Method and apparatus for asperity sensing and storage

Abstract

A fingerprint capture device ( 10 ) has a plurality of charge storage devices ( 12 ) that couple through conductive surfaces ( 22 ) to conductive spheres ( 21 ) that are disposed within an epoxy that comprises a fingerprint contact surface ( 13 ). When raised portions of an object ( 26 ) appropriately contact certain conductive spheres ( 21 ), the corresponding charge storage device ( 12 ) will discharge. This discharging serves both to simultaneously sense the asperity features of the object and to store that sensed information as well.

1 . A fingerprint capture device comprising: 
 a memory comprised of a plurality of memory cells wherein each memory cell has a corresponding electrical device;    a fingerprint contact surface disposed substantially coplanar to the memory wherein the fingerprint contact surface has a plurality of conductive paths formed through the fingerprint contact surface and wherein at least some of the conductive paths are substantially directly conductively coupled to at least some of the corresponding electrical devices.    
   
   
       2 . The fingerprint capture device of  claim 1  wherein the fingerprint contact surface comprises an epoxy material.  
   
   
       3 . The fingerprint capture device of  claim 2  wherein at least some of the conductive paths are comprised of conductive spheres.  
   
   
       4 . The fingerprint capture device of  claim 3  wherein at least a portion of some of the conductive spheres physically contacts the memory.  
   
   
       5 . The fingerprint capture device of  claim 4  wherein at least a portion of some of the conductive spheres is physically exposed to an exterior of the fingerprint contact surface.  
   
   
       6 . The fingerprint capture device of  claim 3  wherein at least some of the conductive spheres physically contacts the memory and have a portion that is physically exposed to an exterior of the fingerprint contact surface.  
   
   
       7 . A device comprising: 
 a random access memory comprising an array of memory cells and having exposed conductive pads electrically coupled to the memory cells;    anisotropic cured conductive epoxy disposed over at least a plurality of the exposed conductive pads wherein at least a majority of the anisotropic cured conductive epoxy is exposed.    
   
   
       8 . The memory device of  claim 7  wherein the anisotropic cured conductive epoxy has a plurality of conductive paths formed therethrough.  
   
   
       9 . The memory device of  claim 8  wherein at least some of the conductive paths are electrically coupled to at least some of the exposed conductive pads.  
   
   
       10 . The memory device of  claim 9  wherein at least some of the conductive paths are comprised of conductive spheres.  
   
   
       11 . The memory device of  claim 10  wherein at least some of the conductive spheres present a substantial resistance to current flow.  
   
   
       12 . The memory device of  claim 11  wherein at least some of the conductive spheres are formed of nickel oxide.  
   
   
       13 . The memory device of  claim 7  wherein the anisotropic cured conductive epoxy comprises a fingerprint contact surface.  
   
   
       14 . A device comprising a cured epoxy having discrete conductive elements disposed therein wherein at least a majority of the discrete conductive elements present a substantial resistance to current flow and are at least partially exposed on either side of the cured epoxy.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein a plurality of the discrete conductive elements are comprised of conductive spheres.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein a plurality of the conductive spheres are comprised of nickel oxide.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 15  wherein a plurality of the conductive spheres are about seven millionths of a meter in diameter.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 14  and further comprising a memory that is physically and electrically coupled to the cured epoxy.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the memory includes a plurality of electrically conductive surfaces that are electrically coupled to memory cells in the memory and that physically contact the cured epoxy.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19  wherein at least some of the discrete conductive elements electrically and physically contact at least some of the electrically conductive surfaces of the memory.  
   
   
       21 . A method of forming a device to simultaneously sense and store tactile information regarding asperities of an object comprising: 
 providing a memory having exposed conductive pads on a surface thereof;    disposing an epoxy material having discrete conductive elements disposed therein on at least a portion of the surface to thereby contact and at least partially cover at least one of the exposed conductive pads;    compressing at least part of the epoxy material to thereby cause at least one of the discrete conductive elements to physically contact a conductive pad;    curing the epoxy material to harden the epoxy material and to shrink the epoxy material such that at least a portion of at least some of the discrete conductive elements are exposed.    
   
   
       22 . The method of claim of  21  and further comprising treating at least exposed portions of the discrete conductive elements to improve electrical conductivity between the discrete conductive elements and an object placed in contact with the epoxy material.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein providing a memory having exposed conductive pads on a surface thereof includes providing a memory comprised of a plurality of memory cells wherein each memory cell has a corresponding charge storage device and wherein the memory further includes a plurality of conductive pads disposed on a surface thereof such that some of the conductive pads are electrically coupled to at least one of the charge storage devices and some of the conductive pads are electrically coupled to a common rail.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein disposing an epoxy material having discrete conductive elements disposed therein includes disposing an epoxy material having discrete conductive elements comprising conductive spheres disposed therein.  
   
   
       25 . A fingerprint capture device comprising: 
 a memory comprised of a plurality of discrete memory units, wherein each memory unit is comprised of memory cells, wherein each memory cell has a corresponding electrical device;    a fingerprint contact surface disposed substantially coplanar to at least some of the memory units wherein the fingerprint contact surface has a plurality of conductive paths formed through the fingerprint contact surface and wherein at least some of the conductive paths are conductively coupled to at least some of the corresponding electrical devices.    
   
   
       26 . A mechanism having an enabled state and a disabled state, comprising: 
 a memory comprised of a plurality of memory cells wherein each memory cell has a corresponding electrical device;    a fingerprint contact surface disposed substantially coplanar to the memory wherein the fingerprint contact surface has a plurality of conductive paths formed through the fingerprint contact surface and wherein at least some of the conductive paths are conductively coupled to at least some of the corresponding electrical devices;    a processor operably coupled to the memory and being programmed to switch between the enabled state and the disabled state as a function, at least in part, of memory contents in the memory as entered through the fingerprint contact surface.    
   
   
       27 . The mechanism of  claim 26  wherein the mechanism comprises one of: 
 a projectile weapon;    a barrier operator;    a communications device;    a smartcard; and    a computer.