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US 8,078,339 B2Granted
Circuit board with integrated connector
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorJeffrey L. Oakes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Removable circuits and related mounting hardware for removably connecting circuits to a vehicle's control system. Circuits and connectors form an addressable assembly which may be enclosed in a flowable material.
Claims27
A method of integrating an addressable assembly in a vehicle comprising:
- providing a first control unit to control a function of the vehicle;
- providing an addressable assembly including:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the substrate;
- a plurality of connectors extending from a first surface of the substrate and being connected to the conductive traces, the connectors receiving a first plurality of signals including an identification address;
- a memory;
- a processing sequence stored in the memory;
- a second control unit operably coupled to the memory and to the conductive traces, the second control unit operable to produce a second plurality of signals responsive to the first plurality of signals according to the processing sequence;
- a housing enclosing the substrate and the second control unit;
- and
- electronically and removably coupling the addressable assembly to the first control unit, the first control unit performing the function responsive to the second plurality of signals.
8 more elements
A method of using an addressable assembly in a vehicle, the vehicle including a communication network and a device, the method comprising:
- providing an addressable assembly including:
- a substrate having a plurality of conductive traces;
- a plurality of connectors extending from a first surface of the substrate and being connected to the conductive traces, the connectors receiving a first plurality of signals including an identification address;
- a memory;
- a processing sequence stored in the memory;
- a processing unit mounted on the substrate and connected to the conductive traces, the processing unit operable to produce a second plurality of signals according to the processing sequence based on the first plurality of signals;
- a housing comprising a flowable material which encloses the substrate and the processing unit, the housing and the substrate supporting the connectors;
- electronically and removably coupling the addressable assembly to the communication network and to the device;
- and
- causing the device to perform a function based on the second plurality of signals.
7 more elements
An addressable assembly adapted for coupling to a vehicle comprising:
- a substrate having a plurality of conductive traces;
- a plurality of connectors extending from a first surface of the substrate and being connected to the conductive traces, the connectors receiving a first plurality of signals including an identification address;
- a memory;
- a processing sequence stored in the memory;
- a processing unit mounted on the substrate and connected to the conductive traces, the processing unit operable to produce a second plurality of signals according to the processing sequence based on the first plurality of signals;
- and
- a housing comprising a flowable material which encloses the substrate and the processing unit, the housing and the substrate supporting the connectors.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.