The De La Rue Company Plc

Harry J Etherington

Paul C Joslin

Rowland A Dunkley

Raymond Simpson-Davis

David E Carr

An electrical conductor array particularly for use in a pressure pad is described. The pressure pad comprises two electrical conductors arrays (3,5) of substantially parallel electrical conductors which are superposed and biased towards a spaced apart position with the conductors of one array transverse to the conductors of the other. One of the arrays (5) is responsive to applied pressure on the array to deflect against the bias towards the other array (3). At least one of the arrays (3,5) comprises a number of blocks of substantially parallel first conductors (12), the first conductors of each block being electrically connected to respective first common conductors (13); and, between pairs of first conductors (12) of each block, a respective second conductor (14), corresponding second conductors (14) from each block being electrically connected to a respective second common conductor (15).

Electrical conductor array

A method of determining whether the writer of a sign is the same as the writer of a previously written sign at least one characteristic feature of which has been prerecorded comprises: (a) detecting at least one characteristic feature of the written sign; (b) comparing the or each detected feature with the corresponding prerecorded feature (s); (c) generating an acceptance signal if all differences between the detected and the prerecorded features lie within first predetermined limits; (d) if an acceptance signal cannot be generated, obtaining one or more further written signs (up to a predetermined maximum) and repeating steps (a) to (c) with the or each further written signs; (e) if an acceptance signal cannot be generated for the or any of the further written signs, comparing the differences between the characteristic features of each written sign and the corresponding characteristic of the prerecorded sign and, if all the differences fall within second predetermined limits; (f) comparing corresponding characteristic features of the written signs and generating an acceptance signal if all differences between the features lie within third predetermined limits.

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Surrey, United Kingdom

Harry J Etherington