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Patent No. 5523741

Santa Claus Detector

A Christmas stocking having illumination means associated therewith for signalling the arrival of Santa Claus.

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Attorney: Baxter; Keith M.


Number of patents: 35
Last date: May 13, 2008

NumberTitleIssue Date
7373491Processor with versatile external memory interface
A processor architecture suitable for embedded systems and compatible with different kinds of external memory, executes a bootstrap program to determine the characteristics of the external memory before connection with the external memory. For this purpose, system s...
05/13/2008
7371986Pushbutton with replaceable mode cam
A pushbutton provides an operator with a replaceable cam ring that converts the operating mode of the operator from push-pull to twist-to-release. ...
05/13/2008
7366774Network delay monitor for safety control networks
A high reliability network provides for measurements of network delays through pairs of transmissions of local clock values used in a first message to deduce clock value offsets and in a second message to reveal network delays. ...
04/29/2008
7345474Detector for magnetizable material using amplitude and phase discrimination
A detector for magnetizable materials operates remotely to determine a amplitude and phase modification of an exciting magnetic field caused by the magnetizable materials. These amplitude and phase measurements are used to create a phase-amplitude trajectory in phas...
03/18/2008
7342761Apparatus and method for limiting application of electrical power to a load
The application of electric power from a power source to a load is controlled by detecting the magnitude of electric current flowing to the load and producing a first signal level that is indicative of that magnitude. The first signal level is compared to a referenc...
03/11/2008
7342589System and method for managing graphical data
A system and method for managing graphical information are disclosed. The system includes a processing device, first and second memory portions within at least one memory device coupled to the processing device. The first memory portion stores a first plurality of f...
03/11/2008
7340574Method and apparatus for synchronizing an industrial controller with a redundant controller
A method for identifying memory modifications includes designating a first portion of a first memory as read-only. An abort condition is identified responsive to receiving a write instruction having a target address within the first portion. In response to the abort...
03/04/2008
7339125Safety switch operating mechanism
A safety switch operating mechanism having an engagement mechanism mechanically linked to a plunger and arranged to receive an actuator such that insertion of the actuator into the engagement mechanism moves the plunger to a first position and removal of the actuato...
03/04/2008
7339948Industrial controller providing deterministic communication on ethernet
A transmission schedule is overlaid on the Ethernet protocol to allow use of this readily available high speed protocol for transmission of I/O data communicated in an industrial control environment and requiring a high degree of determinism. Scheduling improves loa...
03/04/2008
7328370Safety controller with simplified interface
A safety controller with redundant controllers, each executing safety tasks and comparing their results, provides an improved interface in which a user interacts with a single processor and the second processor is invisible. The interacting processor provides for th...
02/05/2008
7305272Controller with agent functionality
A controller configured to operate as at least one agent, a method of configuring a controller for operation as part of a multi-agent distributed control system, and a configuration device for so configuring a controller, are disclosed. The controller includes at le...
12/04/2007
7287184High speed synchronization in dual-processor safety controller
A safety controller executes a control program in two processing units to detect processor failure by comparison of the execution in each unit. This comparison is made rapid by synchronizing the input variables at the beginning of the task and comparing output varia...
10/23/2007
7266000Controlled inrush current limiter
An improved inrush current limiting circuit provides continuous control of current delivered to a filter capacitor based on the charge state of the filter capacitor. ...
09/04/2007
7266426Autonomous control unit-based control system capable of active diagnostics
A control system capable of detecting an anomaly in a controlled distribution network, and related method of detecting an anomaly, are disclosed. The control system includes a plurality of autonomous control units associated with elements of a distribution network, ...
09/04/2007
7262522Microelectromechanical isolating power converter
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device is used to transfer power from a source generator to a power generator that delivers electrical power to a load, while maintaining electrical isolation between the source generator and power generator for size critical a...
08/28/2007
7236342In-line passive barrier for intrinsically safe communication network
A passive isolator may fit between two serial network cables to convert a standard serial network to a serial network suitable for use in hazardous environments. ...
06/26/2007
7228390Safety controller with hardware memory lock
A safety controller provides for reliable mixed execution of standard and safety control programs held in a common memory by providing a hardware lock that is locked at times when the safety program is not executing to minimize potential corruption of the safety pro...
06/05/2007
7228187System and method for interfacing multi-agent system
