Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7268671 | Shaped modulation audible alarm A method and apparatus for providing an audible alarm signal. The method and apparatus includes creating a rectangular pulse signal having a desired period and a desired first amplitude, adding a shaped modulation component to the rectangular pulse signal from the d... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7245226 | Integrated microprocessor controlled alarm Alarms are often required on various vehicles and equipment such as fork lifts, dump trucks, bulldozers, etc. An alarm is disclosed controlled by a microprocessor, which is an integral part of the basic circuit. The alarm has a flat diaphragm, and a novel acoustic l... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7211976 | Control and motor arrangement for use in model train A control and motor arrangement in accordance with the present invention includes a motor configured to generate a locomotive force for propelling the model train. The control and motor arrangement further includes a command control interface configured to receive c... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7107074 | Computer system with wireless audio signal transmitter module A computer system provides a wireless audio signal transmitter module which is capable of transmitting audio signal wirelessly from a host computer to at least one remote wireless signal receiver. The wireless audio signal transmitter module is connected to a sound ... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7091832 | Acoustic detection of machinery malfunction A sound variation indication apparatus includes a comparison element, an interval checker, and an indication generator. The comparison element receives an audio signal and compares it to a check value to provide a status signal indicating a presence and absence of a... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7009326 | Ultrasonic vibration apparatus use as a sensor having a piezoelectric element mounted in a cylindrical casing and grooves filled with flexible filler An ultrasonic vibration apparatus includes a casing having a vibration face, a piezoelectric element mounted in the casing, and a disk-like vibration plate supported at a position along a concentric circle differentiating two regions, an inner region and an outer re... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7006641 | Driving circuit, electro-mechanical-acoustic transducer, and portable terminal apparatus A circuit of the present invention is a driving circuit for driving a vibrator having a mechanical vibration system which resonates at a resonance frequency. The driving circuit outputs to the vibrator at least two signals of different frequencies which are included... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6952166 | Burglar alarm system having reduced wiring Normal hard-wired domestic burglar alarms have cables with six conductors extending between the alarm control panel and each event sensor (such as a PIR). Two of the conductors might provide current to a motion detector, two of the conductors might provide a circuit... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6885295 | Reversing alarm A reversing alarm for a vehicle emits an audible signal in the form of pulses of broad band sound when the vehicle is put into reverse gear. The broad band sound allows persons in the vicinity to locate the vehicle, as the human brain is able to process broad band s... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6788188 | Multi-function electronic horn warning system A multi-function electronic warning horn system comprises a couple of horns (1, 2) and a microprocessor (6), integrated in an electronic module (16) comprising a voltage adjuster (13), an oscillator (17), power stages (3, 4)... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6701094 | Battery-powered IR transmitter having constant power output In a battery operated IR transmitter having at least one IR LED energized by a source of voltage for passing current during transmission of pulses of data, the IR transmitter includes an energy regulator for maintaining transmission energy through the at ... | 03/02/2004 |
| 6686833 | Compound acoustic actuator drive circuit and portable information terminal In a signal generation circuit for a compound acoustic actuator that generates a sound and a vibration in response to a frequency of a signal input to the compound acoustic actuator, the signal generation circuit comprising a plurality of signal data stor... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6617966 | Compound acoustic actuator drive circuit and portable information terminal In a signal generation circuit for a compound acoustic actuator that generates a sound and a vibration in response to a frequency of a signal input to the compound acoustic actuator, the signal generation circuit comprising a plurality of signal data stor... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6559758 | Multi-tone warning sounder A sounder device includes a piezoelectric resonant transducer, an amplifier and a coupling transformer to drive the transducer, an electronic signal produced to provide an input signal to the amplifier, and in which the electronic signal producer includes... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6396402 | Method for detecting, recording and deterring the tapping and excavating activities of woodpeckers An apparatus for deterring woodpeckers from tapping on and excavating within a utility pole or the like includes a housing having mounting flanges for direct attachment to the pole so as to receive vibrations therefrom. A transducer is attached to the mou... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6359549 | Electronic sound generator with enhanced sound A sound generator includes a memory bank storing user-selectable recorded sounds, a microprocessor that can quasi-randomly time-delay at least one of the recorded sounds, and a mixer that can combine a user-selected recorded sound and the time-delayed sou... | 03/19/2002 |
| 6255937 | Notifying device using alternating drive signals A notifying device adapted to give notification with both sound and vibration includes a notifying unit 2 which comprises a first vibrator drivable at an audio-frequency with a first drive signal for producing sound waves, and a second vibrator drivable w... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6211774 | Electronic horn and method for mimicking a multi-frequency tone An electronic horn for mimicking a multi-frequency tone includes a wave signal generator for generating an input signal and a complex signal generator for generating a complex signal across a transducer to mimic the sound and sound intensity of an electro... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6198405 | Driver circuit and method of operating the same A driver circuit 1000 for driving functional devices, such as an LED 1020-1023, a buzzer 1060, a voltage converter or an EL-lamp, and a method of operating the driver circuit are provided. The circuit includes an inductor 1030, first and second connection... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6160245 | Variable volume signaling device for an appliance An appliance is provided with a feedback system which audibly signals both the activation of user input controls and when the appliance reaches a certain operational stage. The system functions to adjust both of the feedback signals upon a single setting ... | 12/12/2000 |
