BIO-key issued patent for continuously updated biometric templates

A patent has been issued for a continuous process of authenticating people with biometrics. To date, authentication systems have been event-driven, such as by enrollment.

Identity and access management vendor BIO-key International has been awarded U.S. patent 10984085. Algorithms passively and continuously collect biometric datasets that grow over time in degree of completion.

It works on fingerprints, faces and voices to build a full template, according to BIO-key.

A metric of data closeness is created between first and subsequent captures, which can differ in scale. Subsequent images are added to the first one. BIO-key’s detector judges if the comparison shows an alignment of features.

This is useful when data is collected in uncontrolled environments, where a full biometric template has not or cannot be compiled at once and when image resolution is not known.

It also makes the quality of each data sample less important, as details are cumulatively added. That is important as security measures increasingly integrate contactless fingerprint systems. Contactless print scans are lower in detail than scans performed by pressing a finger to a screen or pad. The company also notes in an announcement that the patent method could be beneficially deployed mobile devices with in-screen sensors, and cameras and microphones generating continuous streams of partial biometric samples over time.

The newly-awarded patent brings BIO-key’s IP portfolio to a total of 18 patents for IAM and biometrics.

Article Topics

BIO-key  |  biometric template  |  continuous authentication  |  facial recognition  |  fingerprint recognition  |  multifactor authentication  |  patents  |  research and development  |  stocks  |  voice recognition