Format

Participants are required to submit a software tool that is able to compare one (1) questioned signature against one (1) reference signature and that outputs a similarity score and a decision score. The tool must be made available as a Linux or Windows-win32 command line application (.o /.exe file) or a standalone java J2SE application (.jar file).

The interface of the verification tool (called sigVerify) consists of 4 parameters, separated by spaces.

1. The type of data being used (online, offline, or combined)
2. The path and filename without extension of the questioned signature
3. The path and filename without extension of the reference signature
4. The path and filename of the output file

For offline verification, e.g.:
sigVerify offline filename_questioned filename_reference filename_output.txt

For online verification, e.g.:
sigVerify online filename_questioned filename_reference filename_output.txt

For combined verification, e.g.:
sigVerify combined filename_questioned filename_reference filename_output.txt

For offline-combined verification, e.g.:
sigVerify offcombined filename_questioned filename_reference filename_output.txt

The tool writes a result line in the output file that should have the following format:
questioned signature reference signature similarity score decision score

When the output file already exists, the tool should append the result line to the bottom of the already existing result lines.

The filename of the output file should have the following format:

• 6 or less characters for the name of the institute and system identifier in cases of more than one system per institute (e.g. myLab1 and myLab2)
• 2 characters for classifier (on=online, of=offline, co=combined, fo=offline for questioned signature vs. combined for reference signature)
• 1 character for image resolution (3=300dpi, 6=600dpi)
• 1 character for tones used in the images (c=24bit rgb-color, g=8bit grayscale, b=binary)
  
  

Participants must deliver the verification tool and all software needed to run it in a single ZIP file. This ZIP file must also contain a readme.txt file with all relevant information of installing and running the tool. In addition we ask for a short description of the fundamental approach (2000 words extended attracts) and references to further publications if available.

The executable will not be used for purposes other than the ICDAR2009 competition. Performances will be published in the ICDAR proceedings and in an extended journal publication. After the competition, all executables will be destroyed. If a team chooses to use some expiration mechanism, the expiration should be set to 31 December 2009.