The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 14, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 28, 1996
James A Irvine, Beaverton, OR (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A key activated switch matrix on a mother board that enables a dedicated key when inserted to select a subset of selectable parameters and thereby configure the mother board without further operator intervention. A housing having a slot is positioned on the mother board. An array of conductor pairs is positioned in the slot one element of each pair on either side of the slot with one end of each element of a conductor pair extending through the bottom of the housing to make electrical contact with wiring of the mother board and the other end of each element formed so as to make contact with its mating conductor element. A key is provided that consists of a single electrically insulating body having dimensions for fitting into the slot between the pairs of conductor elements and allowing certain of the conductor pairs to make electrical contact and precluding other pairs from making contact.