Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8188862 | Remote detection of covertly carried metal objects An apparatus for remotely detecting metal objects carried by a person includes an antenna and a signal generator coupled to the antenna operable to cause the antenna to emit a first electromagnetic signal to the person at a frequency that is known to be resonant wit... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8125337 | Communication apparatus and portable communication terminal using the same When commonly using a receiving antenna and a transmitting antenna having mutually opposing characteristics, the present invention makes it possible to commonly use the antennas without deteriorating the characteristics of both antennas. In a communication apparatus... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8120483 | Electrostatic occupant detecting apparatus and method of adjusting electrostatic occupant detecting apparatus In a method of adjusting an electrostatic occupant detecting apparatus, a first group of load circuits is coupled with a sensor property measuring device, an AC voltage signal is applied from a signal source to the first group of load circuits, and a potential diffe... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8115627 | Detection device, particularly for realizing a protection system The invention relates to a detection device, particularly for realizing a protection system via which, for example, motor-driven injury-relevant systems can be operated in a controlled manner. The aim of the invention is to provide solutions via which advantages res... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8072325 | Trespass detection system A trespass detection system includes an electronic-wave trespass detection sensor which is provided near the boundary of a trespass surveillance area, and a detection device body which detects trespassing into the area on the basis of a detection output from the sen... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8040241 | Capacitance-based occupant detection system and occupant protection system A capacitance-based occupant detection system accurately determines seat occupancy and a failure of an electrode and between electrodes and includes an impedance calculation section, a Re/Im part calculation section, and a determination section. A first impedance Z | 10/18/2011 |
| 8009045 | Method for alerting physical approach A method and apparatus is described to detect the physical approach. The method is useful for passively detecting the presence of people, pets, or robots in proximity to a sensor. It is portable, and functions while being carried or placed inside objects. ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7889076 | Symmetric multiple sensing apparatus An apparatus for metal detection is provided. The metal detector is used to provide protected access to sensitive areas. The metal detector includes two oblong shape vertical housings and emitting and receiving electrical coils which are provided in the housings. Fu... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7791476 | Occupant sensor and method for seat belt or other monitoring The change in voltage or current of the antenna is measured by the time to reach a particular voltage level. Using either charging and/or discharging, the times to reach two or more different levels of the total charge are measured. By providing sensor electronics w... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7701338 | Occupant detection system and method of determining occupant An occupant detection system for detecting an occupant on a seat of a vehicle includes an antenna electrode in a seat bottom of the seat, and an electronic unit connected to the antenna electrode and the vehicle. The electronic unit applies a load current to the ant... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7545270 | Capacitive proximity sensor with user A sensing system for sensing the proximity of a part of a user to a control input, such as a control panel (14), for a vehicle subsystem (10), includes a transmitter (26) for transmitting a signal, a primary receivers (22) for receiving t... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7443290 | Communication system The apparatus enhances the degree of freedom in communication using a quasi-electrostatic field. A card device 3 (a ticket checking and collecting machine 2) side in a communication system 1, a quasi-electrostatic field according to an identific... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7436299 | Vehicle occupant detection using relative impedance measurements A passenger detection system is provided. A sensor measures capacitance, electric field effects or other characteristic responsive to a load in a seating area. The sensor uses one or more electrodes (e.g., a transmit and receive electrode or one electrode for transm... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7432827 | Device for activating inductive loop sensor of a traffic light control system A system and method for activating vehicle sensors which are based on inductive loops. A voltage controlled oscillator is scanned throughout the required frequency range while a balanced mixer, low-pass filter, and detector are arranged to show the presence of a sig... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7397351 | Use of E-field sensors for situation awareness/collision avoidance E-field sensors are used to establish a protection zone around a vehicle so as to detect the presence of objects within the protection zone, be they other vehicles or individuals. In one embodiment the direction to the intruding object is established by virtue of th... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7391332 | Radiation information management device and communication device A radiation information management device comprises a measuring unit, a comparing unit, and a management information generating unit. The measuring unit measures unwanted radio wave radiation radiated from a balanced transmission line. The comparing unit compares a ... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7372370 | Remotely activated, multiple stage alarm system An alarm system (100) to wake sleeping occupants in the event of an emergency has a receiver (105) for detecting a warning signal (130) emitted from an external device (125), such as a smoke or carbon monoxide detector. A processor (11... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7362225 | Flexible occupant sensor and method of use Flexible circuit material is used for positioning one or more antennas for occupant detection within a seat. The antenna and associated signal traces to an occupant detection circuit may be more easily manufactured using a flexible material while minimizing discomfo... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7355518 | Cordless lanyard system using e-field A monitoring system detects the presence or absence of a marine vessel operator within a defined zone near the helm of a marine vessel. The detection is accomplished through the use of a provision of an e-field and the detection of e-field strength by a receiving an... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7352191 | Sensor assembly and method of forming the same A sensor assembly includes a sensing element electrically connected to a conductor of a flexible multiconductor cable using a conductive patch, which is electrically connected to the conductor. A method of forming a sensor assembly includes electrically connecting a... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7339381 | Object sensing An object sensing system (50), and method, employing electric field sensing, also known as quasi-electrostatic sensing and which may be termed cross capacitive sensing, is described. The system (50) includes at least one electrode arrangement (30 | 03/04/2008 |
