Identification method, especially for airport security and the like

• US 6,698,653 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mel Diamond, Raymond R. Renouf
• Original Assignee: Mel Diamond, Raymond R. Renouf
• Inventors: Diamond, Mel, Renouf, Raymond R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowlin, April
• Application Number:
  US09/429,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/382, 235/384
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/41 with means for the generation of identity documents
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An identification method and equipment, especially for airports and like controlled access facilities acquires an image of the face of an individual in a limited region including the eyes and nose and generates data representing a compression of that image and which can be stored in a data base and on a chip. A boarding pass and a baggage tag can each be on a respective chip, the compressed facial data of which can be compared with a data base to verify the individual and his or her baggage.

Claims

1. An identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) at a first location, acquiring an image of a face of an individual, scanning a characteristic portion of the acquired image consisting of a facial triangle formed by the eyes and nose and wherein the eyes and nose are key identifiers of the individual, and generating a set of digital data representing a compressed image of the facial triangle of said individual and in a bit size capable of encoding a recognizable image of the face of said individual in a disposable microchip;

(b) storing said image of said face in a database;

(c) recording by radiofrequency transmission to a nonrewritable disposable passive radio frequency transponder microchip the digital data representing the compressed image of the facial triangle to form a first readable medium moving independently of said individual;

(d) at another location, reading the digital data recorded on said first readable medium, and selectively;

(d1) comparing the read digital data with images stored in said database, and displaying a stored image of a face matching the read data to verify a relationship between said individual and the first readable medium at said other location whereby the displayed image permits visual recognition of the individual by a person from the display, and

(d2) comparing the read digital data with digital data representing another stored image on a second readable medium corresponding to the first readable medium but capable of moving independently of the first readable medium; and

(e) reading by radiofrequency the digital data on said microchip and reconstructing an image of the face of the individual from the digital data read by radiofrequency from the microchip and visually comparing the resulting reconstructed image with the face of the individual.

2. An identification method defined in claim 1 wherein, in step (c), said microchip is incorporated into a luggage tag.

3. An identification method defined in claim 1 wherein said chip in step (c) is incorporated into a boarding pass.

4. An identification method defined in claim 1 wherein said set of digital data amounts to less than 1024 bits.

5. An identification method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of disposing of said first readable medium following use thereof for identification of said individual.

6. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of searching said database for a previously stored image of said individual in step (a).

7. The method defined in claim 1 for access to a portal, further comprising the step of permitting said individual to pass said portal upon verification in step (d).

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said microchip is incorporated in a bracelet applied to a neonate.

9. The method defined in claim 8 further comprising the step of incorporating said digital data into a single use chip of a bracelet applied to the mother of said neonate.

10. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of manually controlling acquisition of the image of the face in step (a) to distinguish between a number of faces in a field of an image pickup device.

11. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said first readable medium is affixed to a gun and is constructed so as to be damaged upon removal from the gun.

12. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said first readable medium is affixed to an identification document.

13. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said first readable medium is affixed to a driver'"'"'s licensee bank identification, credit or charge card, visa or a passport.

14. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said first readable medium is affixed to an admission pass to a particular event.

15. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said first readable medium is affixed to a vehicle identification.

16. An identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) at a first location, acquiring an image of a face of an individual, scanning a characteristic portion of the acquired image in the form of a facial triangle formed by the eyes and nose and wherein the eyes and nose are key identifiers of the individual, and generating digital data representing a compressed image of the facial triangle of said individual and in a bit size capable of encoding a recognizable image of the face of said individual in a disposable microchip;

(b) storing said image of the face in a database;

(c) recording the digital data representing the compressed image by radiofrequency transmission on a single-use nonrewritable disposable passive radiofrequency transponder chip carried by said individual;

(d) at another location, reading the digital data recorded on said chip, comparing the read digital data with images stored in said database, and displaying a stored image matching the read data on a display viewable by a person to enable that person visually to verify a relationship between said individual and chip at said other location and

(e) reading by radiofrequency the digital data on said microchip and reconstructing an image of the face of the individual from the digital data read by radiofrequency from the microchip d visually comparing the resulting reconstructed image with the face of the individual.

17. An identification method comprising the steps of:

(a) at a first location, acquiring an image of a face of an individual, scanning a characteristic portion of the acquired image in the form of a facial triangle formed by the eyes and nose and wherein the eyes and nose are key identifiers of the individual, and generating digital data representing and limited to a compressed image of the facial triangle of said individual and in a bit size capable of encoding a recognizable image of the face of said individual in a disposable microchip;

(b) storing said image of the face in a database;

(c) recording the digital data representing the compressed image by radiofrequency transmission on a first single-use nonrewritable disposable passive radiofrequency transponder chip carried by said individual and on a second single-use chip on an object moving independently from the individual;

(d) at another location, reading the digital data recorded on said first and second chips, comparing the read digital data and authenticating a relationship between said individual and said object at least in part by displaying an image of the face recognizable by a person and selected from a database based upon reading of the digital data on at least one of said chips; and

(e) reading by radiofrequency the digital data on said microchip and reconstructing an image of the face of the individual from the digital data read by radiofrequency from the microchip and visually comparing the resulting reconstructed image with the face of the individual.