Personal security system and method

An apparatus for sensing the authenticity of manually handwritten symbols entered into a computer or other electronic device by a user writing on a tablet, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a tablet having a writing surface and a plurality of tablet sensors, arranged below said surface in a prescribed line pattern, for detecting line drawing contacts with said surface made by a user while forming an imprint of a manually handwritten symbol, said writing surface having imprinted thereon said line pattern which serves as a guide for the user in writing the handwritten symbol, whereby the lines forming the imprint of the handwritten symbol are sensed when they intersect the line pattern;
• (b) a memory for storing the successive locations of tablet sensors that detected the imprints of a plurality of original handwritten symbols manually drawn by different users;
• and
• (c) a logic device, coupled to said tablet and to said memory, for comparing (1) the successive sensor locations associated with an imprint of a putative-original handwritten symbol sensed while a user draws the putative handwritten symbol on the tablet, and (2) the sensor locations stored in memory for the imprint of at least one of said plurality of original handwritten symbols, and for determining whether the respective locations associated with the imprint of said putative handwritten symbol substantially matches the sensor locations associated with the imprint of said one of said original handwritten symbols.

A method for automatically verifying the authenticity of manually handwritten symbols entered into a computer or other electronic device by a user writing on a tablet, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) manually drawing sample imprints of original handwritten symbols on a surface of a writing tablet having a plurality of sensors arranged below said surface for detecting line drawing contacts with surface;
• (b) storing the successive locations of the tablet sensors that detected the imprints of a plurality of original handwritten symbols, manually drawn by different users, and storing successive points in time at which such tablet sensors detected such imprints;
• (c) manually drawing an imprint of a putative-original handwritten symbol on a surface of a writing tablet having a plurality of sensors arranged below said surface for detecting line drawing contacts with the surface;
• (d) storing successive, locations of the tablet sensors that detected the imprint and storing successive points in time at which such sensors detected the imprint;
• (e) comparing (1) the successive sensor locations and points in time associated with the imprint of the putative handwritten symbol, and (2) the locations and points in time stored in memory for the imprint of at least one of said plurality of original handwritten symbols;
• and
• (f) determining whether the respective locations and points in time associated with the imprint of said putative handwritten symbol substantially matches the locations and points in time associated with the imprint of said one of said original handwritten symbols, thereby to automatically verify or disprove the authenticity of the putative handwritten symbol.