Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8169146 | Metal halide lamp A metal halide lamp capable of delaying the rate of deformation in an electrostrictive phenomenon caused by the discharge of a ferroelectric ceramic capacitor when dielectric breakdown is initiated between the electrodes of an arc tube thereby preventing breakage ac... | 05/01/2012 |
| 7354174 | Energy efficient festive lamp The present invention relates to a novel energy saving decorative festive lamp that is ideally suited for use in clubs, restaurants, or decorative applications, where specialized lighting, such as rapid flashing or frequent starts, is required. It may be used with h... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7284878 | Lumen regulating apparatus and process The present invention is a fluorescent light lumen regulating apparatus. More specifically, in one aspect, the present invention is a fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp. In this aspect, the lighting assembly comprises a lamp hou... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7275844 | Generator powered bicycle headlamp and electrical circuit A bicycle headlamp including: a rotor having a plurality of magnet plates attached to spokes of a bicycle wheel, each magnet plate including a plurality of magnets disposed at regular circumferential spacings with alternating south and north poles; and a stator incl... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7268329 | Lighting system A lighting system for providing a selection of different colors of light and a desired duration that the light remains on includes a light housing and a hook portion being attached together. The hook portion is configured to engage the support surface and suspend th... | 09/11/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7178961 | Voltage regulated light string A string set of series-connected incandescent flasher type lamps in which substantially all of the lamp filaments in the set are individually provided with a voltage regulated shunt circuit, which includes a voltage responsive silicon semiconductor device, which ope... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7180248 | Inductively coupled ballast circuit A ballast circuit is disclosed for inductively providing power to a load. The ballast circuit includes an oscillator, a driver, a switching circuit, a resonant tank circuit and a current sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit provides a current feedback signal... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7129625 | Protected lamp device A protected lamp assembly includes a tubular lamp enclosed within a tubular protective housing. The lamp is supported by grommets or bushings of a resilient material that are retained within the housing. An end cap assembly may include the bushing for the lamp and a... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7084587 | Apparatus and method for control of high intensity discharge lighting An improved apparatus and method for control of discharge lighting, such as HID (high intensity discharge) lighting, effects full-voltage start up of the lighting, and sustained operation of the lighting at a reduced voltage after a selected and variable start-up ph... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7083309 | Fluorescent lamp tube having integrated electronic ballast A new fluorescent lamp comprises a lamp tube and an electronic ballast, it is characterized in that it is provided with an outer tube, there are respectively an outer plug at both ends of the outer tube, in which inserts a socket for the lamp tube. The electronic ba... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7059926 | Method of making a spark plug having a multi-tiered center wire assembly A method of making an ignition device and center wire assembly that includes first, second and third electrode members, a conductive seal, and a noise suppressing seal. The method locates the first electrode member at an axial end of the center wire assembly near a ... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7012376 | Fluorescent lamp lighting device A fluorescent lamp lighting device includes a fluorescent light bulb having an electrode filament and an electronic lighting circuit substrate for lighting the fluorescent light bulb, wherein a capacitor connected in parallel with the fluorescent light bulb, a posit... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7004120 | Opposed piston engine A four-stroke opposed piston engine includes a rotating cylinder with a circumference and an aperture defined through the circumference, first and second opposing pistons, optional first and second opposing cylindrical spacers, first and second opposing piston caps,... | 02/28/2006 |
| 7001047 | LED light source module for flashlights A module, or collection of discreet components, for an LED flashlight is coupled to a conventional flashlight body which includes a conventional power source. The module comprise a housing adapted to be coupled to the flashlight body; an LED light source coupled to ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6979101 | Fluorescent lamp providing uniform backlight illumination for displays A bent fluorescent lamp for backlighting a display providing uniform illumination. A fluorescent lamp is made from a tubular glass envelope having right angles formed therein. The right angles provide improved illumination of a plane surface for backlighting a liqui... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6902299 | Long distance illuminator An illuminator, which may be an infrared illuminator, has an array of LEDs. The LEDs are mounted to an apertured substrate. Air flow through apertures in the substrate cools the LEDs. A fan forces air through the apertures. A collimating plate reduces divergence of ... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6559578 | Spark plug for an internal combustion engine A spark plug having a tubular metallic housing has an internal conductor arrangement including a refractory erosion. The refractory erosion resistor is designed either as a wound wire resistor or a filament-like thin-layer resistor.... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6300581 | Christmas tree tip switch safety device There is provided an electric cord and switch mechanism with receptacles for the insertion of electric plugs and a plug end for insertion into a wall outlet. The cord, receptacle and switch being adapted for attachment to the trunk of a Christmas tree or ... | 10/09/2001 |
