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Ken Olsen, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation ; 1977
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7259687 | System and method for distributing module phase information A multi-module DC-DC converter provides synchronization between modules based on identification of a module within a chain. A resistor network can be used for the chain so that each module obtains a particular voltage based on its position within the chain. A master... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7242340 | Input device and input method First and second resistors are given a common length L and arranged to have a constant equal resistance per unit length. A plurality of switch elements are made conductive between the resistors. A predetermined constant voltage V1 is applied to one terminal o... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7167107 | Keypad array having reduced number of input/outputs and method for generating same The invention concerns a method (200) of generating an array (100, 300, 400) having a reduced number of input/outputs (114, 314, 414). The method includes the steps of, for each array row input/output, grouping (212) at least one set of r... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7109892 | Device for activating an electronic control unit A device for activating a control unit is proposed. It includes at least one operating element operable by a user as well as analog encoding means assigned to the operating element. To generate an activation signal for a control unit, deactivation means are provided... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7020274 | Universal apparatus and method for interfacing signals with telephony networks A communication apparatus is used to interface signals with any one of a plurality of telephony networks having different impedances. The apparatus includes memory, a processor, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, and an interface port. Different sets of impedance ... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6973025 | Device for selecting normal circuit in communication system A device for selecting a normal circuit in a communication system includes at least one pair of general function circuit modules, one pair of control function circuit modules, one pair of power supply modules, and a separate processor for controlling the device for ... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6970752 | Method and apparatus for detecting switch closures An apparatus and method for detecting the closure of one of several switches using a single input line of a detector is disclosed. The input line is also used to carry an audio-frequency signal when a recording switch is closed. The switches are connected to a netwo... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6963935 | Peripheral universal bus hub A peripheral communications protocol hub includes an input device such as a keyboard or remote cursor control wirelessly connected to a host computer. The input device has a number of connectors for connection of peripherals to the input device. The connection of in... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6002343 | Changing Indicia in an electronic tag when tampered with An electronic seal including an electronic tag, an electrically resistive element in electrical communication with and attached to the tag, the resistive element being bondable to an object so as to define an electrical resistance, wherein a change in bon... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5939997 | Detection method of bus termination A system for detecting whether a bus used to connect units in an in-flight entertainment system is properly terminated. A detection circuit generates a bus termination signal when a terminating cap properly terminates the bus. Prior to installation of the... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5939998 | System and method for reducing quiescent current in a microcontroller A system having reduced quiescent current drawn from a power supply. The system includes a device having a status. Moreover, the system includes a microcontroller, having an active and a sleep mode of operation, for polling the status of the device during... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5831546 | Automatic addressing in life safety system An automatic addressing scheme for a life safety system having a local rail, and a plurality of modules inter-connected by the local rail, a first of the modules being a central processing unit, and the remainder being I/O modules having a variety of func... | 11/03/1998 |
| 5699857 | Vehicle climate control multiplex system An automotive heater, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control system reduces overall system cost and improves system reliability by reducing the number of wire interconnects between the climate control head and the multifunction body control modul... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5646609 | Circuit and method for selecting a circuit module A circuit (20) and a method for selecting a circuit module (MN) from a plurality of circuit modules (M0 -MN) coupled to a common bus (23). The circuit (20) includes a plurality of resistor divider networks (RD0 ... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5610597 | Mode discriminating device for an image signal processing system A mode discriminating device for an image signal processing system for discriminating between various operating modes of the image signal processing system. The mode discriminating device includes a microcomputer, a cam switch having a connecting element,... | 03/11/1997 |
| 5461291 | Vehicle screen wiping control system comprising a control signal emitter and a slave receiver Apparatus, for example vehicle screen wiping apparatus, is controlled by a control system comprising an emitter connected to a slave receiver through a single transmission channel. The emitter is arranged to deliver control or command signals, each of whi... | 10/24/1995 |
| 5146172 | Engine identification system An identification module and identification determination circuitry are provided for the purpose of identifying an apparatus and electrically determining the identification number of that identified apparatus. The identification module comprises a plurali... | 09/08/1992 |
| 5014051 | Increased resolution sensor circuit An improved sender circuit which provides increased resolution measurements from a sensor by using two or more separately applied driving voltages. Only two connections to the sensor are required, the sensor having one or more switches closed in relation ... | 05/07/1991 |
| 4939511 | DC bus for discrete signals A DC bus circuit is disclosed for coupling multiple discrete signals from multiple discrete signal sources with multiple receivers remote from the signal sources. Each multiple signal source has two discrete positions or levels, such as opened or closed, ... | 07/03/1990 |
| 4884070 | Method and apparatus for multiplexing switch signals Apparatus for multiplexing switch state signals comprises a plurality of switches and parallel weighted resistors connected in series between circuit ground and a node at a utilization device. The resistors are weighted as a function of a power of the sam... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4817010 | Vending machine control with improved vendor selector switch detection and decoding apparatus A vending machine control with an improved vendor selector switch detection and decoding circuit is described which detects and decodes the closure of selector switches in a vending machine utilizing a low cost decoding arrangement. Each selector switch i... | 03/28/1989 |
| 4580138 | Measurement-expressing apparatus Measurement-expressing apparatus for monitoring (n) switches, the state of each switch representing the state of a station, has a resistor in parallel with each switch, the (n) resistors having binary related resistances, a constant current is supplied to... | 04/01/1986 |
| 4575714 | Module presence sensor In a processing system comprising a plurality of modules, the presence of one or more modules is sensed at a control unit through the use of an analog encoder and an A/D converter. The modules terminate selected resistors in a binary resistance network in... | 03/11/1986 |
| 4491828 | Two-wire multi-zone alarm system A multi-zone alarm system operative with a two-wire alarm loop and having a simple network at each alarm sensor for providing a coded signal indicative of sensor identity and relatively simple circuitry at a central location for interrogation of the remot... | 01/01/1985 |
| 4348670 | Computer acquisition of data from nonaddressable switches In a computer system in which address lines and data lines are utilized to interface bus devices to the computer, data is provided to the computer from nonaddressable switches by connecting at least a portion of the data lines to ground through a pull-dow... | 09/07/1982 |
| 4149149 | Circuit for actuating a display with an improved comparator In a display circuit for actuating a display having plural liquid crystal segments or luminescent diodes, an improved comparator is provided for determining the number of the display segments to be energized and activated in accordance with an analogue in... | 04/10/1979 |
| 4028620 | Electrical wiring system for selectively actuating electrical loads An electrical wiring system comprising an instruction unit including a switch mechanism having a plurality of contacts and an output unit connected to the instruction unit through a supply line and a signal line for generating a driving output correspondi... | 06/07/1977 |
| 4006412 | Digital display system circuit A digital display system is provided for visually indicating the amplitude of a received signal. A plurality of reference signals incrementally graduated from a low amplitude to a high amplitude is applied as first inputs to a polarity of comparators and ... | 02/01/1977 |
| 3987392 | Luminescent voltage indicator circuit A plurality of luminescent elements, such as light-emitting diodes, incandescent lamps or the like, are located adjacent each other, each connected to the output of a difference amplifier. The respective inputs of the difference amplifier are connected, o... | 10/19/1976 |
