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financial results

Precise Biometrics achieves strong growth

Swedish fingerprint technology firm Precise Biometrics has reported

strong financial growth for the first two quarters of the calendar year and a major order after the end of the period.

The group’s net sales for the interim period amounted to SEK 21.9 million compared with SEK 17.9 million in the same year-earlier period. Meanwhile, the group’s income for the period amounted to SEK -11.6 million com-pared with SEK -18.4 million in the first two quarters last year.

Highlights for the year included a collabora-tion with Gemalto (the world largest smart card provider) to create Gemalto .NET Bio in April. The product which is targeted towards corporations and organizations enables secure and efficient logon to computers and networks using Precise Match-on-Card.

Precise Biometrics also received a follow-up order at a value of SEK 2.1 million from an existing government customer in the Middle East. The order comprises both hardware and software, which will be used in the further deployment of the government’s ID card pro-gram for employees.

After the end of the period Precise Biometrics received a significant order at a value of approximately SEK 48 million from the US Government. The order com-prises supplying both hardware and software to several government agencies within the framework of Cyber Security. The order will be delivered and invoiced before the end of 2009.

acquisition

AuthenTec acquires Atrua Technologies

Fingerprint sensor provider, AuthenTec, has completed a

transaction to acquire the assets of fingerprint sensor maker Atrua Technologies for approximately US$4.9 million in cash.

The purchase extends AuthenTec’s posi-tion in the wireless market and adds to its expansive intellectual property (IP) port-

folio. Papers have also been filed with the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California to effect the dismissal of all claims pending in AuthenTec’s patent infringement suit against Atrua as well as Atrua’s counterclaims.

Through this transaction, AuthenTec acquired certain Atrua assets including its “Fingerprint Touch Control” and “Micro Pressure Control” products, as well as tech-nologies and IP associated with the Atrua fin-gerprint sensor hardware and software. The acquired IP includes more than 30 issued and pending US patents, focused primarily on fingerprint sensor and intelligent touch con-trols for mobile devices, bringing AuthenTec’s total patent portfolio to more than 100 issued and pending US patents.

commented: “This transaction adds all of Atrua’s patents to our own IP portfolio, giv-ing AuthenTec the largest patent portfolio in the industry today. This asset acquisition also provides cost savings associated with the pending dismissal of our patent infringement lawsuit against Atrua.”

AuthenTec expects to record up to half of the total purchase price as an expense in the second quarter of 2009 based upon an estimate of the savings associated with the elimination of any future litigation in this matter.

partnership

UAE MOI and Sagem Sécurité sign partnership agreement

Services Privatization Group, a company owned by the Ministry

of the Interior of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Sagem Sécurité (Safran group) have announced a strategic partnership agreement in the security market.

The two parties will jointly develop services concerning road safety, as well as advanced systems for multibiometric identi-fication, registration of citizens, issuance of identity documents and automated border control solutions.

Jean-Paul Jainsky, chairman and CEO of Sagem Sécurité, said: “This new partner-ship continues a fruitful relationship with the Ministry of the Interior, initiated back in 1992. We are proud to take it to a higher level, confirming our solid local commit-ment to the United Arab Emirates.”

Biometric Technology Today July/August 2009

C O M P A N Y N E W S

L-1 Identity Solutions has announced that in the second quarter of this year it shipped US$8.3 million in PIER and HIIDE biometric enrolment and recogni-tion devices for use in areas of conflict around the world. Of that, US$2.7 million was from new purchase orders awarded in the quarter. The orders were received by the Biometrics Division of L-1. HIIDE is a ruggedized tri-modal mobile biometric enrolment and recognition device provid-ing real-time identification using iris, fin-ger and face biometrics. More than 4,000 PIER devices are in the field today, used for mobile enrolment and identification based on iris recognition.

OmniPerception has appointed Dr Stewart Hefferman as its CEO. Hefferman joins the company after four years as COO at TSSI Systems where he led the strategic development of the company and was responsible for exploring new markets and revenue opportunities. With over ten years’ experience in the biometrics market, Stewart will focus on driving the aggressive growth of OmniPerception through increased direct sales activity and the development of strategic partnerships with complimentary businesses. He suc-ceeds David McIntosh who has retired as CEO after six years.

Bell ID and Indian technology firm MGRM Net have established a joint venture to address opportunities in eGovernance and identity management in the country. Both partners will join forces in resourcing the proposed 50:50 joint venture with product IPRs, applications and requisite skills. The MGRM-Bell ID joint venture will explore smart card related opportunities secured by biometric applications based on domain research and integrate them with MGRM’s OmVcard capability. The two firms say the venture will become operational in the next quarter or as soon as all necessary formalities are completed.

AuthenTec has further expanded its pat-ent portfolio with the addition of four US patents (filed or pending) to its intellec-tual property portfolio. These four patents, originally filed by Veridicom for fingerprint sensing, imaging and sensor packaging, are among the foundational IP created for the biometrics industry. When combined with 32 US patents (filed or pending) from AuthenTec’s recent asset purchase of Atrua Technologies, the company now holds 115 filed or pending US patents, as well as addi-tional foreign patent counterparts.

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