| 5939992 | Safety apparatus for electric appliances A safety apparatus for electric appliances which includes a sensor for sensing that an electric appliance is operating. An alarm coupled with the sensor, whereby an alarm is initiated. A manually operated alarm disabling switch permitting a person supervi... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5818328 | Method and system for providing improved wireless audio transmission A method and system for providing improved confined area audio amplification is provided. Designed to meet the requirements of classrooms, conference rooms and offices, this new invention provides improved signal-to-noise ratio, improved system redundancy... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5726634 | Smoke alarm with high and low pitched tones A smoke alarm with high and low pitched tones including a conventional smoke detector adapted to activate upon the detection of smoke associated with fire. A first high tone buzzer is included for emitting a high pitched tone upon activation of the smoke ... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5714926 | Method and means for preventing trespassing Method and means for preventing trespassing and/or unauthorized staying in an area outdoors or indoors, e.g. in a building, part of a building, in vehicles, vessels, etc., sound signals with periodically varying frequencies with the variation of the frequ... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5675312 | Piezoelectric warbler An electronic audio circuit operates a piezoelectric audio transducer to produce a two-tone warbling audio output. The electronic circuit includes an integrated circuit double timer and integrated circuit logic gates. One timer produces a toggling frequen... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5675311 | Frequency sweeping audio signal device An audio signal is generated that sweeps from a lower frequency to a higher frequency in a substantially linear function. The circuit used to produce this sweeping audio frequency has a stable power supply, a square wave oscillator, a ramp generator, a vo... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5619179 | Method and apparatus for enhancing electronically generated sound A sound generator includes independent and identical generators for the left and right sound channels. In one embodiment, identical sound synthesizer ICs contain the same library of sound loops. By retarding one IC's RESET port, the two ICs will always be... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5416463 | Method and apparatus for producing a sound from a handheld enclosure A portable electronic bar code reader having an improved mechanism for producing sounds. The mechanism includes two piezoelectric disks, each positioned in a separate Helmholtz resonator tuned to a predetermined acoustic frequency at which the piezoelectr... | 05/16/1995 |
| 5283567 | Prize holding container assemblies By providing an audible and/or visual prize related message delivery system cooperatingly associated with a container shell which is closed in the conventional manner, a container assembly is achieved for randomly distributing prize awards to consumers in... | 02/01/1994 |
| 5175528 | Double oscillator battery powered flashing superluminescent light emitting diode safety warning light A flashing safety warning light in which a superluminescent light-emitting diode (SLD) light source is driven by an oscillatory drive signal at a visually imperceptible but highly efficient operating frequency, the oscillatory drive signal preferably bein... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5084695 | Umpire's counter An umpire's counter is provided with a housing having a top face and a bottom face. On the side of the housing between the faces, inputs for advancing a balls display, a strikes display, an outs display and an inning display are provided. A separate butto... | 01/28/1992 |
| 5012221 | Emergency vehicle audible warning system and method An emergency vehicle audible warning system and method for improving emergency vehicle mission effectiveness and reducing the undesirable side effects of emergency vehicle audible warning systems. The audible warning system projects different selectable s... | 04/30/1991 |
| 4949068 | Motorcycle sound simulator for a child's toy A device for simulating the sound of a motorcycle as a child's toy in which the simulated sound is composed of at least two rectangular waves partially out of phase with each other, mixed and amplified. The frequency (and preferably the volume) of the mix... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4812746 | Method of using a waveform to sound pattern converter A method of using a waveform to sound pattern converter that produces an audible image of a time dependent signal by digitizing the signal to produce a plurality of discrete level signals, and produces a different audible tone signal for each level of the... | 03/14/1989 |
| 4719452 | Audio signal generator Audio frequency signal generator to generate signals in a selected band of audio frequencies to generate a noise having an amplitude pattern which simulates the noise generated by a selected occurrence which can be utilized for setting the actuation range... | 01/12/1988 |
| 4689609 | Electronic horn with spiral deflecting walls coupled to a truncated cone structure An electronic horn of compact dimensions. Oscillator circuits coupled to a mixing node produce a multiple frequency signal used to drive a horn transducer. One horn replaces the two horns used in the prior art. A reverberating chamber in close proximity t... | 08/25/1987 |
| 4665383 | Security system with monitoring and warning circuits A central protection system suitable for the protection of a building from fire and other hazards includes a set of environmental sensors and circuitry for interrogating the sensors. The system also includes communication and control lines, as well as mon... | 05/12/1987 |
| 4646063 | Electronic siren with remote multiplexed control head The invention is a control apparatus for use in an electronic siren circuit which generates a plurality of siren and intelligible audio outputs. The control apparatus includes a control module of relatively small size which may be mounted in a limited spa... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4631517 | Frequency-matched signal device for persons with impaired hearing A frequency-matched signal device for persons with impaired hearing, including an activating member (1,2,3), a signal generator (4) activated thereby for producing an electrical signal with a fundamental frequency which is within the range of audibility o... | 12/23/1986 |
| 4626799 | Warble signaling device There are three oscillator circuits which oscillate at different frequencies, each oscillator circuit including a gate having an input and an output. The output of the first gate is connected to an inverter and the input of the second gate. The output of ... | 12/02/1986 |
