Automated examination and processing of biometric data

1. A computer-implemented method of assessing, in an Automated Biometric Data Identification System, biometric data acquired using various detection techniques or various preservation techniques, said method comprising:

receiving biometric data in a computer-readable format or transforming biometric data in a computer-readable format;

defining, by a user, one or more performance parameters corresponding to a designated or expected conclusion and level of assurance;

assessing at least an area of interest of the computer-readable biometric data for quality of one or more biometric features appearing in the computer-readable biometric data, wherein the area of interest is a location on the computer-readable biometric data that contains interaction among one or more biometric features, and wherein the quality includes at least a quantity of at least one or more biometric features and correlation between the one or more biometric features;

assessing the rarity of the one or more biometric features; and

scoring and processing at least one performance parameter, quality, and rarity to define a scalar representation, ranges or scores to guide a determination of a type of additional processing, said guidance being as follows:

if quality and rarity are within a first defined range based upon the set performance parameters, the system processes and displays the assessment without human intervention to reach a conclusion,

if quality and rarity are within a second defined range based upon the set performance parameters, the system processes or displays the assessment with human intervention while assisting or prompting a human user to further process the information to reach a conclusion,

if quality and rarity are within a third defined range based upon the set of performance parameters, the system terminates assessment of the biometric data and displays information related to the termination conclusion to a user through a user interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein processing the performance parameter, quality, and rarity comprises creating a combined metric.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric data is at least one of a fingerprint, a palm print, an iris scan, a tattoo image, a facial image, a voice recording, a latent fingerprint, DNA, a vein, or an ear image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric data includes at least one of a fingerprint, latent print, or palm print; and the biometric feature is at least one of friction ridges, loops, whorls, arches, edges, minutiae, bifurcations, terminations, ending ridges, pores, dots, spurs, bridges, dots, islands, ponds, lakes, crossovers, scars, warts, creases, incipient edge, open field, or deformations.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the biometric data includes an image of a vein, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of a pattern, an edge, a ridge, a dot, or a dark line.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the biometric data includes an image of an iris, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of rings, furrows, freckles, arching ligaments, ridges, crypts, corona, or zigzag collarette.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the biometric data includes an image of an ear, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of an edge, a ridge, a valley, a curve, a contour, a boundary between anatomical parts, a helix, a loube, a tragus, a fossa, or a concha.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the biometric data includes DNA base pairs, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of a genome sequence, base pairs, loci, or segments.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

wherein the biometric data includes a tattoo, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of a pattern, a shape, a color, size, shading, or texture.

10. A computer-implemented system, including an Automated Fingerprint Identification System, for assessing biometric data acquired using various detection techniques or various preservation techniques, said computer-implemented system comprising a memory and one or more processors configured to:

receive biometric data in a computer-readable format or transform biometric data in a computer-readable format;

define a performance parameter corresponding to a designated or expected conclusion and level of assurance;

assess at least an area of interest of the computer-readable biometric data for quality of one or more biometric features appearing in the computer-readable biometric data, wherein the area of interest is a location on the computer-readable biometric data that contains interaction among one or more biometric features, and wherein the quality includes at least the quantity and correlation between the one or more biometric features;

assess the rarity of the one or more biometric features; and

process the performance parameter, quality, and rarity to guide a determination of type of additional processing to examine the biometric data, said guidance being as follows:

if quality and rarity are within a first defined range based upon the set performance parameters, the system processes and displays the assessment without human intervention to reach a conclusion,

if quality and rarity are within a second defined range based upon the set performance parameters, the system processes or displays the assessment with human intervention while assisting or prompting a human user to further process the information to reach a conclusion,

if quality and rarity are within a third defined range based upon the set of performance parameters, the system terminates assessment of the biometric data and displays information related to the termination conclusion to a user through a user interface.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to process the performance parameter, quality, and rarity by creating a combined metric.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 11 , wherein the combined metric is a weighted metric.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 , wherein the biometric data is at least one of a fingerprint, a palm print, an iris scan, a tattoo image, a facial image, a voice recording, a latent fingerprint, DNA, a vein, or an ear image.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 , wherein the biometric data includes at least one of a fingerprint, latent print, or palm print; and the biometric feature is at least one of friction ridges, loops, whorls, arches, edges, minutiae, bifurcations, terminations, ending ridges, pores, dots, spurs, bridges, dots, islands, ponds, lakes, crossovers, scars, warts, creases, incipient edge, open field, or deformations.

15. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 ,

wherein the biometric data includes an image of a vein, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of a pattern, an edge, a ridge, a dot, or a dark line.

16. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 ,

wherein, the biometric data includes an image of an iris, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of rings, furrows, freckles, arching ligaments, ridges, crypts, corona, or zigzag collarette.

17. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 ,

wherein the biometric data includes an image of an ear, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of an edge, a ridge, a valley, a curve, a contour, a boundary between anatomical parts, a helix, a loube, a tragus, a fossa, or a concha.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 ,

wherein the biometric data includes a facial image, and

wherein the biometric feature is at least one of peaks between nodal points; valleys between nodal points; position of eyes, nose, cheekbones, or jaw; size of eyes, nose, cheekbones, or jaw; texture, expression, or shape of eyes, nose, cheekbones, or jaw.