Independent biometric identification system

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 of a user comprising the steps of:
 receiving an access request from a user's system;   forwarding the user's system to an independent remote biometric identification server, wherein the independent remote biometric identification server obtains   the user's biometric characteristics using a capture device connected to the user's system;   receiving from the user's system an access token created by the independent remote biometric identification server after successfully identifying the user by comparing said obtained biometric characteristics to templates stored in a database;   requesting from the independent remote biometric identification server information associated with the access token;   receiving the information associated with the access token from the independent remote biometric identification server; and   deciding whether to grant access to the user's system based on the information associated with the access token.   
     
     
         22 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , further comprising the steps 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 one or more of a human fingerprint, human iris feature, human retina feature, hand feature, human facial feature, human voice, or human writing style. 
     
     
         24 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 23 , wherein each of the one or more biometric characteristics are compared to the templates stored in the database in a single authentication session. 
     
     
         25 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the steps is performed in a single authentication session. 
     
     
         26 . A method of independent biometric identification of a user comprising the steps of:
 receiving an access request from an application server, which is independent from a user's system;   providing a user's system with a software component that allows the user to capture the user's biometric characteristics with a capture device connected to the user's system;   receiving the obtained biometric characteristics from the user's system;   comparing the transmitted biometric characteristics with templates stored in a database in order to identify the user;   if the user is successfully identified, providing an access token to the user's system, wherein the user's system subsequently provides the access token to the application server in order for the application server to request information associated with the access token;   receiving the access token from the application server; and   upon receipt of the access token from the application server, providing the application server with information associated with the access token to allow the application server to decide whether to grant access to resources to the user.   
     
     
         27 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to claim  32 , wherein each of the steps is performed in a single authentication session. 
     
     
         28 . The method of claim  32 , wherein the access token expires after the information associated with the access token is provided to the application server. 
     
     
         29 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to claim  32 , wherein said biometric characteristics comprise one or more of a human fingerprint, human iris feature, human retina feature, hand feature, human facial feature, human voice, or human writing style. 
     
     
         30 . The method of independent biometric identification of a user according to claim  32 , wherein each of the one or more biometric characteristics are compared to the templates stored in the database in a single authentication session.