Booklike Document with Near-IR Window for Automated Border Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated biometric border control systems face inefficiencies due to travelers not opening their passports or incorrectly positioning the personalization page on the reader, leading to errors in verification and authentication processes.

Innovation Solution

A document with a book-like structure incorporating an integrated electronic circuit and two optically readable zones, where one zone is visible through a near-IR transparent window on the cover, allowing data access without opening the document and enabling authentication via cryptographic protocols, even if the document is placed incorrectly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the personalization page is placed inside the document without external visibility, then security against unauthorized reading is improved, but the ability to read data without opening the document deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddata access
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A transparent window in the cover acts as an intermediary element that allows optical signals to pass through and reach the optically readable zone on the personalization page, enabling data reading without physically opening the document while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the document requires correct positioning of the personalization page on the reader, then reading accuracy is improved, but processing speed and efficiency deteriorate due to positioning errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereading accuracyVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The optically readable zone is pre-positioned and made visible through the transparent window in the closed document state, allowing the reading device to detect and read data without requiring the user to manually position the personalization page correctly, thus eliminating positioning errors and speeding up processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the document is kept closed during verification, then security and convenience are improved, but the ability to perform optical verification deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconvenienceVSAvoidverification capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transparent window serves as an intermediary that enables optical verification signals to pass through the closed document cover and reach the optically readable zone, allowing verification to be performed on closed documents while maintaining both security and convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Facilitates rapid and accurate verification and authentication of travelers, reducing processing time and errors by allowing data access and biometric verification without requiring correct positioning of the personalization page, thus enhancing security and efficiency in automated border control systems.

Implementation Method 1

The window is only permeable to light in the near IR range

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNear-IR transparency: Filter (optical)

Data Source

PatentEP2964469B1Document having a booklike structure
Publication Date: 2017.09.20 BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
  • EP2964469B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2964469B1 patent drawingFigure 2~7
  • EP2964469B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

Automated border and access controls are disadvantageously delayed if data from inner pages of identity documents having a booklike structure have to be acquired by machine. What is proposed as a basic solution to this is a document of booklike structure having a front binding and a back binding, a personalisation page and having an integrated electronic circuit for storing data. In this case, the circuit comprises a radio interface for reading out the data. The personalisation page is provided with a first optically readable zone with information. Furthermore, a second optically readable zone is provided in the document, said second optically readable zone containing the information of the first optically readable zone. The front binding and/or back binding of the document have/has a window through which the second optically readable zone is optically detectable in the closed state of the document.