GB2372637A

GB2372637A - Microchip controlled switch

Info

Publication number: GB2372637A
Application number: GB0027345A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Robert Lester
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-09
Filing date: 2000-11-09
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Also published as: GB0027345D0

Abstract

A microchip-controlled switch (1) having a first contact having a finger (3) formed from a filament of conductive material such as copper or gold titanium alloy. Means such as DC voltage source (4) is used to pass a current through the filament. A second contact (5) is provided adjacent the tip of the finger. Contact (5) may be formed from material more conductive than filament (3). In use the finger tip is positioned adjacent the surface of a first microchip (2) whereby electrostatic and/or electromagnetic emissions from the microchip cause the finger to flex and touch the second contact (5). One or more microchip-controlled switches (1) may be used to create a memory "base" of a trinary or greater progression with two or more microchips.

Description

Title : Microchip-Controlled Switch The present invention relates to a microchip-controlled switch.

Many different types of microchips exist in a wide number of product circuits such as computer games. It is often desirable increase the memory of these products which cannot be done unless the microchip is replaced with one with more memory, but a larger memory microchip may not be compatible with the circuitry.

A microchip normally works in a binary format in which a"0''is registered when there is no current and"1"is registered when there is current flow. When current flow exists there are electrostatic and electromagnetic emissions from the surface of the microchip. The normal voltage applied to the input of these microchips may be increased to increase these emissions without detriment to the microchip.

The invention seeks to provide a switch which can be activated by the emissions off a microchip surface. The switch can be used to control a second microchip to add memory to a circuit.

According to the present invention there is provided a microchip-controlled switch comprising: a) a first contact having a finger formed from a filament of conductive material, b) means to pass a current through the filament, c) a second contact adjacent the tip of the finger, in use the finger tip being positioned adjacent the surface of a first microchip whereby electrostatic and/or electromagnetic emissions from the microchip cause said finger to flex and touch the second contact.

The finger filament may be in the form of an elongate loop. The filament may be formed from a copper or gold titanium alloy or composite. Preferably the second contact is formed from material more conductive than the filament.

The switch may be connected to the input of a second microchip which registers a signal each time the finger touches the second contact.

The first microchip may be connected to receive an input signal of a first and second strength, said first microchip registering signals of said first strength, and said second strength of signal being registered by said first microchip but also creating emissions to cause said finger to flex to touch the second contact so allowing the second microchip also to register said second strength signal.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures I A, 1 B and 1 C show a schematic view of a switch mounted above a microchip, and Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the switch of Figures I A to 1 C above a first microchip and connected to a second microchip. Referring to Figures 1 A, IB, IC there is shown a schematic view of a microchip-controlled switch 1 above a microchip 2. Switch I comprises a first contact in the form of a finger formed from an elongate loop 3 of a filament of conductive material. The conductive material may be of any suitable type such as a copper or gold titanium alloy or composite. The tip of the finger formed by loop 3 is mounted adjacent the surface of microchip 2.

Loop 3 is connectable to a DC voltage 4 to pass a current through the filament, A second contact or receiver 5 is provided adjacent the tip of the finger. Contact 5 is formed from material more conductive than the filament.

In Figure lA the loop 3 remains a straight finger. In this case there is no current flowing into the microchip 2 as it registers a"0"state.

In Figure IB micro chip 2 receives a voltage signal at its input from a circuit (not shown) at a normal first strength level such that it would register"I". Because a voltage is applied across the loop 3 and because electrostatic and/or electromagnetic emissions from the microchip surface exist when chip 2 receives a voltage signal, the loop 3 will flex a little.

If however the voltage signal at the chip 2 input is increased above the normal level to a second strength, electrostatic and/or electromagnetic emissions from the microchip surface will be increased and the loop 3 will flex a little more such that it engages contact 5 as shown in Figure 1C. As contact 5 is formed from material more conductive than the filament it will receive a positive voltage from the DC voltage 4 which can be used to control a second microchip as more fully described in Figure 2 below.

Referring to Figure 2 there is shown the switch 1 of Figure 1 mounted above microchip 2. The contact 5 of the switch is connected to the input of a second microchip 6. The first microchip 2 may be connected to receive an input signal of a first and second strength as described in Figures 1 B and I C above. If the first microchip registers a signal of the first strength as shown in Figure 1 B it will register a" !". If it receives a signal of a second strength, the first microchip will register a"I"but this will also create emissions to cause the finger 3 to flex to touch the second contact 5 so allowing a second microchip 6 also to register a"P\ Most microchips store information in a binary format. By combining two microchips a trinary system can be created. For example when no signal is present at the input to microchip 2 this represents"0". When a first strength signal is received by microchip 2 this represents"1". When a second strength signal is received by microchip 2 this represents"I"for both the first and second microchip 2 and 6, the outputs 7 of which can be combined to create a"2"so creating a trinary based memory. In this manner, the switch of the invention may be used in conjunction with a second microchip 6 to increase the memory of first microchip 2.

It is envisaged that more than one switch could be provided each connected to a separate microchip so creating a memory"base"above trinary, e. g. a"base 10"progression. Also one switch could be connected to more than one microchip to expand a memory.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. According to the present invention there is provided a microchip-controlled switch comprising : a) a first contact having a finger formed from a filament of conductive material, b) means to pass a current through the filament, c) a second contact adjacent the tip of the finger, in use the finger tip being positioned adjacent the surface of a first microchip whereby electrostatic and/or electromagnetic emissions from the microchip cause said finger to flex and touch the second contact.
2. A microchip-controlled switch according to claim 1, wherein the finger filament is in the form of an elongate loop.
3. A microchip-controlled switch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filament is formed from a copper or gold titanium alloy composite.
4. A microchip-controlled switch according to any preceding claim, wherein the second contact is formed from material more conductive than the filament.
5. A microchip-controlled switch according to any preceding claim, wherein said finger flexes to touch the second contact when the emissions from the microchip are above a predetermined level.
6. A microchip-controlled switch according to any preceding claim when connected to the input of a second microchip which registers a signal each time the finger touches the second contact.
7. A microchip-controlled switch according to any preceding claim, wherein the switch is used in a circuit with a first and second microchip, and in which the first microchip is connected to receive an input signal of a first and second strength, said first microchip registering signals of said first strength, and said second strength of signal being registered by said first microchip but also creating emissions to cause said finger to flex to touch the second contact so allowing the second microchip also to register said second signal strength.
S. A microchip-controlled switch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
9. A system to create a memory"base"of a trinary or greater progression, said system incorporating one or more microchip-controlled switches according to any preceding claim.
10. A system to create a memory"base"of a trinary or greater progression substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.