Instructions

U.are.U SDK - Developer Guide 71
OPOS
THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES HOW TO USE THE OPOS API.
The U.are.U OPOS API is built on the U.are.U C/C++ API. The OPOS API is geared for Point of Sale applications and
has the following features:
• Fully compliant with OPOS 1.13. The U.are.U OPOS API conforms to the specifications for the Biometrics
device category in Chapter 5, “Biometrics,” of the UnifiedPOS Retail Peripheral Architecture, Version 1.13 (July
15, 2009). The complete UPOS documentation is available at http://www.nrf-arts.org/UnifiedPOS/default.htm.
• Backward compatible with previous DigitalPersona OPOS product (U.are.U UPOS for OPOS SDK), with a
few minor caveats. This new API is the result of merging the previous OPOS SDK with the U.are.U SDK. For
users of the previous SDK, the updated SDK means an upgraded internal architecture for more robust performance
-- up to ten times faster for identification. If you are upgrading an existing application, see Upgrading from
U.are.U UPOS for OPOS/JavaPOS on page 20 for more details.
• The OPOS API is a set of COM objects that acts as an extension to the U.are.U fingerprint reader driver,
providing an OPOS-compliant application interface to U.are.U products. It consists of a Control Object (CO) (an
ActiveX® Control) for the OPOS Biometrics device category and a Service Object (SO).
• Because the OPOS API is built as an adjunct to the C/C++ API, applications can use both the OPOS
standard operations AND use the U.are.U C/C++ API (described in The C/C++ APIs on page 23). C/C++
methods can be used to access streaming features or to import data.
• A complete reference to the controls, properties, methods and events of the OPOS interface is provided in
Appendix A of the UnifiedPOS specification, a PDF document titled “UnifiedPOS Retail Peripheral
Architecture.” Download the current version from http://www.nrf-arts.org/content/unifiedpos.
Terminology Note
The U.are.U OPOS API conforms to the standard terminology used by the 2009 OPOS specification, whereas the other
APIs in the U.are.U SDK generally use terminology that matches evolving industry standards. If you are going to use
the U.are.U C/C++ API along with OPOS, you need to note that in OPOS, the extracted fingerprint data (template) is
stored in a biometric information record (BIR). The templates created through enrollment and capture are equivalent to
Fingerprint Minutiae Data (FMD) records in the other APIs of the U.are.U SDK. Note that OPOS templates include a
12- or 45-byte OPOS header in addition to the data itself.
Working with Fingerprint Data in OPOS
The U.are.U OPOS API provides two types of fingerprint data: raw images and fingerprint templates. The data flow for
OPOS applications is the same as described in
Understanding the Data Flow on page 11 except that OPOS data has
additional OPOS headers and OPOS does not use the FID/FMD terminology used by U.are.U. Note that there is no
easy method provided in the API for converting data from OPOS BIRs to FMDs.
Fingerprint Data for Raw Images (Captures)
Per the OPOS specifications, raw fingerprint scans (images) are available in the RawSensorData property when
StatusUpdateEvent triggers.
Fingerprint Data for Captures and Enrollment Templates (BIRs)
The U.are.U OPOS API now supports four different OPOS biometric information record (BIR) formats, as set by the
Algorithm property: