METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXPANDABLE BIOMETRIC SEARCHING

A method and apparatus for expandable biometric searching are provided. A method preferably includes forming a plurality of biometric records. Each of the plurality of biometric records preferably includes at least one biometric index and biometric data associated with the at least one biometric index. The method also includes forming a multi-dimensional virtual space having a data structure with the plurality of biometric records stored therein and generally defined by a configuration of a tree. Each of the nodal regions at each level of the tree preferably has a generally spherical shape. The apparatus preferably includes a database having a plurality of biometric data groups. Each of the plurality of biometric data groups includes a plurality of records stored therein. The apparatus also includes a plurality of biometric searching engines. Each of the plurality of biometric searching engines includes data group managing means connected to said plurality of biometric data groups for managing the plurality of data groups. The data group managing means preferably includes multi-dimensional search space constructing means for constructing a multi-dimensional search space having a data structure with the plurality of biometric records stored therein and generally defined by a configuration of a tree. Each of the nodal regions at each level of the tree preferably has a generally spherical shape.