ISO/IEC 19794-9:2011

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19794-9
Second edition
2011-10-01
Information technology — Biometric data
interchange formats —
Part 9:
Vascular image data
Technologies de l'information — Formats d'échange de données
biométriques —
Partie 9: Données d'images vasculaires

Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2011
©  ISO/IEC 2011
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
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ii © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword . iv
Introduction . v
1  Scope . 1
2  Conformance . 1
3  Normative reference . 2
4  Terms and definitions . 2
5  Abbreviated terms . 2
6  Data conventions . 3
6.1  Byte and bit ordering . 3
6.2  Scan sequence . 3
7  Image capture requirements . 3
7.1  Spatial sampling rate . 3
7.2  Bit-depth . 3
7.3  Illumination . 3
7.4  Pixel aspect ratio . 4
7.5  Normalization of projection . 4
7.6  Image storage format . 4
7.7  Imaging area . 4
7.8  Standard pose . 5
7.9  Object coordinate system. 6
7.10  Occlusion by opaque artifacts . 7
8  Vascular image format specification . 7
8.1  Biometric Data Record . 7
8.2  General Header . 8
8.3  Representation header . 9
8.4  Extended data . 15
9  Registered Format Type Identifier . 18
Annex A (normative) Conformance Testing Methodology . 19
Annex B (informative) A sample image data packet . 20

© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved iii

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 19794-9 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC JTC1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 37, Biometrics.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 19794-9:2007), Clause 8 and Annex A of
which have been technically revised.
ISO/IEC 19794 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Biometric data
interchange formats:
 Part 1: Framework
 Part 2: Finger minutiae data
 Part 3: Finger pattern spectral data
 Part 4: Finger image data
 Part 5: Face image data
 Part 6: Iris image data
 Part 7: Signature/sign time series data
 Part 8: Finger pattern skeletal data
 Part 9: Vascular image data
 Part 10: Hand geometry silhouette data
 Part 11: Signature/sign processed dynamic data
 Part 13: Voice Data
 Part 14: DNA data
iv © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Vascular biometric technologies have existed for many years. Additionally, new technologies employing
vascular images obtained from various parts of the human body are emerging or under continuous
improvement as a result of new, state-of-the-art imaging devices. Some of them are being widely adopted as
reliable biometric modalities.
Currently however, little vascular biometric image information is being exchanged between the equipment and
devices from different vendors. This is due in part to the lack of standardized formats for information exchange
that would ensure interoperability among the various vendors.
The purpose of this part of ISO/IEC 19794 is to define a standard for the exchange of human vascular
biometric image information. It defines specific attributes, a data record format for storing and transmitting
vascular biometric images and certain attributes, a sample record, and conformance criteria.
This part of ISO/IEC 19794 is intended for applications requiring the exchange of raw or processed vascular
biometric images. It is intended for applications not limited by the amount of storage required. It is a
compromise or a trade-off between the resources required for data storage or transmission and the potential
for improved data quality/accuracy. Basically, it is to enable various algorithms to identify or verify the vascular
biometric image data transferred from other image sources. Currently available vascular biometric
technologies that may utilize this part of ISO/IEC 19794 for image exchange are technologies that use the
back of the hand, palm, and finger.
The use of captured source images can provide interoperability among and between vendors relying on
various different recognition or verification algorithms. Accordingly, data from the captured vascular biometric
image offers the developer more freedom in choosing or combining a comparison subsystem.

© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19794-9:2011(E)

Information technology — Biometric data interchange
formats —
Part 9:
Vascular image data
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 19794 specifies an image interchange format for biometric person identification or
verification technologies that utilize human vascular biometric images and may be used for the exchange and
comparison of vascular image data.
It specifies a data record interchange format for storing, recording, and transmitting vascular biometric
information from one or more areas of the human body. It defines the contents, format, and units of
measurement for the image exchange. The format consists of mandatory and optional items, including
scanning parameters, compressed or uncompressed image specifications and vendor-specific information.
Information compiled and formatted in accordance with this part of ISO/IEC 19794 can be recorded on
machine-readable media or may be transmitted by data communication facilities.
2 Conformance
A biometric data record conforms to this part of ISO/IEC 19794 if it satisfies all of the normative requirements
related to:
a) its data structure, data values, and the relationships between its data elements, as specified throughout
Clause 9 for the Vascular Image Record Format of this part of ISO/IEC 19794, and
b) the relationship between its data values and the input biometric data from which the biometric data record
was generated, as specified throughout Clause 9 for the Vascular Image Record Format of this part of
ISO/IEC 19794.
A system that produces biometric data records is conformant to this part of ISO/IEC 19794 if all biometric data
records that it outputs conform to this part of ISO/IEC 19794 (as defined above), as claimed in the
Implementation Conformance Statement associated with that system. A system does not need to be capable
of producing biometric data records that cover all possible aspects of this part of ISO/IEC 19794, but only
those that are claimed to be supported by the system in the Implementation Conformance Statement (ICS).
A system that uses biometric data records is conformant to this part of ISO/IEC 19794 if it can read, and use
for the purpose intended by that system, all biometric data records that conform to this part of ISO/IEC 19794
(as defined above), as claimed in the Implementation Conformance Statement associated with that system. A
system does not need to be capable of using biometric data records that cover all possible aspects of this part
of ISO/IEC 19794, but only those that are claimed to be supported by the system in an ICS.
© ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved 1

3 Normative reference
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 10918-1, Information technology — Digital compression and coding of continuous-tone still images:
Requirements and guidelines
ISO/IEC 15444-1, Information technology — JPEG 2000 image coding system: Core coding system
ISO/IEC 14495-1, Information technology — Lossless and near-lossless compression of continuous-tone still
images: Baseline
ISO/IEC 19794-1:2011, Information technology — Biometric data interchange formats — Part 1: Framework
4 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19794-1 and the following apply.
4.1
centroid
centre of gravity
NOTE In this part of ISO/IEC 19794, it is used to define a unique location within a silhouette image that can be
assumed as the origin of a coordinate system.
4.2
dorsal
back side of a finger or a hand
4.3
vascular biometric image
captured raw or processed image that represents physical characteristics or traits of vascular pattern used to
recognize the identity or verify the claimed identity of an individual
4.4
vascular image header record
information contained in the header data structure of the vascular image data format as specified in this part of
ISO/IEC 19794
4.5
ventral
palm side of a finger or a hand
5 Abbreviated terms
nm nanometre
ppcm pixels per centimetre
VIR vascular biometric image record
RGB red, green, blue color model
2 © ISO/IEC 2011 – All rights reserved

6 Data conventions
6.1 Byte and bit ordering
The quantities in all records and vascular biometric image elements (pixel data), if represented as multibyte
quantities, are represented in big-endian format. That is, the more significant bytes of any multibyte quantity
are stored at lower addresses in memory than are the less significant bytes. The order for transmission sha
...