Is there a standard, storage algorithm or protocol for fingerprints?

Question

What are the generic conventions and standards for storing and identifying biometric fingerprints out there?

Are there some RFC documents for that?

As a sub-question: suppose I want to preserve my own fingerprint on some digital media - is there a public format to do this?

Superficially, I know the market has both simple technologies that only take fingers' photos, and more sophisticated technologies as Apple's TouchID, as well as biometric databases of states and police.

Therefore, any related information will be helpful!

Your question is a bit ambiguous. Are you talking about biometric data storage? Or are you talking about fingerprints identifying operating systems (such as ones used by Nmap)? — Adi, Nov 09 '13 at 10:18
Well, I'm talking about the biometric one. Sorry for the late answer. — Reflection, Apr 15 '14 at 11:12
You do know that fingerprints are stored with the help of wavelets, don't you? — Deer Hunter, Apr 15 '14 at 11:33
@DeerHunter Is it always the case with the latest technologies? Would love to hear more. — Reflection, Apr 15 '14 at 11:38
Try visiting the FBI Biospecs site: https://www.fbibiospecs.org/ — Deer Hunter, Apr 15 '14 at 11:40

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 10 '13 at 05:12

AFIS is the name of rhe Automated Fingerprint Identification Service, and NIST is the federal agency responsible for technical standards. Search Google for "site:nist.gov afis" and you'll find this link: http://www.nist.gov/oles/afis_interoperability.cfm

From it, it's evident that law enforcement agencies are still struggling to create interoperable systems, which strongly suggests that specific standards you are looking for are still fairly rudimentary. But it also lists progress that's been made.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 15 '14 at 12:46

Yes. You are looking specifically for Type 14 records here: NIST Special Publication 500-290 Rev1 (2013) a.k.a. ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 (Updated).

The fingerprints themselves are stored as Wavelet Scalar Quantization images according to IAFIS-IC-0110 (V3.1) WSQ Gray-scale Fingerprint Image Compression Specification, October 4, 2010.

For more information, please visit the nearest FBI field office or resident agency, or the site: https://www.fbibiospecs.org/ Terms and conditions apply.

Is there a standard, storage algorithm or protocol for fingerprints?

2 Answers2