Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8188620 | Adjustable solar cell network A system including an array of solar cells having positive and negative rails. A plurality of intermediate nodes are positioned adjacent positive and negative rails of solar cells in the array of solar cells. A plurality of switches are positioned to couple positive... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8125107 | Switch device and power supply control system The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an el... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8115344 | Very low voltage, ultrafast nanoelectromechanical switches and resonant switches The invention provides lateral nanoelectromechanical switches useful for integration into circuitry fabricated using standard semiconductor processing methods, or using techniques compatible with the mainstream semiconductor processing technologies. Methods of fabri... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8053933 | Switching means for connecting a load to a power supply and its method of operation A switching device for controlling the supply of power from a supply to a load comprises a solid-state switch arranged in parallel with a relay of normally closed type. The solid-state switch and the relay are arranged in series with the load and the power supply. T... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8049371 | Device for optimising the energy consumption of an electric circuit component An apparatus for optimizing power consumption of an electrical circuit component in an operating- and evaluating-circuit of a two-conductor field device, wherein a control unit is provided, which switches the electrical circuit component with a clock signal. An ener... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8018097 | Switching control system of circuit breaker A switching control system of circuit breaker, including at least: one switching control unit per circuit breaker, each of which inputs electrical quantity of power system voltage and main circuit current, state quantity of a circuit breaker, and an opening command ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7977821 | High power density switch module with improved thermal management and packaging A semiconductor power device, e.g., an Insulated Gate Bi-polar Transistor (IGBT) or a Metal-Oxide Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) may be constructed in a reusable and repairable cost-effective sealed shell. The switch may be provided with direct-pressure-contact ca... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7944091 | Apparatus for feeding electrical energy into a power grid and DC voltage converter for such an apparatus The apparatus for feeding electrical energy into a power grid (8) with a DC voltage converter (2) intended for connection to a DC voltage generator (1) and with an inverter (3) connected thereto and intended for connection to a power grid... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7939972 | Switch device and power supply control system The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an el... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7923868 | Method and apparatus for adjusting a power supply of an integrated circuit Disclosed is a circuit configured to apply a supply voltage to a switching element (e.g., a transistor). The circuit includes a latch and a processor. The latch is configured to sample a voltage of an output signal of the switching element, and the processor is conf... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7915764 | Relay circuitry and switching circuitry for power-over-network devices Relay circuitry for a power-over-network device is provided. The relay circuitry allows power-supplying network devices to identify and subsequently to supply power across a network connection to the power-over-network device, thereby eliminating the need for extern... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7906873 | Modular wall box system A device is provided and includes an actuator, mounted to a wall box, including a power supply, a semi-conductor switch, an electrical load controller and a terminal coupled to the power supply and the controller, an actuator interface disposed to receive first comm... | 03/15/2011 |
| 7884505 | Dry-type high-voltage load system apparatus and method of preventing chain breaking and arc discharge for use therewith A dry-type high-voltage load system apparatus has a space-saving structure, which is resistant to chain breaking, arc discharge and vibration, and a method of preventing the chain breaking and the arc discharge for use with the system apparatus. The system apparatus... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7821160 | Modular wall box system A device is provided and includes an actuator, mounted to a wall box, including a power supply, an electrical load controller and a terminal coupled to the power supply and the controller, an actuator interface disposed on the actuator to receive first commands rela... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7816814 | Bi-directional power converters A bi-directional power converter for cryogenic operation based on a bi-directional cryo-MOSFET switch. Cryogenic power electronics lends itself easily to bi-directional topologies, and brings higher efficiencies, further reductions in switching speed, higher-frequen... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7772722 | Switching system and method for adjustment thereof A switching system. The switching system includes an optical component, an electromagnetic switch, an auxiliary adjustment structure, and a control circuit. The optical component reflects or refracts a light. The electromagnetic switch, on one side of the optical co... | 08/10/2010 |
| 7679220 | Electronic time switch control circuit An electronic time switch control circuit includes a power supply, an oscillation period control module, an oscillator, and a switch control module. The power supply supplies power to the oscillation period module, the oscillator, and the switch control module. The ... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7652395 | Integrally coupled power control system having a solid state relay A power control system includes a base having a housing configured for releasably receiving a control unit and a cavity within the housing for receiving a solid state relay having a hockey puck configuration. The base includes an input power terminal for coupling to... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7642674 | Switch state assurance system A switch state assurance mechanism of a power stealing circuit for connection to a thermostatically controlled or other kind of operational system. The mechanism may be an interface for the power stealing circuit to the operational system. A switch or relay of the m... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7633183 | Switching controller for power sharing of parallel power supplies A switching controller for power sharing of power supplies is disclosed. The switching controller includes an input circuit coupled to an input terminal to receive an input signal for generating a phase-shift signal, a first integration circuit coupled to the input ... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7626285 | RF switch telemetry system and method The position of an RF switch, or switches, in a matrix switch drive system is monitored using AC rather than DC measurement techniques. Using the same wiring as the matrix switch drive system so as not to increase the size and weight of the switch installation, a lo... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7622827 | Switching controller for parallel power supply A switching controller for a parallel power supply is disclosed. The switching controller includes an input circuit coupled to an input terminal to receive an input signal for generating a phase-shift signal, a first integration circuit coupled to the input circuit ... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7535126 | Dry-type high-voltage load system device and method for preventing chain disconnection/arc discharge of the device A dry-type high-voltage load system apparatus has a space-saving structure, which is resistant to chain breaking, arc discharge and vibration, and a method of preventing the chain breaking and the arc discharge for use with the system apparatus. The system apparatus... | 05/19/2009 |
