Physical token-less security screening using biometrics

• US 10,268,812 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Secure Identity LLC (Clear Secure, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alclear, LLC (Clear Secure, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cornick, Kenneth, Lupowitz, Kevin, Snyder, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/958,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20180247041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 340 583
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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

In physical token-less security screening using biometrics, a person provides biometric data to a security computing device as part of a security screening. The biometric data is used by the security computing device to look up an identifier (such as an airline account identifier or a security status identifier) for the person from a security back end. The identifier is used by the security computing device to obtain electronic pass information (such as an electronic boarding pass or a security screening status indicator) from a third party computing system (such as an airline computing system or a clearinghouse), which may be used to clear the person and/or otherwise facilitate the security screening. In some implementations, these techniques may also be used for physical token-less pass processing (such as boarding pass-less airline processing, confirmation of assigned traveling credentials, or determination of security protocols).

Claims

1. An aircraft boarding screening system, comprising:

at least one non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions;

at least one communication component communicably connected to an identification system;

an image capture device; and

at least one processor communicably coupled to the non-transitory storage medium, the communication component, and the image capture device, the at least one processor operative to execute the set of instructions in order to;

obtain an electronic representation of at least a portion of a face of a person via the image capture device;

receive an identifier for the person obtained by comparing the electronic representation against a stored electronic representation, the electronic representation and the stored electronic representation not included in the identifier;

obtain electronic pass information for the person using the identifier; and

allow the person to board an aircraft if the identifier and the electronic pass information indicate the person has a ticket for a flight associated with a particular boarding checkpoint.

2. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein the identifier indicates that the person has a passport.

3. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein a government identification system compares the electronic representation against the stored electronic representation.

4. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the person.

5. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein the comparison of the electronic representation against the stored electronic representation compares facial traits between the electronic representation and the stored electronic representation.

6. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor obtains the electronic pass information by matching the identifier with information obtained by scanning a boarding pass.

7. The aircraft boarding screening system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor comprises at least:

a first processor of a first electronic device; and

a second processor of a second electronic device that is communicably coupled to the first electronic device.

8. A boarding checkpoint system, comprising:

at least one non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions;

at least one communication component communicably connected to a security screening computing system;

a boarding checkpoint; and

at least one processor communicably coupled to the non-transitory storage medium, the communication component, and the boarding checkpoint, the at least one processor configured to execute the instructions in order to;

obtain an electronic representation of a face of a person;

receive an identifier for the person using the electronic representation of the face of the person, the electronic representation of the face of the person is not included in the identifier; and

allow the person past the boarding checkpoint based on electronic ticket information obtained using the identifier.

9. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor obtains the electronic representation of the face of the person contemporaneously with allowing the person past the boarding checkpoint.

10. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor alters the electronic ticket information.

11. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 10, wherein altering the electronic ticket information includes assigning a seat number.

12. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 8, wherein the electronic representation of the face of the person is obtained from a live image.

13. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor comprises at least:

a first processor of a first electronic device; and

a second processor of a second electronic device that is communicably coupled to the first electronic device.

14. The boarding checkpoint system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor receives the identifier based on a match between the electronic representation of the face of the person and a governmental file for the person.

15. A method for boarding screening, comprising:

obtaining an image of a face of a person using at least one processor;

receiving an identifier for the person that does not include the image, using the at least one processor, the identifier obtained by an identification system that compares the image against stored images; and

determining whether to allow the person to pass a boarding checkpoint and board an aircraft, using the at least one processor, based on electronic ticket information obtained using the identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising allowing the person to pass if the electronic ticket information indicates the person has a flight on the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising preventing the person from passing the boarding checkpoint if the identifier indicates that an identity of the person is unknown.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising preventing the person from passing the boarding checkpoint if the electronic ticket information indicates the person does not have a ticket for a flight on the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the image of the face of the person as evidence that the person boarded a flight.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored images are stored as part of an identification process that involves verifying identity documents for people whose images are being stored.