Quantifying biometric information acquisition
Inventors
Assignees
US Department of Homeland Security
Publication Number
US-10817738-B2
Publication Date
2020-10-27
Expiration Date
2038-10-03
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Abstract
Various example implementations of the present invention are directed towards systems and methods to quantify biometric acquisition and identification. A test facility evaluates the acquisition by a biometric station of biometric information. Evaluations can relate to biometric information acquisition speed, rates of acquisition failure, rates of biometric information extraction failure, rates of biometric match failure, calculating a true identification rate, and/or calculating other metrics related to quantifying biometric acquisition and identification. The test facility can calculate an efficiency metric and an effectiveness metric of the quantification determinations, and output such results.
Core Innovation
The invention is directed towards systems and methods to quantify biometric acquisition and identification. It involves a test facility that evaluates biometric stations by assessing biometric information acquisition speed, acquisition failure rates, extraction failure rates, match failure rates, true identification rate, and other related metrics. The test facility calculates efficiency and effectiveness metrics of the biometric acquisition and identification process and outputs these results.
The problem addressed is that biometric technologies often face issues such as inappropriate form factor, slow speed of acquisition, poor user satisfaction, failure to acquire or extract biometric information, and failure to match biometric data. Although improvements in matching algorithms have reduced match failures, many systems still struggle with the rapid and reliable acquisition of biometric data. Failures to acquire biometric data are harder to resolve because typically, no data is stored about unsuccessful attempts.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes three independent method claims focusing on quantifying biometric acquisition and identification using metrics related to image sufficiency, efficiency, effectiveness, and statistical comparison tests.
Quantifying biometric acquisition and identification using thresholds and metrics
A method that acquires a user's image over a transaction time, determines if the image meets an acquisition threshold for sufficient biometric information, derives biometric information, generates a biometric characterization, and checks if it matches a sample image within a matching threshold. The method calculates efficiency based on average transaction times and effectiveness based on failure rates and outputs these metrics.
Quantifying biometric acquisition at a biometric station with sufficiency and gallery determination
A method involving determining sufficiency of images acquired at a biometric station, deriving biometric information usable for identification against a gallery, determining gallery representation, and calculating efficiency and effectiveness metrics. It also calculates an acquisition quotient based on these metrics.
Quantifying biometric acquisition and identification with timestamps and statistical tests
A method including scanning user identification to establish ground truth, generating timestamps at the start and end of biometric acquisition, storing biometric information and timestamps, determining average transaction time, and identification results including acquisition speed, failure rates, and true identification rate. It compares arithmetic means and proportions of identification results using two-sample, two-sided t-tests and proportion tests to determine efficiency and effectiveness as time-related metrics.
These independent claims focus on methods to evaluate biometric acquisition and identification performance by using image quality thresholds, deriving biometric data, comparing with galleries, calculating metrics for efficiency and effectiveness, and employing statistical tests to analyze results based on transaction times and biometric outcomes.
Stated Advantages
Enables large-scale, controlled testing of biometric stations to determine system suitability for operational environments and use cases.
Permits statistical analysis of biometric acquisition efficiency, effectiveness, and user acceptance using real-world testing with demographically diverse populations.
Provides a method for quantifying and comparing biometric system performance using standardized metrics and statistical tests.
Supports flexibility in biometric station operation by enabling both onboard and backend biometric matching and analysis.
Allows collection and recording of rich data including biometric information, timestamps, video, and user satisfaction for comprehensive evaluation.
Documented Applications
Assessment of biometric station technologies in security checkpoint environments for high-throughput identification of travelers.
Evaluation of biometric systems that require higher security and accuracy potentially operating at slower rates.
Use of a test facility for controlled, large-scale testing of biometric stations with diverse user groups to simulate operational scenarios.
Statistical comparison and benchmarking of different biometric acquisition and identification systems.
User satisfaction measurement following biometric station interaction to assess user acceptance.
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