Electronic automated game line
AssigneeJAB Technologies, Inc.
InventorByron C. Conn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic switch device designed to detect surface contact along a boundary surface. The electronic switch device can be used as an electronic automated game line comprising a very thin game line mat divided between an in-bounds section and out-of-bounds section and further divided into a plurality of grided switches placed directly upon a playing surface such as a tennis court. The game line mat is sufficiently thin and having a top surface suitable for being painted over with the same paint cover used for a conventional playing surface. Surface contact is defined as being in-bounds or out-of-bounds with approximated contact location provided.
Claims14
An electronic switch device for detecting physical contact with a surface, comprising in combination:
- a. a top layer having a top layer conductive side;
- b. a bottom layer having a bottom layer non-conductive backing with a bottom layer conductive side adhered to said bottom layer non-conductive backing;
- c. an insulating layer sandwiched between said top layer and bottom layer so that said top layer conductive side faces said bottom layer conductive side, said insulating layer having a plurality of contact holes through which said top layer conductive side makes contact with said bottom layer conductive side when sufficient force is applied to said top layer;
- d. at least one conductive trace adhered to said bottom layer non-conductive backing of said bottom layer opposite said bottom layer conductive side;
- e. a bottom protective layer adhered to and protecting said conductive trace;
- f. a means for electrically connecting said conductive trace to said bottom layer conductive side;
- and
- g. a means for receiving an electrical signal from said conductive trace when said top layer conductive side makes contact with said bottom layer conductive side through said plurality of contact holes of said insulating layer.
An electronic automated game line for detecting physical contact with a playing surface, comprising in combination:
- a. a top layer having a top layer conductive side;
- b. a bottom layer having a bottom layer non-conductive backing with a bottom layer conductive side adhered to said bottom layer non-conductive backing;
- c. said bottom layer conductive side being divided into an in-bounds section and out-of-bounds section;
- d. an insulating layer sandwiched between said top layer and bottom layer so that said top layer conductive side faces said bottom layer conductive side, said insulating layer having a plurality of contact holes through which said top layer conductive side makes contact with said bottom layer conductive side when sufficient force is applied to said top layer;
- e. a plurality of conductive traces adhered to said bottom layer non-conductive backing of said bottom layer opposite said bottom layer conductive side;
- f. a bottom protective layer adhered to and protecting said plurality of conductive traces;
- g. a means for electrically connecting said plurality of conductive traces to said bottom layer conductive side;
- and
- h. a means for receiving an electrical signal from said plurality of traces when said top layer conductive side makes contact with said bottom layer conductive side through said plurality of contact holes of said insulating layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.