US Patent 7555150 Fingerprint input apparatus

This invention provides a fingerprint input apparatus which detects that a finger is put on a sensor element, which can reduce power consumption, which requires fewer components, and which is simple in configuration. In a fingerprint input apparatus which includes a sensor element for reading a fingerprint and a switch for detecting that a finger is put on the sensor element, which is activated by an operation of the switch the switch is a push switch, the sensor element and the switch are fixed to a housing, and the switch is arranged on an opposite surface to a surface on which the sensor element is arranged, across the housing. The switch may be a pressure sensitive switch instead of a push switch, and the apparatus may further include a unit for notifying a user whether it is appropriate to apply a depression pressure.