Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8063795 | Pedestrian activated stop sign An embodiment of the present invention is an illuminated stop sign for allowing pedestrians to control traffic. The system comprises a fixed support assembly; a pedestrian activated mechanism; a timer set for a predetermined period of time when the pedestrian activa... | 11/22/2011 |
| 7864072 | System and method for automatically adjusting traffic light A system, program product and method for automatically adjusting the traffic light of a traffic light controlled intersection. Personal data relative to a pedestrian cross walking the intersection, including walking speed, and the current speed of a vehicle approach... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7855660 | Multipurpose LED signal system for pedestrian and traffic control This invention provides a pedestrian signal system not only for normal pedestrians but also for the blind, the disabled person of weak sight, and the illiterate by displaying the remaining time of each signal change in image figures at the signal head and by generat... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7852234 | Cross-walk safety lighting with multiple enhanced flash rate An apparatus and method for controlling cross-walk boundary lighting, such as multiple flush-mounted lights on the boundary, or boundaries, of a cross-walk. Enhanced flashing patterns are output in a primary output to drive cross-walk lighting to produce a different... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7777646 | Alerting a driver to the presence of a pedestrian on a road System and method alerting drivers approaching a pedestrian crossing and notifying them of the presence of a pedestrian on the pedestrian crossing or any other accidents-prone road sections. By this, an additional traffic safety measure is provided. The presence of ... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7482948 | Roadway systems and methods for conditionally transmitting a radio signal to vehicles, depending on whether a certain person is in the area Disclosed are alert systems and methods for a roadway. According to one exemplary method, there is a step of receiving an identification signal from a device carried by a human having a medical condition. Subsequently, circuitry acts to conditionally cause a changea... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7330130 | Apparatus for displaying the remaining time of a traffic light A traffic light indicator warns the motorists and pedestrians of the remaining before the traffic light changes through a visual and pictorial display defined within the light indicators of the traffic light structure. One or more light indicators are programmed to ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7317405 | Solar-powered wireless crosswalk warning system A solar-powered crosswalk warning system is disclosed. The crosswalk warning system comprises two or more crosswalk warning beacons, located on opposite sides of the road. Each beacon comprises a solar panel to recharge a battery, a battery back, a control unit to c... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7271739 | Guidance system and navigation method For traffic routing in a walking zone in public buildings, complexes of buildings and traffic zones, which have a plurality of destinations interconnected by traffic routes there are arranged along the traffic routes continuous visual orientation lines which each ar... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7196950 | Non-volatile semiconductor storage device performing ROM read operation upon power-on A power-on reset circuit has a power-on level detecting circuit which detects a power voltage to output a power-on reset signal and a delay circuit which delays the power-on reset signal output by the power-on level detecting circuit. Two chip address specifying pad... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7130448 | Device for monitoring around a vehicle A device for monitoring around a vehicle capable of detecting objects present around the vehicle based on an image captured by at least one infrared camera member provided with the vehicle. The device includes a binary object extraction unit which subjects a gray sc... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7095334 | Strip LED light assembly for motor vehicle A light emitting diode (LED) warning signal light, the warning signal light comprising a plurality of light sources constructed and arranged with a reflector or cullminator, the LED light source being in electrical communication with a controller and a power supply,... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7064674 | Replaceable LED modules A modular warning signal light system comprising at least one support. The at least one support having at least one module receiving port. The module receiving ports constructed and arranged to removably receive the support engagement member of a module. Each module... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7046160 | LED warning light and communication system A light emitting diode (LED) warning signal light and communication device comprising a controller for generating a first observable light signal and a second non-observable light signal within said first light signal. The second light signal is formed of packets of... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7038593 | Strip LED light assembly for motor vehicle A light emitting diode (LED) warning signal light, the warning signal light comprising a plurality of light sources constructed and arranged with a reflector or cullminator, the LED light source being in electrical communication with a controller and a power supply,... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6982630 | Vibrating pedestrian push button station A vibrating push button station to be associated with a standard traffic signal of the kind used to control vehicular traffic at an intersection so that visually impaired pedestrians will be alerted when the pedestrian WALK signal is illuminated after first pressing... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6980126 | Photocell pedestrian button A unit for pedestrian control of traffic lights operated by a traffic light controller, comprises a casing adapted to be mounted to a traffic light post, the casing having a bottom face carrying a window, and a photocell mounted in the casing for directing a beam th... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6967587 | Hands-free door opener and method An apparatus for automatically opening a swinging restroom door is provided. The apparatus comprises an actuator, a control unit, and a power assisted drive mechanism that can be connected to an existing door closing mechanism. The actuator comprises a proximity sen... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6956502 | Traffic control sign A traffic control sign is provided which automatically unfolds and displays the message STOP and displays flashing messages SIGNAL OUT and 4 WAY upon power failure to traditional traffic lights. The traffic control sign includes a pair of sign plates hingedly attach... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6924741 | Method and system for displaying guidance information In an airport terminal 1, an identification tag 5 for transmitting inherent identification tag information and its position information is handed to a customer 6. The information is received by a tag recognition apparatus 2 and transferre... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6833796 | Count down led traffic signal An LED traffic signal with a display indicating the remaining interval for the current display mode. A switching power supply provides cost of manufacturing and operational efficiencies. Interference with logic circuitry normally associated with switching power supp... | 12/21/2004 |
