System and method for incremental fabrication of circuit boards
First Claim
1. A computer-based method for depositing material onto a fabrication base to form a circuit board, the method carried out prior to insertion of pre-fabricated components into the circuit board, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving design data representing a layout of the circuit board;
(b) transforming said design data into a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified within said matrix by an address and being assigned a raw fabrication material selected from a plurality of such raw fabrication materials; and
(c) depositing said assigned raw fabrication materials onto the fabrication base in an incremental three-dimensional fashion as indicated by said matrix to thereby three-dimensionally form the circuit board so that it is suitable for subsequent insertion of pre-fabricated components.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Circuit boards are fabricated in an incremental fashion. Conventional design data representing a layout of the circuit board is received. The design data is transformed into a three-dimensional matrix of increments (e.g., cubes) representing the circuit board, where each increment or cube within the matrix is identified by an address and is assigned a fabrication material. The circuit board is then built at a fabrication station by depositing the assigned fabrication materials onto a fabrication base in an incremental fashion as indicated by the matrix.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-based method for depositing material onto a fabrication base to form a circuit board, the method carried out prior to insertion of pre-fabricated components into the circuit board, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving design data representing a layout of the circuit board; (b) transforming said design data into a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified within said matrix by an address and being assigned a raw fabrication material selected from a plurality of such raw fabrication materials; and (c) depositing said assigned raw fabrication materials onto the fabrication base in an incremental three-dimensional fashion as indicated by said matrix to thereby three-dimensionally form the circuit board so that it is suitable for subsequent insertion of pre-fabricated components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer-based system for depositing material onto a fabrication site to form a circuit board suitable for subsequent insertion of pre-fabricated components comprising:
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transformation means for receiving data specifying design requirements of the circuit board and for generating, from said data, a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified within said matrix by an address and being assigned a raw fabrication material selected from a plurality of such raw fabrication materials; base means for providing the fabrication site for the circuit board; and fabrication means for depositing said assigned raw fabrication materials on said base means in an incremental three-dimensional fashion as indicated by said matrix to thereby three-dimensionally form the circuit board so that it is suitable for subsequent insertion of pre-fabricated components. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for depositing material onto a fabrication base to form a circuit board suitable for subsequent insertion of pre-fabricated components, comprising:
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a fabrication cabinet having an applicator assembly configured to receive a plurality of raw fabrication materials and to deposit a three-dimensional array of incremental amounts of said plurality of raw fabrication materials onto said fabrication base, and a positioning system configured to position said applicator assembly relative to said fabrication base; and a fabrication controller configured to control said applicator assembly and said positioning system, wherein said fabrication controller uses a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified within said matrix by an address and being assigned a raw fabrication material selected from said plurality of raw fabrication materials. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-based method for fabricating a circuit board, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving design data representing a layout of the circuit board; (b) transforming said design data in a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified with said matrix by an address and being assigned a fabrication material selected from a plurality of such fabrication materials, said transforming step comprising (1) calculating an increment size based on design features of the circuit board, (2) generating a generic matrix of increments approximately representing physical dimensions of the circuit board, (3) removing increments from selected locations of said generic matrix to form cut-out features of the circuit board, (4) adding increments to selected locations of said generic matrix to form protruding features of the circuit board, and (5) assigning a fabrication material to each increment in said generic matrix; and (c) depositing said assigned fabrication materials onto a fabrication base in an incremental fashion as indicated by said matrix to fabricate the circuit board.
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17. A computer-based system for fabricating a circuit board, comprising:
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transformation means for receiving data specifying design requirements of the circuit board and for generating, from said data, a three-dimensional matrix of increments, each increment being identified within said matrix by an address and being assigned a fabrication material selected from a plurality of such fabrication materials; base means for providing a fabrication site for the circuit board; and fabrication means for depositing said assigned fabrication materials onto said base means in an incremental three-dimensional fashion as indicted by said matrix to thereby three-dimensionally fabricate the circuit board, said fabrication means comprising raw material supply means for receiving fabrication materials to be used in the fabrication of the circuit board, applicator means for receiving said fabrication materials from said raw material supply means and for depositing incremental quantities of said fabrication materials on said base means, positioning means for positioning said applicator means relative to said base means, and control means for controlling said applicator means and said positioning means to fabricate the circuit board in accordance with said matrix.
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Specification