New patents boost Saflink shares

Shares of Saflink (Nasdaq: ESAF) shot up more than 47 percent Tuesday after the company announced it received a patent for its fingerprint ID technology for set-top boxes.

As of mid morning, Saflink stock had risen 2 9/16 to 8, a 47.1 percent gain for the day. The company's products rely biometric technology such as fingerprint, voice and facial recognition to protect systems.

Over the past three months, Saflink shares have quadrupled.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent for Saflink's fingerprint-controlled set-top box, which allows secure e-commerce on TV boxes, the company said. The technology is related to a Saflink fingerprint reader used for managing set-top box settings.

The company plans to sign strategic partnerships with manufacturers and service providers, said Greg Jensen, Saflin's chief technology officer.

Saflink also received patents for an fingerprint image capturing device, as well as a fingerprint reader for handheld devices such as wireless phones, personal digital assistants, TV remote controls and computer mice.>