Plasma TV power use reduced
Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
Positive column gas discharge display
•U.S. Patent No. 7,518,576
•Invented by: James C. Rutherford, Fort Wayne
•Assigned to Imaging Systems Technology, Toledo
I will live life quite contently if I never have to see another one of those digital television conversion announcements on TV again. Most networks have already switched; however, the announcements continue.
Like many others, I too was in the market for a new digital television. But what to buy? These days, the choices are between LCD (liquid crystal diode) and plasma flat-panel televisions. But going into a local BestBuy or Wal-Mart store and seeing their walls of flat-panel televisions makes the choice dizzying.
Both plasma and LCD TVs are thin, flat and have good picture resolution, making both appear to be up to the task. Price is an obvious factor, but a less obvious factor is the hidden cost of operating the television.
LCD televisions are typically more energy-efficient than plasma. In fact, LCD television manufacturers are touting them as more energy-efficient. And as we all know, energy efficiency is a popular trend these days.
A plasma television’s screen is made up of thousands of tiny cells, similar to a honeycomb. Each cell, otherwise known as a pixel, is the dot you see when looking at the screen up close. That pixel and thousands of others make up the full image.
Each cell or pixel comprises two electrodes with a gap between them. The gap is filled with ionizable gas that produces light when a voltage is applied between the electrodes. With all of these electrodes firing across thousands of rows of these cells at specific times, a moving image can be created on the screen.
Color images are created on plasma screens by using sub-pixels or sub-cells that use particular photoluminescent phosphor that emits either red, blue or green light. The combination of these three colors is used to generate all the colors that make up the color image.
As can be imagined, all of these electrodes firing across 42 or even 63 inches of screen space also require a lot of power. If you have a plasma television, just feel the top of the casing after it has been on for a while – it’s hot.
This patent seeks to reduce that power consumption. It describes a new system for charging the electrodes that produce the picture but in a way that uses less power. The system also uses fewer components to power the screen, which translates into lower manufacturing costs.
System and method for heat removal from confined spaces in a motor vehicle using natural aspiration and Curie temperature
•U.S. Patent No. 7,516,806
•Invented by: James C. Bradley, New Haven; Scott A. Wooldridge, Fort Wayne; and Rodney J. Klinger, Fort Wayne
•Assigned to International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC, Warrenville, Ill.
Engine heat is an issue that engineers have dealt with since the origin of the internal combustion engine.
Of course, with a constant sequence of exploding gas and air, it is understandable how internal combustion engines inherently generate a lot of heat.
At the same time, we all know that overheating an engine can damage if not destroy it. But in this world of high technology and more sophisticated engines, adding another complicated electrically powered device, even for this job, can reduce efficiency. There is no longer space or power for much more in the engine compartment.
This patent takes care of that problem by exploiting the natural properties of materials to create a system that naturally removes heat from the engine. Only minimal space is used, no power is drawn from the engine, and an electrical connection is not required.
The patent describes using a magnet and a second ferromagnetic material to block a passageway between the engine compartment that generates the heat and the exhaust that pushes gases through the tailpipe and out of the vehicle.
When the ferromagnetic material reaches what is called its Curie temperature (the temperature at which material naturally loses its magnetic properties), it separates from the magnet. This opens a passageway between the engine compartment and the exhaust system to transfer heat out through the tailpipe.
A specially designed collector is made to draw and collect heat from the engine. As it collects this heat, the natural flow of gases in the exhaust system draws the heat out and expels it from the tailpipe.
The result is a complete heat removal system that opens and closes a passageway above a predefined temperature, draws excess heat generated from the engine, and expels it without any electricity or engine power.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, or offer of legal advice.
Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information is available at www.uspto.gov.
Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.