Viettel unveils masked facial recognition patent, digital government platforms

Viettel AI has been granted a patent for matching the face biometrics of people who are wearing masks, or whose faces are otherwise occluded.

Viettel AI (Viettel Data Services and Artificial Intelligence Center) is a subsidiary of Viettel Group, Vietnam’s state-owned telecom conglomerate.

The patent granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for “Facial recognition of masked faces through images using artificial intelligence technology” describes the creation of a new training dataset of masked faces from unmasked facial images. Viettel researchers then trained the YOLO5Face model for more accurate face detection and another model to extract features. They used the ArcFace loss function and the Adam optimization algorithm.

The researchers say in the patent their facial recognition system has practical benefits for day-to-day applications like biometric workforce time and attendance tracking, physical or logical access control.

Viettel’s face biometrics software was confirmed compliant to Tayllorcox Level 2 PAD in 2024.

Respiratory masks have historically posed a challenge for facial recognition, but the 2020 Biometric Technology Rally by DHS S&T showed true positive rates as high as 96 percent.

Viettel Group also currently has several other patents involving or related to biometrics under review by the USPTO, including for “Multimodality Face Liveness Detection Approach,” moderating online content inappropriate for children and shoplifting detection with surveillance cameras.

The USPTO granted its first patent to Viettel AI earlier this year for AI-powered multi-object tracking in video analytics and surveillance systems.

Introducing digital transformation platforms

Viettel also introduced a model for local government digital transformation at an event in Hanoi on Saturday, the People’s Army Newspaper reports.

The model is based on Viettel’s Tammi and Tendoo platforms, which provide interaction with local governments and digital payments and transaction management, respectively. Tammi is intended to support verified communication for digital administration, while Tendoo includes tools for electronic invoicing, cashless payments, ecommerce and tax payments.

Vietnam is taking inspiration from Estonia as the country attempts to build up its digital public infrastructure (DPI), with plans that include turning its VNeID into a super app.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometric matching  |  face biometrics  |  patents  |  Vietnam  |  Viettel