Surface shape sensor, identification device using this sensor, and protected system using this device

A device for performing identification by sensing a surface shape of an object surface, comprising:

• an input unit having a contact surface to be brought into contact with the object surface, said input unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged laterally with intervals in a first direction,
• a converter for detecting degrees of an electrical resistance between pairs of adjacent of said laterally arranged electrodes of said plurality of electrodes, and forming data representing a distribution of said electrical resistance, said electrical resistance being variable by contact of said contact surface with the object surface;
• and
• a comparator for comparing the data formed by said converted with registered data, thereby performing identification.

A protected system, which performs identification by sensing a surface shape of an object surface, comprising:

• an input unit having a contact surface to be brought into contact with the object surface, said input unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged laterally with intervals in a first direction;
• a converter for detecting degrees of an electrical resistance between pairs of adjacent of said laterally arranged electrodes of said plurality of electrodes, and forming data representing a distribution of said electrical resistance in said first direction, said electrical resistance being variable by contact of said contact surface with the object surface;
• a comparator for comparing the data formed by said converter with registered data, thereby performing identification;
• a system main body;
• and
• protecting means for switching said system main body between an operable state and a disabled state, wherein said protecting means sets said system main body to the operable state when said comparator identifies that the formed data and the registered data coincide.

A device for performing identification by sensing a surface shape of a conductive object surface, comprising:

• an input unit having a contact surface to be brought into contact with the object surface, said input unit having a plurality of linear electrodes arranged laterally with intervals in a first direction, said plurality of linear electrodes extending in a direction intersecting said first direction, said contact surface being defined by surfaces of said plurality of linear electrodes;
• a converter for detecting degrees of electrical resistance between pairs of adjacent of said laterally arranged electrodes of said plurality of electrodes, and forming data representing a distribution of said electrical resistance in said first direction, said electrical resistance being variable by contact of said contact surface with the object surface;
• and
• a comparator for comparing the data formed by said converter with registered data, thereby performing identification.

A method of performing identification by sensing a surface shape of a conductive object surface, comprising the steps of:

• bringing a contact surface, defined by surface of a plurality of linear electrodes, into contact with the object surface, said plurality of linear electrodes being arranged laterally with intervals in a first direction and extending in a direction intersecting said first direction;
• detecting degrees of electrical resistance between pairs of adjacent of said laterally arranged electrodes of said plurality of electrodes, and forming data representing a distribution of said electrical resistance in said first direction, when said contact surface is in contact with the object surface, said electrical resistance being variable by contact of said contact surface with the object surface;
• and
• comparing the data with registered data, thereby performing identification.