Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7203584 | Multiple-satellite sensors algorithm wake up and reset strategy for an inflatable restraint system An air bag system (12) provides a central controller (14), a multiple of satellite sensors (16) and a multiple of deployable air bags (18). The central controller (14) runs the impact event algorithms. The number of satellites whic... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7200475 | Methods and devices for identifying the type of occupancy of a supporting surface A method and device for identifying the type of occupancy of a supporting surface, particularly of a motor vehicle seat (2), with the aid of force sensor-assisted signals. The sensor signals si, which are recorded at predetermined instants ti | 04/03/2007 |
| 7199537 | Voltage converter control apparatus, and method By using a target voltage Vc* of a capacitor connected to the output side of a DC/DC converter and a voltage Vb of a battery connected to the input side of the DC/DC converter, a duty ratio D as a drive instruction of the DC/DC converter is calculated. By using the ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198527 | Engine control apparatus The engine control apparatus includes: the stop switch body 6; the stop switch knob 3 that allows the engine to stop or to be in an idling state; the lock plate 5; the transponder 9 that can transmit a predetermined ID code; and the contr... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198499 | Low voltage electricity distribution circuit The low voltage electricity distribution circuit of the present invention is an electrical outlet that includes a receptacle mounted to a recess including either a plurality of wires or a bus bar system. The receptacle has at least one continuously live power socket... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198336 | Vehicular brake control apparatus and control method of vehicular brake apparatus A vehicular brake control apparatus includes a braked member that rotates together with a wheel, a braking member, an electric driving device that presses the braking member against the braked member to apply a braking torque to the wheel, when being supplied with e... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7199487 | Modular wiring harnesses A system for making up wiring harnesses includes a base harness having a set of flexible multi-conductor cables and a set of supplementary wiring harnesses adapted to connect in a particular location of said base harness. The connection area does not have a multi-co... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198502 | Latching medical patient parameter safety connector and method The present invention is directed to a socket connector to couple electrical plugs to sockets mounted on circuit boards or cable ends. The socket connector includes a socket that receives an electrical plug and a socket silo. The silo may contain a beveled outer sur... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7196432 | Device and method for protecting a motor vehicle against theft In the device a controllable switch is built into the control device which enables the start authorization and by means of which the supply voltage with which this controllable switch is supplied can be switched off. To check a start authorization a diagnosis can be... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196497 | Vehicle-mounted electrical generating system in which field current of electric generator supplying power to high-voltage system is derived from supply voltage of low-voltage system A vehicle-mounted electrical generating system has a first voltage system which operates from a high supply voltage and a second voltage system which operates from a low supply voltage that is substantially constant, and an electrical generator for supplying power t... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196895 | Electronic control system having power source relay fusion detecting circuit An electronic control system comprises a power source, a controller and a power source relay for supplying and cutting off a supply of power to the controller. A fusion detecting circuit includes a capacitor and a first resistor connected to the power source relay t... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196431 | Device for prompting a controller A device for prompting a controller in a vehicle to switch the controller from a normal operating state into an idle state includes a prompting device which switches a power supply through to the controller when activated to bring it into the normal operating state.... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7197180 | System or method for selecting classifier attribute types A system or method (collectively “selection system”) is disclosed for selecting attributes for a classifier in a sensor system. The selection system selects attribute types using statistical distributions of the attribute values associated with those attribute t... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196280 | Miniaturized electric switch A switch (10) comprising a bottom contact-holder (12) supporting two fixed electric contacts (30, 30B), an actuation member (54) and an intermediate conductive contact strip (14) that can be deformed elastically in order to modify ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7195261 | Position sensor system and vehicle seat provided with the position sensor system A position sensor system is provided at a slidable vehicle seat for sensing seat position in zones and facilitating controlling of the operation of a vehicle passenger restraint device according to a position of the vehicle seat relative to the vehicle passenger res... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7195381 | Vehicle interior LED lighting system A vehicle lighting system for a vehicle includes an accessory module assembly that is adapted for attachment to an interior portion of a vehicle and configured to illuminate, for example, an area inside the vehicle. The module assembly includes a single high-intensi... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7195093 | Fuel door actuated ignition cut off A fuel door actuated ignition cut off includes a switch that is electrically coupled to the circuit for selectively opening or closing the circuit. An actuator is mechanically coupled to the switch for selectively actuating the switch. The circuit is open when the a... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7197364 | Portable electronic controller A portable electronic device includes a communication component, an integral display operatively connected to the communication component, an operator input component operatively connected to the display and a processing component operatively connected to the commun... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196615 | System and method for determining at least one parameter of at least one rotating member by means of a position signal A system for determining at least one parameter of at least one member rotating with respect to a fixed structure, the system including, for each rotating member, an assembly having a transponder, a coder, a position sensor, and a device for detecting the parameter ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196430 | Partial-powered series hybrid driving system A Partial-Powered Series Hybrid Driving System enables an engine to run with high power and high speed for normal or high load driving. If the load is driven under low-power, low-speed light loading conditions, the present system operates in a series hybrid driving ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196486 | Apparatus for detecting obstacle to power regulated window An apparatus for detecting an obstacle to a power regulated window, which can detect existence of an obstacle by a method of differential current at low rotating speed of a motor and reduce a force of biting an obstacle and prevent from detecting an obstacle unexpec... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196498 | Method and apparatus for generator control A generator control circuit is provided that includes a first circuit (44) monitoring a generator voltage change rate and producing a first output when the voltage change rate is above a first level, a second circuit (48) monitoring a generator current... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7194377 | Method for calibrating an analog sensor A method for determining the absolute angle of an angle position sensor over a predetermined rotation range and in which the sensor generates a repeating periodic analog signal across the rotation range. The initial position of the sensor is stored in memory when th... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7191863 | Apparatus for preventing erroneous operation of electro-motion pedal device in automobile and methods of use thereof An apparatus for preventing an erroneous operation of an electro-motion pedal device in an automobile and methods of use thereof, wherein an engine starting condition, positions of a shift lever and a parking brake activated condition are detected. When a safe condi... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7193334 | Controller for electronic key system A controller for an electronic key system including a portable device and an engine. When the ID code of the portable device cannot be authenticated, the controller instructs the driver of the necessary operations. When a transmitter circuit is transmitting a reques... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7194154 | Optical connector A rotatable connector comprises a plurality of optically conductive light rings adapted to mount to a first rotatable component; a plurality of light emitters for illuminating said light rings; a plurality of light detectors adapted to mount on a second rotatable co... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7193873 | Cradle for receiving an adapter A cradle casing has a DC/DC adapter to receive DC power from a DC power source and generate a first DC power signal. A sleeve accepts an AC/DC adapter, and guides movement of the AC/DC adapter when the AC/DC adapter is inserted into the cradle casing. The AC/DC adap... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7190089 | Device for detecting presence of a user for motor vehicle The invention concerns a device for detecting the presence of a user to allow and/or prevent access inside a motor vehicle, the vehicle comprising at least a decorative element fixed to the body (2) proximate to an opening (O), the device comprising at least ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7188963 | Vehicle accessory module An accessory system of a vehicle comprises an accessory module assembly having a mounting portion, a head portion and a rearview mirror assembly. The mounting portion extends generally upward when mounted to an attachment member at a vehicle windshield. The head por... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7191348 | Transition detection at input of integrated circuit device An integrated circuit has an input connection for connecting an external signal conductor that passes signals to execute functions in the device. The external signal conductor can pick up strong interfering signals with high frequency content, for example when the d... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7189125 | Power supply system for watercraft propulsion device A power supply system for a watercraft propulsion device which ensures stable power supply to operating devices in the watercraft propulsion device. The power supply system for a watercraft propulsion device preferably includes an operating-system drive control circ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7188898 | Child restraint system comprising control unit for evaluating harness adjustment The child restraint system comprises a harness that extends through one of a plurality of slots in the shell for restraining a child occupant within the child restraint system, and a control unit for determining whether the harness is properly adjusted based upon th... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7190161 | Magnetic sensor A coil is operatively associated with a magnetic circuit of a vehicle body, and is adapted to cooperate with a time-varying magnetic flux in the vehicle body that is responsive to a condition of the vehicle body sensed by the magnetic sensor. An electrical circuit i... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7191043 | Vehicular passenger protection system against lateral collision A vehicle has two acceleration sensors, which are provided forward and rearward respectively from the rear end of a driver seat in the vehicle. The acceleration sensors output signals, which are the basis for sensing a signal related to rotation of the vehicle. The ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7191269 | Method for multiple sensors to communicate on a uni-directional bus The present invention provides a system of and a method for multiple transmitters to communicate data over a single uni-directional communication bus. In one form of the present invention, a data communication system using time-domain multiplexing includes a uni-dir... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7191044 | Judgment lock for occupant detection air bag control Systems and methods for controlling the sensing of an occupant in a seating area are provided. The occupant is characterized as one of an adult, child or other category. One characterization change parameter, such as a hysteresis time period or thresholds for charac... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7188207 | Communication device having asynchronous data transmission via symmetrical serial interface A communication device having asynchronous data transmission via a symmetrical, serial interface is described, having a microcontroller that exhibits a CAN controller and an asynchronous serial interface unit for receiving, processing, and outputting data; an asynch... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7187548 | Power converter having improved fluid cooling A thermal support may receive one or more power electronic circuits. The support may aid in removing heat from the circuits through fluid circulating through the support, which may be controlled in a closed-loop manner. Interfacing between circuits, circuit mounting... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7185727 | Seat assembly A vehicle seat for receiving an occupant is placed on a slider so as to move along a guide rail. A pair of belt anchor brackets for anchoring each end of a lap belt at each side of the seat is provided under the guide rail, and a weight sensor for sensing weight var... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7187568 | Power converter having improved terminal structure A terminal structure for power electronics circuits reduces the need for a DC bus and thereby the incidence of parasitic inductance. The structure is secured to a support that may receive one or more power electronic circuits. The support may aid in removing heat fr... | 03/06/2007 |
