1 Scope

1.1 This Recommendation | International Standard specifies the syntax, semantics, and encodings of a set of messages ("BIP messages") that enable a BioAPI-conforming application to request biometric operations in BioAPI-conforming biometric service providers (BSPs) across node or process boundaries, and to be notified of events originating in those remote BSPs.

NOTE Both the local and the remote node or process can contain BSPs that provide storage and retrieval of biometric information records, processing or comparison of such records, or capture of biometric samples from one or more biometric sensors. It is possible for an individual node or process to contain both (one or more) applications that access remote BSPs, and (one or more) BSPs that are accessed by remote applications.

1.2 This Recommendation | International Standard also specifies extensions to the architecture and behaviour of the BioAPI framework that support the creation, processing, sending, and reception of BIP messages. A BioAPI framework conforming to this Recommendation | International Standard (a "BIP-enabled framework") creates, processes, sends, and receives BIP messages in close relationship with BioAPI function calls and callbacks. Outgoing BIP messages can be generated and sent by the framework as part of the handling of an incoming call or callback. Incoming BIP messages can cause actions to be performed by the framework as though a call or callback has been received.

1.3 This Recommendation | International Standard explicitly allows for BIP messages to be created, processed, sent, and received by a software entity (a "generic BIP entity") that is not necessarily a BIP-enabled framework.

NOTE This makes it possible to create lightweight implementations of this Recommendation | International Standard in which support for BioAPI-conforming applications or BioAPI-conforming BSPs is either not possible or not required. There is no externally observable difference between the BIP messages created and sent by a generic BIP entity and those created and sent by a BIP-enabled framework. However, while a BIP-enabled framework is required to fully and properly implement the relationship specified herein between BIP messages and BioAPI function calls or callbacks, a generic BIP entity has no such obligation (see clause 6).

1.4 This Recommendation | International Standard specifies the use of any of several commonly available transport protocols for the transfer of BIP messages between a pair of software entities ("BIP endpoints").

1.5 Standardization of biometric data blocks (carrying raw, intermediate, or processed biometric samples) is not in the scope of this Recommendation | International Standard.

NOTE Standardization of such formats is performed by the various parts of ISO/IEC 19794.

1.6 Standardization of biometric information records (each containing one or more biometric data blocks together with identifying and other meta-information) is not in the scope of this Recommendation | International Standard.

NOTE Standardization of the elements of such formats is performed by ISO/IEC 19785‑1, which also contains the specification of a number of standardized biometric information record formats.

1.7 Comparison algorithms for biometric identification or verification are not in the scope of this Recommendation | International Standard.

1.8 The definition of security mechanisms is not in the scope of this Recommendation | International Standard, but a number of bindings to secure transport protocols are specified in order to support secure exchanges between BIP endpoints.

1.9 The classification of, determination of, or requirements on the performance of biometric systems is not in the scope of this Recommendation | International Standard.

1.10 This Recommendation | International Standard specifies a Version 1 of the BioAPI interworking protocol (BIP), and assigns it the ASN.1 object identifier value {iso standard 24708 version (1)} (see ITU‑T Rec. X.680 | ISO/IEC 8824‑1 for the meaning of this notation).

1.11 ISO/IEC 19784‑1 specifies version 2.0 and 2.1 of BioAPI. This Recommendation | International Standard provides support for only version 2.1.

BS ISO/IEC 24708:2008

Information technology. Biometrics. BioAPI Interworking Protocol

Current

Published:

30 Apr 2009