DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Overview

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods to “check-in” and monitor individuals as they travel from an initial checkpoint of a facility to a final checkpoint of a facility. As an example, the systems and methods can be used to track passengers and their luggage and/or carry-on articles from a ticket counter, through a security checkpoint, to a boarding gate. Some advantages of this are: enhanced security with biometrics, flow control based on biometric verification and a sequence of checkpoints, checking of all passengers against criminal and/or terrorists databases, biometric information associated with the luggage and/or carry-on articles throughout the airport security environment, the additional biometric information associated with a passenger's article making curbside checking more secure, an ability to remotely check passengers and/or other users of the airport providing an additional level of security, and machine-readable code associated with checked luggage allowing a final check so that only when the passenger has cleared the boarding gate checkpoint will their luggage be loaded onto the plane.

[0023] At the initial checkpoint, present invention authenticates an identity of an individual, generates a biometric representation of the individual as an output, and associates the output to an object associated with the individual. The output can be machine-readable code, which can be encrypted or digitally signed. After this initial process, as the individual and the object associated with the individual travel through the facility, the individual's identity is re-authenticated one or more times either at discrete checkpoints or randomly throughout the facility. The object is also checked against the identity of the individual by using the output associated with the object to ensure the object should be with that individual.

[0024] The use of the term “biometric data” or “biometric information” throughout the specification can be representative of a biometric, a digital or other image of a biometric (e.g., a bitmap or other file), extracted digital or other information relating to the biometric (e.g., minutia of a fingerprint), etc.

[0025] A biometric as used throughout the specification may be a physical part of an individual, such as an eye, a finger, a limb, etc. An accessed system as used through the specification may be any known system that requires some limitation to entry, which can be an airport, a bus station, a mall, a school, a computer, electrical or mechanical equipment, a room, a hallway, a building, a section of a compound, etc. Matching used throughout the specification relates to matching either 1:1 to determine if the individual matches with whom he/she says he/she is, or 1:m, where m=all the enrollees, to determine if an individual is an enrollee at all.

[0026] Authentication and Monitoring System

[0027] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary system 100 for authenticating and monitoring movement of individuals and objects associated with the individuals, according to embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, system 100 can be an accessed facility, such as an airport, that can track passengers and their carry-on and/or checked baggage. In other embodiments, system 100 can monitor movement of employees or personnel carrying badges or passes. System 100 includes an initial checkpoint apparatus 102 , at least one intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 (e.g., possibly 104 a - n ), and a final checkpoint apparatus 106 . The checkpoint apparatus 102 , 104 , and 106 are coupled to a memory 108 either via a server 110 and/or via a network 112 . Throughout the specification, use of “network” can mean an Intranet, an Internet, wired, wireless, or any other type of network than allows signals to be transmitted between devices and/or apparatus. Server 110 can be coupled to memory 108 via network 112 or another network 114 . Server 110 can also be coupled to memory 108 via a cable, a bus, or other similar direct coupling. In some embodiments, server 110 can be coupled to another location 116 , which can be similar to the server's location, via network 112 or another network 118 . An individual 120 and an object 122 are authenticated at each checkpoint 102 , 104 , and 106 , as will be described in more detail below. An output 124 from initial checkpoint 102 is associated with object 122 , which will be described in more detail below.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an exemplary initial checkpoint apparatus 102 according to embodiments of the present invention. Central to initial checkpoint apparatus 102 is a controller 200 , which can be coupled to and which can control all other elements in initial checkpoint apparatus 102 . In various embodiments, controller 200 can control one or more of the following functions: image capture, minutia extraction, ticket scan optical recognition, data encryption, digital signature encoding, one (1-D) or two-dimensional (2-D) bar code encoding, and the like. In various embodiments initial checkpoint apparatus 102 can include: a camera 202 (e.g., a digital camera), a biometric capture device 204 , an object scanner 206 (e.g., that scans a ticket), a memory 208 , an authentication system 210 , an input/output (I/O) device 212 , an output device 214 , and/or an interface 216 (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, etc.). Details of the operation of initial checkpoint apparatus 102 and its various components will be described in more detail below.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an exemplary intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 (or multiple intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 a - n ) and final checkpoint apparatus 106 in system 100 , according to embodiments of the present invention. Central to intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 and/or final checkpoint apparatus 106 is a controller 300 , which can be coupled to and which can control all other elements in intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 and/or final checkpoint apparatus 106 . Controller 300 can control similar functions controlled by controller 200 . In various embodiments intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 and/or final checkpoint apparatus 106 can include: a biometric capture device 302 , an object scanner 304 (e.g., a machine-readable code reader, a bar code reader, a scanner, etc.), an interface 306 (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, etc.), a memory 308 , an I/O device 310 , and/or an authentication system 312 . Details of the operation of intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 and final checkpoint apparatus 106 and their components will be described in more detail below.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an exemplary object checking apparatus 400 that is coupled (e.g., via a network, cable, bus, or other coupling) to system 100 according to embodiments of the present invention. Central to object checking apparatus 400 is a controller 402 , which can be coupled to and which can control other elements in object checking apparatus 400 . Object checking apparatus 400 includes one or more of the following elements: object scanner 404 (e.g., a machine-readable code reader, a bar code reader, a scanner, etc.), interface 406 (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, etc.), memory 408 , I/O device 410 , and authentication system 412 . Details of the operation of object checkpoint apparatus 400 and its components will be described in more detail below.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an exemplary server 110 according to embodiments of the present invention. Central to server 110 is a controller 500 , which can be coupled to an authentication system 502 , an I/O device 504 , and a memory 506 .

