Method for obtaining biometric data for an individual in a secure transaction

1. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

an input signal generator configured to produce an activation signal;

a piezoelectric ceramic sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements arrayed and spaced to (i) receive the activation signal (ii) detect one or more features of a digit proximate to the array in accordance with the received activation signal and (iii) produce output signals representative thereof; and

a circuit coupled to the sensor to process the output signals.

2. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least twenty five thousand piezoelectric ceramic elements; and

wherein each piezoelectric ceramic element has a size equal to or less than about eighty microns by about two hundred twenty microns.

3. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least sixteen thousand elements; and

wherein each piezoelectric ceramic element has a size equal to or less than about two hundred microns by about five hundred microns.

4. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output signals include biometric features representative of the digit.

5. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor produces data representative of the detected biometric feature.

6. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detected biometric feature is a print ridge pattern.

7. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the print ridge pattern is associated with a thumb or finger.

8. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detected biometric feature is blood flow.

9. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the blood flow includes arteriole blood flow.

10. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the blood flow includes capillary blood flow.

11. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detected biometric feature is an arteriole-veinal map.

12. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detected biometric feature is a bone map.

13. The biometric sensing biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor operates in a voltage mode to produce voltage data, and the processor includes a voltage detector that processes voltage data received from the sensor to produce the output.

14. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor operates in a Doppler shift mode to produce Doppler shift data, and the processor includes a Doppler shift detector that processes Doppler shift data received from the sensor to produce the output.

15. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor operates in an echo mode to produce echo data, and the processor includes a signal time of travel detector that processes echo data received from the sensor to produce the output.

16. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a multiplexer that couples the input signal generator to the sensor and to the processor.

17. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein each of the piezoelectric ceramic elements includes a first and second end, and wherein the multiplexer comprises:

a plurality of first conductors coupled to the first ends of piezoelectric ceramic elements in corresponding rows;

a plurality of first switches each of which is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of first conductors;

a plurality of second conductors coupled to the second ends of piezoelectric ceramic elements in corresponding columns; and

a plurality of second switches each of which is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of second conductors;

wherein the plurality of first conductors are approximately orthogonal to the plurality of second conductors; and

wherein the plurality of first switches are controlled to couple a signal output from an output port of the input signal generator to a particular piezoelectric ceramic element of the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements; and

wherein the plurality of second switches are controlled to couple a signal associated with the particular piezoelectric ceramic element of the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements to an input port of the processor.

18. The biometric sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a wireless transmitter coupled to the processor that transmits the output.

19. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

an input signal generator configured to produce an activation signal;

a piezoelectric ceramic sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements arrayed and spaced to (i) receive the activation signal (ii) detect one or more features of a digit proximate to the array in accordance with the received activation signal and (iii) produce output signals representative thereof; and

a processor coupled to the sensor to process the output signals;

a multiplexer that couples the input signal generator to the sensor and to the processor; and

a wireless transmitter coupled to the processor that transmits the output signals.

20. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor having at least twenty five thousand approximately rectangular piezoelectric ceramic elements, each piezoelectric ceramic element having a size equal to or less than approximately eighty microns by eighty microns by two hundred twenty microns, the sensor being responsive to features of a digit proximate to the sensor; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit;

wherein the sensor operates in a Doppler shift mode to produce Doppler shift data, and the processor includes a Doppler shift detector that processes Doppler shift data received from the sensor to produce a second output.

21. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor having at least twenty five thousand approximately rectangular piezoelectric ceramic elements, each piezoelectric ceramic element having a size equal to or less than approximately eighty microns by eighty microns by two hundred twenty microns, the sensor being responsive to features of a digit proximate to the sensor; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit;

wherein the sensor operates in an echo mode to produce echo data, the processor including a signal time of travel detector to process echo data received from the sensor to produce a second output.

22. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor having at least twenty five thousand approximately rectangular piezoelectric ceramic elements, each piezoelectric ceramic element having a size equal to or less than approximately eighty microns by eighty microns by two hundred twenty microns, the sensor being responsive to features of a digit proximate to the sensor; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit;

wherein the sensor operates in a voltage mode to produce voltage data, the processor including a voltage detector to process voltage data received from the sensor to produce a second output.

23. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a piezoelectric ceramic sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements arranged in an array, the piezoelectric ceramic elements being spaced on a pitch equal to or less than approximately one hundred microns to detect features of a digit proximate to the array; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and (i) configured to receive an input from the sensor representative of features of the digit and (ii) produce a first output,

wherein the sensor operates in a Doppler shift mode to produce Doppler shift data, the processor including a Doppler shift detector to process Doppler shift data received from the sensor to produce a second output.

24. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a piezoelectric ceramic sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements arranged in an array, the piezoelectric ceramic elements of said array being spaced on a pitch equal to or less than approximately one hundred microns to detect features of a digit proximate to the array; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit;

wherein the sensor operates in an echo mode to produce echo data, the processor including a signal time of travel detector to process echo data received from said sensor to produce a second output.

25. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a piezoelectric ceramic sensor having a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic elements arranged in an array, the piezoelectric ceramic elements of the array being spaced on a pitch equal to or less than approximately one hundred microns to detect features of a digit proximate to said array; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit;

wherein the sensor operates in a voltage mode to produce voltage data, the processor including a voltage detector to process voltage data received from the sensor to produce a second output.

26. A biometric sensing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor having at least twenty five thousand approximately rectangular piezoelectric ceramic elements, each piezoelectric ceramic element having a size equal to or less than approximately eighty microns by eighty microns by two hundred twenty microns, the sensor being responsive to features of a digit proximate to the sensor; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor and produce a first output representative of features of the digit; and

an input signal generator configured to apply an AC voltage signal across the piezoelectric ceramic elements.