WO2000029986A1

WO2000029986A1 - A system for identifying individuals of a population group

Info

Publication number: WO2000029986A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/027058
Authority: WO
Inventors: James E. Beecham
Original assignee: Beecham James E
Priority date: 1998-11-13
Filing date: 1999-11-12
Publication date: 2000-05-25
Also published as: AU1726100A

Abstract

A system for identifying individuals of a population group comprising a central database and at least one remote biometric collection facility for recording biometric data of individuals of a population group and sending the biometric data to the central database (251) for storage and analysis.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS OF A POPULATION GROUP

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to biometrics and, more particularly, to a biometric-linked communications system for identifying individuals of a population group .

BACKGROUND ART

Identifying and correlating information about individual humans is the goal of various types of surveys. For example, an opinion survey or a survey of membership in a group or non-membership in a group is carried out frequently in society. Difficulties exist when attempting to use individual names because some surveys prefer anonymity while other surveys have time constraints, language barriers and other reasons for difficulty with name/number identification of the surveyed person. For example, human experience with catastrophic disasters, whether natural or manmade, is a testament to the limitations that local, regional and national governments have in collecting and analyzing real-time data from the field during the disaster. The most important form of real-time data is that relating to the identity of the individuals or refugees that comprise the displaced population. Refugees are often in need of medical attention, emergency shelter and counseling, and are normally directed to temporary shelter areas and hospitals during and shortly after a catastrophic event, whether a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, explosive event, disease outbreak, war, etc. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to identify the individual members of a population group from the field and to categorize or amass this identity information for useful purposes. Having the identity of each member of a potentially vast number of people of a population group readily accessible would greatly increase the ability of local, national and worldwide disaster relief agencies to provide individualized relief and medical care. Outside of displaced populations, having a potentially vast database of information regarding the individuals of any population group, whether ethnic, regional or national, and an easy way to ascertain or verify identity against the database would prove very beneficial in the event of a catastrophic event.

Given these and other shortcomings m the art, the need for certain new and useful improvements is evident. There is a need for a system and method for positively identifying individuals in a population group for providing local, national and worldwide groups, agencies and/or governments with specific biological information regarding each individual of the population group.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The invention proposes a system and method for identifying individuals of a population group comprising humans from whom or about whom like data is collected. The system is comprised of a central database, at least one remote biometric collection facility for recording biometric data of individuals of a population group and sending the biometric data to the central database for storage into the central database. The central database is similar to that database described m PCT/US99/13049 entitled "Method, System and Apparatus for Authorization and Verification of Documents" authored and owned by the same individual as the present invention and

PCT/US99/08120 entitled "Method, System and Apparatus for Biometric Identification" authored and owned by the same individual as the present invention, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The population group may comprise one or more of the following: refugees of a catastrophic disaster, an ethnic group, a regional population group, or a national population group, member of a club, individual providing opinion survey information, consumer interested in a product, longitudinal study subject wherein the survey requires linking previously rendered opinion to current opinion. In the case of longitudinal study data, the system software is envisioned to permit collation and reporting of an individual biometrically identified to data gathered from that individual or concerning that individual at different times and from different locations displayed as the data of one individuals over time. For example, individuals of a population group can each be registered biometrically and assigned an individual data file and then data collected concerning that individual at different times linked back to the date originally entered at registration for that individual. The remote biometric collection facility records the biometric data m the form of biometric code data and sends the biometric code data to the central database for storage. The remote biometric collection facility preferably includes a printer for printing a data card or optionally two-dimensional bar codes each encoded with biometric code data of a specific individual of the population. The remote biometric collection facility is coupled in data communication to the central database over a communication pathway, which is preferably a ground- or satellite-based wireless communication pathway. The invention may further include at least one resident station linked to the central database, the resident station having a reader for reading the two-dimensional bar code, storing the biometric code of the two-dimensional bare code and searching the stored biometrics codes of the central database for a matching biometric code. It an preferred embodiment, the invention incorporates a positioning system for determining the position of the remote biometric collection facility when the remote biometric collection facility sends the biometric code data to the central database for storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description thereof taken m conjunction with the drawings m which:

Fig. 1 illustrates individuals of a population at a remote biometric collection facility;

