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 |
| 8159142 | Ballast being capable of saving the use of internal connection terminals A ballast comprising a first input terminal, a second input terminal, a switch circuit, and a plurality of lamp sets is provided. The switch circuit comprises a first switch and a second switch connected with the first one. The switches are connected with the first ... | 04/17/2012 |
| 7723922 | Light emitting diode driving device There is provided an integrated LED driving device including: a DC/DC converting part converting and outputting a DC voltage inputted from the outside by switching of a switch into a driving voltage of a magnitude suitable for driving a plurality of LED arrays; a co... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7352339 | Diffuse illumination systems and methods The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to sources of diffuse illumination for providing substantially uniform illumination to a surface. The diffuse illumination arises from varying the diffusion angle of light generated by an LED system. To vary the diffus... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7285924 | Driving circuit for LCD backlight lamps An LCD backlight driving circuit is provided for providing protection to LCD backlight lamps. In a preferred embodiment, the driving circuit for LCD backlight lamps comprises: a PWM controller sending control signals; two transistors receiving the control signals an... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7250726 | Systems and methods for a transformer configuration with a tree topology for current balancing in gas discharge lamps An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and good performing. Embodiments ... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7231060 | Systems and methods of generating control signals Separating a source in a stereo signal having a left channel and a right channel includes transforming the signal into a short-time transform domain; computing a short-time similarity measure between the left channel and the right channel; classifying portions of th... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7183722 | Apparatus and method of driving lamp of liquid crystal display device A lamp driving apparatus of a liquid crystal display device includes m lamp groups in which a plurality of lamps generating light are disposed; n (n | 02/27/2007 |
| 7054211 | Semiconductor memory storage device capable of high operating speed A semiconductor memory storage is disclosed, in which the gate of each of a plurality of n-channel transistors is connected to the corresponding one of a plurality of word lines on the output side of each word line driver. The source of the n-channel transistor is c... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7038399 | Methods and apparatus for providing power to lighting devices Methods and apparatus for providing power to devices via an A.C. power source, and for facilitating the use of LED-based light sources on A.C. power circuits that provide signals other than standard line voltages. In one example, LED-based light sources may be coupl... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7038398 | Kinetic illumination system and methods The present invention relates to methods of creating eye-catching displays by taking advantage of color-changing illumination provided by LED systems disclosed herein. Displays can be made to appear to change color or to move simply by changing the color of the ligh... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7029145 | Low voltage decorative light string including power supply One or more strings of decorative lights are supplied with power by converting a standard residential electrical voltage to a low-voltage, and supplying the low-voltage to at least one pair of parallel conductors having multiple decorative lights connected to the co... | 04/18/2006 |
| 6975214 | Supply unit for identifying and powering a LED unit, and method therefor The invention relates to a supply unit (1) and method for detecting the identity of and for supplying power to LED units (2). The supply unit (1) firstly determines, by means of a detection unit (7), the identity of a connected LED unit (... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6954008 | Integrated power supply apparatus for information appliances An integrated power supply apparatus for information appliances includes a power supply input unit, a rectification unit and a voltage boosting unit. The previous design of transforming low voltage to high voltage through a voltage boosting unit (inverter) is change... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6455997 | Deflection yoke having magnets on the top and bottom of the flange portion of the holder Deflection yoke for a cathode ray tube including horizontal and vertical deflection coils for deflection of electron beams emitted from an electron gun in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, a ferrite core disposed to surround the vertical d... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6361185 | Safety structure to prevent a socket from being over-heated in a lamp string A safety structure to prevent a socket from being over-heated in a lamp string, which comprises a separate lamp string made of a pre-determined number of sockets connected in series. The power-supply wire of the lamp string is connected in series with an ... | 03/26/2002 |
| 6163113 | Protecting device for a string of series connected lamps A non-light emitting protecting device is adapted to be used with a string of lamp sockets that connect electrically a plurality of lamps in series. The protecting device includes a shell, and a conductor circuit encapsulated by the shell. The shell has a... | 12/19/2000 |
| 5811892 | Power supply system including mechanical output switches for use with a plurality of display tubes A low voltage power inverter utilizes reed switches to control a number of display tubes. The reed switches are controlled by magnetic coils or permanent magnets. The magnetic coils receive a control signal from a control circuit. The control circuit is p... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5783910 | Flat panel display in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage This invention is directed to an improvement of a field emission display architecture in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage. Instead of using a pair of series-coupled transistors the emitter nod... | 07/21/1998 |
| 5742130 | Intelligent lamp or intelligent contact terminal for a lamp The invention relates to an intelligent lamp or an intelligent contact terminal for a lamp, which can be used in a lighting system comprising a plurality of individually controlled lamps (1; 5) linked in a common power-supply circuit (8, 9) and an operati... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5616991 | Flat panel display in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage This invention is directed to an improvement of a field emission display architecture in which low-voltage row and column address signals control a much higher pixel activation voltage. Instead of using a pair of series-coupled transistors in the emitter ... | 04/01/1997 |
