System and method for platform-independent biometrically verified secure information transfer and access control

Abstract

The inventive data processing system and method enable verifiable secure transfer of information between two or more parties, each having access to at least one identity verification system, utilizing a platform-independent architecture to enable verification of identities of parties sending and receiving secured information, and ensuring that only an authorized receiving party gains access to the secured information, regardless of the type, model, ownership and/or quantity of biometric identity verification (BIV) systems being utilized by each party. Parties desiring to securely transfer information between one another register at a central security management system, and each provide at least one biometric enrollment to their unique record configured for storing multiple BIV system enrollments for each party. The inventive system and method also provide an adaptive enrollment feature which enables the system to function automatically and transparently with new BIV systems that have not been previously enrolled by the user.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of independent biometric identification comprising the steps of:
 receiving an access request from a user's system;   connecting the user's system to an independent biometric identification server;   obtaining the user's biometric characteristics using a capture device connected to the user's system;   causing the user's system to convey said obtained biometric characteristics to the independent biometric identification server;   receiving from the user's system an access token created by the independent biometric identification server which crated the access token upon comparing said conveyed biometric characteristics to templates stored in a database;   inquiring with the independent biometric identification server for information associated with the access token; and   deciding whether to grant access to the user's system based on information associated with the access token.   
     
     
         22 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , further comprising the step of managing the independent biometric identification server using a biometric administration agent. 
     
     
         23 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human fingerprint. 
     
     
         24 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human iris feature. 
     
     
         25 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human retina feature. 
     
     
         26 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a hand feature. 
     
     
         27 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human facial feature. 
     
     
         28 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human voice. 
     
     
         29 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise a human writing style.