first packet is performed in dependence upon the order.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein all of the at least a first packet comprises data likely sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of:

determining a likelihood that based on one of the at least a first packet and the at least a second packet, the biometric sample is identifiable by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits as relating to a known individual.

8. A method according to claim 7, comprising the step of:

when the likelihood is above a predetermined threshold, transmitting the packet so determined to the biometric matching engine.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of:

providing data from a further one of the at least a first packet in an order of a likelihood that the further one of the at least a first packet will suffice for successfully completing the process of biometric authentication.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first packet each consist of a single datum.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first packet each comprise a plurality of data.

12. A system for biometric data extraction and transmission from a biometric sample received by a local client comprising:

a sensor for providing a first biometric information sample; and

a processor for extracting biometric data from the first biometric information sample, the extracted biometric data relating to features reproducibly extractable from said biometric sample, for grouping the biometic data into at least a first packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof and comprising data sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits and at least a second packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof, and for transmitting at least one of the at least a first packet to the biometric matching engine as a first packet relating to the first biometric information sample.

13. A system according to claim 12, comprising a token interface port for interfacing with a token and a transceiver for transmitting the at least one of the at least a first packet to the biometric matching engine as a first packet relating to the first biometric information sample to a token interfacing with the token interface port.

14. A system according to claim 12, comprising a network interface port for interfacing with a network and a transceiver for transmitting the at least one of the at least a first packet to the biometric matching engine as a first packet relating to the first biometric information sample to another processor in communication with the network via the network interface port.

15. A storage medium having data stored therein, the data relating to instructions for performing the steps of:

providing a first biometric information sample;

extracting biometric data from the first biometric information sample, the extracted biometric data relating to features reproducibly extractable from said biometric sample;

grouping the biometric data into at least a first packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof and comprising data sufficient for identification of the biometric sample as relating to a known individual by a biometric matching engine within predetermined limits and at least a second packet comprising a portion of the biometric data substantially less than the whole thereof; and

,

transmitting at least one of the at least a first packet to the biometric matching engine as a first packet relating to the first biometric information sample.

16. A storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the storage medium is housed within a workstation in communication with a computer network, the computer network including an authentication server.

17. A storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the storage medium is housed within a workstation comprising a port for communication with a security token including an authentication server.

18. A method of biometric authentication from a biometric sample received by a local client comprising the steps of:

a. defining a plurality of regions associated with the biometric sample,

b. identifying which of the plurality of regions includes biometric data having a high probability of matching a pre-established reference,

c. extracting the biometric data from the identified regions,

d. incorporating the extracted biometric data into a plurality of data packets,

e. arranging the plurality of data packets in a hierarchy which allows selection of the data packets based on the probability of matching the pre-established reference, and

f. transmitting a data packet of the plurality of data packets having a known probability of matching the pre-established reference to a biometric matching engine.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the known probability is a probability sufficient for successfully completing the biometric authentication with only the transmitted data packet.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the known probability is a highest probability from the plurality of data packets.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of data packets each comprise data relating to each of a plurality of regions.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of data packets each comprise a single datum relating to one of the plurality of regions.

23. The method according to claim 20, further including the iterative step of transmitting another data packet of the plurality of data packets having a next highest probability of matching the pre-established reference, if requested to do so by the biometric matching engine.

24. The method according to claim 20, further including the steps of:

processing of the transmitted data packet without successfully performing the biometric authentication; and

,

transmitting another data packet of the plurality of data packets having a similar probability of matching the pre-established reference.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of data packets each comprise data relating to each of a plurality of regions.

26. A method according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of data packets each comprise a single datum relating to one of the plurality of regions.

27. The method according to claim 18, comprising the step of receiving a selection criteria.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the selection criteria is a regional selection criteria.

29. The method according to claim 18, wherein the biometric matching engine comprises a server based application.

30. The method according to claim 18, wherein the biometric matching engine comprises a security token based application.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein the biometric matching engine comprises both a server based application and a security token based application.

32. The method according to claim 18, wherein step (b) is performed postliminary.

33. The method according to claim 18, wherein step (b) is performed heuristically.

34. The method according to claim 18, wherein step (b) is performed both postliminary and heuristically.

35. A system for biometric data extraction and transmission from a biometric sample received by a local client comprising at least one biometric processing application operatively installed on the local client, wherein the at least one biometric processing application includes means for:

a. defining a plurality of regions associated with the biometric sample,

b. identifying which of the plurality of regions includes biometric data having a high probability of matching a pre-established reference,

c. extracting the biometric data from the identified regions,

d. incorporating the extracted biometric data into a plurality of data packets,

e. arranging the plurality of data packets in a hierarchy which allows selection of the data packets based on the probability of matching the pre-established reference, and

f. transmitting a data packet of the plurality of data packets having a known probability of matching the pre-established reference to a biometric matching engine.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the biometric processing application further includes means for iteratively transmitting another data packet having another known probability of matching the pre-established reference, when requested to do so by the biometric matching engine.

37. The system according to claim 35, wherein the biometric processing application further includes means for preprocessing the received biometric sample.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the preprocessing means includes means for aligning the biometric sample according to alignment information supplied at least in part by the biometric matching engine.

39. The system according to claim 35, wherein the biometric matching engine is installed in a server.

40. The system according to claim 35, wherein the biometric matching engine is installed in a security token.

41. The system according to claim 35, wherein the biometric matching engine is installed in both a server and a security token.

42. The system according to claim 35, wherein the at least one biometric processing application further includes means for identifying the plurality of regions prospectively.

43. The system according to claim 35, wherein the at least one biometric processing application further includes means for identifying the plurality of regions retrospectively.

44. The system according to claim 35, wherein the at least one biometric processing application further includes means for identifying the plurality of regions both prospectively and retrospectively.

46. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the executable instructions further includes the executable instructions to iteratively send another data packet having another known probability of matching the pre-established reference, when requested to do so by the biometric matching engine.

47. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the executable instructions relating to the step of transmitting are for transmitting a data packet of the plurality of data packets selected for providing a reasonable probability of successful biometric authentication based thereon.

45. A storage medium having stored therein data relating to executable instructions for:

a. defining a plurality of regions associated with the biometric sample,

b. identifying which of the plurality of regions includes biometric data having a high probability of matching a pre-established reference,

c. extracting the biometric data from the identified regions,

d. incorporating the extracted biometric data into a plurality of data packets,

e. arranging the plurality of data packets in a hierarchy which allows selection of the data packets based on the probability of matching the pre-established reference, and

f. transmitting a data packet of the plurality of data packets having a known probability of matching the pre-established reference to a biometric matching engine.