IDENTITY VERIFICATION AND ACCESS CONTROL

• US 20090167492A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Entry Data Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Entry Data Pty Limited
• Inventors: Hubble, Simon Anthony, Madafferi, Mario
• Application Number:
  US12/281,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.820
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system and method of identity verification and access control of patrons to a venue in which a biometric reader is provided for reading an identifying biological characteristic of the patron. A biometric information processing means is provided for generating a unique biometric information key for the patron based on the identifying biological characteristic read by the biometric reader. A primary database for stores the biometric information keys of newly enrolled patrons and all patrons who have previously attended the venue and been enrolled. A means is also provided to record information indicating that one or more of the biometric information keys belong to patrons that have been banned access to the venue. An access data processing means compares the biometric information key generated by the biometric information processing means with the biometric information keys stored in said primary database in order to verify both the identity of the patron and whether the patron is banned access, prior to permitting the patron access to the venue.

Claims

4-1. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 1, wherein an enrolment terminal is provided at an access point to the venue, the enrolment terminal including the biometric reader and the biometric information processing means.

5. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 5, wherein the enrolment terminal is in communication with a central server on which is provided the primary database and the access data processing means.

11. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 5, wherein the enrolment terminal includes a document scanning means to scan the identifying documents of a patron such that the scanned information is combined with the biometric information key from the biometric reader and transmitted to the central server as the unique identification record.

24. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 5, wherein a means is provided to display survey questions on the enrolment terminal and store the patrons answers to the survey questions along with information contained in the primary database about the patron.

25. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 5, wherein a means is provided to search the primary database based on information contained in the primary database other than the biometric information key.

6. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 6, wherein the enrolment terminal includes a means to input information regarding a patron along with the read biological characteristic of the patron to enrol the patron in the primary database.

7. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 7, wherein the means to input information includes a first display on which can be displayed questions for the patron to obtain said information regarding the patron.

8. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first display displays information including the results of

whether a patron'"'"'s identity has been verified and whether the patron has been banned access to the venue can be displayed.

10. A system of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 9, wherein the enrolment terminal includes a second display for displaying information to a crowd control officer.

26. A method of identity verification and access control of patrons to a venue, the method comprising the steps of:

reading an identifying biological characteristic of a patron;

generating a unique biometric information key for the patron based on said identifying biological characteristic;

storing the biometric information keys of newly enrolled patrons and all patrons who have previously attended the venue and been enrolled;

storing information indicating that one or more of the biometric information keys belongs to a patron that has been banned access to the venue;

comparing said unique biometric information key with the stored biometric information keys in order to verify both the identity of the patron and whether the patron is banned access, prior to permitting the patron access to the venue.

27. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein the biometric keys belonging to banned patrons are stored in a secondary database.

28. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 27, wherein information regarding the time duration for which each patron is banned is stored in the secondary database and the access data processing means compares the time duration with the time at which the patron attempts to gain access to the venue.

29. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein information regarding identifying documents of a patron is combined with the biometric information key of the patron to form a unique identification record that is stored in the primary database.

30. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance claim 26, wherein an enrolment terminal is provided at an access point to the venue and the enrolment terminal communicates with a central server on which is provided the primary database and access data processing means.

31. A method of identity verification and access, control in accordance with claim 30, wherein the method includes the steps of displaying on a first display on the enrolment terminal, information including the results of whether a patron'"'"'s identity has been verified and whether the patron has been banned access to the venue.

32. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein the step of reading biometric information comprises scanning fingerprints.

33. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 32, wherein the biometric information key is formed by converting the scanned fingerprint into a binary number representing the unique characteristics of the ridges and meridian points of the fingerprint.

34. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein the method includes the step of capturing image information for each patron at the time of entry.

35. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 34, wherein a camera is used to capture the image information.

36. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein the method includes:

comparing the generated biometric information key generated with the biometric information keys stored in an alpha database, in which are stored the biometric information keys of a selected number of the most recent patrons to enter the venue; and

if no match is found, comparing the generated biometric information key generated with the biometric information keys stored in a beta database in which are stored the biometric information keys of all patrons entering the venue.

37. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26 including the step of storing information specific to an event in an event database and comparing the information contained in the unique identification record of a patron with the event database information to determine whether access to the current event is permitted.

38. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 26, wherein membership information is stored in the primary database for enrolled patrons and this membership information is accessed by the access data processing means when the patron enters the venue via the enrolment terminal.

39. A method of identity verification and access control in accordance with claim 30, wherein survey questions are displayed on the enrolment terminal and the answers to the survey questions provided by the patron are stored along with information contained in the primary database about the patron.