Fig. 2 illustrates a remote biometric collection facility coupled to a central computer station over a wireless communication pathway;

Fig. 3 illustrates a display of a map of a subject area at the central computer station of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 illustrates an individual of a population group providing a biological sample to a tester at a remote biometric collection facility. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Ensuing embodiments of the invention comprise a new and improved system and method for identifying individuals of a population group. To provide individual identification, the invention utilizes biometric data of a portion of the anatomy of that person. Biometric data or measurements can include fingerprint or iris patterns, or measurement (s) of an anatomical function such as signature or voice recognition or voice print, etc. Various biometric measurements or data and methods of collecting the measurements or data are disclosed m U.S. patent application serial number 08/686,211, filed on 23 July 1996 and entitled "Method, Apparatus and System for Anonymous Verification of Infectious Status of Humans" which is an invention of the same inventor and which is owned by the same entity, and hereby incorporated by reference herein. The biometric data are then encoded into biometric code for storage in a database of a computer or other storage device. Encoding typically takes place during the process of obtaining biometric data .

Regarding Fig. 1, shown is a remote biometric collection facility 10. Facility 10, is highly mobile and, in this embodiment, comprises an individual tester, collector or field worker having a computer 11. Computer 11 preferably comprises a rugged personal computer, such as provided by Mellard Technologies of Amonk, New York, USA, suitable for communication to cellular towers or radio-linked computers suitable for communication with global positioning satellites or other communications satellites. The computer in this embodiment is mobile and has an attachment bar code printer 19 and an attached iris scan unit 15, such as from IriScan company of Mt. Laurel New Jersey. Computer

11 has or is attached to an antennae 17, which can send or transfer data over a communication pathway such as a wireless local area network, worldwide area network or satellite-based communication network such as provided by the satellites of a global positioning system.

Computer 11 includes a processor that is programmed by software to prompt the field worker to collect biometric data of individuals, such as individuals 23 and 25. Individuals 23 and 25 form part of a population group. The population group may comprise victims or refugees that were displaced as a result of a natural or manmade catastrophic disaster, or perhaps children, people of a certain age group, or members of an ethnic group, a regional group, a national group, etc. Other audit instructions are envisioned within the software of the computer program of the invention, which permit analysis of the data derived from the population survey. For example, age, gender, comments of surveyed individuals, observations of the field worker regarding the surveyed individuals, services available to surveyed individuals, services required by surveyed individuals, status of provision of services, automatic ordering of supplies to meet service requirements, critical value based orders and instructions such as print out to ordering personnel for emergency requisition of supplies at a geographic location.

Biometric data may comprise, in addition to an iris scan, details concerning individual medical history including past medical conditions, and details regarding any present catastrophic event that may have affected a given individual. After taking this biometric data, the field worker may transfer this biometric data to a central computer station 251 via communication pathway

211A for storage in a database of the central computer station 251 (Fig. 2) . Communication pathway 211A is preferably wireless and facilitated by way of at least one satellite 211 of a satellite based communication system such as a global positioning system.

Communication pathway 211A may, in an alternate embodiment, comprise a ground-based communication pathway. The biometric data is normally stored into the computer station 251 database in the form of biometric code that may be transferred, by printer, to a two- dimensional bar code. The biometric data may be encoded into biometric code at facility 10 or at computer 11. Regarding Fig. 1, individual 25 has a card 27 with a two-dimensional bar code, which a printer 19 attached to computer 11 printed after recording the biometric data of individual 25, which may include an iris scan.

To provide a robust system, it is preferred that local and/or field hospitals have a resident station having a computer or computers coupled to computer 11 over a communication pathway (such as pathway 211A) for facilitating access to biometric data stored at computer 11. The resident station should have a reader for reading the two-dimensional bar code, storing the biometric code of the two-dimensional bare code and searching the stored biometrics codes of the central database for a matching biometric code. It is also preferred that card 27 contain medical data regarding a specific individual. It is intended that card 27 be carried by an individual during, for instance, a disaster so that any field or permanent hospital linked to the satellite communication system herein disclosed can scan the two-dimensional bar code on the card and read medical data. Card 27 may be provided with other data relating to an individual including an individual's photograph, nationality, place of birth, social security number, family members known or missing, etc. In Fig. 1, an iris scan of individual 23 is converted by computer 11 into a two-dimensional bar code 21 printed by printer 19 at or near the time of the iris scan. The printer 19 can also print labels for donated specimens, etc. The bar code cards can be used by other remote and central facilities for tracking movement of a population or of an individual or individuals of a population.