[0032] It is to be appreciated that memories 208 , 308 , 408 , and/or 506 can be local memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, etc.) used to store software, input data, processed data, or the like. In some embodiments, memory 108 stores previously captured or enrolled biometric data or information. Memory 108 , for example, can store a database of biometric data or information (also referred to as a tracking database). In most embodiments, memories 208 , 308 , 408 , and/or 506 do not store previously stored biometric data or information. In this way, biometric data is stored centrally, which improves security and make management and updating of the database of stored biometric data easier. Alternatively, memories 208 , 308 , 408 , and/or 506 can store previously stored biometric data or information.

[0033] It is also to be appreciated that I/O devices 212 , 310 , 410 , and/or 504 can be coupled via wires or wireless and via any known or future developed protocols to each other and all other components in system 100 , as is known in the art.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing exemplary authentication systems 210 , 312 , 412 , and/or 502 according to embodiments of the present invention. Authentication systems 210 , 312 , 412 , and/or 502 include an extraction device 600 and a matching device 602 . Extraction device extracts biometric data (e.g., minutia) from biometric information (e.g., fingerprint information) captured by biometric capture device (e.g., a fingerprint scanner) 204 or 302 , respectively. This extracted biometric data is matched (or compared) using matching device 602 to previously stored biometric data in memory 108 . This is done to determine if the individual is one of a predetermined set of individuals whose biometric data is stored in memory 108 . The predetermined set of individuals can correspond to terrorists, criminals, wanted fugitives, employees, vendors, etc. There is no limitation as to how many predetermined individuals can be pre-stored, or who they are. In other embodiments, authenticating systems 210 , 312 , and/or 412 can access biometric information from memory 108 and additional memory (not shown) at additional locations to provide a quick search memory and an expanded memory. Hence, biometric data associated with individuals that require immediate detection can be stored locally, while biometric data associated with individuals who do not need the immediate detection can be stored remotely.

[0035] Overall Method for Authentication and Monitoring Using the System

[0036] FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting a method 700 according to embodiments of the present invention (steps 702 - 724 ). This method can be used to either identify random individuals (e.g., consumers or passengers) who are checking in at a location (e.g., an airport, bus station, port, customs, facility, etc.) and moving through that location, or to identify individuals in a preset group (e.g., employees, vendors, etc.) that are passing through the location (e.g., to go to their office or appointment).

[0037] During method 700 , at step 702 , biometric information (e.g., a fingerprint) from an individual at a location is captured. It is to be appreciated step 702 can be performed at a same time or on a same day as some of the below described subsequent steps are performed (e.g., for a consumer or a passenger), or on previous days or at previous times that some of the below described subsequent steps are performed (e.g., for an employee at hiring or a vendor at hiring).

[0038] At step 704 , an output (e.g., a handheld device, a label, a voucher, any such device or other device with an adhesive material applied to—referred to as an adhesive device, or other object or device with a representation of the biometric information) is generated. An example of this process is described in more detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/______ entitled “System And Method To Generate An Output Including A Machine Readable Code Representation Of Biometric Information” (Atty. Docket No. 1823.0480002), filed concurrently, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0039] At step 706 , the output is associated with an object (e.g., a carry-on bag, luggage, a boarding pass, a voucher, an employee badge or pass, a vendor or visitors badge or pass, etc.) that is associated with the individual.

[0040] At step 708 , previously captured biometric information (either before or after extraction) is compared (or matched) to stored biometric information (or stored biometric data if after extraction).

[0041] At step 710 , a first comparison result signal is generated based on the comparison.

[0042] At step 712 , the first comparison result signal is transmitted to a predetermined location (e.g., where the captured biometric took place, locally to a public or private agency, remotely to a public or private agency, to subsequent locations the individual will encounter, etc.). During step 712 , transactional information regarding a transaction that just occurred can also be sent.

