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!
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7249147 | Combination compact disc recorder and player system The combination recorder and player system includes a recorder/player unit and a remote control unit. The recorder/player unit includes a recorder/player computer system and recorder/player software that is operable to cause the recorder/player to record, play, and ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7233489 | Memory card drive and portable memory card drive A memory card drive is provided which can record a large amount of digital information. A plurality of memory card slots is provided in a memory card drive body having a memory interface. A plurality of memory cards is detachably accommodated in the memory card slot... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228424 | Method and system for using optical disk drive as a biometric card reader for secure online user authentication The invention describes a novel method for securing authentic client access to online confidential resources by means of a physical hard key/card device, which does not need a custom card reader, but uses the optical disc drive of any remote computer to conduct a hi... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7213155 | Recording medium, recording and/or reproducing method for record medium, and recording and/or reproducing device for recording medium A recording and reproducing method for a record medium including the steps of reading type information from the record medium when data is recorded to or reproduced from the record medium on which the type information is recorded; reading type information from a rec... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7139287 | Telecommunications signalling using the internet protocol When a telecommunications network involves use of the Internet Protocol, signalling information is passed by providing between a user and the Internet Protocol an interface protocol (56) which interfaces with one or both of the Transport Control Protocol and ... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7127573 | Memory controller providing multiple power modes for accessing memory devices by reordering memory transactions A memory controller includes a power mode sensitive reordering device coupled to receive a power mode indication. The memory controller includes a selectable high and low power mode. An indication of which of the high and low power modes is selected is coupled to th... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7102688 | System and method for using a hand held device to display a readable representation of an audio track A system and method for using a hand held device having a display to display a readable representation of an audio track of a playing media such as, for example, a television program, a compact disc, or digital video disc. In one embodiment, the system generally inc... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7092331 | Reproduction of audio data from recording medium The present invention provides an audio data recording medium reproducer, wherein CPU 10 which writes audio data read by reader 11 into buffer memory 13 and buffer memory controller 21 which transfers the data to buffer memory 22 a... | 08/15/2006 |
| 6993781 | Control device, control method, electric apparatus, control method of an electric apparatus, electric apparatus system, control method of an electric apparatus system, and transmission medium Radio waves transmitted from the antenna of a broadcasting station are received by the antenna of a television receiver. The television receiver extracts an EPG from the received radio waves and transmits it to a remote controller via an infrared transmission/recept... | 01/31/2006 |
| 6976570 | Coin counter and voucher dispensing machine and method A coin sorting and counting machine and a method for operating it to automatically dispense cash vouchers based on the value of the counted coins, manufacturers' coupons and store coupons. Coins are placed in a hopper tray angled downward from the horizontal. When t... | 12/20/2005 |
| 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 |
| 6898161 | Sound control circuit for a digital audiovisual reproduction system Sound control circuit comprising a game port, installed on a digital audiovisual reproduction system managed by an operating system, characterized in that the game port in the sound control circuit is used to create an access to the configuration of the audiovisual ... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6785195 | Automotive audio system An automotive audio system includes a first unit for acquiring a sound signal to be reproduced, a second unit for controlling the first unit by means of a control signal and also reproducing the supplied sound signal, and a bus for establishing communication between... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6761315 | Controller capable of operating plural operation objects by switching display of operation surface of operation member An operation member is provided with a planar input device, and a detachable display sheet is overlaid on the surface of the planar input device. There are two types of display sheets, in which input items are different. Cutouts are formed at the respective peripher... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6750978 | Print media information system with a portable print media receiving unit assembly The present invention relates to a novel interactive information system which can be used to make a traditional print medium such as a magazine, “interactive”. When the traditional print medium is placed on a print media receiving unit in a predetermined positio... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6680878 | Signal recording/reproducing apparatus The power consumption in the standby state of a signal recording/reproducing apparatus is improved without injuring the convenienceness for users. When a user issues an instruction to stop the operation of a power source, the operation of a switching powe... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6650600 | Digital audio disc recorder A digital audio disc recorder improves the ability to carry out an editing operation easily and efficiently. A group of keys used for recording and reproduction operations, ten keys and a track selecting key group are arranged on the side of a panel face ... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6539459 | Library device, operating mode setting method therefor A library device, that is able to remote-actuate a recording/reproducing apparatus. The library device includes a recording/reproducing unit for recording or reproducing the information using a removable recording medium, a plurality of housing unit that ... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6507889 | Recording medium library device and control method thereof A cassette library (1) is provided with a driving apparatus (13), cassette housing shelves (14, 15) and a cassette carrier (16). A library controller (2) simulates as if driving apparatuses (13) having continuous address numbers were apparently used in th... | 01/14/2003 |
