Self-diagnostic switch

• US 20080024314A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Hill, Gerald W., Kielian, Slawomir P., Truesdale, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,085,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/644
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96011 with propagation, SAW or BAW

Abstract

A self-diagnostic acoustic wave touch actuated switch assembly includes a substrate having an acoustic wave cavity, a transducer operatively connected to the acoustic wave cavity, a processing unit, and at least one light emitting member operatively connected to the processing unit. The transducer is configured to generate a trapped acoustic wave within the acoustic wave cavity. The processing unit is operatively connected to one or both of the acoustic wave cavity and/or the transducer. The processing unit may be configured to activate the at least one light emitting member when the processing unit detects one or both of a switch malfunction and/or a potential switch malfunction.

Claims

1. A self-diagnostic acoustic wave touch actuated switch assembly comprising:

a substrate having an acoustic wave cavity;

a transducer operatively connected to said acoustic wave cavity, said transducer configured to generate a trapped acoustic wave within said acoustic wave cavity;

a processing unit operatively connected to one or both of said acoustic wave cavity and/or said transducer; and

at least one light emitting member operatively connected to said processing unit.

2. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to activate or deactivate said at least one light emitting member when said processing unit detects one or both of a switch malfunction and/or a potential switch malfunction.

3. The switch assembly of claim 2, wherein said processing unit compares an actual response related to a generated trapped acoustic wave to an acceptable response related to proper switch operation.

4. The switch assembly of claim 3, wherein said processing unit detects proper switch operation when the actual response is within an acceptable response range, and wherein said processing unit detects the switch malfunction when the actual response is outside of the acceptable response range.

5. The switch assembly of claim 4, wherein said processing unit detects the potential switch malfunction when the actual response is within the acceptable response range, but outside of a smaller sub-range within the acceptable response range.

6. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one light emitting member comprises at least one light emitting diode.

7. The switch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing secured to said substrate, said processing unit being secured within said housing.

8. The switch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board secured with respect to said substrate, said processing unit being connected to said printed circuit board.

9. The switch assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one input/output connector.

10. The switch assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one light pipe secured to said at least one light emitting member, said at least one light emitting member configured to emit light through said at least one light pipe.

11. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one light emitting member is configured to emit light through said substrate.

12. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said processing unit activates said at least one light emitting member at a steady state to indicate a first operating condition, a flashing state to indicate a second operating condition, and a deactivated state to indicate a third operating condition.

13. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein the first operating condition is a malfunctioning condition, the second operating condition is a potential malfunctioning condition, and the third operating condition is a proper functioning condition.

14. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said processing unit activates said at least one light emitting member to emit a first colored light to indicate a first operating condition, and a second colored light to indicate a second operating condition.

15. A self-diagnostic acoustic wave touch actuated switch assembly comprising:

a substrate having an acoustic wave cavity having a touch surface;

a transducer operatively connected to said acoustic wave cavity, said transducer configured to generate a trapped acoustic wave within said acoustic wave cavity;

a housing secured to said substrate;

a printed circuit board secured within said housing;

a processing unit operatively connected to one or both of said acoustic wave cavity and/or said transducer, said processing unit being connected to said printed circuit board;

at least one light emitting member operatively connected to said processing unit;

at least one light pipe secured to said at least one light emitting member, said at least one light emitting member configured to emit light through said at least one light pipe; and

at least one input/output connector connected to said processing unit.

16. The switch assembly of claim 15, wherein said processing unit is configured to activate or deactivate said at least one light emitting member when said processing unit detects one or both of a switch malfunction and/or a potential switch malfunction, wherein said processing unit compares an actual response related to a generated trapped acoustic wave to an acceptable response related to proper switch operation, wherein said processing unit detects proper switch operation when the actual response is within an acceptable response range, and wherein said processing unit detects the switch malfunction when the actual response is outside of the acceptable response range, and wherein said processing unit detects the potential switch malfunction when the actual response is within the acceptable response range, but outside of a smaller sub-range within the acceptable response range.

17. The switch assembly of claim 15, wherein said at least one light emitting member is configured to emit light through said substrate.

18. The switch assembly of claim 15, wherein said processing unit activates said at least one light emitting member at a steady state to indicate a first operating condition, a flashing state to indicate a second operating condition, and a deactivated state to indicate a third operating condition, wherein the first operating condition is a malfunctioning condition, the second operating condition is a potential malfunctioning condition, and the third operating condition is a proper functioning condition.

19. The switch assembly of claim 15, wherein said processing unit activates said at least one light emitting member to emit a first colored light to indicate a first operating condition, and a second colored light to indicate a second operating condition.

20. A self-diagnostic switch assembly comprising:

a main body having a touch surface configured to be engaged to actuate the switch assembly;

a processing unit operatively connected to said main body, said processing unit monitoring operation of the switch assembly; and

at least one light emitting member operatively connected to said processing unit, said processing unit activating or deactivating said at least one light emitting member depending on an operating condition of the switch assembly.

21. The self-diagnostic switch assembly of claim 20, wherein the switch assembly is an acoustic wave touch actuated switch assembly, and said main body is a substrate having an acoustic wave cavity.