Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8184423 | Electronic device with automatic mode switching An automatic hold switch is disclosed. The automatic hold switch provides a means for automatically switching a hold feature on and off. When the hold feature is on, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are disabled or prevented from providing i... | 05/22/2012 |
| 7894177 | Light activated hold switch An automatic hold switch is disclosed. The automatic hold switch provides a means for automatically switching a hold feature on and off. When the hold feature is on, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are disabled or prevented from providing i... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7859815 | Electronic control systems and methods An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collec... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7817400 | Relay actuator circuit and method In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a power supply to generate a supply current; at least one optoisolator coupled to the power supply and responsive to the supply current to generate a charging current; a capacitor, coupled to the at least one optoisolator, ... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7738235 | LED light apparatus In one aspect, a compact, lightweight, high-intensity and long-life LED lighting apparatus is provided. The LED lighting apparatus includes: a lens array including a plurality of lenses; a first circuit board including at least one LED (e.g., a plurality of surface-... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7719817 | Electronic control systems and methods An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collec... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7242305 | Device and method for monitoring movement within a home A device and method for monitoring whether a resident is away from home or inactive within the home. A sensor, which includes a transmitter, a processor, a timer, and a detector, watches for motion to occur within a home. Upon sensing motion, the sensor sends a firs... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7130188 | Locking apparatus and method between portable terminal and cradle for terminal A locking apparatus including a portable terminal having a terminal control section and a bottom plate, wherein the bottom plate includes a first connection terminal connected to the terminal control section and a locking hole; and a cradle having a seating portion,... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7108419 | Thermal tympanic thermometer tip The present disclosure provides a tympanic thermometer including a heat sensing probe defining a longitudinal axis and an outer surface extending from a distal end of the tympanic thermometer. The heat sensing probe includes a sensor housing extending to a distal en... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7102869 | Optical semiconductor relay An optical semiconductor relay comprises a light emitting element converting an electrical signal into an optical signal, a first photodiode array receiving the optical signal from the light emitting element. The first photodiode array converts the optical signal in... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7079363 | Hybrid DC electromagnetic contactor In a hybrid DC electromagnetic contactor, by including a power unit for supplying a certain power voltage; a main contact point of a breaking switch for providing a supply path of the power voltage by being switched in accordance with a voltage apply to an operation... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7049757 | Series connected OLED structure and fabrication method A light emitting device comprises a plurality of organic light emitting diode (OLED) modules. The OLED modules are arranged into a series group where the individual OLED modules are electrically connected in series. The device is configured to be coupled to a power ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7012342 | Low power, scalable multichannel high voltage controller A low voltage control circuit is provided for individually controlling high voltage power provided over bus lines to a multitude of interconnected loads. An example of a load is a drive for capillary channels in a microfluidic system. Control is distributed from a c... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6841815 | Transimpedance amplifier assembly with separate ground leads and separate power leads for included circuits The optoelectronic device includes a photo diode and an amplifier, which amplifies output of the photo diode. The amplifier includes an input stage and an output stage. In one embodiment, the input stage has a series connection to a resistor, which is connected to a... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6639782 | Protecting circuit of the semiconductor factory automation First of all, a processing apparatus that is utilized in the semiconductor industry, a protecting circuit and an automatic running apparatus having the standardized mechanical interface (SMIF) are provided. The protecting circuit includes: a voltage-induc... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6369688 | Automatic gang switch having a heat ray sensor The automatic gang switch having a heat ray sensor is fixedly mounted on a mounting frame having a generally rectangular opening. The length of a housing of the switch is approximately two thirds of that of the generally rectangular opening of the mountin... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6136457 | Manganese oxide material having MnO3 as a matrix A manganese oxide material that can be used as a switching device or as a memory device or the like is formed of Mn-based oxide material. The Mn-based oxide material exhibits insulator-to-metal transitions induced by irradiating the material with laser li... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6046899 | Hybrid protective relay having enhanced contact response time A protective relay of the type consisting of a relay contacts controlled by means of a relay coil further includes a pair of triacs controlled by an optical switch. The high speed response is attributed to the configuration of the triacs while high ampere... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6034602 | Computer monitor switch A computer monitor system including an infrared motion detecting switch that deactivates the monitor after a predetermined delay during which no movement is detected in the vicinity of the monitor. The system is designed to prevent damage to the screens t... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5796347 | Control of a device in an inaccessible location An arrangement is provided to power and initiate the output of information sensed and/or stored by a device in a sealed environment having a viewing window. The device is powered and the output is initiated by the input of a light source to the device. Wh... | 08/18/1998 |
