It’s the first success for the new PSS-IIb, provided to the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) as a mobile access control system to the plants of the important Saudi oil company.
The PSS-IIb devices will be used to read and verify the Saudi Aramco employee ID cards (contactless smartcards).
Saudi Aramco employs approximately 55.000 people worldwide and is one of the major oil companies in the world. It’s controlled directly by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The solution proposed to Saudi Aramco is based on PSS-IIb devices, configured with the optional Barcode and contactless chip module, and equipped with the “Mobile Access Control System” software developed by Italdata. The overall solution is completed by a “back-end” that interacts with the PSS devices, fully integrated with the existing Saudi Aramco Access Control system, based on fixed readers.
The new PSS-IIb, thanks to its features and modularity, was a perfect match to the requirements of Saudi Aramco who, in addition to a mobile physical access control solution, was looking for a solution ready to grow and open to the implementation of new applications.
Talks are already in progress with the customer in order to extend the use of the PSS to other applications, such as logistics, biometric identity verification and automated recognition of the license plates of the vehicles entering and exiting the plants.
The relevance of this contract comes from the importance and size of the customer, and it’s also the first application of the PSS (up to now only used in Homeland Security applications) in a civilian context.

Italdata has released the new PSS Surveillance Center, which allows interacting with the devices deployed in the field.
Thanks to the features of the Surveillance Center, it’s possible to display in real-time on a map the position of the active PSS devices, send messages to one or more devices, receive alarm messages and display detailed information on the activities performed by the devices. The Surveillance Center also receives and archives all the data sent by the PSS devices, and provides reporting tools that can be used to perform queries on the database.
The Surveillance Center also allows the integration of the customer’s Information Systems, such as:
AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), Civil Registry, License Plates Hot-Lists and others.
This interfacing can be easily implemented due to the modular approach used in the design of the Surveillance Center, that stores in a Dynamic Database all the events and the performed transactions, also allowing their analysis in play-back.
The system functionalities are completed by the Field Control Units, typically installed in remote Police Stations and connected through a Wide Area Network to the Surveillance Center. The FCUs allow uploading to the Surveillance Center the multimedia information captured during the patrol shift and downloading hot-lists and software updates.
The features of the Surveillance Center can also be customized in order to satisfy specific customer’s needs.

The PSS-IIb is the latest evolution of the multifunctional hand-held device: with respect to the previous version, it has a smaller size and improved ergonomy, allowing an easier handling.
Another new feature of the PSS-IIb is its modularity. The device can be fitted with expansion modules that add new functionalities:

• with the MRZ/RF optional module, the PSS-IIb can perform the verification of electronic documents, such as ePassports, Identity Cards, Residence Permits, thanks to the “Machine Readable Zone” swipe reader and to the contactless chip reader;
• with the Barcode/RF optional module, the PSS-IIb can be used in logistics and access control applications;
• with RF optional module, the PSS-IIb can be used for access control applications.

A full set of applications for the PSS-IIb is available, allowing its use also for automated license plate recognition, fingerprint-based identity verification and multimedia information capturing.
An high-sensitivity GPS receiver, a fingerprint scanner, two videocameras, a contact smartcard reader, a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPDA cellular modem, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity are standard features of the PSS-IIb, that also includes a 3,5” high-visibility touch-screen and 2GB of flash memory for applications and data.
The docking station allows charging the PSS-IIb user replaceable battery (whose running time is over 8 hours) and connecting it to a PC through a USB port or in LAN.
The PSS-IIb also includes a serial port that allows the connection to external devices such as hand-held or car mounted TETRA or Tetrapol radios.

Elsag Datamat, a Fimeccanica company, has signed a major contract worth about Euro 7 million with Carabineros de Chile to supply a thousand Patrol Support Systems (PSS). Success reported after a trial operating period, providing yet another confirmation of the internationalisation process promoted by Elsag Datamat. Already used by the UK Home Ministry, the PSS will provide support for patrol and territorial control activities. Specifically, it will make it possible to identify people by acquiring their digital fingerprints and comparing them, over a wireless link, with both the AFIS database maintained by the Carabineros (developed by Elsag through subsidiary Italdata Ingegneria dell'Idea), as well as with the Civilian Registry database. The system, which will be operational starting in February 2009, will also make it possible to identify vehicles by automatically reading their licence plates and comparing them in real time with a hot list, in addition to providing a comprehensive range of video, photo and document management functions. As this order of equipment will be used in the Santiago area, the project is expected to be extended to other areas of Chile, with the supply of a thousand more PSSs

Italdata is present – inside the Elsag Datamat stand – at TechFOr 2008, the first International Exhibition on Technologies for Law Enforcement Agencies. Attentive to territorial and personal security, Italdata shows specific systems - based on biometric technology - to verify personal identity, to create electronic identity documents and to implement physical and logical access.

Italdata participates – in the Finmeccanica stand – the Fidae 2008 Defence and Aerospace expo. Among the solutions Italdata will be showing the PSS as multifunction system for territorial security and the personal biometric authentication and electronic documents enrolment devices.

"Chile has changed", begins the head of Carabineros de Chile, General José Alejandro Bernales, in an interview published by "El Mercurio" on the new public security technology recently introduced into the South American country. In the area of prevention and control, Bernales described the PSS (the system supplied last June by Italdata to the Carabineros de Chile) as a "revolutionary portable information system" which, he went on, "will be like having a police station in the palm of your hand.... making real time policing finally a reality".

Last June Elsag Datamat was awarded a new contract to implement an automatic digital fingerprint identification system (AFIS) for the Carabineros de Chile Investigative Department. The contract award, worth EUR 1.84 m, represents a strategic victory: now all three Police Forces in Chile have AFIS systems and use the equipment produced by Italdata for their investigations, strengthening still further the position of company as the benchmark provider of biometric technology solutions for national security applications.

"Italdata and other Finmeccanica Group companies attend the International Security and Civil Defence Conference. At the event Italdata showcases its defence and security systems, including the PSS and SPAID500, confirming the company’s focus on urgent public security issues, territorial planning and governance functions.."

Italdata enters the UK market with the supply of 120 PSSs (Patrol Support Systems) to 5 local police forces. This latest version of the system is also being tested by the Italian Carabinieri.