Abstract:
Security on airplanes and other common carrier carriages is enhanced by establishing the identity of travelers and documenting their true identity as established by biometric characteristics that irrefutably identify an individual. A biometric characteristic is measured at the time of ticketing. The biometric characteristic is measured at the time of boarding to insure that the person who purchased passage and the person who boards are one and the same. Electronic copies of identifying data can be stored and shipped to external data bases.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Airlines have the responsibility of keeping accurate records of people on a flight in case there is an accident. In such an event, the National Transportation Safety Board requires an accurate list of who was on a flight. Errors in manifests could be virtually eliminated by use of a biometric verification device.  
           [0002]    Not only is this a very accurate way to create a manifest of passengers/crew, but it is also a way to provide greater safety and security. It allows for a record to be generated of a person that can now be compared against a database of terrorist/criminal/most wanted/etc. This search could be performed between check-in time at the main gate and boarding time at the airplane gate. Searching could even be performed during the flight time to attempt for identification of wanted people.  
           [0003]    One of the largest roadblocks in a device such as this is the “loss” of freedom that people feel when they have to scan in their identification/fingerprint and have it accessible for searching. On the other hand, the reassurance that it may potentially give the majority of passengers could potentially outweigh any bad feelings of such invasion of privacy.  
           [0004]    If people felt that it was simply a way to ensure safety and accuracy in the case of an emergency, people may be more willing to accept the incorporation of the device into travel. From the aspect of helpfulness to the NTSB in the event of an accident, it could be very beneficial having on file the fingerprints of passengers for identification needs.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 depicts a simplified block diagram of a security system for use with common carriers to establish a traveler&#39;s identity at the time of ticket purchase and boarding.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment of the system in FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the process steps performed at a check-in terminal depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 shows the steps of a process by which biometric data is sent to a third party for archival and analysis.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 shows the steps of a process by which biometric data is analyzed by a third party for identification.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 shows the process steps performed at a gate terminal proximate to the time a traveler would board a common carrier.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 shows the steps of an alternate embodiment of the process performed by a check in terminal shown in FIG. 3 wherein biometric data is copied onto a boarding pass.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 shows the steps performed by a gate terminal when the steps of FIG. 7 are performed at the check-in terminal.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 9 shows the steps of another embodiment by which biometric characteristics are measured and used to issue or deny a boarding pass.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 10 shows a simplified flow chart of the steps performed to scan a finger print.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 11 shows a simplified flow chart of the steps performed on a digital photograph. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a biometric characteristic airport security system  100 . The system  100  is comprised of a check-in terminal  102  (also considered to be a ticketing terminal) and a gate terminal  104  that communicate with each other through a data network  106 . The data network  106  to which the check-in terminal and the gate terminal  104  are coupled enables the ticketing terminal  102  and the gate terminal  104  to share data with each other as well as a server  108 , which among other things functions as a repository of data collected and processed as described hereinafter and which is embodied as one or more computers and associated storage devices, known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0017]    The network  106  that couples the server  108  and the check-in terminal  102  and the gate terminal  104  together can be embodied as an Ethernet network or any other network architecture and protocol that will allow large amounts of data to be quickly exchanged between numerous computers. In an actual deployment of the invention in an airport, several check-in terminals  102  and several gate terminals  104  would need to communicate with the server  108  or each other.  
         [0018]    The server  108  is operatively coupled to an alarm mechanism or mechansims  110 , an output device such as a printer  112  and a network interface  114  that provides communications to other networks such as the Internet  118  or the public switched telephone network  120 .  
         [0019]    The system  100  operates by collecting the biometric characteristics of a traveler (finger print, voice print, retinal scan, DNA scan, photograph) at the time the traveler purchases passage on a common carrier. The biometric characteristics that are collected are stored in a central repository where they can be later recalled. At the time of boarding, the identity of the persons boarding can be confirmed to be the same as those who purchased passage thereby assuring that the person identified to the carrier at the time of ticketing is the person who actually boarded. A photograph and a finger print, retinal scan or DNA scan of the traveler unambiguously identifies the traveler, even if documentary identification provided to the carrier at the time of ticketing was fraudulent. This provides a detailed manifest of passengers on a flight or other carrier by the collection of data at check in, including the collection of biometric data. In addition to collecting a detailed manifest of passengers, detailed information on each passenger is collected and available for subsequent uses. By using electronic scanners and digital cameras coupled to appropriately fast computers, the time required to collect data and generate detailed passenger manifests is reduced as much as possible.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 depicts an alternate embodiment of the system shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the biometric sensor, camera, terminal and printer are coupled to the server  108  via the data network  106 . No local processor is used. Although the terminals  202  and  204  shown in FIG. 2 do not show a local processor, the functionality of both systems in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are considered to be equivalent.  
