Methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring or controlling user access at a point-of-service

A method for monitoring or controlling a user's access to a service at a point-of-service, comprising performing at a processor implemented first communication device, the steps of:

• transmitting to the point-of-service terminal:
• a user's biometric template or user's biometric data that enables generation of the user's biometric template;
• and
• a data payload corresponding to the user's biometric template or user's biometric data;
• wherein the point-of-service terminal is configured to:
• acquire a biometric sample of the user through a biometric sample acquisition sensor;
• perform a biometric comparison between the acquired biometric sample, and a set of biometric templates stored in a point-of-service terminal memory;
• and
• transmitting transmit a second data payload to the service-access-control system;
• wherein:
• the set of biometric templates comprises a plurality of biometric templates, said plurality of biometric templates including the user's biometric template and at least one additional biometric template that is distinct from the user's biometric template;
• wherein:
• each of the biometric templates within the set of biometric templates has been transmitted from, or has been generated based on biometric data transmitted from, a respective communication device to the point-of-service terminal;
• and
• for each of the biometric templates within the set of biometric templates, the point-of-service terminal has also received an associated data payload corresponding to said biometric template from the respective communication device, and has stored the associated data payload or data derived from the associated data payload in an associated data block in the point-of-service terminal memory;
• and
• the at least one additional biometric template that is distinct from the user's biometric template, or biometric data based on which said at least one biometric template has been generated, is received by the point-of-service terminal, from a second communication device, wherein the second communication device is distinct from the first communication device;
• wherein:
• the second data payload that is transmitted from the point-of-service terminal to the service-access-control system, includes data from or data based on an identified data block from among associated data blocks stored in the point-of-service terminal memory, each of the associated data blocks corresponding to a biometric template within the set of biometric templates;
• wherein said identified data block is identified from among the associated data blocks based on:
• a positive match decision that results from a comparison of the user's biometric sample and a matching biometric template within the set of biometric templates;
• and
• determining as the identified data block, a specific associated data block that stores either an associated data payload corresponding to said matching biometric template or data derived from the associated data payload corresponding to said matching biometric template;
• wherein the data within the second data payload enables the service-access-control system to determine whether the user is authorized to access the service;
• and wherein the service-access-control system is configured to:
• respond to determining that the user is authorized to access the service, by generating a control signal that authorizes or records the user's access to the service.

A method for monitoring or controlling a user's access to a service at a point-of-service, comprising performing at a processor implemented service-access-control system, the steps of:

• receiving from a point-of-service terminal, a second data payload, wherein the second data payload is preceded by the steps of:
• acquiring a biometric sample of a user through a biometric sample acquisition sensor;
• and
• performing a biometric comparison between the acquired biometric sample, and a set of biometric templates stored in a point-of-service terminal memory;
• wherein the set of biometric templates comprises a plurality of biometric templates, said plurality of biometric templates including the user's biometric template and at least one additional biometric template that is distinct from the user's biometric template;
• wherein:
• each of the biometric templates within the set of biometric templates has been transmitted from, or has been generated based on biometric data transmitted from, a respective communication device to the point-of-service terminal;
• and
• for each of the biometric templates within the set of biometric templates, the point-of-service terminal has also received an associated data payload corresponding to said biometric template from the respective communication device, and has stored the associated data payload or data derived from the associated data payload in an associated data block in a point-of-service terminal memory;
• wherein:
• the user's biometric template or user's biometric data based on which the user's biometric template has been generated, is received by the point-of-service terminal from a first communication device;
• and
• the at least one additional biometric template that is distinct from the user's biometric template, or biometric data based on which said at least one biometric template has been generated, is received by the point-of-service terminal, from a second communication device, wherein the second communication device is distinct from the first communication device;
• wherein:
• the second data payload that is received at the service-access-control system from the point-of-service terminal, includes data from or data based on an identified data block from among associated data blocks stored in the point-of-service terminal memory, each of the associated data blocks corresponding to a biometric template within the set of biometric templates;
• wherein said identified data block is identified from among the associated data blocks based on:
• a positive match decision that results from a comparison of the user's biometric sample and a matching biometric template within the set of biometric templates;
• and
• determining as the identified data block, a specific associated data block that stores either an associated data payload corresponding to said matching biometric template or data derived from the associated data payload corresponding to said matching biometric template;
• wherein the data within the second data payload enables the service-access-control system to determine whether the user is authorized to access the service;
• and responding to determining that the user is authorized to access the service, by generating a control signal that authorizes or records the user's access to the service.