Patent ID: 6871287

Claim:
A system for the identification and verification of a user, comprising: (a) an enrollment system for ensuring the user represents a person authorized to enroll in the system comprising: (i) at least one alphanumeric input device; (ii) at least one biometric input device; (iii) at least one header file database having a plurality of identities; (iv) at least one search engine, said search engine in communication with said header file database such that said search engine receives an alphanumeric data signal associated with identity data input into said alphanumeric input device by the user, and then searches said database for identities that match the alphanumeric data according to a predetermined first set of criteria; (v) a processor to generate a score for each identity found by said search engine to match the identity data according to a predetermined second set of criteria based on objective data, said processor capable of determining that said user's identity data is not suspicious based on said score prior to authorizing enrollment; (vi) an identity escrow database which is in communication with said processor and receives from said processor an approved identity data signal based on the user's identity data, said escrow database additionally in communication with said biometric input device capable of receiving at least one enrollment biometric data signal input by the user to said biometric input device only after the processor has determined that said user's identity data is not suspicious, said escrow database further comprising means for coupling the approved identity data signal and the received enrollment biometric data signal to create at least one subfile within the escrow database for each user comprising the approved identity data signal and the received enrollment biometric data signal; and (b) a verification system for verifying the identity of said user after the processor has determined that said user's identity data is not suspicious and the user has enrolled in the enrollment system comprising: (i) means for processing a live biometric data signal input by the user to the biometric input device to match the user's received enrollment biometric data in said escrow database according to a predetermined third set of criteria; and (ii) an output device for transmitting to a third party whether a match was located within said escrow database for said user.