ISO/IEC 19794-9:2007

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19794-9
First edition
2007-03-01
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 2007
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ii © ISO/IEC 2007 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Conformance. 1
3 Normative references . 1
4 Terms and definitions. 2
5 Abbreviated terms . 3
6 Data conventions. 3
6.1 Byte and bit ordering. 3
6.2 Scan sequence. 3
7 Image capture requirements. 4
7.1 Spatial resolution. 4
7.2 Gray scale depth. 4
7.3 Illumination. 4
7.4 Pixel aspect ratio . 4
7.5 Normalization of projection . 4
7.6 Image storage format . 4
7.7 Imaging area. 5
7.8 Standard pose . 5
7.9 Object coordinate system. 7
8 Vascular image format specification . 7
8.1 Vascular image data block. 7
8.2 Vascular image record header . 7
8.3 Vascular image header. 9
Annex A (informative) A sample image data packet. 16

© ISO/IEC 2007 – 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 the member bodies for voting. Publication
as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
ISO/IEC 19794-9 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 37, Biometrics.
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
iv © ISO/IEC 2007 – 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 proposed standard for the exchange of human
vascular biometric image information. It defines a specific definition of 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 matching algorithm technology.
© ISO/IEC 2007 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19794-9:2007(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.
Vascular biometric image data that comply with this part of ISO/IEC 19794 are intended to be embedded in a
CBEFF-compliant structure in the CBEFF Biometric Data Block (BDB) as specified in ISO/IEC 19785-1.
2 Conformance
Applications claiming conformance with this part of ISO/IEC 19794 shall be capable of encoding and decoding
vascular biometric image data and the associated parameter data used in the transmitting and/or receiving of
vascular biometric images as defined by this part of ISO/IEC 19794. Minimum conformance shall require the
ability to transmit (exchange) and extract interoperable vascular biometric information
Since the size of the human body areas used by vascular biometric technologies varies dramatically among
the different technologies, the recommended image quality criteria described in this part of ISO/IEC 19794
should be associated with specific technologies. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to specify the minimum
requirement of the spatial resolution of an image in a single standard format. Accordingly, the minimum
requirement of the spatial resolution is not defined in this part of ISO/IEC 19794.
3 Normative references
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 19794-1, Information technology — Biometric data interchange formats — Part 1: Framework
ISO/IEC 19785-1, Information technology — Common Biometric Exchange Formats Framework — Part 1:
Data element specification
ISO/IEC 10918 (all parts), Information technology — Digital compression and coding of continuous-tone still
images
© ISO/IEC 2007 – All rights reserved 1

ISO/IEC 15444 (all parts), Information technology — JPEG 2000 image coding system
ISO/IEC 14495 (all parts), Information technology — Lossless and near-lossless compression of continuous-
tone still images
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
capture
acquire vascular biometric image data from an individual
4.2
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.
4.3
gray scale
continuous-tone image that has one component, which is luminance
4.4
pixel
picture element
NOTE A digital image is a matrix with pixels organized in row-column format. A digital image with M by N
components of gray scale or color values consists of M ×  pixels.
4.5
raw
image file format in which the image is stored in the same format in which it is stored in video memory,
typically one byte (for monochrome images) per picture element or three bytes (for color images) per picture
element
NOTE This format does not contain any information related to the image and/or imaging parameters.
4.6
scan resolution
spatial resolution
number of pixels per unit distance
NOTE Horizontal scan resolution can be different from vertical scan resolution.
4.7
vascular biometric image
captured raw or processed image that contains physical characteristics or traits of vascular pattern used to
recognize the identity or verify the claimed identity of an individual
4.8
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
2 © ISO/IEC 2007 – All rights reserved

4.9
ventral
palm side of a finger or a hand
4.10
dorsal
back side of a finger or a hand
4.11
transaction
command, message or input record that explicitly or implicitly calls for a processing action
NOTE Information contained in a transaction is applicable to a single
...