Patent ID: 7910902

Claim:
Apparatus for measuring a fingerprint pattern, said apparatus comprising: a sensor that includes a plurality of sensor elements being responsive to a physical parameter of a fingerprint; means for establishing an overall, segmented picture related to said pattern, wherein the sensor elements are adapted to be activated by being heated with an applied electric current while said fingerprint is in contact with the sensor, and to detect variations/differentials in thermal changes among the plurality of sensor elements, wherein the variations/differentials are due to heat loss at the sensor elements due to physical parameters of the fingerprint in contact with each sensor element; controllable main switches for providing the applied electric current for heating the sensor elements, and signal switches having first ends connected to sensor elements at points between the sensor elements and respective main switches and forming part of a reading current path that does not include the main switches; wherein each sensor element has functionally associated with it either: at least one diode configured to allow the selective addressing of said sensor element, activate/heat said sensor element, and sense said physical parameter; or at least one diode configured to allow the selective addressing of said sensor element and at least one resistor configured to activate/heat said sensor element and sense said physical parameter.