Stored charge transducer

Claim 2

An electrically alterable stored charge transducer comprising: a first layer of an insulator material; a second layer of an insulator material affixed to said first layer, said first and second insulator materials being selected so that trapped charge is capable of existing at the interface thereof; a first conductor layer affixed to said second layer so as to be separated from said first layer by said second layer; and a flexible conductor layer means positioned in proximity to said first conductor layer in such a manner that a gap exists between said first conductor layer and said flexible conductor layer means.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said flexible conductor layer means includes a flexible insulator layer and a flexible conductor layer affixed to said flexible insulator layer, said flexible conductor layer being separated from said first conductor layer by said flexible insulator layer and said gap.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said transducer further includes an electrode affixed to said first insulator layer and separated from said second insulator layer by said first insulator layer, the output of said transducer being the voltage between said electrode and flexible conductor layer means.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 wherein a source of voltage is capable of being connected between said electrode and said first conductor layer to cause the magnitude of the trapped charge at said interface to increase so as to cause an electric field to exist in said air gap.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first layer of insulator layer is much thicker than said second layer of insulator material.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said gap exists as a result of surface irregularities of said first conductor layer and said flexible conductor layer means.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 1 wherein one of said first or second insulator layers is silicon oxide and the other one of said first or second insulator layers is silicon nitride.

Claim 9

A manually actuated programmable code providing device for providing a digital signal comprising: a plurality of first conductor layers each electrically isolated from one another; at least one insulator layer capable of having a predetermined amount of trapped charge programmed therein, said insulator layer being affixed to each of said plurality of first conductor layers; a plurality of second conductor layers each affixed to said insulator layer and positioned on said insulator layer so as to be aligned above a corresponding one of said first conductor layers, each of said second conductor layers being separated from the first conductor layers corresponding thereto by said insulator layer; and a flexible conductor layer positioned above each of said plurality of second conductor layers and separated therefrom by a gap, said gap varying in response to the manual operation of said device.

Claim 10

A manually actuated programmable code providing device for providing a digital signal comprising: a plurality of first conductor layers each electrically isolated from one another; at least one insulator layer capable of having a predetermined amount of trapped charge programmed therein, said insulator layer being affixed to each of said plurality of first conductor layers; a plurality of second conductor layers each affixed to said insulator layer and positioned on said insulator layer so as to be aligned above a corresponding one of said first conductor layers, each of said second conductor layers being separated from the first conductor layers corresponding thereto by said insulator layer; and a flexible conductor layer positioned above each of said plurality of second conductor layers and separated therefrom by a gap, said gap varying in response to the manual operation of said device.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 8: wherein said plurality of first conductor layers are affixed to a substrate and aligned substantially parallel to one another; and wherein said insulator layer is further affixed to said substrate and positioned so that only a portion of each of said first conductor layers are affixed to said insulator layer.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9: wherein said device stores the digital signal it is to provide; and wherein each digit of said code is caused to be stored by selectively applying a voltage between corresponding ones of said first and second conductors.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 10 wherein said insulator layer includes a layer of silicon oxide and a layer of silicon nitride.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 11: wherein one of said layer of silicon oxide and said layer of silicon nitride is muCh thicker than the other layer, said second conductor layers being affixed to said other layer and said first conductor layers being affixed to said one layer; and wherein said selectively applied voltage causes electric charge to be trapped at the interface of said silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers in a position substantially aligned between corresponding first and second conductor layers having the voltage applied therebetween.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said digital signal is detected by measuring the voltage change between each first conductor layers and said flexible conductor whenever said manual operation occurs.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 13 wherein said flexible conductor layer includes a metalized layer of insulator material positioned so that said metalized portion is separated from said gap by said insulator portion.

Claim 17

A transducer comprising: a layer of electrically insulating material having an alterable trapped charge therein; a first layer of an electrically conductive material disposed and affixed to the layer of electrically insulating material; and a second layer of an electrically conductive material disposed in a spaced relationship with the first layer of electrically conductive material to define an air gap therebetween, the second layer having flexible properties; an electric field generated by the alterable trapped charge existing in the air gap; and means for altering the magnitude of the trapped charge in the layer of insulator material to alter the intensity of the electric field in the air gap.

Claim 18

A transducer comprising: a layer of electrically insulating material having an alterable trapped charge therein; a first layer of an electrically conductive material disposed and affixed to the layer of electrically insulating material; and a second layer of an electrically conductive material disposed in a spaced relationship with the first layer of electrically conductive material to define an air gap therebetween, the second layer having flexible properties; an electric field generated by the alterable trapped charge existing in the air gap; and means for altering the magnitude of the trapped charge in the layer of insulator material to alter the intensity of the electric field in the air gap.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said layer of insulating material includes a first insulator material layer affixed to said first layer of electrically conductive material and a second insulator material layer disposed on and affixed to said first insulator material layer so as to be separated from said other conductor layer by the thickness of said first insulator material layer, said first and second materials being selected so that trapped charge is capable of existing at the interface therebetween.