[0043] Also during method 700 , at step 714 , biometric information from the individual is captured at another location (e.g., an intermediate checkpoint, a security checkpoint, randomly in the area using a wireless capture device, etc.).

[0044] At step 716 , the captured biometric information is compared (or matched) to stored biometric information (or stored biometric data if after extraction). This stored biometric information (or data) can be the same as compared to in step 708 or different stored biometric information (or data).

[0045] At step 718 , a second comparison signal is generated based on the comparing (or matching) step 716 .

[0046] At step 720 , the second comparison signal is transmitted to a predetermined location, which may be the same predetermined location as step 712 or a different predetermined location.

[0047] At step 722 , a determination is made whether the individual is at a final predetermined location. If no, method 700 returns to step 714 and repeats steps 714 to 720 . If yes, method 700 ends at step 724 .

EXAMPLE 1

[0048] Passenger Based Airport Security

[0049] In some embodiments, the present invention can provide biometric-based airport security. A biometric, such as a fingerprint, is detected at initial checkpoint apparatus 102 (e.g., at curbside or at a boarding pass station), intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 (e.g., at a security checkpoint), and final checkpoint apparatus 106 (e.g., at a boarding gate). In the following example, these elements will be referred to as boarding pass station apparatus 102 , security checkpoint apparatus 104 , and boarding gate apparatus 106 , for purposes of illustration, and not for purposes of limitation. Furthermore, individual 120 will be referred to as passenger 120 , for illustrative purposes, and not for purposes of limitation. In various embodiments, a biometric capture device (e.g., a fingerprint scanner) 204 can be a VERIFIER fingerprint scanner, a MV5, a MV5+, or any other tabletop, wall-mounted, or hand-held fingerprint scanners, which are manufactured by Cross Match Technologies, Inc., a Florida corporation.

[0050] Using network 112 , 114 , and/or 118 , a captured fingerprint can be checked against a local or remote memory (e.g., a database) 108 of stored fingerprint data. Thus, in this example, fingerprint data (e.g., a fingerprint image, extracted minutia information, etc.) is obtained from a finger of an individual (e.g., a passenger) that is presented at a boarding pass station apparatus 102 (e.g., at a ticket counter). The fingerprint data can then be compared using authentication system 210 or 502 with stored biometric data in memory 108 . In various embodiments, memory 108 can provide for a simple check if it is a local database or a comprehensive background check of local, state, or federal law enforcement fingerprint data if it is a remote database. To expedite flow of passenger 120 through the airport, this check can be initiated at boarding pass section apparatus 102 when passenger 120 arrives, and can be performed and completed while passenger 120 proceeds to security checkpoint apparatus 104 .

[0051] In addition, at the boarding pass station apparatus 102 , an output (e.g., a label, sticker, etc.) 124 representative of detected fingerprint information (or other biometric data) can be printed out via output device 214 and applied to an object (e.g., a boarding pass, carry-on bags, luggage, a boarding pass, a badge, a pass, etc.) 122 associated with passenger 120 . For illustrative purposes, output 124 will be referred to as label 124 in this example. For example, label 124 can be machine readable code (e.g., a one or two dimensional bar code) having data representative of the detected fingerprint data (e.g., the fingerprint image, extracted fingerprint minutia, etc.). Controller 200 can also encrypt, digitally sign, and/or encode the fingerprint data for additional security. Label 124 that includes the fingerprint data can be applied to a boarding pass object 122 and/or to any baggage (e.g., carry-on bags or checked bags) object 122 .

[0052] At security checkpoint apparatus 104 , passenger 120 can present both his or her finger and label(s) 124 on his or her boarding pass object 122 and/or carry-on bag objects 122 . A biometric capture device (e.g., fingerprint scanner, such as the VERIFIER fingerprint scanner, or the like discussed above) 302 can then be used to scan a finger of passenger 120 to obtain fingerprint data (e.g., the fingerprint image, the extracted fingerprint minutia, etc). An object scanner (e.g., a bar code reader or scanner) 304 can then read the machine-readable code on label(s) 124 . Authentication system 312 and controller (e.g., matcher and tracker module) can then check to determine whether the live fingerprint data obtained by fingerprint scanner 302 matches the fingerprint data obtained from labels 124 . This is a one-to-one match that verifies the identity of the passenger 120 at intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 as matching the passenger corresponding to label 124 printed by boarding pass station apparatus 102 . In other embodiments, the check can be against fingerprint data stored in memory 108 or other memories.

