Did You Know...
...that one person who claimed to be the inventor of the television is Russian emigre Vladimir Zworykin? In 1929 David Sarnoff, founder of RCA, asked Zworykin what it would take to develop TV for commercial use. He said: a year and a half and $100,000. In reality, it took 20 years and $50 million! Before his death in 1982 at the age of 92, Zworykin said of his invention: "The technique is wonderful. It is beyond my expectations. But the programs! I would never let my children even come close to this thing."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7994723 | Lighting system and method for controlling a plurality of light sources A lighting system, a lighting unit and a method for controlling a plurality of light sources are described. A lighting system comprises an intelligent electrical current supply 12 to supply an electrical current with modulated command data. A plurality of lig... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7923933 | Lamp failure detector An apparatus and method for detecting lamp failure is described for an array of lamps used in a rapid thermal processing system. The lamp failure detection system enables identification of a failed lamp among a plurality of lamps, and also provides identification of... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7741784 | Apparatus for driving a light source and liquid crystal display device using the same An apparatus for driving a light source and a liquid crystal display device using the same is disclosed. The apparatus for driving a light includes: a light source unit including a plurality of lamps to emit light; and a light source driving unit that selectively dr... | 06/22/2010 |
| 6917164 | Light signaling device related to the operating state of a system A light signaling device related to the operating state of a system has at least one light and circuits of detection of a failure of this or these lights, in which each light comprises m branches in parallel each composed of n light emitting diodes in series, and a ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6885297 | Process for management of a light signaling device, and a device using this process, particularly for avionics This invention relates to a process for management of a light signaling device related to the operating state of a system comprising several lights each comprising several branches of several light elements, that includes a step for dynamic management of redundancy ... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6781316 | Vehicle light apparatus A vehicle light apparatus 1 includes a discharge lamp 7 as a dipped (low)-beam light source and a high-beam light source or a light source of an auxiliary light (incandescent lamp) 3 as a substitutional light source of the discharge lamp. If the... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6534930 | Discharge lamp lighting circuit with protection circuit A discharge lamp lighting circuit 1 has a DC power supply section 4 for receiving power supply from a DC power supply 2, a DC-AC conversion section 5 for converting an output voltage of the DC power supply section 4 into an AC voltage and then applying th... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6118371 | Adaptive vehicle lighting control system A novel vehicle lighting control circuit for reducing the light intensity of a vehicle lighting element via pulse width modulation. A pulse width modulation adjuster is provided for producing a pulse width modulation control signal in order to operate the... | 09/12/2000 |
| 5483124 | Neon illumination system The invention is a source of illumination including a lighting tube requiring converted electrical energy in order to provide the illumination. First and second electrical connectors are provided for receiving low voltage DC energy. An energy convertor re... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5430354 | HID lamp and auxiliary lamp ballast using a single multiple function switch A ballast for lighting an auxiliary source of illumination whenever a primary source of illumination fails to ignite. The auxiliary source of illumination is effectively turned OFF by placing a short circuit thereacross whenever the primary source of illu... | 07/04/1995 |
| 5420480 | Automatic headlamp switching system The invention contemplates an automatic headlamp switching system that enables an operator to use an existing vehicle headlamp switch to operate a secondary light source on an accessory unit attached to a vehicle. The vehicle includes a primary circuit ha... | 05/30/1995 |
| 5300863 | Auxiliary lighting circuit for a gaseous discharge lamp A non-arcing electrical switch is disclosed wherein a solid-state switching element is operated in response to current flow within an external circuit. The switch is particularly suitable for use within an auxiliary lighting circuit of a gaseous discharge... | 04/05/1994 |
| 5256946 | Gaseous discharge lamp system with auxiliary lamp A lighting system having a primary light source and an emergency lamp. The emergency lamp is turned on and remains on upon failure or removal from the system of the primary light source. The system also includes a control device for sensing when the volta... | 10/26/1993 |
