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 |
| 7370429 | Integrated electronic level device A device adapted to be integrated with a wall hanging for indicating an off-level condition is provided. The device includes a series electrical circuit including a power supply and a signal element connected with the power supply, wherein the signal element is capa... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7318283 | Inclination sensor An inclination sensor includes: a case having a turning shaft section projected in a lateral direction on a front surface thereof; magnetism detecting means fixed on an upper side of the turning shaft section; a pair of magnets fixed in parallel to a rear surface of... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7284431 | Geophone An improved system for sensing ground motion is provided. The system generally comprises a shell and a case within the shell and connected by a suspension. The mass of the case is greater than the mass of the shell. An electrode within the shell detects relative mot... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7254897 | Integrated tilt sensor A tilt sensor having a printed circuit board disposed in a direction normal to a reference plane for measuring a tilt angle with a pair of electrodes formed on a first surface of the printed circuit board. A cover is affixed to the printed circuit board and creates ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7228739 | Precision flexure plate A precision flexure plate includes a flat disk positioned between two capacitor plates and supported by S-shaped beams. Deflection of the disk due to gravitational loads and resulting capacitance change is used to measure the accelerations in the direction perpendic... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7225553 | Gradiometer mounting and isolation system An apparatus for maintaining the orientation of an instrument or other object in one embodiment includes an inner shell of ferromagnetic material. An outer shell surrounds the inner shell, and one or more electromagnets are attached to the inner surface of said oute... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7188426 | Inclination sensor An electronic inclination sensor is provided for the determination and display of surface inclination and the direction of such inclination. The information regarding the inclination and direction of inclination can be displayed such that an end user can readily and... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7124634 | Single plate capacitive acceleration derivative detector A capacitance accelerometer includes a housing, and a plate fixed within the housing. A moveable plate is disposed in substantially parallel relation to the fixed plate and is coupled to the housing along at least an edge. The moveable plate and the fixed plate defi... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7100294 | Method of sensing tilt, tilt sensor, and method of manufacturing same A method of sensing tilt includes applying an electrical signal, such as voltage, current, a constant signal, or a time-varying signal to at least one electrode of a first set of electrodes and measuring an electrical parameter using at least one electrode of a seco... | 09/05/2006 |
| 6993849 | Capacitive balance leveling device An aerospace system includes a leveling device defining two plane levels (yz-plane and xz-plane). The plane levels are included within an inertial measurement unit and each of the plane levels includes two capacitance controlled oscillators. Each of the capacitance ... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6988321 | Electrostatic capacitance tilt angle sensor An electrostatic capacitance tilt angle sensor having a size that is reduced without lowering detection capacity. The sensor is provided with a case including a first wall and a second wall facing each other. A common electrode is arranged on the first wall and a di... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6964113 | Scale-bar artifact and methods of use A scale-bar artifact is and measurement method is provided, the artifact comprising a shaft, at least one mounting nest positioned on the shaft, a plurality of target nests positioned on the shaft, at least one temperature sensor in contact with the material of the ... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6934662 | MEMS based tilt sensor A sensor system is mounted on a host for recording motion of the host over time. The sensor system includes a sensor pad having a surface with a positive slope away from a center of the surface, and a mass resting on the sensor pad. The sensor pad includes an array ... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6922063 | Apparatus and method for capacitive level sensor A capacitive sensor including a pendulum for electronically determining an indication of angular offset and a capacitive leveling device having such a capacitive sensor for leveling an associated reference surface. The capacitive sensor detects a difference in capac... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6909374 | Level/position sensor and related electronic circuitry for interactive toy A sensor for use in an interactive electronic device. The sensor comprises a base member having at least one recess formed therein which is partially defined by a peripheral wall thereof. Disposed within the peripheral wall of the base member is at least one switch.... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6903560 | Orientation sensor especially suitable for use in an underground boring device An orientation sensor especially suitable for use in an underground device is disclosed herein. This orientation sensor includes a sensor housing defining a closed internal chamber, an arrangement of electrically conductive members in a predetermined positional rela... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6449857 | Inclinometer and inclinometer network An electronic inclinometer and a centrally controlled network of inclinometers are disclosed. A resistive or capacitive inclinometer sensor measures inclination in two orthogonal axes. Measuring electrodes can be provided on the exterior of a dielectric s... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6442855 | Tilt sensor A tilt angle sensor is disclosed that is capable of detecting whether a tilt angle of a reference plane exceeds a predetermined value by means of only one threshold value. Although only one threshold value is used, the tilt angle can be measured with resp... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6381860 | Electrostatic capacitor-type inclination sensor To provide an electrostatic capacitor-type sensor that does not require regulation such as zero-point adjustment and temperature compensation, etc. A pair of semi-circular differential electrodes are positioned next to each other in the vertical direction... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6311406 | Electrostatic capacitor-type inclination sensor To provide an electrostatic capacitor-type sensor that does not require regulation such as zero-point adjustment and temperature compensation, etc. A pair of semi-circular differential electrodes are positioned next to each other in the vertical direction... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6123866 | Electrolytic solution for clinometric sensor A pair of upper electrodes are formed on an upper inner surface of a closed container constituting a clinometric sensor and a lower electrode is formed on the bottom of the closed container. An electrolytic solution comprising potassium iodide and a solve... | 09/26/2000 |