         [0021]    The functions of the terminals depicted in FIG. 1, and the alternate embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, are shown in flow charts depicted in the other figures. The functions of the different terminals are presented separately hereinafter.  
         [0022]    The ticketing terminal  102  is comprised of a processor  102 - 2  and its associated memory  102 - 4  to which the processor  102 - 2  is coupled by an address and control bus. Similar to the terminals that are commonly found in airports today whereat passenger information is entered and from which ticket and boarding passes are issued and printed, the ticketing terminal  102  performs the same functions as prior art terminals, however, the ticketing terminal  102  depicted in FIG. 1 includes additional equipment and the capability to obtain biometric characteristics of an individual. The ticketing terminal  102  includes a processor (CPU)  102 - 2 , typically a microcomputer or microprocessor, which executes program instructions and operates on data that are stored in its associated memory  102 - 4 . The program instructions executed by the processor  102 - 2  and the data that the processor  102 - 2  operates, effect the steps of the methodology depicted in the figures discussed hereinafter.  
         [0023]    The processor  102 - 2  communicates with the memory  102 - 4  via an address and control bus, well known to those of skill in the art. Also coupled to the CPU  102 - 2  via the address and control bus is at least one biometric sensor  102 - 6 , the purpose and function of which is to convert biometric characteristics of an individual into data that represents the biometric characteristic of the individual. Biometric characteristics are physical characteristics that uniquely identify an individual and would include, but are not limited to one or more finger prints (including the thumb), retinal patterns, voice prints (frequency components as measure by a Fourier analysis for instance) and DNA. Examples of biometric sensors include retina scanners, fingerprint scanners, voice frequency component scanners, and possibly DNA strand scanners and a camera, all of which for claim construction purposes are considered to be equivalents under the monikers of “biometric sensors” and “biometric scanners” used hereinafter. While one biometric sensor  102 - 6  is shown in conjunction with the check-in terminal  102 , alternate and equivalent embodiments of the invention would include using two or more sensors, such as finger print scanner and a camera; a finger print scanner and a voice print; a voice print and a DNA scanner and a camera and a finger print scanner.  
         [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, the check-in terminal  102  employs a finger print scanner as one biometric sensor and a camera as a second biometric sensor, both of which are coupled to the CPU  102 - 2 . Both such scanners generate data and have data output ports and control inputs by which the processor  102 - 2  can controllably obtain from them, digital data that represents biometric characteristics scanned or read from an individual.  
         [0025]    The check-in terminal also includes a data input terminal  102 - 10 , which includes an output display device such as a CRT or liquid crystal display and a conventional keyboard, such as well-known QWERTY-style keyboard by which input data can be entered into the processor  102 - 2 . Like the terminals commonly used in airport ticketing terminals today, the data input terminal  102 - 10  enables the input of information such as a traveler&#39;s name, address, destination, method of payment, as well as notes of a ticket agent and local control of the biometric scanners  102 - 6 . The data input terminal  102 - 10  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 enables the display of travel information in order to enable the ticket agent the ability to create a complete record of the person seeking passage on a carrier, but also including e.g., finger printing and photographing the traveler.  
         [0026]    A printer  102 - 12  coupled to the CPU  102 - 2  through the address and control bus enables tickets and boarding passes to be printed under the control of the CPU  102 - 2 . The printer  102 - 12  includes the ability to print magnetic stripes or 2-D or 3-D bar codes as described more fully hereinafter.  
         [0027]    The purpose and function of the biometric sensor  102 - 6  is to read, scan or sample physical characteristics of an individual that will unambiguously (as much as the device and the associated analysis of output data will allow) identify an individual seeking transit and convert such characteristics into numeric representations that can be processed by a computer. Examples of usable biometric sensors include capacitive fingerprint sensors like those available from Veridicom, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., the specifications of which at the time of the filing of this application are available at the Veridicom website, www.veridicom.com.  
