Patent ID: 6578436
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G06K,H01H,Y10T

Abstract:
An integrated circuit chip sensor for sensing a texture that has a plurality of ridges anda plurality of valleys comprising: a substrate containing only passive circuit elements therein and thereon; a plurality of row lines; a plurality of column lines a plurality of switches disposed on the substrate in an array such that each row line and each column line is connected to a plurality of sensors, each switch including: a lower electrode electrically connected to one of row lines; an upper electrode spaced apart from said lower electrode and electrically connected to one of the column lines; and a flexible support disposed over said upper electrode, wherein a ridge of said texture causes flexure of said flexible support and thereby results in movement of said upper electrode and a change in a state of electrical contact between said upper electrode and said lower electrode and wherein a valley of said texture disposed over another of said switches will not result in flexure of said flexible support and said change in state of electrical contact between said upper electrode and said lower electrode associated with said another switch.