A machine for producing and dispensing cold or iced beverages comprises a plurality of beverage-containing tanks. The backsheet 3 comprises a laminated sheet composed of a breathable film 3a printed with a multicolor pattern 10 and nonwoven materials 3b and 3c superposed on the printed side of the film 3a. Processing circuitry for processing image signals corresponding to printed bar codes may be partially disposed within the hand held verification device and partially disposed within a host processor system spaced apart from and associated with the hand held verification device. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the World Wide Web as well as conventional communications systems such as voice telephony. A processor receives the electrogram signal from the analyzer and recognizes the marked desired characteristics of the electrogram signal. The total of the pulse widths of the signals of each phase is measured by, respectively, a counter, respectively for a predetermined programme flow in the controller.