         [0028]    Biometric finger print scanners are also available from Ethentica, Inc., of Aliso Viejo, Calif. The specifications of their tactile fingerprint sensors of which are available at www.ethentica.com.  
         [0029]    Other biometric sensors  102 - 6  would include retinal image scanners and voice recognition devices that can identify distinctive cell patterns in a retina and distinctive frequency components and waveforms in an individual&#39;s spoken voice. Still other biometric sensors would include DNA scanners that can read the structure or organization of an individual&#39;s DNA.  
         [0030]    In the preferred embodiment, a fingerprint sensor, such as the Veridicom Model FPS110 sensor provides a relatively high resolution image of the peaks and valleys of an individual&#39;s fingerprint using a matrix of parallel plate capacitors, one plate of each of which is formed by a user&#39;s fingertip surface (the peaks and valleys of an individual&#39;s fingerprint) and the other one of which is one of 90,000 or more plates formed on the fingerprint sensor surface. When an individual places his finger on the sensor, the finger acts as one of the plates of a dual-plate capacitor. The other plate is formed on the silicon chip containing an array of capacitor plates.  
         [0031]    According to data provided on the Veridicom, Inc. website as of the filing date of this application, Veridicom devices are capable of sensing fingerprint characteristics at a relatively high resolution of 500 dots per inch. The Veridicom sensor creates a raster-scan image of the ridges and valleys of the fingerprint pressed against the chip. Raster-scan image data is converted by the Veridicom device to provide a video signal that is represented by 8-bit digital words that can be read by the processor  102 - 2  via address and control bus output lines of the processor  102 - 2 . The 8-bit words representing a raster-scan image from the sensor  102 - 6  can be compressed, indexed by hash coding or a check sum calculation in order to compress and more-readily identify data that uniquely identifies the individual who owns the thumb or finger from which the raster-scanned image was obtained.  
         [0032]    In a preferred embodiment, a digital camera  102 - 8 , which is also coupled to the processor,  102 - 2  provides the capability of and functions to obtain a digital photograph of an individual under the control of the CPU  102 - 2 .  
         [0033]    For purposes of claim construction, biometric sensors are devices that can sense or detect physical characteristics that can be used to uniquely identify a particular individual. Accordingly, biometric sensors would exclude devices that measure a person&#39;s weight, height, hair color, eye color, and temperature.  
         [0034]    The system depicted in FIG. 1 and the process steps it performs and which are depicted in the other figures is applicable to securing passage on other forms of common carriage such as rail, ship or bus. An individual seeking to travel on a common carrier, such as an airline, train, ship or bus, (for claim construction purposes to be equivalents and denominated as common carrier carriage devices or equipment) would request passage on the common carrier by payment of a ticketing fee and issuance of a ticket and/or boarding pass required to physically gain access to the common carrier&#39;s facilities or device (i.e., airplane, train or bus).  
         [0035]    As is well known, the ticketing procedure for air travel requires among other things, that the individual announce their destination, select from a flight or available flights to that destination, payment of a fee and acceptance of a ticket followed by issuance of a boarding pass. The boarding pass is a separate document printed by the airline and issued to the traveler, who presents the pass to an agent of the carrier or facility at the gate where entrance to the carriage (plane, ship, bus, train) is provided in order to be allowed physical entry to the airplane. In the ticketing terminal  102  shown in FIG. 1, the procedure for ticketing a passenger and issuing a boarding pass would need to be only slightly revised from that which is currently practiced in the art but includes several new procedures or steps heretofore not practiced but which are depicted in various embodiments as shown in the figures.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the steps of a method that is part of a procedure for securing the passage of travelers on a common carrier  300  beginning at the check-in terminal  102  and as a result, collecting information from which a detailed passenger manifest can be produced. With respect to the check-in terminal  102  (also referred to herein as a “ticketing terminal”) shown in FIG. 1, personnel of a carrier, some times referred to as a ticketing agent, performs an initial check-in of a traveler in Step.  302 .  
