Hybrid writer‐independent–writer‐dependent offline signature verification system. Issue 4 (1st December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eskander, George S.; Sabourin, Robert; Granger, Eric
• Is Part Of: IET biometrics. Volume 2:Issue 4(2013)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 181
• Publication Date: 2013-12-01
• Subjects: computational complexity -- digital signatures -- formal verification -- handwriting recognition -- image classification -- image fusion -- query processing; signature sample -- WD classifier -- global classifier -- signature template -- template database -- information fusion -- decision level -- computational complexity -- hybrid WIâ€"WD offline signature verification system -- query verification -- WI classifier -- GPDS signature database -- writer dependent system -- writer independent; Biometric identification -- Periodicals; 570.15195
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-bmt.2013.0024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2047-4938

Abstract

Abstract : Standard signature verification (SV) systems are writer‐dependent (WD), where a specific classifier is designed for each individual. It is inconvenient to ask a user to provide enough number of signature samples to design his WD classifier. In practice, very few samples are collected and inaccurate classifiers maybe produced. To overcome this, writer‐independent (WI) systems are introduced. A global classifier is designed using a development database, prior to enrolling users to the system. For these systems, signature templates are needed for verification, and the template databases can be compromised. Moreover, state‐of‐the‐art WI and WD systems provide enhanced accuracy through information fusion at either feature, score or decision levels, but they increase computational complexity. In this study, a hybrid WI–WD system is proposed, as a compromise of the two approaches. When a user is enrolled to the system, a WI classifier is used to verify his queries. During operation, user samples are collected and adapt the WI classifier to his signatures. Once adapted, the resulting WD classifier replaces the WI classifier for this user. Simulations on the Brazilian and the GPDS signature databases indicate that the proposed hybrid system provides comparative accuracy as complex WI and WD systems, while decreases the classification complexity.