| 7525221 | Connection arrangement for connecting an electronic component and a power circuit of a control device To reduce the space of a control device having a power circuit and an electronic component, the power circuit including components to which higher currents are applied, in particular currents in the range of 5 A to 70 A, and the electronic component including a swit... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7511390 | Dual FET output stage with controlled output DV/DT for reduced EMI and input supply noise The slew rate of switching circuits, e.g. for DC to DC converters, is controlled without unduly sacrificing total switching time, by providing a weaker switching transistor in parallel with each stronger main switching transistor. Switching of the weaker transistor ... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7501722 | Illuminated switch device A switch device includes a substantially disk-shaped operator; a substantially ring-shaped indicator provided between the operator and the light emitting elements disposed below the operator; and a visible portion formed in the center of an inner periphery of the op... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7443660 | Information processing apparatus in which a storage medium is removably mountable An information processing apparatus, which is capable of improving security and operationality in handling of storage media, includes a system bay and a data bay that are provided on the main body of the information processing apparatus and allow respective disks to... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7417339 | Fast transition power supply A power supply includes at least one current source for providing current and a reference voltage generator for providing a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage. A control circuit selectively couples the current to the power supply output as a func... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7414330 | Power switch device A power switching device which is used to receive plenty of input voltage and output a switch voltage is provided. The device comprises a first switching unit, a second switching unit, and a self-bias unit. The power switching device outputs a switch voltage accordi... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7411317 | Electrical load status detection and control device An electrical load status detection and control device includes a first power supply circuit loop with a first switch, a second power supply circuit loop with a second switch, a no-load status detection unit connected with the second power supply circuit loop for de... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7400239 | Universal control apparatus and methods Apparatus and methods for control of one or more functions within a premises. In one embodiment, the control apparatus comprises a “universal” electronic switch which can be configured according to any number of different desired functional and/or aesthetic sche... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7398336 | Switching device for RS-232 serial port and USB serial port A switching device for RS-232 serial port and USB serial port is adapted to simultaneously provide a RS-232 serial port and a USB serial port for a micro-processor with a single USART. The switching device can automatically switch to select either of the RS-232 seri... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7390984 | High power liquid dielectric switch Method and apparatus for switching high power at high repetition rates. The apparatus is preferably a switch utilizing a pressurized flowing dielectric. The pressurized dielectric suppresses growth of dielectric breakdown byproducts, such as large bubbles and breakd... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7378759 | Disconnecting switch assembly The invention relates to a disconnecting switch assembly for disconnecting air-insulated electrical lines, which have one or more phases, with at least one grounded housing that is filled with protective gas, with open air ducts, which are attached to the housing(s)... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7368691 | Induction heating apparatus Apparatus for providing electrical power to at least one inductor wherein the at least one inductor is disposed to inductively couple the electrical power to an electrically conductive object to heat the electrically conductive object by inducing electrical current ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7368971 | High power, high frequency switch circuits using strings of power transistors High power, high frequency switches include a transmission line having at least three portions that are serially coupled between an input port and an output port to define at least two nodes and to carry a high power, high frequency signal between the input port and... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7365452 | Sensor device and output characteristic switching method of sensor device A pressure sensor device (1) includes a sensing element (2) for sending an analog signal according to pressure. The pressure sensor device (1) outputs the analog voltage to a microcomputer (20) through an input-output terminal (8).... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7366923 | Method and system for determining if an information handling system is operating within a carrying case A portable information handling system (IHS) is provided. The portable IHS includes a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor. The memory device is for storing instructions processable by the processor for determining whether a lid of the portable IHS... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7359169 | Circuit for protecting integrated circuits against electrostatic discharges A circuit is described that protects an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharges or electrical over-stress. The circuit arrangement has first and second protective elements connected in series between a connection of the integrated circuit and a supply volta... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7352086 | Switching circuit, switching module and method of controlling the switching circuit A switching circuit includes switching transistors connected to one of an input terminal and an output terminal of the switching circuit, and a control bias supply circuit that supplies a control bias for cutting off all the switching transistors to the switching tr... | 04/01/2008 |