         [0037]    The check-in process as it is known today includes perfunctory questions to the traveler such as the traveler&#39;s intended destination and departure time, seat selection and the like. FAA regulations require the presentation of photograph identification. In the prior art check-in process, the ticketing agent at one of several such terminals regularly found in most airports, provides a first inspection of documents that ostensibly identify the traveler. In step  302  of the process depicted in FIG. 3 however, the check-in procedure  302  would include additional steps including the demand by the ticketing agent for a finger print or thumb print, retinal scan, voice sample or photograph. One or more computers (e.g.,  102 - 2 ) read data that is output from the scanning devices that acquire such information and store it for future retrieval and analysis.  
         [0038]    In a preferred embodiment, the biometric sensors  102 - 6  are employed at a ticketing terminal to obtain from a traveler, a biometric characteristic measurement by requiring the traveler to place their thumb or another fingerprint on the inspection window of the aforementioned biometric scanner and obtaining therefrom, data representative of the physical characteristics of the air traveler who presumably identified them self to a ticketing agent using the aforementioned documents. In addition to using a fingerprint scanner, the biometric sensors  102 - 6  used in Step  304  might include a retinal scan or DNA scan or voice print as mentioned above. Inasmuch as a camera can capture an image of an individual, a camera can be considered to be a biometric sensor as well. A process of determining or reading or scanning a biometric characteristic such as a finger print, voice print, DNA scan or retinal scan is considered to be any process by which physically measurable characteristics that unambiguously identify a particular person is obtained and from which data representing the characteristic can be generated. Converting the biometric characteristic into data or other electrical signals is part of a process of generating or creating data corresponding to or representing the characteristic, typically performed by the biometric sensor, such as the aforementioned Veridicom sensor.  
         [0039]    In Step  306 , a digital photograph of the traveler is taken by the digital camera  102 - 8  under the control of the processor  102 - 2 . The biometric scan data from the scanner  102 - 6  after any associated processing by the CPU  102 - 2  is denominated in FIG. 3 as B 1 . The digital photograph data and scan data are preferably stored together on a server  108  via a data network  106 . Having the biometric scan and the digital photograph stored to a server computer  108  accessible via a network  106  makes the data available from other computers that are also coupled to the network  106 . It also makes it possible to identify a traveler by his or her photograph as well as a fingerprint or thumb print or other biometric characteristic. The server  108  can function to compare the biometric data (obtained from the biometric sensor acquisition of a biometric characteristic) obtained at the check-in terminal  104  to later-acquired biometric data, such as that acquired at the biometric sensor  104 - 6  of the gate terminal  104 .  
         [0040]    In FIG. 3, optional procedures A and B identified by reference numerals  310  and  312  can be invoked and executed in alternate embodiments of the invention. FIG. 4 shows a simplified flow chart of the steps of procedure  310  by which biometric data can be sent to an external database in Steps  402  and  404 . Such an external database might include a database operated by a third-party data collection agency but would also include data bases maintained by or for law enforcement agencies. By sending biometric scan data B 1  and perhaps a digital photograph of a traveler obtained in Step  306  in Steps  402  and  404  respectively, common carriers who use the invention disclosed herein can readily and uniquely identify persons seeking to travel on its equipment. Moreover, law enforcement agencies can be assisted in the creation of a database of individuals who use common carriers such as airlines and thereby provide data that might be of assistance in tracking individuals responsible for the undertaking of criminal acts on, or using common carriers.  
         [0041]    In FIG. 4, optional Step  406  waits for an acknowledgement from a law enforcement agency or database operator that the biometric data and photographic scan data (if sent) is not identified with or corresponding to known criminal suspects. In optional Step  408  wherein an authorization message is sought, if an authorization message is received from a law enforcement agency approving of the issuance of travel services to the individual identified by the biometric scan data, an acknowledgment message returned from the law enforcement agency or database operator would result in the issuance of a boarding pass in Step  408 . Program control returns in Step  410  to Step  314  in FIG. 3 that is the printing and issuance of a boarding pass to the traveler.  
         [0042]    Optional procedure B, identified by reference numeral  312  in FIG. 3, is depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 depicts the steps by which law enforcement or other third party databases can be queried by either the server  108  (after receiving the scan data B 1  and photograph) or the check-in terminal  102  as to the propriety of allowing the traveler access to the common carrier&#39;s equipment. In Step  502 , an inquiry can be sent to an external law enforcement database including the biometric data (and picture) by either the processor  102 - 2  or the server  108 , via the network interface  114  and the internet  118  or the public switched telephone network  120  inquiring as to the presence or absence of biometric characteristics of individuals matching those obtained from the sensor  102 - 6  in Step  304 . Stated alternatively, in Step  502 , a law enforcement database or a third party service provider can be interrogated remotely to determine whether or not to issue travel tickets to the individual whose biometric characteristics were scanned in Step  304  and whose picture was taken in Step  306 .  
