Front Panel Overlay Incorporating a Logic Circuit
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsJohn H. Schneider, William A. Herring, Daniel W. Johnston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A front panel overlay having a plurality of layers and one or more logic circuits incorporated therein is disclosed. One of the plurality of layers may have a first electrical contact and another one of the plurality of layers may have a second electrical contact. The one or more logic circuits may be incorporated at least indirectly within the plurality of layers and may be activated when the first electrical contact completes an electrical circuit with the second electrical contact.
Claims20
A front panel overlay, comprising:
- a first layer having a first electrical contact;
- a second layer having a second electrical contact;
- and
- a logic circuit incorporated at least indirectly within one of the first and second layers, the logic circuit being activated when the first electrical contact completes an electrical circuit with the second electrical contact.
A method of incorporating a logic circuit in a front panel overlay, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of layers in operational association with one another;
- forming a logic circuit at least indirectly onto one or more of the plurality of layers;
- designing the logic circuit for performing at least one operation;
- and
- linking the logic circuit to electric circuitry on the plurality of layers using conductive traces and interconnects.
A front panel overlay, comprising:
- a top circuit layer having a first electrical contact;
- a bottom circuit layer having a second electrical contact;
- a spacer layer interposed between the top circuit layer and the bottom circuit layer for selectively completing an electrical circuit by the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact;
- a logic circuit incorporated within the top circuit layer, the logic circuit at least indirectly linked to the first electrical contact such that when the electrical circuit is completed, the logic circuit is activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.