Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7436346 | System, method and interface for controlling multiple electronic devices of a home entertainment system via a single control device A portable communication device is provided and includes a display. At least one remote control soft button is presented at the display and an electronic device control command is associated with each remote control soft button. Further, the electronic device contro... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7352288 | Apparatus and method for preventing malfunction of remote controller A malfunction of interpreting one remote control operation as a plurality of remote control operations by mistake is prevented without impairing the responsiveness of a remote controller. A counter code which is updated each time a key of the remote controller is op... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7319426 | Controlling device with illuminated user interface An illuminable user interface includes a plurality of input elements, a source of light energy, and a fiber optic filament mat provided with irregularities arranged in one or more controlled patterns to thereby form one or more visible images when the fiber optic fi... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7307574 | Remote control, apparatus, system and methods of using the same A system provides an audible signal to the user of the system before a control or function is activated by the user. In one embodiment, a remote control can be used with an apparatus, such as a set-top box. When the user places an object near a control of the remote... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7298311 | Controller apparatus for controlling an electronic apparatus A remote controller apparatus has a controller body, which is provided with annularly disposed display devices displaying as images operating buttons for the purpose of executing functions of a remotely controlled apparatus, and which is further provided with a disp... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7294105 | System and method for a wireless medical communication system In one embodiment, a wireless medical communication system includes a plurality of transmitters. Each of the plurality of transmitters is capable of being coupled to at least one of a plurality of patients and operable to communicate over a communication link a subs... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7263292 | Methods and apparatus for controlling multiple infrared devices A method and apparatus for controlling a plurality of infrared devices (ICDs) is provided herein. A remote controller is used to generate an optical signal for controlling a plurality of ICDs. The optical signal generated by the remote controller is converted into a... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7224801 | Wireless secure device A method and apparatus for securely connecting one or more wireless peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, gamepads, remote controllers, joysticks and one or more host systems such as personal computers or workstations, the secure connection reducing the vulner... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7154428 | Remote control with selective key illumination A system and method for facilitation and encouragement of user interaction and functionality with a multimedia program via an entertainment system and remote control device. The entertainment system and remote control device are in two-way communication to accomplis... | 12/26/2006 |
| 6243000 | Wireless rolling code security system A processor-based transmitter-receiver system and method in which a receiver receives coded signals from at least two transmitters. A circuit for receiving a first coded signal from a first transmitter and a second coded signal from a second transmitter. ... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6225889 | Method of producing rolling code and keyless entry apparatus using the same A rolling code producing method is provided which may be employed in a keyless entry system for automotive vehicles designed to compare a rolling code derived in a receiver installed in the vehicle and a rolling code derived in a portable transmitter to a... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6130606 | Vehicle security system having transmitter verification and pseudorandom coding features and related methods A vehicle security system includes a controller comprising a pseudorandom decoder for decoding a pseudorandomly coded signal from a remote transmitter, a remote transmitter adding feature for permitting addition of a coded remote transmitter capable of ge... | 10/10/2000 |
| 5986571 | Building security system having remote transmitter code verification and code reset features A building security system includes an alarm controller for learning a unique remote transmitter code to define a learned transmitter capable of switching the controller between armed and disarmed states. The controller performs learned code verification ... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5748135 | Wireless remote control transmitter for use with consumer entertainment electronics appliance A wireless remote control transmitter for remotely controlling the operation of home entertainment devices. In one embodiment, the transmitter comprises a generally rectangular housing having a top end, a bottom end, a front, a back, a right side and a le... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5654688 | Vehicle security system having enhanced remote transmitter security A vehicle security system includes a controller for permitting addition of a coded remote transmitter capable of switching the controller from an armed mode to a disarmed mode, and generates a signal based upon a number of coded remote transmitters capabl... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5598435 | Digital modulation using QAM with multiple signal point constellations not equal to a power of two Data are transmitted using multiple carriers modulated by quadrature amplitude modulation. In general, the carriers carry different numbers of bits, to exploit the fact that the properties of a transmission path are more favorable to carriers at some freq... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5515051 | Wireless signaling system A wireless signaling system includes a plurality of transmitters and a single receiver. The transmitter sequentially transmits serial data blocks to the receiver. Each data block includes a transmitter identification code and predetermined time intervals ... | 05/07/1996 |
| 5227780 | Apparatus with a portable UHF radio transmitter remote for controlling one or more of infrared controlled appliances A plurality of infrared controlled appliances are controlled from a single UHF radio transmitter remote controller. The controller provides a plurality of separate distinct output control signals to an UHF to infrared transponder. The transponder has a UH... | 07/13/1993 |
| 4724425 | Security and alarm system A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting from a radio transmitter which is part of a first system to a radio receiver which is part of a second system a message which includes a plurality of characters arranged in a predetermined sequence. Eac... | 02/09/1988 |
| 4670739 | Communication system especially useful as an incident location reporting security system The Incident Location Reporting Security System pertains to a device that is capable of determining instantaneously, via the use of pulse-width coded modulation, the location of incidences such as burglary, robbery and fire. Detailed multi-point monitorin... | 06/02/1987 |
| 4661804 | Supervised wireless security system Apparatus and method for communication by use of a single FM radio frequency, from a plurality of transmitters to a central receiver in a security alarm system or similar system. A transmitter's radio frequency signal is modulated in wide frequency swings... | 04/28/1987 |
| 4661005 | Spittable keyboard for word processing, typing and other information input systems A keyboard arrangement for reducing stress and tension experienced by a human operator during communication with an information processing machine. The keyboard, which may have the actuators thereon arranged in a conventional keyboard distribution, such a... | 04/28/1987 |
| 4575712 | Communication system A communication system includes a common receiver unit and a plurality of satellite transmitter units remote from the receiver unit. Each transmitter unit has a logic section and a transmitter section, and each transmitter unit is switchable between a sta... | 03/11/1986 |
| 4550312 | Remote sensing systems A security installation comprises a plurality of sensors in and around a building and which transmit digital information to a central station by radio, in each case preceded by an access code specific to the particular installation; signals inadvertently ... | 10/29/1985 |
| 4523184 | Supervised wireless security system Apparatus and method for communication by use of a single FM radio frequency, from a plurality of transmitters to a central receiver in a security alarm system or similar system. A transmitter's radio frequency signal is modulated in wide frequency swings... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4254407 | Data processing system having optically linked subsystems, including an optical keyboard A data processing system having optically linked subsystems, including an optical keyboard. The optical keyboard includes sequentially strobed LED's arranged to provide intersecting light paths in an X-Y matrix. A key on the keyboard is associated with ea... | 03/03/1981 |
| 4112421 | Method and apparatus for automatically monitoring objects An improved method and apparatus for automatically monitoring objects, such as vehicles, for example, wherein signpost units are positioned at predetermined locations and each signpost unit transmits a binary signpost code for reception via units installe... | 09/05/1978 |
| 4032931 | Money transfer device keyboard terminal A double keyboarded entry terminal for use in entering money transactions between customer and vendor in conjunction with a central computer, banks, and credit card companies, with physical and/or electronic security features which preclude access to secr... | 06/28/1977 |