| 6828918 | Personalized accessibility identification receiver/transmitter and method for providing assistance An impaired person is provided with a personalized accessibility device, which communicates an identification of a disability or impairment to an assistance device, which provides assistance. Also provided is a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a person... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6822581 | Traffic signal with adjustable cycles A traffic signal includes a micro-controller in communication with a switching system. The micro-controller executes a process for controlling a signal indicator according to a selected signal cycle. First and second actuators communicate with the corresponding firs... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6707393 | Traffic signal light of enhanced visibility A traffic signal light is caused to have improved visual perceptibility and distinctiveness by the addition of blue light sources that interact with the conventional red and green lights to alter their hues. The blue light sources have a rapidly varying intensity, p... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6690272 | Front safety light for alerting braking conditions of a vehicle An accessory brake light system for a vehicle comprising a secondary brake light attached to a front of said vehicle. A power source is provided for supplying power to a primary brake light. The primary brake light is attached to the rear of the vehicle. ... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6683540 | Railroad crossing signal apparatus A traffic warning system which alerts approaching vehicle traffic to the approach of a train in a crossing. The system includes a plurality of surface mounted lights partially embedded in and placed across a roadway. Once activated, the flashing lights wa... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6466140 | Pedestrian push button assembly A pedestrian push button assembly for activating a signal generator to generate a signal at a street crosswalk. The pedestrian push button assembly has a rigid frame having a piezoelectric material of a solid state switch positioned across a central apert... | 10/15/2002 |
| 6448905 | Robotic traffic signalling device A robotic traffic signalling device for reducing the need for deploying workers at various construction sites. The robotic traffic signalling device includes a weighted base member for resting upon a ground surface; and also includes a statute-like member... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6418374 | Navigation device A navigation device at least includes a CPU and a detector generating a detection signal for determining whether a main device is used inside a vehicle or not. If determining, based on the detection signal from the detector, that the main device is used i... | 07/09/2002 |
| 6384742 | Pedestrian crosswalk signal apparatus--pedestrian crosswalk A traffic warning system which alerts approaching vehicle traffic to the presence of a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The system includes a plurality of surface mounted lights partially embedded in and placed across a roadway. The lights are activated by the ... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6337637 | Collision with pedestrian prevention system The collision with pedestrian prevention system according to the present invention comprises pedestrian detection means, road surface conditions detection means, road information accumulation means, vehicle position detection means, vehicle state detectio... | 01/08/2002 |
| 6331824 | Traffic control signal with displayed time-elapse A transparent lens for motorist traffic light signals and pedestrian "Don't Walk" signs that displays, in Lcd countdown "real-time", how much time remains before the traffic signal command will change. The lens is easily shaped to be adapted over any exis... | 12/18/2001 |
| 6160495 | Device for presenting multiple illuminated messages and a method for making same A device for presenting multiple illuminated messages and a method for making same. The device includes a uniformly thick panel of transparent material having at least one elongated and continuous passageway therein forming a message to be indicated. The ... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6154133 | Exit guard system An exit guard system automatically detects movement of a subject along an exit path in an unauthorized direction. A first video camera is positioned for video imaging movement of a subject along the path, while a second video camera images the subject for... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6147623 | Smart cross programmable vehicle and pedestrian signage with electronic display and infrared remote control A smart cross electronic traffic sign for the control of vehicle and pedestrian traffic with programming and control by infrared remote control. The device is lightweight and easily portable. Messages can be displayed in the color of the normal traffic si... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6104313 | Portable automated flagman A remotely controlled, portable, automated flagman includes a shaft rotatably supported by a housing containing the drive mechanism and control electronics to selectively turn the shaft such that a "stop" or a "slow" sign is displayed at the option of a u... | 08/15/2000 |
| 6087962 | Electric traffic light, with acoustic signs and with an indication of backward counting The electric traffic light, with acoustic signs and with an indication of backward counting includes lights prepared in three sectors with signaling screens that are controlled by a processor electrically linked to an optic and numeric counter. The circui... | 07/11/2000 |
| 5898389 | Blackout backup for traffic light A system and method for automatically supplying a flashing line voltage from power stored in an auxiliary battery to power red traffic signal lamps using clusters of light emitting diodes during a blackout condition. A plurality of flash block connectors ... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5838247 | Solid state light system A lamp comprising an array of solid state lights, using light emitting diodes (LED's) has a massed arrangement of LED lights, the number of which may exceed the capacity of the face area of the lamp, such that a high intensity of light is achieved, being ... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5734339 | Crosswalk warning light system A crosswalk warning light system for warning drivers that a pedestrian has entered a crosswalk by shining a light onto the crosswalk and any pedestrians in the crosswalk. The crosswalk warning light system detects a pedestrian entering the crosswalk and a... | 03/31/1998 |
