Terms and Definitions

For the purpose of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

Algorithm

A sequence of instructions that tell a biometric system how to solve a particular problem. An algorithm will have a finite number of steps and is typically used by the biometric engine (i.e. the biometric system software) to compute whether a biometric sample and template match.

Biometric data

Data encoding a feature or features used in biometric verification.

Comparison

The process of comparing a biometric sample with a previously stored reference template or templates.

Comparison score

Numerical value resulting from a comparison.

Enrollment

The process of collecting biometric samples from a person and the subsequent preparation and storage of biometric reference templates representing that person’s identity.

Extraction

The process of converting a captured biometric sample into biometric data so that it can be compared to a reference template; sometimes called ‘characterization’.

False match

Comparison decision of ‘match’ for a biometric probe and a biometric reference that are from different biometric capture subjects.

False match rate

Expected probability that a captured biometric sample will be falsely declared to match to a single, randomly-selected, non-self biometric reference.

False non-match

Comparison decision of ‘non-match’ for a biometric probe and a biometric reference that are from the same biometric capture subject and of the same biometric characteristic.

False non-match rate

Proportion of the completed biometric mated comparison trials that result in a false non-match.

Match / Matching

The process of comparing a biometric sample against a previously stored template and scoring the level of similarity.

One-to-many search

Process in which a biometric probe of one biometric data subject is searched against the biometric references of more than one biometric data subject to return a candidate list or a comparison decision.

One-to-one comparison

Process in which a biometric probe from one biometric data subject is compared to a biometric reference from one biometric data subject to produce a comparison score.

Template / Reference template

Data, which represents the biometric measurement of an enrollee, used by a biometric system for comparison against subsequently submitted biometric samples.

NOTE - this term is not restricted to mean only data used in any particular recognition method, such as template matching.

Abbreviated Terms

For the purpose of this document, the following abbreviations apply.

API	Application Programming Interface
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
GPU	Graphical Processing Unit
ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organization
IOD	Interocular distance
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
NIST	National Institute of Standards And Technology
ONVIF	Open Network Video Interface Forum
PAD	Presentation attack detection
SDK	Software Development Kit