Crosspoint switch utilizing electrically conducting liquid

Claim 2

An electrical switch comprising a housing defining an internal chamber having a central region and four lobes communicating with said region, said lobes having substantially equal angular spacings around the perimeter of said central region, a globule of electrically conductive liquid disposed within said chamber and assuming a first stable position extending from said central region into a first pair of opposite ones of said lobes, means for deforming said globule from said first stable position to a second stable position extending from said central region into the remaining pair of opposite ones of said lobes, and means within said chamber for effecting electrical switching in response to said deformation.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said means for effecting switching includes first and second signal leads disposed within opposite ones of said lobes.

Claim 4

a droplet of non-magnetic electrically conductiVe liquid contained within said chamber and arranged to assume a first stable position in said chamber including said central area and one pair of opposite ones of said lobes,

Claim 5

a droplet of non-magnetic electrically conductiVe liquid contained within said chamber and arranged to assume a first stable position in said chamber including said central area and one pair of opposite ones of said lobes,

Claim 6

first and second signal contacts disposed within said chamber in the remaining pair of opposite ones of said lobes,

Claim 7

first and second signal contacts disposed within said chamber in the remaining pair of opposite ones of said lobes,

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said deforming means includes means for biasing said chamber in a magnetic field substantially perpendicular thereto, and means for simultaneously passing two currents through portions of said globule in opposite directions, thereby generating electromotive forces thereon.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said means for passing current includes first and second pairs of activating electrodes positioned within said chamber in said central region.

Claim 10

means for biasing said chamber in a perpendicular magnetic field, and

Claim 11

means for biasing said chamber in a perpendicular magnetic field, and

Claim 12

first and second pairs of activating contacts within said chamber arranged to pass electrical currents through said droplet, thereby generating electromotive forces on said droplet for switching said droplet from said first stable position to a second stable position including said central area and the remaining part of opposite ones of said lobes, wherein a. each of said first pairs of activating contacts of said switches in each of said m rows is interconnected in parallel to m pairs of row activating leads, b. each of said second pairs of activating cuntacts of said switches in each of said n columns is interconnected in parallel to n pairs of column activating leads, c. each of said first signal contacts of said switches in each of said m rows is connected to m row signal leads, d. each of said second signal contacts of said switches in each of said n columns is connected to n column signal leads, whereby an electrical connection between one of said m rows signal leads and one of said n column signal leads is established by the simultaneous application of an activating current to the appropriate one of said m pairs of row activating leads and to the appropriate one of said n pairs of column activating leads.

Claim 13

first and second pairs of activating contacts within said chamber arranged to pass electrical currents through said droplet, thereby generating electromotive forces on said droplet for switching said droplet from said first stable position to a second stable position including said central area and the remaining part of opposite ones of said lobes, wherein a. each of said first pairs of activating contacts of said switches in each of said m rows is interconnected in parallel to m pairs of row activating leads, b. each of said second pairs of activating cuntacts of said switches in each of said n columns is interconnected in parallel to n pairs of column activating leads, c. each of said first signal contacts of said switches in each of said m rows is connected to m row signal leads, d. each of said second signal contacts of said switches in each of said n columns is connected to n column signal leads, whereby an electrical connection between one of said m rows signal leads and one of said n column signal leads is established by the simultaneous application of an activating current to the appropriate one of said m pairs of row activating leads and to the appropriate one of said n pairs of column activating leads.

Claim 14

The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said central region is generally square and said lobes are each generally semi-circular.

Claim 15

A crosspoint switch comprising a housing defining an internal chamber having a generally square central area and four generally semi-circular lobes communicating with said central area and spaced substantially equally around the perimeter thereof, a droplet of mercury disposed within said chamber and capable of assuming a first or a second stable position within said chamber, said first stable position including said central area and a first pair of oppositely spaced ones of said lobes and said second position including said central area and the remaining pair of oppositely spaced ones of said lobes, first and second signal contacts disposed within said chamber, and arranged to contact said droplet in said second stable position, and means for switching said droplet from said first to said second stable position, thereby establishing an electrical connection between said signal contacts.

Claim 16

A crosspoint switch comprising a housing defining an internal chamber having a generally square central area and four generally semi-circular lobes communicating with said central area and spaced substantially equally around the perimeter thereof, a droplet of mercury disposed within said chamber and capable of assuming a first or a second stable position within said chamber, said first stable position including said central area and a first pair of oppositely spaced ones of said lobes and said second position including said central area and the remaining pair of oppositely spaced ones of said lobes, first and second signal contacts disposed within said chamber, and arranged to contact said droplet in said second stable position, and means for switching said droplet from said first to said second stable position, thereby establishing an electrical connection between said signal contacts.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said switching means includes means for biasing said chamber in a perpendicular magnetic field, and means for simultaneously passing two activating currents through said droplet thereby generating electromotive forces thereon.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second signal contacts are disposed within one of said lobes and vertically spaced one from the other.

Claim 19

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second signal contacts are disposed within opposite ones of said lobes.

Claim 20

A crosspoint matrix comprising a plurality of interconnected electrical switches arranged in m rows and n columns, each including

Claim 21

A crosspoint matrix comprising a plurality of interconnected electrical switches arranged in m rows and n columns, each including

Claim 22

The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said row activating leads and said row signal leads are disposed above said housing and said column activating leads and said column signal leads are disposed below said housing.