| 6421305 | Personal music device with a graphical display for contextual information An audio system for playing recordings of audio programming includes a relatively large display device on which contextual information about the audio programming may be displayed. The contextual information is recorded on the same recording medium as the... | 07/16/2002 |
| 5699328 | Automatic vending machine for vending information transmitted from satellite An automatic vending machine for vending information, containing: a receiving unit for receiving a signal carrying first information transmitted from a satellite; a storage unit for storing the first information; a buying request input unit for receiving ... | 12/16/1997 |
| 5625608 | Remote control device capable of downloading content information from an audio system A remote control unit for use with an in-home audio player adapted to play pre-recorded music stored on a semiconductor music chip storage medium. In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, the remote unit is a battery powered, hand hel... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5608700 | Remote controller having integrated circuit memory for recording and replaying signals from audio playback devices and/or external voice signals A remote controller is disclosed having recording and playback functions which enables repetitive operation in applications such as language study. The remote controller is used in combination with conventional audio recording and playback devices and imp... | 03/04/1997 |
| 5479385 | Apparatus interconnected for the communication of control messages Apparatuses of an audio/video system convey user commands to one another via a serial control bus. The user commands convey key activations on a remote handset, whose keys include both "normal" keys such as "mute/unmute", and "repeat" keys such as "volume... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5475659 | Recording/reproducing apparatus A recording/reproducing apparatus that is capable of recording an inputted audio signal onto a recording medium is provided. A controlling device is provided which is capable of remote-controlling at least a recording operation of the recording/reproducin... | 12/12/1995 |
| 5426622 | Multi-mode audio imaging control device having unitary control element A multi-mode audio imaging control device having unitary control element for use in recording and reproducing of multi-channel audio programs. The imaging control device includes a first channel input and a second channel input, four variable resistors fo... | 06/20/1995 |
| 5337294 | Control system for controlling plurality of operations of common category by plurality of control units Each control unit of a plurality of control units comprises an operation device for operating thereof, the operation device providing an operation signal correspondingly, and a control device for providing a control signal in response to the provision of ... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5337292 | Recording/reproducing apparatus with remote controller A recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed that is capable of recording an inputted audio signal onto a recording medium. A controlling device is provided which is capable of remote-controlling at least a recording operation of the recording/reproduci... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5025324 | Method of and apparatus for recording information on both a main recording medium and an endless recording medium for repeated event monitoring In an audio/video information recording/playback apparatus with repeating monitor function which includes an endless type recording medium T-1 of about twenty seconds for one cycle and a main recording medium T-2 with tape ends, while both media are drive... | 06/18/1991 |
| 4890271 | Redundant termination of a communication line for maintaining the line properly terminated when one of the terminations is unpowered An input and output system has a plurality of tape drives (1-3) connected by a daisy-chained bus (5) to a processor (4). Each of two tape drives (2, 3) at the end of the bus has a terminator (30, 31) for transmit lines (6) of the bus. Each terminator of e... | 12/26/1989 |
| 4864550 | Remote control equipment for use with an audio system A remote control handset for use with an audio system in which the audio system includes a tuner, a compact disk player an amplifier, speakers, etc. The handset also includes a display for displaying the information contents of the control signals. A cass... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4789973 | Recording/reproducing apparatus with dual display capability A system for recording and reproducing includes a first instruction and display device, a second instruction and display device separably electrically connected with the first such device and sensing apparatus for detecting whether the second device is co... | 12/06/1988 |
| 4621350 | Recording and dictation system Apparatus for connecting at least one recovery station to preselected ones of plural recorders in an information processing system to recover information jobs from those recorders. Indications of those preselected recorders to which the recovery station i... | 11/04/1986 |
| 4488274 | Remote dictation transcription system A system for the remote transcription of recorded dictation comprising a remote transcription unit and a machine control unit capable of controlling a plurality of dictation recorders and transmitting recorded dictation signals from a selected one of the ... | 12/11/1984 |
| 4450546 | Speech controlled start-stop of tape recorder in record and reproduce modes by separate microphone The invention relates to an improvement in the use of tape recorders and enables by speech action, the automatic start and stop of these apparatuses. The device uses the main existing output plugs of a cassette recorder without introducing any modificatio... | 05/22/1984 |
| 4447837 | Video recording system A video recording system includes a combination of a cassette type video recorder and a portable video camera, in which the recorder is provided with a battery for supplying power to both parts. The camera has first and second switches which are so made that t... | 05/08/1984 |
| 4426738 | Dictating machine A dictating machine which employs a wireless remote control system is disclosed. The machine includes a dictating machine body, a foot control switch, a remote control transmitter provided with the switch for generating a remote control signal in response... | 01/17/1984 |
| 4378572 | Camera interface A pulse generating electronic circuit is utilized as a matching network between a line operated video tape recorder (VTR) and a battery powered portable camera. Through the use of appropriate logic circuitry, the pause control button of the VTR, which nor... | 03/29/1983 |
| 4152732 | Device for controlling the recording and playback by a tape recorder A device for controlling the operation of a tape recorder which may be used in miniature tape recorders or in hand-held microphones with remote control of the recorder, includes actuating means for positioning the tape drive into different operating condi... | 05/01/1979 |
| 4081184 | Amusement apparatus This disclosure pertains to a remote stationary control box operating a coin operated automatic record selecting apparatus and public address system. The remote control box is provided with a tape player, microphone, and a record player, each of whose out... | 03/28/1978 |
