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Biometric smartcard

Lenel Systems International has expanded its OnGuard Total Security Management Solutions with an integrated biometric smartcard.

The OnGuard Biometrics architecture, which enables customers to centrally capture, manage and distribute biometric information, provides important advantages. Utilising this infrastructure, customers can deploy a distributed controller-based biometric solution and/or a distributed smartcard-based solution.

In the distributed smartcard solution, biometric data is captured during normal user enrollment procedures. The biometric information is then encrypted and stored on the user's smartcard. This feature is designed to use both contact smartcards, which store electronic data on an embedded memory chip and transmit data via physical contacts, and contactless smartcards, which transmit data wirelessly.

The distributed controller-based architecture also allows for biometric data to be captured during normal user enrollment procedures. The biometric information is then transmitted to the access controllers along with the user's badge and access information. Both architectures offer local realtime screening at the door used for access decisions, even if the controller is off-line with the OnGuard Security Server.

New biometric offerings

OnGuard now seamlessly integrates two new distributed smartcard solutions: Bioscrypt's V-Smart reader line (a contact smartcard solution) and Biocentric's GuardDog reader line (a contactless smartcard solution using MiFare technology). Both solutions offer a fully integrated solution that store smartcard biometric data (a fingerprint) unique to that cardholder. When facility access is desired, the cardholder applies his finger to the reader, and the fingerprint is verified in realtime against the biometric data stored in the smartcard. If there is a match, access is granted based on the cardholder's permission levels.

Lenel has further expanded the functionality of OnGuard's biometric support by allowing customers to define what times of the day they wish to control their facilities with biometric technologies. For example, a customer may want to control access during daytime hours using an ID card only, but wish to control the facility during off hours using ID card and biometric verification.

In addition, OnGuard has expanded the capabilities of its seamless integration to the Identix Fingerscan V20 Universal Access Readers by allowing the use of their integrated keypad for customers wishing to have a single reader solution for both biometric and cardholder PIN verification.

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