Structure having different levels of programmable integrated circuits interconnected through bus lines for interconnecting electronic components

Claim 1

Structure comprising: a board suitable for carrying electrically conductive traces; a plurality of first component contacts formed on said board for receipt of electronic components; a plurality of first electrically conductive traces formed on said board, each of said first conductive traces being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said first component contacts; a group of first programmable integrated circuits connected to said board, each first programmable integrated circuit containing a plurality of first electrically conductive leads capable of being programmably interconnected by a user, each of a selected number of said first conductive leads being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said first conductive traces on said board thereby to form an electrically conductive path from each first component contact to the corresponding first conductive lead; a plurality of bus lines, each of said bus lines being connected to a corresponding one of said first conductive leads of said first programmable integrated circuits; and at least one second programmable integrated circuit connected to said board, each second programmable integrated circuit containing a plurality of second conductive leads capable of being programmably interconnected by a user, each of a selected number of said second conductive leads being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said bus lines thereby to form an electrically conductive path from that second conductive lead to the corresponding first conductive lead of said first programmable integrated circuits, whereby said first conductive traces and said bus lines can be programmably interconnected through said first and second programmable integrated circuits to achieve a desired electrical function from the electrical components to be connected to said board.