A system and method of interacting with a multi-agent distributed control system employing a plurality of controllers on which are programmed a plurality of agents in which the controllers are coupled by a network are disclosed. The method includes providing a compu...
06/05/2007
7223927Lockable switch mechanism
A locking switch assembly includes a cam, a plunger, and a locking mechanism. The cam is rotatably attached to a frame assembly and an end of the plunger is constructed to follow a contour of the cam. The plunger is movable between a plunger first position and a plu...
05/29/2007
7213168Safety controller providing for execution of standard and safety control programs
A safety controller may execute both standard and safety programs using shared architecture in which two processors symmetrically execute the safety program and check each other for errors, and one processor only executes the standard program to minimize undetected ...
05/01/2007
7212391Grounded isolation system
An system and method are disclosed for isolating and grounding a load device, where grounding only occurs after the voltage(s) on the load device have been reduced to acceptable levels. The system includes power and grounding contacts, a sensing device, and a contro...
05/01/2007
7208909Motor protection inhibit circuit
A circuit for inhibiting a protection device of a motor includes first, second, and third comparators and an inhibit signal generator. The first comparator is operable to determine if a motor current signal associated with the motor exceeds a starting threshold to i...
04/24/2007
7205818Current loop drive module with dynamic compliance voltage
A current loop drive module includes a drive circuit and a compliance voltage controller. The drive circuit is configured to receive a compliance voltage and operable to generate a current loop signal based on the compliance voltage for receipt by an associated load...
04/17/2007
7203885Safety protocol for industrial controller
Messages in a high reliability industrial control system are associated with safety messages that enable reliable detection of data errors caused during transmission of the message over the network. In particular, error detection codes are generated and transmitted ...
04/10/2007
7203575Decentralized autonomous control for complex fluid distribution systems
A control system for a complex distribution network uses autonomous control units that may bid among themselves to reconfigure the distribution network in light of fluctuation demand or failures. The autonomous control units may also be enlisted to detect and isolat...
04/10/2007
7173185Panel mounting system
A mounting assembly for fastening a device housing onto a panel includes a housing and a clamp. The panel defines a front surface, a rear surface, and an opening extending therethrough for receiving the housing. The housing includes at least one wall sized to extend...
02/06/2007
7149064Multiphase reduced voltage starter with bypass relays, interphase electrical isolation and shared thermal mass
A power conversion system and methods of power conversion and construction of such a system are disclosed, where the system includes at least two pairs of input and output bus bars, and two pairs of switching devices, with the switching devices of each respective pa...
12/12/2006
7146232Agent program environment
A system and method for programming a plurality of agents onto a distributed control system are disclosed. The system includes a terminal that displays a graphical user interface having a plurality of images. The plurality of images includes a first image showing a ...
12/05/2006
7129808Core cooling for electrical components
A cooling system is provided for electrical components in which cooling assemblies (11, 45) are inserted in non-magnetic cores of the electrical components, and in which tubes provide both inflow and outflow of a cooling medium. The non-magnetic cores may be ...
10/31/2006
7117048Safety controller with safety response time monitoring
A safety controller having a total worst case propagation delay, exceeding the required propagation delay required by a safety process, may be used to control the safety process by monitoring actual delays in signal processing in the safety controller and moving to ...
10/03/2006
7109833Terminal block time delay relay
A terminal block time delay relay includes a terminal block, a plurality of terminals, a first timing control, and a timing circuit. The terminal block defines a socket operable to receive an electrical relay. The plurality of terminals are accessible at edges of th...
09/19/2006
7107358Bridge for an industrial control system using data manipulation techniques
A bridge usable in a highly reliable industrial control system provides an interface between a producer module transmitting redundant messages in accordance with a communication protocol and a consumer module receiving the messages in accordance with a different com...
09/12/2006
6776374Parachute pack for powered parachute
An improved pack for parachutes for powered parachute aircraft breaks down to lie flat against the ground providing a staging area for folding the parachute and full access to the parachute to remove entrapped air. Flaps of the pack fold up around the parachute to c...
08/17/2004
4786167Optical navigation system
A navigation device for wheeled vehicles using an optical locating system to determine the vehicle's position with respect to a set of coded, and therefore separately identifiable, fixed beacons. This optically obtained navigational information is used in...
11/22/1988
4765393Thermally regenerative hot beverage container
A beverage container with hollow walls and a hollow central member containing a phase-change material whose phase-change is selected to occur at the approximate temperature considered ideal for drinking, whereby the container regulates the temperature of ...
08/23/1988
 
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