Patent ID: 7512254

Claim:
A portable device for authenticating an identity of a person, comprising: an imager; an image processing unit reading encoded data in a first image from the imager, the image processing unit extracting a portion of a second image from the imager to generate extracted portion data, wherein the extracted portion of the second image corresponds to a portion of a person whose identity is to be authenticated; and a processor for comparing the extracted portion data of the second image to stored biometric data for the person, wherein the stored biometric data is stored in a remote database and is located as a function of an identifier derived from the data read from the first image, wherein the identifier is transmitted from the portable device to the remote database, wherein the imager is a dual-illumination imager using a visual spectrum and a non-visible spectrum, wherein the imager includes a first light source for providing light in the visual spectrum, wherein the imager includes a second light source for providing light in the non-visible spectrum, and wherein the imager activates only the second light source in order to generate the second image.