Identity document authentication firm AssureTec Technologies has been awarded Canadian Patent 2,469,797 'Document and Bearer Verification'.This patent enables methodology for secure verification of biometrics and personal information necessary to obtain secure documents and restricted access while limiting the availability of such personal information to others. According to the company, the award of this Canadian patent mirrors the earlier award of US Patent 7,003,669 B2. "The issuance of both the Canadian version and the US version of this patent allows AssureTec to continue to create the most accurate and secure document issuance and identity verification programmes for both commercial and government users while enabling the industry's highest level of protection of personal information," says Steve Maloney, president and CEO of AssureTec Technologies.The award covers methods for verifying the identity of applicants applying for documents, issuers of documents as well as verifying the identity of bearers of documents by obtaining information from the applicant, the documents and or the bearer without disclosing such information. The company says: "Over the years, identity documents have become increasingly sophisticated in technology in order to help mitigate fraud and terrorism. With this new patent, AssureTec expands its ability to validate not only the document itself but both biometrics and documents against other databases to help counter the threats from improperly obtained real documents and/or more advanced identity theft and it does so while protecting the personally identifiable information (PII) being obtained."