         [0043]    In Step  504 , a remote database of information on individuals who are wanted by law enforcement or who are otherwise substantial risks to a carrier can be identified and biometric data of individuals who should be prohibited access returned to the processor  102 - 2  or the server  108  for comparison in Step  504  to the encoded biometric data obtained in Step  304 . In Step  506 , if no correlation between the traveler&#39;s biometric characteristics and those of record by an external agency is found to exist, a boarding pass can be issued in Step  508  with program control returning to the procedures shown in FIG. 3 in Step  410 .  
         [0044]    If a correlation is found between biometric characteristics scanned in Steps  304  and  306  with records in an external database, in Step  512  issuance of any tickets or boarding pass can be denied followed by an optional notification of security services or law enforcement in Step  514 . Program control returns to Step  410  as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0045]    Returning to FIG. 3, in Step  314  the boarding pass or ticket can be printed and issued following Step  306  or upon the successful determination that a boarding pass should be issued as a result of the procedures shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. If a boarding pass and ticket is issued in Step  314 , the check-in, ticketing and identification procedure shown in FIG. 3 can be concluded in Step  316 . A passenger manifest using data collected at the check-in terminal can be printed from the terminal  102 . The collected data can also be sent to the server  108  for printing at an associated printer on the network.  
         [0046]    Having described the components and function of the check-in terminal  102 , the common carrier security system  100  shown in FIG. 1 also includes a gate terminal  104  that is coupled to the data network  106  and the server  108  so as to provide communications between the ticketing terminal  102  and the gate terminal  104 .  
         [0047]    The gate terminal  104  includes a processor or controller  104 - 2  and its associated memory  104 - 4 . The processor  104 - 2  executes program instructions and operates on data that are stored in the memory  104 - 4 . The instructions and data imbue the terminal  104  with the functionality depicted in the accompanying figures discussed hereinafter.  
         [0048]    A biometric sensor  104 - 6  in the terminal  104  is used to scan (senses or reads) the same characteristics as does the biometric sensor  102 - 6 . As set forth above, the server  108  can function to compare biometric data obtained from different biometric sensors. However, the processor  104 - 2  within the gate terminal can also perform such a comparison. Depending upon data loading on the network  106  and the server  108 , in heavily loaded networks and servers, having the processor  104 - 2  perform the comparison of biometric characteristics might be performed faster. By comparing the biometric characteristics obtained at the check-in terminal  102  to the biometric characteristics obtained at the gate terminal  104 , a confirmation that the person who bought the ticket and identified them self to the ticket agent is the same person who actually gets on the airplane, ship, train or bus. A digital camera/display screen  104 - 8  on which pictures and videos can be viewed and a boarding pass card reader  104 - 10  are also operatively coupled to the processor  104 - 2  via the control bus  104 - 12 .  
         [0049]    Operation of the gate terminal  104  in a preferred embodiment is depicted in FIG. 6 which shows a portion of the process for providing secure passage to travelers on a common carrier and which would likely be executed by the process  104 - 2 . In Step  602 , a boarding pass issued to the traveler in Step  314  is collected by a gate agent or inserted by the traveler. Printed (e.g., 1, 2 or 3-dimensional bar codes) or magnetically encoded information on the boarding card is read by a card reader that retrieves information encoded onto the boarding pass. In the prior art, physical collection of the boarding pass by a boarding pass reader  104 - 10  enables, among other things, a tally of the number of passengers actually boarding a common carrier carriage device (i.e., airplane, train, ship or bus). In the gate terminal  104 , the boarding pass reader  104 - 10  recovers data that represents the biometric characteristics of the individual who purchased the right to board the common carrier. That data is passed to the CPU in the terminal  104  for comparison to a second biometric scan and presentation onto a display.  
