System and method for disambiguated biometric identification
Inventors
Assignees
US Department of Homeland Security
Publication Number
US-11127013-B1
Publication Date
2021-09-21
Expiration Date
2039-10-07
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Abstract
An improvement to the function of computer systems, including those that verify the identity of subjects arriving at checkpoints, is realized by (a) relying on a central resource, instead of checkpoints, to perform biometric comparisons, (b) using lists of expected subjects at the checkpoints, (c) providing rolling updates to the list of expected subjects as warranted by changes, and (d) locking the records of subjects once their identity is verified. The improvement resides in specialized logic that is specifically tailored to the checkpoint environment and, as such, leads to reduced computing resource consumption for the processing system, the memory, the network, and the components that interface with the network.
Core Innovation
The invention improves computer systems that verify the identity of subjects at checkpoints by shifting biometric comparisons from the checkpoints to a central resource. This approach involves using lists of expected subjects at the checkpoints, providing rolling updates to these lists as changes occur, and locking records of subjects once their identity is verified. The specialized logic tailored to the checkpoint environment reduces the consumption of computing resources such as processing power, memory, and network usage.
The problem solved is that conventional biometric verification at checkpoints is computationally expensive, consuming vast amounts of computing resources including memory, processor cycles, network bandwidth, and time. Biometric information is voluminous and difficult to compare, which increases resource usage compared to biographic information. There is a need to improve the internal workings of computer systems to optimize resource use when employing biometric information for identity verification at checkpoints.
The invention achieves computational efficiency by performing biographic disambiguation to restrict biometric comparisons to a subset of possible matches, thus reducing the amount of biometric data handled. Additionally, by centralizing biometric comparisons at a biometric matching resource with ample computing capabilities, the system minimizes data transmission and processing at distributed checkpoints. Rolling updates ensure that the expected subject lists at checkpoints remain current, improving accuracy and further saving resources. Record locking prevents duplicate identity use and streamlines disambiguation by excluding locked records from comparisons.
Claims Coverage
The patent claims describe a computer system featuring a central resource and methods for biographic disambiguation and biometric comparison, with several inventive features that improve computational efficiency and identity verification accuracy.
Centralized biometric comparison and identity record management
A central resource processing system with hardware processor and memory communicates with access control checkpoints and external sources. It receives identity records, associates them with expected subject lists, transmits these lists to checkpoints, processes biometric comparison requests including current biometric data and a biographically disambiguated subset of records, and performs biometric similarity computations to identify closest matches.
Record locking to prevent duplicate identity use
Identity record maintenance logic generates and communicates record lock messages upon successful biometric similarity exceeding a threshold. This message makes corresponding identity records unusable at access control checkpoints, preventing multiple concurrent uses of the same identity and improving processing efficiency.
Checkpoint biographic pre-filtering to reduce biometric comparison burden
The access control checkpoint stores a set of identity records, compares proffered biographic information with these records, and upon detecting multiple matches exceeding a similarity threshold, generates a biometric request message sent to the central resource for further biometric comparison, thereby minimizing unnecessary biometric processing.
Method of biographic disambiguation with biometric comparison at central resource
The method involves receiving identity records, associating records with expected subject lists for checkpoints, communicating lists, receiving biometric comparison requests with proffered biometric and biographic information along with a biographically disambiguated subset, retrieving matching records, conducting biometric comparisons to find highest similarity, and returning comparison results to checkpoints for access decisions.
The claims comprehensively cover a system that centralizes biometric processing, uses rolling expected subject lists, performs biographic pre-filtering, employs record locking to enhance efficiency, and methods coordinating these actions to reduce computational and network burdens while improving accuracy at access control checkpoints.
Stated Advantages
Reduced computing resource consumption such as processor cycles, memory usage, and network bandwidth due to biographic disambiguation reducing the number of biometric comparisons.
Improved system performance by using rolling updates to keep expected subject lists current, minimizing processing of outdated records.
Enhanced privacy and security via use of one-way transformations of biometric information, preventing inversion to original biometric data in case of breach.
Prevention of duplicate identity use through record locking, which also reduces computational effort for biographic disambiguation and biometric comparisons.
Centralized biometric processing shifts computational burden from distributed checkpoints to a central resource with ample resources, reducing network transmission of large biometric data and improving throughput.
Documented Applications
Identity verification of airline passengers at airport access control checkpoints.
Use in checkpoint environments requiring secure identification, such as hotels or banks.
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