Virtual Machine Integration for Proprietary Biometric Peripherals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing biometric systems in multi-party industries like airlines face scalability issues due to proprietary formats, leading to integration challenges and security risks, as actors are reluctant to share proprietary details, resulting in redundancies and inability to integrate seamlessly.

Innovation Solution

A virtual machine is provided with an API to emulate electronic devices, allowing integration of biometric peripherals and other devices using proprietary formats while maintaining security by connecting to a remotely hosted identity service for verification, and reformating data without revealing proprietary formats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If proprietary formats are used by different actors in multi-party industries, then each actor can maintain security and control over their own systems, but integration between systems becomes difficult and requires custom-built solutions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidintegration capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A virtual machine is introduced as an intermediary component that sits between biometric devices using proprietary formats and the centralized repository. The virtual machine emulates standard device interfaces and handles format conversion internally, allowing different actors to maintain their proprietary formats while achieving seamless integration. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling both security (through format protection) and adaptability (through integration capability).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual machine creates virtual copies of standard electronic device interfaces that emulate expected behaviors and data formats. Instead of requiring actual hardware devices with proprietary formats to directly interface with the repository, the virtual machine presents standardized virtual interfaces that the repository can interact with using conventional protocols, thus enabling integration without exposing proprietary formats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If proprietary formats are shared between actors to enable integration, then seamless integration can be achieved, but security risks increase due to potential interception and misuse of format details

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration capabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual machine acts as a security intermediary that prevents direct exposure of proprietary formats. It receives data in proprietary formats from various actors, performs necessary conversions internally, and communicates with the centralized repository using standardized formats. This intermediary layer eliminates the need for actors to share their proprietary format specifications, thereby maintaining security while achieving integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses virtual copying of device interfaces rather than direct physical connections. The virtual machine creates virtual representations of biometric devices that present standardized interfaces to the repository, while the actual proprietary-format devices communicate only with the virtual machine. This copying approach allows integration without revealing sensitive format details to other actors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If custom-built integration solutions are developed for each combination of proprietary formats, then integration can be achieved, but system complexity and costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual machine is designed as a universal integration platform that can handle multiple proprietary formats through a single standardized interface. Rather than requiring separate custom integration solutions for each format combination, the virtual machine provides multi-functional capability to accommodate various biometric device formats, thereby reducing system complexity and eliminating the need for multiple custom-built solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By introducing the virtual machine as a universal intermediary, the system eliminates the need for numerous point-to-point integration solutions. The virtual machine serves as a single mediation layer that all proprietary-format devices can connect to, simplifying the overall system architecture from many complex connections to a standardized hub-and-spoke model.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4042276B1Providing virtual machines for centralized integration with peripherals including biometric devices
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 AMADEUS SAS
  • EP4042276B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4042276B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4042276B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing a virtual machine and for providing authentication of a user using the virtual machine. The disclosed systems and methods may perform operations including providing an application programming interface (API) to an electronic device; booting a virtual machine configured to emulate a type of electronic device based on a workstation to which the electronic device is connected; receiving input, using the API, from the electronic device; and providing output to the workstation using the virtual machine. In another example, the disclosed systems and methods may perform operations including connecting, via at least one network and through an application programming interface (API), to a remote server; providing to the remote server, via the at least one network and through the API, the captured biometric indicator; receiving, from a virtual machine executed on the remote server, at least one packet in a defined format based on the biometric indicator; and forwarding the received at least one packet to a workstation communicably connected to the electronic device.