BS ISO/IEC 29794-1:2009

BS ISO/IEC 29794-1:2009 Information technology. Biometric sample quality. Framework

BS ISO IEC 29794 Part 1 is for use in conjunction with specific parts of the multipart BS ISO/IEC 19794 standard on biometric data formats to facilitate the inclusion of quality information alongside biometric data.

BS ISO/IEC 29794 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology. Biometric sample quality:

• Part 1: Framework
• Part 4: Finger image data (Technical Report)
• Part 5: Face image data (Technical Report]

Quality metrics are useful for several applications in the field of biometrics. BS ISO/IEC 19784-1 specifies a structure and gives guidelines for quality score categorization, and BS ISO/IEC 29794 defines and specifies methodologies for objective, quantitative quality score expression, interpretation, and interchange. This part of BS ISO/IEC 29794 is intended to add value to a broad spectrum of applications in a manner that:

• Encourages competition, innovation, interoperability and performance improvements
• Avoids bias towards particular applications, modalities, or techniques.

BS ISO/IEC 29794 Part 1 presents several biometric sample quality scoring tools, the use of which is generally optional but can be determined to be mandatory by particular application profiles or specific implementations.

A number of applications can benefit from the use of biometric sample quality data; an example is the use of real-time quality feedback upon enrolment to improve the operational efficiency and performance of a biometric system. The association of quality data with biometric samples is an important component of quality metric standardization.

The quality fields it specifies will be incorporated into data interchange formats. If a common biometric exchange formats framework (CBEFF) header is present, then CBEFF biometric data block (BDB) quality can additionally be used to express quality data. Useful analyses can be performed using quality data along with other data in order to improve the performance of a biometric system. For example, correlating quality data to other system metrics can be used to diagnose problems and highlight potential areas of performance improvement.

For any or all biometric sample types as necessary, this part of BS ISO/IEC 29794:

• Establishes terms and definitions that are useful in the specification, and use of quality metrics
• Recommends the purpose and interpretation of biometric quality scores
• Defines the format and placement of quality data fields in biometric data interchange formats
• Suggests methods for developing biometric sample datasets for the purpose of quality score normalization
• Suggests a format for exchange of quality algorithm results.

The scope of BS ISO IEC 29794 does not cover:

• The specification of minimum requirements for sample, module, or system quality scores
• Performance assessment of quality algorithms
• Standardization of quality algorithms.

Contents of BS ISO IEC 29794-1 include:

• Foreword
• Introduction
• Scope
• Conformance
• Normative references
• Terms and definitions
• Acronyms and abbreviated terms
• General biometric system
• Biometric sample quality criteria
• Reference model
• Quality components: character, fidelity, utility
• Usefulness of quality data
• Real-time quality assessment
• Use in different applications
• Use as a survey statistic
• Accumulation of relevant statistics
• Reference dataset improvement
• Quality-based conditional processing
• Interchange of quality data by disparate systems
• Data interchange format field definition
• Data fields
• Quality score
• Purpose
• Data transformation considerations
• Failure modes
• Resolution
• Summarization
• Quality algorithm identification (QAID)
• Overview
• Methodology
• Standardized exchange of quality algorithm results
• Normalization
• Procedures to construct a quality score normalization dataset
• Example - standardized exchange of quality algorithm results
• Procedures for aggregation of utility-based quality scores
• Bibliography

Two technical reports covering information on sample quality for the fingerprint and face modalities (29794-2 and 29794-5) will also be shortly published and work has begun on an international standard for iris image quality (29794-6).