| 5592051 | Intelligent lamp or intelligent contact terminal for a lamp The invention relates to an intelligent lamp or an intelligent contact terminal for a lamp, which can be used in a lighting system comprising a plurality of individually controlled lamps linked in a common power-supply circuit and an operation control dev... | 01/07/1997 |
| 5481160 | Electronic ballast with FET bridge inverter Controlled DC supply voltage is provided to a self-oscillating FET bridge inverter ballast from a pre-converter and by way of an inductor having two separate windings on a common magnetic core--with one winding being positioned in each leg of the DC suppl... | 01/02/1996 |
| 5434476 | Circuitry for operating fluorescent lamps with no stroboscopic effects Circuitry is disclosed for operating with no stroboscopic effects at least three fluorescent lamps connected to a single source of single phase alternating voltage. In order to suppress the stroboscopic effects, the first lamp circuit (1) is connected in ... | 07/18/1995 |
| 5317238 | Electromagnetic field sensitive animated ornamental display An electronic display for amusement or ornamentation includes a CMOS counter chip connected to a low voltage DC source, with each counter output connected directly to one of a plurality of LEDs. An antenna wire, which can be a short length of wire or a wi... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5268616 | Vehicle instrument panel lamps, improved pulse width dimmer system therefor A pulse width dimming system responsive to low frequency pulse width modulated signals of various duty cycles employs a single charging capacitor in a charge pump circuit connected between a voltage source and the output of an FET for developing voltage p... | 12/07/1993 |
| 5220247 | Circuit for driving a gas discharge lamp load For driving gas discharge lamps (102, 104) having heatable filaments (102A, 102B, 104A, 104B), a circuit (100) has an inverter (132, 134) and a series-resonant LC oscillator (150, 158, 170) forming a self-oscillating inverter. The oscillator output provid... | 06/15/1993 |
| 5210470 | Low power on-off control of electronic ballast An electronic ballast for use with fluorescent lamps including an inverter circuit for converting a direct current power source to a high voltage alternating current and starting means to inhibit operation of one of the inverter transistors until such tim... | 05/11/1993 |
| 5192895 | Synchronously-controlled light string A synchronously-controlled light string includes a plurality of light string units, each of which has a plug in one end and a socket in the other end, thereby allowing the light string units to be coupled together. Each light string unit has a control cir... | 03/09/1993 |
| 5180952 | Electronic track lighting system To permit the more cost-effective use of low voltage lamps (especially 12 Volt Halogen lamps) in track lighting systems, the power track is supplied from the power line by way of a frequency-converting power supply providing onto the track conductors a vo... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5159245 | Track lighting system for 277 volt power line In a track lighting system for a 277 volt power line, proper voltage for powering 120 volt incandescent lamps is obtained by way of an integral electronic transformer-less voltage conditioner. Thus, ordinary 120 volt incandescent lamps can be used directl... | 10/27/1992 |
| 5140225 | High frequency lamp transformer for linear lighting fixture A lamp power transformer circuit which is packaged in a module housing having the same size, shape and cross section as a linear lighting fixture to which it is attached. The transformer circuit is designed to rectify input 60 Hz power and to switch the D... | 08/18/1992 |
| 5138233 | Driver circuit for a plurality of gas discharge lamps A circuit (500) for driving two or more series-connected gas discharge lamps, having: an oscillator (518, 520, 522); and a transformer (524) with a primary winding (526) and a secondary winding (528). The transformer secondary winding has first (129A) and... | 08/11/1992 |
| 5111113 | Music initiated Christmas light set controller A music initiated Christmas light set controller includes a casing in which is disposed a circuit board. The circuit board is connected to a plurality of light sets and includes a bridge rectifier, a voltage regulator circuit, a music generating integrate... | 05/05/1992 |
| 5072154 | Automatic luminosity control device for car and motor bicycle headlamps A luminosity control device includes a photosensitive member to control the duty cycle of a square wave pulse oscillator. Then a high power switching tube and a high power gain tube are used to proceed with the luminosity control. Thus, when two cars meet... | 12/10/1991 |
| 5070276 | Lamp supply circuit A supply circuit is proposed for high-frequency operation of one low-pressure discharge lamp or several low-pressure discharge lamps connected in parallel. The switching unit includes--a power rectifier followed by an active harmonic oscillation filter an... | 12/03/1991 |
| 5047696 | Power-limited ceiling lighting system A power-limited (Class-2/3) fluorescent lighting system suitable for use with suspended ceiling systems consists of the following principal components: a) power-line-operated power supplies, each power supply having a plurality of outputs, with each such ... | 09/10/1991 |
| 5008595 | Ornamental light display apparatus Ornamental and decorative light display utilizing LEDs constructed of two or more individual diodes. Each diode or portion of a diode is alternately selected and energized at a sufficient frequency that colors can blend to produce another color. The syste... | 04/16/1991 |
| 4992705 | Fluorescent lighting system A fluorescent lighting system capable of providing three levels of illumination includes a first circuit in which a line voltage supply is connected to an electronic ballast which drives four fluorescent lamps. Each fluorescent lamp serves as the center l... | 02/12/1991 |
| 4937502 | Electronic ballast An electronic ballast circuit is provided for starting, operating and controlling the brightness of one or more fluorescent lamps. The brightness of the lamps is controlled over the full range of brightness from zero to full-rated power. The circuit power... | 06/26/1990 |
| 4906901 | Power supply for outdoor lighting systems using high frequency A power supply for outdoor lighting systems accepts ordinary household alternating current of 120 volts at 60 hertz. The power supply uses a digital switching means to convert this current into a lower voltage at a higher frequency. Typically, these value... | 03/06/1990 |