| 6288491 | Metal halide lamp To achieve the foregoing objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the metal halide lamp of this invention comprises a vitreous arc tube containing an ionizable medium and having electrodes seal... | 09/11/2001 |
| 5532557 | Electric light socket constructions Light socket improvements include a thermal conductor which removes heat by inducing a flow of air within the socket and/or which acts as heat sink that more efficiently transfers heat to the socket support thereby enabling use of higher wattage light bul... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5309062 | Three-way compact fluorescent lamp system utilizing an electronic ballast having a variable frequency oscillator A compact low-pressure gas discharge lamp assembly includes a base and a plurality of low-pressure gas discharge light generating elements mounted to the base. Each of the light generating elements is capable of being individually energized. A ballast cir... | 05/03/1994 |
| 5247228 | Fluorescent lamp ballast adaptor An adaptor circuit used to enable stable, flicker-free operation of T8-type fluorescent lamps in a lighting fixture which already has a standard two-lamp, series-sequence, 40 watt, rapid-start type ballast installed therein. The adaptor circuit contains a... | 09/21/1993 |
| 5185557 | High-pressure discharge lamp A high-pressure discharge lamp has an outer bulb which surrounds a discharge vessel with intervening space. The lamp is provided with an ignition circuit which comprises a SIDAC. According to the invention, the SIDAC is mounted in a gas-filled, hermetical... | 02/09/1993 |
| 5136213 | Motion detecting light controller system A motion detecting light controller system which includes a light bulb socket adapter having a control circuit for the light which is controlled. The control circuit utilizes a first LED and a second LED, the first and second LEDs electrically isolated fr... | 08/04/1992 |
| 5053676 | High-pressure discharge lamp The invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp provided with a discharge vessel enclosed with intervening space by an outer bulb. An ignition circuit includes a voltage-dependent capacitor. According to the invention, the capacitor is mounted in ... | 10/01/1991 |
| 5013969 | Protective device for neutron tubes A protective device for a neutron tube including an ion source having an anode (2) which is brought to a positive potential relative to a cathode (3) by means of a source supply. An ion beam accelerated by means of an acceleration electrode (5) strikes a ... | 05/07/1991 |
| 4988921 | Lamp with integral automatic light control circuit A lamp assembly includes a sealed lamp envelope enclosing a filament, a lamp base affixed to the lamp envelope and including a connector, and an automatic light control circuit located in the lamp base and electrically connected between the connector and ... | 01/29/1991 |
| 4961027 | Discharge lamp having a standardized base This illumination lamp (5) includes a discharge tube (6, 7), a standardized base (10) and an intermediate element (9) arranged between the tube and the base. The lamp is characterized in that an electronic circuit (32) transforming the low frequency of th... | 10/02/1990 |
| 4764708 | Touch control lamp socket interior An electronic touch control light socket used to convert a lamp to touch-sensitive use which includes a circuit housing and a light bulb insertion socket mounted thereto which together are adapted for installation within a standard light socket shell of a... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4740873 | Energy saving "U" shaped fluorescent lamp A "U" shaped fluorescent lamp includes a housing extending the legs of the lamp, the housing containing means to reduce current flow in the lamp, thereby saving energy.... | 04/26/1988 |
| 4727289 | LED lamp The present invention provides a light-emitting diode lamp having a printed circuit board which is arranged inside a glass bulb having a base at an end thereof, via a stem and stays. A plurality of light-emitting diodes are mounted on the printed circuit ... | 02/23/1988 |
| 4725759 | Pilot lamp A conventional pilot lamp which is used in a power plant, substation, or other types of plants, each has its own large and heavy weight transformer below the lamp case. In order to obtain a pilot lamp having the same capacity as the conventional pilot lam... | 02/16/1988 |
| 4694215 | Compact, single-ended fluorescent lamp with fill vapor pressure control To improve the stability of operation of a compact, single-ended fluoresc lamp under "base down" operation, and provide for a predetermined temperature "cold spot" defining the vapor pressure within the fluorescent lamp, and particularly for a lamp havin... | 09/15/1987 |
| 4647820 | Discharge lamp ignition and supply circuit having a PTC resistor In a circuit for an inductively stabilized discharge tube (1) provided with two preheatable electrodes (2, 3) the ends of one electrode (2) are connected via a first capacitor (22) and a second capacitor (24), respectively, to the corresponding ends of th... | 03/03/1987 |
| 4590407 | Scale illumination lamp control circuit for an oscilloscope A lamp control circuit particularly suited for scale illumination in cathode-ray tube display devices provides stabilized lamp control impervious to temperature fluctuations for either constant or pulsed operating modes.... | 05/20/1986 |
| 4560906 | Lighting system and compact electric lighting unit A lighting system having a high pressure gas discharge light source and an incandescent light source within a common sealed and evacuated bulb. A ballast unit fitted externally to the neck of the bulb includes in series with the incandescent light source ... | 12/24/1985 |
| 4547704 | Higher efficiency incandescent lighting units An improved high efficiency general service incandescent lighting unit is disclosed. The lamp has coaxial outer and inner envelopes. The inner envelope has a low voltage filament coaxially disposed therein, a halogen gas atmosphere and a fill-gas at a hig... | 10/15/1985 |
| 4546290 | Ballast circuits for discharge lamp A high frequency ballast circuit for a discharge lamp particularly of the so-called energy saving type adapted to fit into conventional incandescent lamp sockets. The circuit comprises an inductive choke and a transistor switching device connected in seri... | 10/08/1985 |
| 4449071 | Fluorescent lamp device A fluorescent lamp device including an outer tube containing a fluorescent lamp therein, a connection tube connected to one end of the outer tube, a cap containing a glow starter and a condenser connected to the other end of the outer tube, and a base mem... | 05/15/1984 |