         [0050]    After the gate agent collects the boarding pass, a biometric characteristic is read or obtained in Step  604 , denominated as B 2 . The biometric characteristic read in Step  604  should be the same biometric characteristic that was read in Step  304 . In other words, if a traveler provided a thumb print or thumb scan in Step  304 , the same thumb scan or thumb print needs to be obtained in Step  604 .  
         [0051]    In Step  606 , the processor  104 - 2  retrieves via the network  106 , and preferably from the server  108 , the previously read biometric scan B 1  that was obtained in Step  304 . In Step  608  the initially, or first obtained scan, B 1 , is calculated to the second scan of the same characteristic and compared in Step  608 .  
         [0052]    In Step  610 , if it is determined that the two biometric characteristics are a match or are substantially matched to each other, in Step  612  the traveler can be enabled to board the carriage device (e.g., plane, boat, train or bus) and depart from the terminal for their destination.  
         [0053]    If in Step  610  the biometric characteristic that was obtained from the air traveler in Step  304  does not match that which was obtained in Step  604 , it can be concluded that the individual who purchased the ticket in Step  304  and the individual attempting to board the plane, train, ship or bus are different. In Step  614 , upon the determination that the biometric characteristics mismatch, the carrier can deny access or boarding to the traveler and in Step  616 , summon security. Program control concludes for the gate terminal  104  in Step  618  with the return to Step  602  for the next ticketed passenger.  
         [0054]    With respect to FIG. 1, the steps of the method performed by the gate terminal  104 , which are depicted in FIG. 6, are performed by the biometric sensor  104 - 6  and the processor  104 - 2  which obtains biometric scan data that was obtained at the ticketing terminal  102  and distributed via the network  106  to all gate agents that might be operating in an airport.  
         [0055]    Upon the determination that a mismatch exists between the biometric sensors data obtained at the ticketing terminal  102  and the biometric sensor obtained at the gate terminal  104 , the security system  100  shown in FIG. 1 can generate an appropriate alarm via an alarm device  110 . If it is determined that the biometric data obtained at the gate terminal  104  and at the ticketing terminal  102  match, a manifest of passengers on board a carriage device can be printed from a printer  112  operatively coupled to the server  108  or to either the gate terminal  104  or the ticketing terminal  102  via the network  106  and the server  108 .  
         [0056]    As set forth above, photographic data obtained by the digital camera  102 - 8  and biometric sensor data from the biometric sensor  102 - 6  can be collected by the CPU  102 - 2  and printed onto a boarding pass using a printer  102 - 12  at the ticketing terminal  102 . That data can also be stored in the memory  102 - 4  and the server  108  and indexed and retrieved for other purposes.  
         [0057]    In FIG. 7, the steps of an alternate procedure performed by an alternate embodiment of a gate terminal  102  are shown. In Step  702 , a traveler is checked-in using the procedure described with respect to Step  302 . In Step  704 , biometric characteristics can be scanned using the same steps described with respect to Step  304 . In Step  706 , a digital photograph obtained by the camera  102 - 8  can be obtained, and compressed if necessary for storage. In Step  708 , biometric data obtained by the scanning Step  704  and the digital photograph can be linked in the memory  102 - 4  of the ticketing terminal  102  such that the photograph of the traveler obtained in Step  706  and the biometric data obtained in Step  704  can be stored together as one data structure either locally in memory  102 - 4  or on a server  108 .  
         [0058]    Of significance in the procedure shown in FIG. 7 is Step  710  that provides the encoding and copying of the photograph data obtained in Step  706  and the biometric data obtained in Step  704 . In Step  710 , the biometric data and digital photograph data are copied onto an appropriate media on either the ticket and/or boarding pass. Copying the biometric scan data and the photograph data onto a boarding pass can be accomplished in a number of ways. A magnetic stripe, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional bar code provide mechanisms by which biometric data and a photograph uniquely identify the traveler checked-in in Step  702  is copied onto his boarding pass. In Steps  712  and  714 , the data on the traveler who is checked-in in Step  702  can be forwarded to external databases or databases can be queried to identify to law enforcement agencies the photograph and thumbprint seeking to travel on the common carrier. In Step  716 , if there is no criminal record or other reason why a boarding pass should not be issued to a traveler, the boarding pass, including the photograph and scanned biometric data can be printed and issued to the traveler in Step  716  using the printer  102 - 12  at the ticketing terminal  102 . In the security system  100 , the gate terminal  104  can employ functionality in a boarding pass card reader  104 - 10  to verify that the person presenting the boarding pass at the time of boarding a common carriage device is in fact the same person who purchased the ticket.  