| 4985662 | Low voltage lamp switcher circuit An improved lamp switching circuit for switching on a second lamp circuit upon every alternate application of power to a first lamp circuit. A magnetic latching relay alternately connects and disconnects the second lamp circuit in parallel with the first ... | 01/15/1991 |
| 4961028 | Lighting equipment Equipment for lighting a work area has a plurality of light sources, at least one of which is usually lighted; the others are spare light sources and are usually turned off. The equipment has means such as an optical fiber to conduct light from the light ... | 10/02/1990 |
| 4767968 | System for controlling the operation of electrically powered apparatus The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a control system which permits operation of electrically powered apparatus in any one of several active modes from a controller mounted remotely from the apparatus. The system is particularly usef... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4734625 | Control circuit for system for controlling the operation of electric lights A preferred control circuit is adapted particularly for use in a system that controls the operation of at least a pair of light sources. The system permits switching, at a controller remote from the light head which contains the light sources, energizing ... | 03/29/1988 |
| 4700110 | Lamp switching A second lamp is connected to power terminals upon each alternate switching off of a first lamp so that, upon each alternate switching on of the first lamp, the second lamp is illuminated. A magnetic latching relay switches the second lamp into and out of... | 10/13/1987 |
| 4686424 | Emergency lighting circuits An emergency lighting circuit includes a lamp which can be energized by a battery-inverter circuit upon power failure. The battery is connected to the inverter circuit and the lamp by operation of a relay which is connected to the rectifier supplying char... | 08/11/1987 |
| 4580079 | Multifilament bulb with filament switching device A filament switching device is arranged to be mounted within the screw base of a conventional, dual-filament, incandescent light bulb. The device has a frame which branches around the evacuation tube of the bulb thereby allowing sufficient room for switch... | 04/01/1986 |
| 4560906 | Lighting system and compact electric lighting unit A lighting system having a high pressure gas discharge light source and an incandescent light source within a common sealed and evacuated bulb. A ballast unit fitted externally to the neck of the bulb includes in series with the incandescent light source ... | 12/24/1985 |
| 4503488 | Multiple headlamp system A multiple headlamp system for vehicles, comprising at least two individual lamps having their filaments connected in electrical series. This permits the use of shorter filaments and hence smaller diameter reflector lamps, without loss of optical control ... | 03/05/1985 |
| 4475062 | Economy device for fluorescent lighting fixtures A device is disclosed for converting fluorescent lighting fixtures, having a conventional series-type ballast with at least two lamps, to effect illumination of only one of the two lamps at a time, but automatically effecting illumination of the other lam... | 10/02/1984 |
| 4438369 | Unitary light source comprising compact HID lamp and incandescent ballast filament Unitary light source comprises compact HID lamp and starting and operating circuit therefor operable from household AC energizing potential. The HID lamp is ballasted by incandescent filament means which also provides the major portion of developed light ... | 03/20/1984 |
| 4170744 | Combination discharge-incandescent lamp with thermal switch control A combination lamp comprises a miniature arc tube, a standby filament and a thermal switch in a sealed vitreous envelope. The switch is connected in series with the filament, and the arc tube and the filament have separate inleads for external connections... | 10/09/1979 |
| 4034259 | Spare lamp control circuit for a light projection system A control circuit for a light projection system for energizing a spare lamp when the circuit detects failure of a main lamp. A pair of input lines apply an alternating-current voltage source to the circuit, to the main lamp and to a spare lamp which is su... | 07/05/1977 |
| 3999099 | Electrical receptacle device with main lamp and thermostatically-controlled auxiliary lamp sockets An electrical receptacle device having a main lamp socket and an auxiliary socket adapted to receive an auxiliary lamp operative only upon failure of a main lamp in a main lamp socket. The two sockets are arranged in aligned opposition in a common housing... | 12/21/1976 |
| 3969736 | Photographic camera and flash lamp selection system A photographic camera and multi-flash arrangement therefor in which a multiplicity of linearly arrayed flash lamps mounted in a cartridge, wherein one or more of said lamps may be inoperative, may be automatically and sequentially sampled and the operativ... | 07/13/1976 |