| 5907278 | Capacitive sensor assembly with soot build-up inhibiting coating A sensor assembly for measuring characteristics of motor oil in a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mechanically coupled to a vehicle for receiving motor oil of the vehicle and at least one capacitive sensor including sensing electrodes positioned ... | 05/25/1999 |
| 5900810 | Capacitive sensor assembly A sensor assembly includes a tilt sensor, an oil level sensor, an oil temperature sensor and an oil deterioration sensor, as well as associated output signal conditioning electronics integrated within a common assembly. The sensor assembly is configured t... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5627316 | Capacitive inclination and acceleration sensor A capacitive position sensor employs conventional printed circuit board (PCB) technology to detect capacitive changes caused by the movement of a ball along conductive tracks. A recessed region (or through hole) is stamped on the PCB with well controlled ... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5574442 | Inclination angle sensor First and second fixed electrodes are fixedly provided on a housing which is mounted on a surface whose inclination angle is to be detected. A rotatable electrode is inserted between these fixed electrodes, and this rotatable electrode is mounted on a sha... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5479716 | Capacitive based gravity sensor An improved inclination sensor in which electrically conductive elements are fabricated onto one or both surfaces of a flat plate. The plate comprising discrete, isolated sector sections having a distinct electrically conductive regions is oriented in a s... | 01/02/1996 |
| 5174033 | Angle sensor for a steerable boring tool A roll sensor is provided for determining the roll angle of a rotatable member. The roll sensor includes a plurality of elements arranged in a predetermined manner, each element having a first state and a second state. A controller controls the respective... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5150104 | Attitude indicator device utilizing capacitance measurement An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations from a reference orientation which includes a sensor cup having a capacitor and a damped dielectric fluid with a bubble disposed between the electrodes of the capacitor. When the sensor cup is tilted, the b... | 09/22/1992 |
| 5090128 | Device for measuring or controlling change of level between several points A device measures or controls a change of a level or a variation in a change of a level between several points. The device includes closed vessels (2) placed respectively at each of the points. The vessels are partially filled with a liquid (53) and are c... | 02/25/1992 |
| 5083383 | Electronic capacitance level with automatic electrode selection A capacitive type, multi-electrode inclination sensor device utilizes a conductive fluid acting as a common capacitive electrode contained within a cylindrical cavity. Two or more coplanar sensor electrodes are covered by a thin dielectric film and are mo... | 01/28/1992 |
| 5014795 | Percent grade boring and monitoring apparatus An earth boring tool for forming a bore underground at a desired percent of grade and a grade sensor (A) for sensing percent of grade as the bore is formed are disclosed. The earth boring tool includes a pipe casing (10) and cutting head (12). Sensor (A) ... | 05/14/1991 |
| 4937518 | Electrical inclination sensor and a monitoring circuit for the sensor The sensor comprises a body defining a closed chamber which is partially filled with electrically conductive liquid. A main electrode and first and second auxiliary electrodes extend within the chamber in such a way that a variation in the inclination of ... | 06/26/1990 |
| 4912662 | Inclinometer An inclinometer 20 has a sensing unit 40 for providing a varying capacitance signal depending on the orientation of the inclinometer 20. An oscillator circuit unit 82 includes the sensor unit 40 as a capacitive element for providing a signal having a peri... | 03/27/1990 |
| 4800542 | Tilt sensor for resolving left-right ambiguity in underwater acoustic detection systems A sensor for resolving the left-right ambiguity encountered in horizontal line hydrophone arrays consists of an orthogonal pair of dipole hydrophones, a monopole hydrophone, and a tilt sensor, the tilt sensor connecting the dipole hydrophones so as to pro... | 01/24/1989 |
| 4755801 | Bubble movement detector security system The security apparatus is mounted to objects to indicate when a person or moving body is in the vicinity. Detection of movement or vibration is determined by air bubble movement in a liquid charged chamber. Light emitting means radiating from end placemen... | 07/05/1988 |
| 4707927 | Inclination and acceleration sensor utilizing electrostatic capacitive effects A sensor includes a common electrode, and a plurality of detecting electrodes which are electrically independent from each other. The common electrode has a spherical shape. The detecting electrodes are arranged oppositely to the common electrode so as to... | 11/24/1987 |
| 4676103 | Acceleration or inclination sensors An acceleration or inclination sensor includes at least two condensers formed as a reference electrode and a detection electrode divided into at least two portions. A magnetic fluid is provided between the reference and detection electrodes, and a magnet ... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4672753 | Rotation sensor A toroidal liquid filled sensor measures rotation with respect to vertical in any plane normal to the earth's surface and comprises a sealed, non-conductive, hollow toroidal housing of square or rectangular cross section with an interior circular cavity o... | 06/16/1987 |
| 4660290 | Inclination measuring instrument Inclination measuring instrument having a tube having a concave inside surface and filled with liquid so as to have a bubble, a first electrode provided on the outside surface of the tube opposite to the bubble, second and third electrodes provided on the... | 04/28/1987 |
| 4644662 | Capacitive gravity sensor An inclinometer includes two coplanar electrodes positioned within a chamber of a metallic housing containing a high relative dielectric constant fluid and a gas. With the inclinometer positioned on a level surface equal areas of the two electrodes are im... | 02/24/1987 |
