PDB - De La Rues Evolution in Data Storage

PDB can be applied using almost any personalisation or printing technology; using laser-marking techniques it has been shown that as much as 32,000 bytes of data can be incorporated into an area similar to that taken up by a traditional magnetic strip. PDB is secure, it can be combined with other high security printing devices without impacting the document readability level, making the document virtually impossible to alter fraudulently or counterfeit. It is an ideal supporting or back-up storage device for contactless or contact based electronic devices. This means that when the chip in the identity document, or the reader itself, fails, the personal data stored in the PDB code can still be accessed using basic verification infrastructure. As a result of PDBs increased data capacity it is also able to incorporate additional security features such as a digital signature. PDB is a highly flexible technology, multiple codes of different sizes and resolutions can be printed on a single document and subsequently decoded by the same software. There is no need for investment in complex infrastructure, with all the technology being cost-effective and off-the-shelf. The code can be read on most low cost scanners at almost any scanning angle, resulting in faster facilitation of travellers and insignificant reject levels. Additionally, it can be applied to travel documents using existing document personalisation technologies.