How to Work Signature and writing patterns

Signature and writing patterns: Signature verification is the process used to recognize an individual’s hand-written signature.

Dynamic signature verification technology uses the behavioral biometrics of a hand written signature to confirm the identity of a computer user. This is done by analyzing the shape, speed, stroke, pen pressure and timing information during the act of signing. Natural and intuitive, the technology is easy to explain and trust.

As a replacement for a password or a PIN number, dynamic signature verification is a biometric technology that is used to positively identify a person from their handwritten signature.

There is an important distinction between simple signature comparisons and dynamic signature verification. Both can be computerized but a simple comparison only takes into account what the signature looks like. Dynamic signature verification takes into account how the signature was made. With dynamic signature verification it is not the shape or look of the signature that is meaningful, it is the changes in speed, pressure and timing that occur during the act of signing. Only the original signer can recreate the changes in timing and X, Y, and Z (pressure).

A pasted bitmap, a copy machine or an expert forger may be able to duplicate what a signature looks like, but it is virtually impossible to duplicate the timing changes in X, Y and Z (pressure). The practiced and natural motion of the original signer would required to repeat the patterns shown.

There will always be slight variations in a person’s handwritten signature, but the consistency created by natural motion and practice over time creates a recognizable pattern that makes the handwritten signature a natural for biometric identification.

Signature verification is natural and intuitive. The technology is easy to explain and trust. The primary advantage that signature verification systems have over other types of biometric technologies is that signatures are already accepted as the common method of identity verification. This history of trust means that people are very willing to accept a signature based verification system.

Dynamic signature verification technology uses the behavioral biometrics of a hand written signature to confirm the identity of a computer user. Unlike the older technologies of passwords and keycards, which are often shared or easily forgotten, lost and stolen, dynamic signature verification provides a simple and natural method for increased computer security and trusted document authorization.

How It Works

Signature-scan technology utilizes the distinctive aspects of the signature to verify the identity of individuals. The technology examines the behavioral components of the signature, such as stroke order, speed and pressure as opposed to comparing visual images of signatures. Unlike traditional signature comparison technologies, signature-scan measures the physical activity of signing. While a system may also leverage a comparison of the visual appearance of a signature or “static signature”, the primary components of signature-scan are behavioral.

The signature, along with the variables present during the signing process is transmitted to a local PC for template generation. Verification can take place against a local PC or a central PC, depending on the application. In employee-facing signature-scan applications such as purchase order authentication, local processing may be preferred,  there may be just a single PC used for such authorization. For customer-facing applications, such as retail or banking authentication, centralized authentication is likely necessary because the user may sign at one of many locations.

The results of signature-scan comparisons must be tied into existing authentication schemes or used as the basis of new authentication procedures. For example, in a transactional authentication scenario, the “authorize transaction” message might be sent after a signature is acquired by a central PC. When signature-scan is integrated into this process, an additional routine requires that the signature characteristics be successfully matched against those on file in order for the “authorize transaction” message to go forward. In other applications, the results of a signature-scan match may simply be noted and appended to a transaction. For example, in document authentication an unsuccessful comparison may be flagged for future resolution while not halting a transaction. The simplest example would be a signature used for handheld device login: the successful authentication message merely needs to be integrated into the login module, similarly to a PIN or password.