| 5786644 | Two wire PIR occupancy sensor utilizing a rechargeable energy storage device A two wire detection device includes a relay switch setable to a high and a low impedance state and electrically coupled between a first terminal of an AC source and a first leg of a load, a second leg of which is connected to a second terminal of the AC ... | 07/28/1998 |
| 5633778 | Infrared signal interface for use with barrier door operator An infrared signal interface enables an infrared detector module to communicate with the door edge signal input of a garage door operator. The infrared signal interface has a power supply for driving the pulsed infrared detector. Pulsed signals are receiv... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5623172 | Two wire PIR occupancy sensor utilizing a rechargeable energy storage device A two wire detection device includes a relay switch setable to a high and a low impedance state and electrically coupled between a first terminal of an AC source and a first leg of a load, a second leg of which is connected to a second terminal of the AC ... | 04/22/1997 |
| 5596477 | Contactless signaling device A contactless signaling device for operating a horn or bell is disclosed. The signaling device has an electro-magnetic coil which drives an armature. A light source is positioned opposite a light sensor and a shutter portion of the armature moves between ... | 01/21/1997 |
| 5473202 | Control unit for occupancy sensor switching of high efficiency lighting A control unit for switching AC powered high efficiency lighting in response to a signal from an occupancy sensor. The lighting is switched by a hybrid mechanical relay/semiconductor switch. The semiconductor switch is connected in parallel with the relay... | 12/05/1995 |
| 5457595 | Low-power relay operating circuit A high-power relay with a low-power operating circuit is usable in combination with a low-current source of DC power. The source has a hot terminal and a common terminal and a bistable relay has an energizing relay winding with one terminal of the winding... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5266807 | Passive infrared detection system The present invention teaches an improved passive infrared detection system for use in controlling electrical wiring devices and systems in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Interior or exterior lighting, by way of example only, and the... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5162968 | Fiber optic wiring control system The present invention teaches a control system wherein fiber optics controls the functioning of one or more types of wiring devices, such as a wall receptacle. With the use of the present invention, a relatively safer system is provided for use in wet, ho... | 11/10/1992 |
| 5119065 | Vehicle protection system A vehicle anti-theft device includes a lock body carried on the vehicle and having a key receiving a slot. A pair of bore holes are spaced apart from each other in a predetermined pattern and extend through the lock body, which is transparent to a particu... | 06/02/1992 |
| 5079457 | Dual solid state relay A dual solid state relay comprised of an input circuit, an optical coupler, a reference voltage circuit, a switch circuit, an SCR saturation circuit, a full wave bridge rectifier, a TRIAC driver circuit, an SCR driver circuit, a TRIAC slave circuit, an SC... | 01/07/1992 |
| 5077484 | Light controlled extension socket A light level controlled electrical extension socket comprising a main body on which is formed two pairs of insertion sockets for receiving an appliance's power plug, a photosensitive element externally mounted in a housing on the main body, an extension ... | 12/31/1991 |
| 5047662 | Inductive load driving circuit with inductively induced voltage compensating means A driver circuit for driving from the same output node (6) an inductive relay (34) and a non-inductive lamp (30) having a transistor (16) for driving the relay and second transistor (18) for driving the lamp and a third transistor (90) having its current ... | 09/10/1991 |
| 5025895 | Elevator car top intrusion device There is provided a detection system for detecting attempted entry onto the shaft-side roof of an elevator cab which includes a power supply for supplying power to the system, a proximity detector in electrical connection with the power supply which is di... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4991054 | Time-delay outdoor lighting control systems An optical lighting control, such as that used to control street lamps, delays the response of the lamps to changes of illumination while the lamps are on at night but avoids the delay in response to daylight. Thus, headlamps, flashlights, and lightning f... | 02/05/1991 |
| 4979069 | Motor fault detector with optical isolation A motor protection apparatus with a current monitor, the current monitor sensing the presence of current in at least one phase of an electric motor. An ammeter is responsive to the monitor, the ammeter indicating the level of current present in the motor ... | 12/18/1990 |
| 4897755 | Apparatus and method for relay control Where there is a relay controlling an AC power circuit to a load, the apparatus of this disclosure includes a sensor for observing arc at the relay contacts and a control circuit which controls the time of subsequent actuation or deactuation of the relay ... | 01/30/1990 |
| 4837455 | Interrupt controlled switching device A power interrupt switching device for independently controlling normal and remote loads from a single control switch. The device includes an edge detector, an energy storage element, and a latch. When power is applied to the switching device, the edge de... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4724506 | Power-saving system for bowling machine A power-saving system for use with a bowling machine which initiates motor operation when a bowling ball passes a position in front of the pit cushion and deactivates the motor upon the bowling ball return sequence. The system comprises a switch for contr... | 02/09/1988 |
| 4707338 | Light-activated aroma generator with automatic cutoff An aroma generator that is rendered operative only when a switch-controlled electric light bulb is in a predetermined state which is either "on" or "off," the generator then functioning to discharge an air current conveying an aromatic vapor which modifie... | 11/17/1987 |
| 4704656 | Fiber optic wiring device control system The present invention teaches a control system wherein fiber optics controls the functioning of one or more types of wiring devices, such as a wall receptacle. With the use of the present invention, a relatively safer system is provided for use in wet, ho... | 11/03/1987 |
