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

A data processing method for biometrically securing a transfer of information between a first party and a second party, implemented at least in part utilizing a centralized biometric security management system operable to receive and authenticate a plurality of biometric identifiers generated by a plurality of biometric identifier acquisition systems, comprising a plurality of compatible and incompatible biometric identifier acquisition systems, said plural incompatible biometric identifier acquisition systems each comprising at least one compatibility difference therebetween, said data processing method comprising the steps of:

• (a) Providing, in said centralized biometric security management system, a plurality of unique identification records, comprising at least unique first and second identification records corresponding to each of said first and second parties, each said first and second unique identification record being configured for storing a plurality of compatible and incompatible enrollment biometric identifiers generated by corresponding plural compatible and incompatible biometric identifier acquisition systems, each plural enrollment biometric identifier being representative of a particular predetermined unique biometric characteristic of a person;
• (b) indicating, by the first party to said centralized biometric security management system, with which each of the first and the second parties have previously registered by each providing a corresponding first and second plurality of enrollment biometric identifiers thereto, each previously obtained by utilization of at least a portion of said plural biometric identity verification systems available to each of the corresponding first and second parties, such that said first unique identification record comprises at least one first enrollment biometric identifier previously provided thereto by the first party during said registration, and said second unique identification record comprises a plurality of second incompatible enrollment biometric identifiers previously provided thereto by the second party during said registration, or thereafter, utilizing said plural incompatible identifier acquisition systems, that the second party is an intended recipient of the information;
• (c) causing, by the first party utilizing a first information transfer system, comprising a first at least one biometric identifier acquisition system selected from said plural biometric identifier acquisition systems, being in communication with said centralized biometric security management system, and operable to selectively secure, receive and transmit the information, the secured information to be transmitted to a second information transfer system utilized by the second party in accordance with a predetermined security policy, said second information system comprising a second at least one biometric identifier acquisition system selected from said plural incompatible biometric identifier acquisition systems, being operable to generate at least one verification biometric identifier representative of at least one predetermined biometric characteristic of the second party, said second information transfer system being operable to transmit said at least one verification biometric identifier to said centralized biometric security management system and operable to selectively secure, receive and transmit the information, wherein the secured information is transmitted through a communication link between said first information transfer system and said second information transfer system, and wherein the communication link between said first information transfer system and said second information transfer system is independent of the centralized biometric security management system;
• (d) attempting to access the secured information by the second party utilizing the second information transfer system, by causing said second at least one biometric identifier acquisition system to generate said at least one verification biometric identifier, and by causing said second information transfer system to transmit said at least one verification biometric identifier to said centralized biometric security management system for authentication of the second party's identity;
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• (e) when said at least one verification biometric identifier is received by said centralized biometric security management system, comparing, by said centralized biometric security management system in accordance with an identity authentication criteria, said received second at least one verification biometric identifier to said plural second incompatible enrollment biometric identifiers stored in said second unique identification record, and when said identity authentication criteria has been met, indicating by said centralized biometric security management system, that an identity of the second party has been authenticated, thereafter allowing access, by the second party to the secured information, and otherwise preventing said second party from accessing the secure information.

A data processing method for biometrically verifying at least one aspect of a transfer of information between a first party and a second party, implemented at least in part utilizing a centralized biometric security management system operable to receive and authenticate a plurality of biometric identifiers generated by at least one biometric identity verification system (BIVS) that comprises a plurality of different biometric components, said data processing method comprising the steps of:

• (a-1) determining, by the first party, said predetermined security policy;
• (a-2) thereafter, selectively configuring, by the first party, said predetermined security policy;
• (a-3) indicating, by the first party to said centralized biometric security management system, with which the first and the second parties have previously registered, and which comprises a plurality of unique identification records, comprising at least unique first and second identification records corresponding to each of said first and second parties, each said first and second unique identification record being configured for storing a plurality of enrollment biometric identifiers, each plural enrollment biometric identifier being representative of a particular predetermined unique biometric characteristic of a person, said first unique identification record comprising at least one first enrollment biometric identifier previously provided thereto by the first party, and said second unique identification record comprising at least one second enrollment biometric identifier previously provided thereto by the second party, that the second party is an intended recipient of the information;
• (b) causing, by the first party utilizing a first information transfer system, the information to be transmitted to a second information transfer system utilized by the second party in accordance with a predetermined security policy configured by the first party, said first information transfer system comprising a first at least one biometric identity verification system (BIVS) being operable to generate said first at least one verification biometric identifier representative of at least one predetermined biometric characteristic of the first party, said first information transfer system being operable to transmit said first at least one verification biometric identifier to said centralized biometric security management system, and being further operable to receive and to transmit the information, said second information system comprising a second at least one biometric identity verification system (BIVS) which has a compatibility difference with the first BIVS of this step and which is operable to generate a second at least one verification biometric identifier representative of at least one predetermined biometric characteristic of the second party, said second information transfer system being operable to transmit said second at least one verification biometric identifier to said centralized biometric security management system, and being further operable to receive and transmit the information, wherein the information is transmitted through a communication link between said first information transfer system and said second information transfer system, and wherein the communication link between said first information transfer system and said second information transfer system is independent of the centralized biometric security management system;
• (c) accessing the information by the second party utilizing the second information transfer system;
• (d-1) when said first at least one verification biometric identifier is received by said centralized biometric security management system, comparing, by said centralized biometric security management system in accordance with at least one predetermined identity authentication criteria, said received first at least one verification biometric identifier to said at least one first enrollment biometric identifier stored in said first unique identification record, and when said at least one identity authentication criteria has been met, indicating by said centralized biometric security management system that an identity of the first party has been authenticated and otherwise indicating that said first party's identity has not been authenticated, and when said second at least one verification biometric identifier is received by said centralized biometric security management system, comparing by said centralized biometric security management system in accordance with said at least one identity authentication criteria, said received second at least one verification biometric identifier to said at least one second enrollment biometric identifier stored in said second unique identification record, and when said at least one identity authentication criteria has been met, indicating by said centralized biometric security management system that an identity of the second party has been authenticated, or otherwise indicating that said second party's identity has not been authenticated;
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• (d-2) providing, by said centralized biometric security management system in accordance with said predetermined security policy, information representative of at least a portion of identity authentication indication determined at said step (d-1) to at least one of the first and second parties.