[0053] During this check in process at security checkpoint apparatus 104 , controller 300 can also check to determine whether passenger 120 has cleared the database check initiated at boarding pass station apparatus 102 . Controller 300 can also check to make sure that the number of carry-on bag objects 122 with labels 124 scanned at security checkpoint apparatus 104 for passenger 120 matches the number of carry-on bag objects 122 identified and labeled for passenger 120 at check-in (either at curbside apparatus 102 or at ticket counter apparatus 102 ).

[0054] At boarding gate apparatus 106 , passenger 120 again presents his or her finger to biometric capture device (e.g., a fingerprint scanner) 302 and presents corresponding labels 124 on his or her boarding pass object 122 and/or carry-on bag object(s) 122 . Fingerprint scanner 302 then scans the finger to obtain fingerprint data (e.g., the fingerprint image, extracted fingerprint minutia, etc.). An object scanner 304 (e.g., a machine readable code scanner, a bar code reader, a scanner, or the like) then reads the bar code on each label 124 . An authenticating system (e.g., a matcher and tracker module) 312 then checks to determine that the live fingerprint data obtained by fingerprint scanner 302 matches the fingerprint data obtained from labels 124 . This is a one-to-one match that verifies the identity of passenger 120 at final checkpoint apparatus 106 as matching passenger 120 corresponding to label 124 printed by boarding pass station apparatus 102 . In other embodiments, the check can be against fingerprint data stored in memory 108 or other memories.

[0055] During this process, controller 300 can also check to determine whether passenger 120 has cleared the database check initiated at boarding pass station apparatus 102 . Controller 300 can also check to make sure that the number of carry-on bag objects 122 with labels 124 scanned at boarding gate apparatus 102 for passenger 120 matches the number of carry-on bag objects 122 identified and labeled for passenger 120 at check-in (either at curbside apparatus 102 or at ticket counter apparatus 102 ). Controller 300 can also check database information tracking the flow of passenger 120 from end-to-end through the system 100 (e.g., the airport). Thus, controller 300 can check tracking data to ensure that passenger 120 has proceeded through earlier stages from boarding pass station apparatus 102 , through security checkpoint apparatus 104 to boarding gate apparatus 106 .

[0056] In other embodiments, checked bag objects 122 or luggage objects 122 having labels 124 with fingerprint data are scanned by object checking apparatus 400 before or during loading of the luggage objects 122 onto a plane (not shown). Tracking data generated during this check can be stored for the bag objects 122 in memory (e.g., a database) 408 . When passenger 120 is at boarding gate apparatus 106 , a check can then also be made by controller 300 to verify data corresponding to the actual number of bag objects 122 checked by passenger 120 and loaded on the plane matches data corresponding to a number of bag objects 122 checked by passenger 120 at initial checkpoint apparatus 102 . Also, a check can be made to verify that passenger 120 who checked bag objects 122 at initial checkpoint apparatus 102 has actually boarded the plane. This will ensure that luggage objects 122 for passengers 120 not boarding the plane is either not placed on the plane or removed from the plane.

EXAMPLE 2

[0057] Employee or Personnel Based Airport Security

[0058] In other embodiments, the present invention can also function as an airport pass or badge checking system and method. In these embodiments, initial checkpoint apparatus 102 is used for enrollment purposes. Intermediate checkpoint apparatus 104 (e.g., a mobile airport pass checking apparatus) can be used to check an employee individual 120 or other personnel with passes/badges objects 122 having labels 124 . It is to be appreciated, this embodiment can also involved checking passenger's 120 with passes/badges objects 122 having labels 124 . In one embodiment, mobile airport pass checking apparatus 104 is a small computer device including object scanner (e.g., bar code scanner) 304 , user interface 306 , a controller (e.g., a processor) 300 , and an I/ 0 device 310 (e.g., a wireless interface, such as an 802.11b interface). A biometric capture device (e.g., a fingerprint scanner, including but not limited to, a MV5 or MV5+ hand-held fingerprint scanner available from Cross Match Technologies, Inc., a Florida corporation) 302 can be used to scan a finger to obtain biometric (e.g., fingerprint) information or data (e.g., fingerprint image, extracted fingerprint minutia, etc) and forward it for checking at a local or remote memory (e.g., database) 108 and for tracking location, status or other information about the detected individual 120 .

[0059] Other Examples Uses of the Authentication and Monitoring System

[0060] In still other embodiments, camera (e.g. digital camera) 202 can capture an image of a face or retina of individual 120 as other biometrics. Then, the image information can be either extracted and matched to stored image information in memory 108 or matched without extractions using authentication system 210 . Note that this can be done secretly, i.e., without an individual's knowledge, for various reasons.

[0061] Conclusion

[0062] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.