Patent ID: 8276816

Claim:
An electronic device, comprising: a card having an upper surface, a lower surface and side surfaces comprising: a secure memory containing sensitive information, a working memory, and a processor, wherein the card is dimensioned to be compatible with a size standard for identification cards; a fingerprint image sensor in the card configured to image a fingerprint through an imaging surface selected from one of the upper surface, the lower surface and the side surfaces of the surfaces of the card, the fingerprint image sensor comprising a linear capacitive sensor junction gap array comprising a plurality of excitation electrodes separated across a respective sensor junction gap from a sensing electrode, the electrodes formed on a substrate, and an integrated circuit in the card and configured to create a plurality of one dimensional images of a portion of a finger immediately over the junction gap when the finger is swiped over the junction gap array; wherein the fingerprint image sensor is in communication with the working memory to store the plurality of one dimensional images of a portion of the finger, and further wherein the processor is adapted to assemble the plurality of one dimensional images of a fingerprint into a fingerprint image; a fingerprint recognition memory containing at least one authorized fingerprint image, wherein the processor is configured to compare the assembled fingerprint image with the stored authorized fingerprint image, and at least one guide in the imaging area on the one of the upper surface, the lower surface and the side surfaces of the surfaces of the card configured to tactilely guide a user in swiping a finger across the imaging area of the fingerprint image sensor.