In regards to Fig. 2, biometric data from each remote facility may be transferred to central computer 251 by way of pathway 211A. In this embodiment, satellite 211 is one of a constellation of global positioning satellites and thus the data can include geographic location of the sender. The satellite may be configured to return data from central computer 251 to one or more remote biometric collection facilities upon command. In this illustration, the data from the remote facility 231 is sent and received by satellite 211. This data may then sent from satellite 211 to central computer 251. In Fig. 3, the central computer 251 is linked to a satellite dish or antenna 251A, which serves to link the satellite data to central computer 251. The programming of central computer 251 permits the database to update periodically. The display 251C on monitor 251B is a map of the region where the disaster has occurred. Optionally, by touch screen sensor or other input device associated with central computer 251, authorities at central computer 251 can determine the status of those of a population and, perhaps, disease spread and supply allocation by touching the screen of the district in question.

Regarding a specific embodiment m Fig. 4, individual 23 may be instructed by a field worker 200 to provide a biometric sample (blood, stool, fingernail, hair, urine, etc.) for testing and encoding. Field worker 200 has a two-dimensional bar code label 201 m his left hand that was printed in response to a biometric scan, such as the iris of individual 23. Having been previously scanned or registered biometrically, individual 23 was found to be already registered and scan identified by a file stored m the database at a central computer. By accessing the central computer, field worker 200 may then choose to print a two-dimensional bar code of individual 23 from the file of individual located at the database of a central computer, which may include iris code and other forms of biometric data deemed useful by worker 200 in the field. This sample will be analyzed by a laboratory that is also linked via satellite to the central computer. The test results can, for instance, allow the central authorities to track the spread of disease over time m this region. It is understood that the invention herein disclosed as preferred embodiment is for illustrative purposes. Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the card given to the surveyed individual by the field worker may be provided automatically by a computer linked card distribution machine m the circumstance where the surveyed individual answers questions from a computer screen in the absence of the field worker. Furthermore, the card may be a credit given to the surveyed individual at the completion of the survey and redeemable for goods and services. To the extent such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A system for identifying individuals of a population group comprising: a central database; and at least one remote biometric collection facility for recording biometric data of individuals of a population group and sending the biometric data to the central database for storage into the central database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the population group comprises one or more of the following : refugees of a catastrophic disaster, an ethnic group, a regional population group, and a national population group.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote biometric collection facility records the biometric data m the form of biometric code data and sends the biometric code data to the central database for storage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the biometric data is stored m the central database m the form of biometric code data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote biometric collection facility includes a printer for printing two-dimensional bar codes each encoded with biometric code data of a specific individual of the population.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote biometric collection facility is coupled in data communication to the central database over a communication pathway.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication pathway is wireless.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication pathway is a ground-based communication pathway.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication pathway is a satellite-based communication pathway.

10. The system of claim 5, further including at least one resident station linked to the central database, the resident station having a reader for reading the two-dimensional bar code, storing the biometric code of the two-dimensional bare code and searching the stored biometrics codes of the central database for a matching biometric code.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a positioning system for determining the position of the remote biometric collection facility when the remote biometric collection facility sends the biometric code data to the central database for storage.

12. A method for identifying individuals of a population group comprising: collecting biometric data of individuals of a population group at a biometric collection facility; and storing the biometric data in a central database remote from the biometric collection facility.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting biometric data further includes the step of collecting iris scan data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting biometric data of individuals of a population group population group further comprises the step of collecting biometric data of individuals of one or more of the following: refugees of a catastrophic disaster, an ethnic group, a regional population group, and a national population group.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting biometric data further includes the step of recording biometric code data defining the biometric data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of storing the biometric data further includes the step of storing biometric code data defining the biometric data.

17. The method of claim 12, further including the step of printing a two-dimensional bar code of the biometric data of each individual.

18. The method of claim 12, further including the step of locating a position of the biometric collection facility.