Biometrics Vocabulary

A 

• Authentification 1:1: While speaking about 1:1 authentification through a biometric reader, the systems will compare the biometric data (fingerprint, iris, face, palm, etc.) with the previous data registered by a third support, for instance: a fingerprint captor. This notion is different from 1:N authentification.

B 

• Biometrics: The biometric technology is a cutting-edge form of recognition by an individual’s morphology features, which are unique. These characteristics allow an undeniable identification, of a person and it’s used to reinforce security devices all over the world. Morphological patterns used by this technology are fingerprints, face, iris, veins and even the voice.
• Biometric Captor: Small cell which allows the capture of a biometric data. For instance: USB MorphoSmart 1300 (MSO 1300) biometric reader or Eikon readers are fingerprint captors. They are used as a enrollment station on the computer and can be also used for all applications (logical control access, website, software, digital file…)

C

• Client/ Server: It’s a protocol for communication between at least two software applications. One is called and the other . Both applications will communicate as it follows: will send a request for for instance: a service and the will answer the request, executing the service for example.
• CNIL Unique Autorisation: In France the biometirc field is quite regulated by the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés, CNIL. It’s a public commission which delivers unique authorizations or deliberations for biometric system use. There are several norms to be respected in order to be in conformity with the law and individual liberty.
• CNIL: It’s a French national commission for informatics and liberties. The definition of legal framework for biometrics use is made by the commission, looking to guarantee  user’s privacy in institutions and workplaces deploying biometrics solutions.
• Capacitive Sensor: it’s a reader in which we place the finger, opposite to optical captor. The readers Eikon, Eikon II and Eikon Solo are good examples of this sensor.

D

• Dry Contact: It’s an electrical impulse without electrical potential, therefore it allows the opening/closing of a circuit without tension.
• Digital Fingerprint: The representation of a fingerprint, its ridges and valleys, on an informatic support or database is called a digital fingerprint. It’s a model of the real one represented by numbers or images on a digital environment.
• Database: It’s a informatic entity or body where information can be saved, hierarchised and structured. It’s a point of reference for softwares, it searches information to satisfy its functions. There are a lot of database types, among the most known we can find Oracle and Access.

E

• Encoder: It’s a USB reader allowing to write/transmit information to a card in order to associate a number or ID.
• Enroller: For fingerprints or cards, it’s a device, USB reader, which capture information in different forms to associate it into a system, group, etc. The enroller can obtain data and send it to other computers, biometric terminals to be managed.
• Emergency power supply: as the names indicates, it’s an option for the electrical power supply in a situation of breakdown, power outage. This supply is quite important at new places where mechanical doors locks were replaced by electrical ones.
• Eletric Latch: An element electromagnetic allowing the locking control by a impulsion.
• Enrollment Station: Small office devices connected to a computed to allow biometric data registration as fingerprints, face, etc of an user. the station has a simplified process of registration which is centralized. The data collected is right after sent to biometric terminals for access control.

F

• FRR: “False rejection rate”: The rate of rejection as the name says, defines a probability of an user being rejected even though he’s registered in the system.
• FAR: “False acceptance rate”: The rate of false acceptation, defines the opposite of FRR, it happens when an user is granted the access to a place without being in the system.

I 

• Identification 1:N: While speaking of identification with biometrics, the systems compares instantly the biometric data obtained with all the other data registered in the system. It will search all of it and compare with the data just given, so it can identify correctly the user. It’s the opposite of authentification 1:1.

L

• Logical Access Control: Device allowing one’s identification in order to authorize or not the access to a computer, file, software, etc.

This type of access control can be done by biometric readers through fingerprint recognition once a biometric captor is plugged to computer’s port.

M

• Mifare: It’s a card technology with a microship contactless.
• MorphoAccess: Range of Idemia’s reader – ex. Safran Morpho MorphoAccess J series, MorphoAccess VP series, MorphoAccess Sigma Series – Wide
• MorphoSmart: Range of biometric captors/sensor of Idemia’ – ex. Safran MorphoMorphoSmart 1300 series, MorphoSmart 300 Series.
• Motorised Lock: Opening and locking system, it executes the order made by the management central (locking, unlocking,etc) It can be used in any types of biometric reader and access control devices.

O

• Optical Captor: It’s a reader in which finger is placed on for recognition. Contrarily to capacitive sensor, the readers as USB MSO 1300 from Idemia are examples of optical captors.

P 

• POE: Power Over Ethernet is a standard power supply through a cable connecting to a network. It’s used for transmission of information and energy. Mostly used at places without electrical plugs, it’s simplify electrical installations with a minimum of cables.
• Physical Access Control: Device which allows an individual to entry in a secure site by identification or authorization.
• Plunger or Suction Cup: Is a electromagnetic device assuring the complete lock of a door/gate. It’s composed by two parts: an imam attached to fixed part of a door and another to mobile part, allowing them to interlock. These two imams are under electrical tension to keep door closed.

The biometric readers or proximity badges can be deployed as a physical access control and also be used as an administration tool for time clock, customers’ management and more.

R 

• F.I.D: Radio Frequency identification is a technology for identification as the name suggests. This RFID tech integrates badges and proximity cards with biometric readers.
• RS232 Cable: It’s a connexion cable used between a computer and a biometric reader. This cable is connected in a COM computer’s port.
• RS485 Cable: It’s a connexion cable allowing communication between a computer and several biometric readers, this cable is connected in a COM computer’s port by a RS232/485
• RJ45 Cable: Commonly called as Ethernet cable, it connects computers to an informatics network. To know more about câble RJ45.

S

• Software full web: With online accessibility, this software has nothing installed in a computer. Everything is done online, normally by a website. It allows remote access all over the world. It’s registered in a Mobile Cloud Computing System. The BTManagerWeb is a software for time clock full web.

T

• Time Clock or Time Controller: It’s a system in which is possible to register entry and exit time from staff of a company. In this way, the system calculates the right amount of time spent in the company or hours worked. Employers have more control over employees and employees can justify work hours with a timesheet.
• Time Controller GPRS: “General Packet Radio Service”, is a mobile/remote control of staff who are in a remote site or displacement. The equipment has a microship GPRS capable of sending, as a cellphone, real time In this way, employee can send directly to the office their time data.
• Template: It’s the model or image generated while enrolling an user or a card.

W

• Wiegand: It’s a protocol Wiegand for communication between a biometric reader and a electronic access system. Existing several types of protocols, Wiegand, Wiegand 8, Wiegand 16 and most known Wiegand 26. The use of these protocols can be used to badges, cards and readers.