| 7336181 | Tagging and tracking system for assets and personnel of a commercial enterprise An integrated system for tracking assets (tools and materials) and personnel associated with a work site. Personnel are equipped with tracking devices having at least geolocation capability. Assets are tagged with RFID tags, which are interrogated at portals, by mob... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7323985 | Electronic warning system and method The invention provides an electronic warning system, including an electrical line of a fence extending along a protected area; a pulser; a transmitter for transmitting pulses through the line; a receiver for receiving the pulses after being transmitted along at leas... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7324007 | Instrumented rock bolt, data logger and user interface system A rock bolt includes a hollow body and a gap along a length of the hollow body. At least one strain gauge is affixed to an inner surface of the rock bolt and is accessible from the gap. The rock bolt may include a data logger within the hollow body and coupled to re... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7317392 | Apparatus for occupant detection An apparatus for occupant detection in a vehicle, including a dielectric substrate with a reference plane, and a plurality of electrodes forming a capacitive array on said dielectric substrate and coupled to said reference plane. Each of the plurality of electrodes ... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7315254 | Proximity detector for night vision goggles shut-off A night vision device is disclosed. The device includes a housing that houses an intensifier tube and a proximity sensor mounted on the housing. An ON/OFF switch is operatively coupled to the intensifier tube and to the proximity sensor such that operation of the ON... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7295107 | Ferromagnetic detection pillar A ferromagnetic detection pillar having one or more applied magnetic field sources and one or more magnetic field sensors, with the magnets and sensors arranged and adapted to detect a ferromagnetic threat object on one side of the pillar. A detection device, such a... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7295909 | Method for the detection of an impact A method for detecting a side collision, in which either temperature or pressure sensors are provided for detecting an adiabatic increase in pressure or temperature. The signals of these sensors are filtered with a low pass filter and then, as a function of a signal... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7293466 | Bolt with function of measuring strain A bolt with a function of measuring strain, comprising a Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising a strain sensor and a dummy resistor, a translate circuit that amplifies a signal from the Wheatstone bridge circuit to convert the same into a digital signal, a transmitti... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7286056 | System and method for pest detection Systems and methods for detecting presence and movement of pests. Various embodiments of a pest detection system can be based on, for example, a beam-interrupt detector or a thermal imaging device. The beam-interrupt detection based system can provide functionalitie... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7286157 | Computerized method and apparatus for determining field-of-view relationships among multiple image sensors A computerized method of image analysis that includes receiving first image data for a plurality of first video frames representing a first scene. Each first video frame is composed of a plurality of image regions, and a first object is present in an image region of... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7286912 | Method and apparatus for avoidance of power lines or trip wires by fixed and rotary winged aircraft An E-field sensing system is provided to detect the presence of obstacles, including wires, power lines or trip wires, as well as towers, guy wires, buildings and elevated terrain, in which a variation or tilt of the iso-potential electrostatic field adjacent the ob... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7280673 | System and method for searching for changes in surveillance video Systems and methods for determining when a change has occurred in an area-of-interest included in an image region are disclosed. The system and methods may perform a specially modified background subtraction method. The systems and methods may initialize a backgroun... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7271730 | Occupant determination apparatus and occupant determination method An occupant determination apparatus and an occupant determination method accurately determine a size of an occupant, with a simple configuration where a plurality of electrodes are arranged on one layer, and eliminate errors due to the capacitance between an occupan... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7265670 | Surveillance detector A surveillance detector comprising a light emitter and a light guide which is optically connected to the light emitter, which light guide includes reflectors mounted therein, a special feature being the fact that the light guide is capable of converting the light fr... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7254519 | Multi channel multiplexed inspection system and method Provided are systems and methods for multi-channel non-destructive inspection which provide high data throughput, logarithmic amplification of large dynamic range, and simplicity of supporting electronics. More specifically, provided are systems and methods for insp... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7221775 | Method and apparatus for computerized image background analysis A computerized method of video analysis including receiving image data for a plurality of video frames depicting a scene that includes at least one of a plurality of background features. Each video frame includes a plurality of image regions and at least one video f... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7218234 | Electronic bait station An electronic bait station utilising the disruption of an electromagnetic field to detect the movement of insects or small animals within the station. The bait station consists of a housing, with at least one cavity having an electromagnetic radiation element genera... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7218224 | Human body detection sensor A human body detection sensor includes two oscillation circuits, a tuning circuit which connects equivalent points of the two oscillation circuits to each other, an antenna electrode which is connected to any one of the oscillation circuits so that a change in circu... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7202782 | Method and apparatus for disabling an integrated circuit (IC) when an attempt is made to bypass security on the IC The present invention provides an apparatus and method for detecting if a person has attempted to tamper with an integrated circuit (IC). The apparatus is located on the IC and comprises detection circuitry that detects a build up of electrical charge on the IC and ... | 04/10/2007 |
