Biometric document authentication system

An endorsement system comprising

• a means for capturing biometric data from a fingerprint of a person;
• a means for augmenting the biometric data with a signature of the person;
• a means for further augmenting the biometric data with a date/time stamp;
• a means for providing a biometric image from the augmented biometric data;
• and
• a means for affixing the biometric image to an original document provided by the person;
• whereby the original document with the affixed biometric image may subsequently be positively verified as authentic so that it may be confidently used for evidentiary purposes.

A method for authenticating a document presented by a person, the document having an access code visibly imprinted thereon, the method comprising

• successively illuminating a biological portion of the person with light spectra from a light emitting source, each light spectrum having a wavelength successively and exhaustively chosen from a set of selected spectral ranges;
• developing a digital geometrical representation of the biological portion;
• encoding the digital geometrical representation as a biometric image;
• storing the biometric image in a database in association with the access code;
• imprinting a label with the biometric image using a dye sublimation printing process;
• applying the label to the document;
• and
• verifying the authenticity of the document by comparing the biometric image imprinted on the label on the document with a template derived from the biometric image stored in the database and associated with the access code, the biometric image having been retrieved from the database as a result of manual entry of the access code.

A method for endorsing a photo identification document presented by a person, the method comprising

• taking a photograph of the person;
• successively illuminating a biological portion of the person with light spectra from a light emitting source, each light spectrum having a wavelength successively and exhaustively chosen from a set of selected spectral ranges;
• developing a digital geometrical representation of the biological portion;
• encoding the digital geometrical representation as a biometric image;
• imprinting the back of the photograph of the person with the biometric image using a dye sublimation printing process;
• submitting an application by the person for a photo identification document, the application including the photograph;
• storing a digital image of the photograph and the biometric image in a database;
• obtaining an address associated with the digital image and the biometric image;
• providing a second photograph having the address imprinted on the reverse side of the photograph in barcode form to the person;
• and
• verifying the authenticity of the photo identification document by comparing the biometric image obtained from the person and a template derived from the biometric image stored in the database, the biometric image associated with the address.