         [0059]    In FIG. 8, the steps performed by the gate terminal  104  include the step of reading the boarding pass data in Step  802 . The boarding pass onto which the biometric data was copied and perhaps a digital photograph was copied are scanned and used to display a photograph at the gate to provide for a gate agent, a copy of the photograph of the person who purchased a ticket and presumably is the same person in custody of the physical boarding pass. Stated alternatively, the boarding pass that was printed in Step  716  is presented to the boarding pass card reader  104 - 10 . The boarding pass card reader  104 - 10  reads the encoded picture data, presents the data to the CPU  104 - 2  which reproduces the photograph on a display such as a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal display device that is part of the gate terminal  104 . By having presented to a gate agent a photograph of the person who purchased the ticket, a gate agent can verify that the individual who identified himself in the check-in procedure  702  is the person boarding the plane, ship, train or bus.  
         [0060]    In Step  804  of FIG. 8, a gate agent can compare the photograph of the person presenting the encoded boarding pass to the person standing before him and make a decision in Step  804  as to whether or not the photo of the person who purchased the ticket and the person before him are the same. If it appears to the agent that the person in front of him is not shown in the accompanying photograph, in Step  806 , boarding and departure of the individual can be inhibited followed by summoning of security or law enforcement to take appropriate action.  
         [0061]    In Step  804 , if it appears that the photograph stored on a boarding pass and the person in front of the gate agent are one in the same, or if there is some question thereof, an additional check of the individual can be performed in Step  808  using the biometric data obtained in Step  704  and rescanned in Step  803 .  
         [0062]    If the biometric scan data obtained in Step  803  matches that obtained in Step  704 , and if the photograph reproduced by the card reader  104 - 10  and the image of the individual in front of the gate agent matches, boarding can be enabled in Step  812 .  
         [0063]    [0063]FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment for securing safe passage of travelers on common carriers. In Step  902 , as part of the aforementioned check-in process, biometric data is scanned in Step  904  and compared to database entries in a database accessible to the server  108 . The biometric data obtained in Step  904  would be that read by biometric sensors  102 - 6  as part of a ticketing terminal  102 . Alternatively, the biometric data obtained in Step  904  could be that obtained by the sensors  104 - 6  at a gate terminal  104 .  
         [0064]    The biometric data of an individual presenting himself for ticketing or entry to a plane can be compared to database entries of record in Step  906  and, if a match is found in Step  908 , law enforcement can be notified in Step  910  or authorization granted to the traveler in Step  912  to board the common carriage device. In Step  914 , security personnel could detain a suspect passenger for interrogation.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIG. 10 shows a simplified depiction of the steps involved in scanning biometric characteristics using the aforementioned Veridicom capacitive fingerprint scanner. In Step  1002 , a command from the processors  102 - 2  or  104 - 2  to the sensors  102 - 6  or  104 - 6  reads the raster-scan data from the scanners in Step  1006  into a file. In one embodiment, a hash code can be calculated or a check sum calculated in order to reduce the size of the data obtained from a large pixel-count scanner in Step  1008 . The scan and process data is stored in Step  1010  in either the local memories  102 - 4  or  104 - 4  or alternatively can be stored on the server  108  via the network  106 .  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 11 shows the steps of a procedure  1100  by which image data from the cameras  102 - 8  is processed. In Step  1102 , data from the camera  102 - 8  is read by the processor  102 - 2  and compressed in Step  1104  for storage. An identification number can be assigned to the data structure of the data stored in Step  1104  by which a ticket number issued by the ticket terminal  102  is used to index and store the photograph data.  
         [0067]    It should be evident from the foregoing that an improved method and apparatus for providing secured transit to individuals using common carriers as provided using biometric data in the form of fingerprint data, retinal scans, DNA, or voice prints. Among other things, a ticketing agent can verify using well-known documents that an individual requesting a ticket and passage on a common carrier has what appears to be legitimate documentation identifying the person to the gate agent. Photographing the individual and obtaining a biometric sample fingerprint might subsequently identify the individual to law enforcement as an individual who perpetrated a criminal act on or using the common carrier device.