Note: New instances/applications of TTP are not currently being supported.
Overview
Biometric authentication is how a portal device verifies an Employee via biometric information contained in fingerprints or face images. In the case of fingerprints, verification is acquired through analyzing the minutiae, or major features, of the fingerprint and using the minutiae to compare to other fingerprints. The Login screen will display the biometric finger image if biometric match is required or if the default authentication method is finger.
The Biometric Tolerance setting for each device is selected in the Device Settings screen in WinTeam. The setting values are determined in the Biometric Tolerances screen in WinTeam.
Three Biometric Tolerance settings will be available for users to select: Medium, Medium-High and High. Users can also create their own Biometric Tolerance settings group, if necessary.
For details on these settings, review the definitions below and see the Biometric Tolerances topic in WinTeam.
Key Functionality
When Biometric Matching is Required
Require Biometric Match
This is a setting enabled on the Device Settings screen in WinTeam. In certain circumstances, such as when the WinTeam database is unavailable, biometric match may not be required depending on security settings.
Always Required
This setting is the strictest and will require biometric match in all cases, regardless of whether the WinTeam database is available, the Employee is enrolled or the Employee could scan a valid fingerprint in three attempts.
Authentication will not take place if the WinTeam database is unavailable with this setting.
This setting is good for Jobs with high-security requirements (airports or banks, etc.)
To enable this setting:
Select Require Biometric Match check box
Clear Skip Biometric WT Down check box
Require If WinTeam Is Available
This setting only requires biometric match if the WinTeam database is available. If WinTeam is available, the Employee must be enrolled on the device and must scan a valid fingerprint in three attempts (or capture a valid face image). If WinTeam is not available and the Employee's fingerprint or face image has been stored in the device cache, authentication can take place; however, if the fingerprint or face image is not stored in the device cache, biometric match will not be required. The Employee must enter an Employee Number in order to gain access to the Portal.
To enable this setting:
Select the Skip Biometric WT Down check box
Select the Require Biometric Match check box
When Biometric Matching is Not Required
This setting is the least strict and will allow access to the Portal even if an Employee is unable to scan a valid fingerprint in three attempts, capture a face image or is not enrolled. The Employee may also be able to skip the fingerprint authentication screen all together.
The Employee must enter an Employee Number in order to gain access to the Portal if fingerprint or face image authentication does not occur or is skipped.
To enable this setting:
Select the Skip Biometric WT Down check box
Clear the Require Biometric Match check box
Or simply select Employee Number for the authentication method
Scanning
Minutiae
In the process of fingerprint scanning, minutiae are specific points in a finger image. There are two main types known as ridge endings and bifurcations (a single ridge split into two ridges). Sometimes, other details, such as the points at which scars begin or terminate, are considered minutiae. The number and locations of the minutiae vary from finger to finger on any particular person, and from person to person for any particular finger (for example, the thumb on the left hand).
When a set of finger images is obtained from an individual during the enrollment process, the number of minutiae is recorded for each finger. The precise locations of the minutiae are also recorded for each finger in the form of numerical coordinates. The result is a function that can be entered and stored in a computer database. A computer can rapidly compare this function to other functions computed for any other scanned finger image in the world.
Fingerprint Template
During the process of scanning a fingerprint, the scanner takes a small picture of the person's fingerprint. After the image is searched for minutiae, the details of the minutiae points are stored as coordinates inside the fingerprint template. The details of the minutiae are also likely compressed to save storage space.
Template Size
Template Size determines the size of template to use (large/small).
Quality Threshold
When matching or generalizing fingerprint images, the quality threshold determines how good the condition of the scanned image must be.
This setting can be anywhere from 0.01% to 99.99%.
Use Quality
The quality of the scanned image can be considered when matching or generalizing fingerprint images if the Use Quality value is set to true.
Generalization
Fingerprint Generalization
Fingerprint Generalization is the process of scanning multiple images of the same fingerprint and then combining the features of each entry into a single fingerprint template to improve the reliability of recognizing fingerprints. By scanning a single fingerprint multiple times, the algorithm is given more information to match against.
A generalization of an enrollee's fingerprint is made when each fingerprint is scanned three times during the enrollment process.
Generalization Threshold
When generalizing fingerprint images, each fingerprint scan must have a certain number of matching minutiae. The threshold represents how closely each scan matches the other scans performed during generalization. Essentially, the threshold determines if a generalization succeeds or fails based on how closely each fingerprint scan matches the others.
Generalization Maximum Rotation
When generalizing fingerprint images, the maximum rotation sets a limit on the amount of rotation (or angle) a fingerprint is allowed to have related to the other fingerprint scans. The lower the rotation limit, the more accurately a person will have to scan their fingerprint by placing their finger exactly the same on the scanner each time.
The allowed values for this setting are between 0 and 180 degrees (not including 0 or 180).
Generalization Minimum Minutiae Count
When generalizing fingerprint images, each fingerprint is required to have a minimum number of minutiae points identified. If the number is lower than the minimum, the generalization is rejected.
Matching
False Accept Rate (FAR)
The False Accept Rate is the average number of times out of 100 that the software will match a fingerprint with the wrong person. The Generalization and Matching Thresholds are essentially FARs.
Matching Threshold
When matching, or comparing, a scanned fingerprint and a stored fingerprint, the matching threshold determines, on average, how many invalid (not from the same finger) fingerprints out of 100 will match this print.
This setting can be anywhere from 0.01% to 99.99%.
Matching Maximum Rotation
When matching, or comparing, a scanned fingerprint and a stored fingerprint, the maximum rotation sets a limit on the amount of rotational (or angular) variance allowed. If the minutiae indicate that the rotation is more than the specified limit, the print will not be considered a match, even if the minutiae match when compensated for the rotation.
The allowed values for this setting are between 0 and 180 degrees (not including 0 or 180).
Matching Minimum Minutiae Count
When matching, or comparing, a scanned fingerprint and a stored fingerprint, the minimum minutiae count determines the minimum number of minutiae required for the fingerprints to be considered a match. If the minutiae is lower in either the scanned print or the stored print, the match will be rejected.