Abstract: An improved miniature light bulb socket provided with an insert to keep wire terminals separate. The socket mainly comprises a socket shell in which a Y-shaped insert is seated with two opposed protrusions engaged with the grooves of the socket shell. With such an arrangement the electrical wires and terminals extending into the socket can be kept separate effectively and prevented from their shorting. Further, the socket has a conductor pin disposed on the top of the insert and kept in touch with two electrical wire terminals and so the electrical circuit of a miniature light bulb series can be kept closed even if the light bulb on the socket is burned down. It can have an advantage that the light bulb series can still work even if some bulbs of the light bulb series fail. The improved light bulb socket structure according to the invention indeed enhances the practical value of a socket.

Abstract: A securing mechanism used in Christmas light bulb series mainly comprises a light bulb socket having a pair of longitudinal guide rails formed on two side wall surface thereof and a plurality of transverse ribs disposed between two guide rails. The transverse ribs have a triangular cross section with an inclined top side and a horizontal bottom side. The securing mechanism also includes a U-shaped fastener that has horizontal locking ribs disposed on the inner wall surfaces on two ends thereof. The locking ribs have a cross section with a horizontal top side and an inclined bottom side. The fastener mounts on a support frame and holds on two sides of the socket to secure and locate a socket at arbitrary position along the support frame with a desired inclination angle.

Abstract: The invention describes a decorative board associated with Christmas light bulb series, especially a combination of decorative boards with light bulbs having an enhanced decorative aesthetic visual effect. The decorative board according to the invention can have any proper shape or design. Arranged on the back of the decorative board are a plurality of fastening mechanisms that can easily connect with sockets of a light bulb series. With rays of light bulbs passing through the transparent decorative board, the decorative board produces a light diffusion effect and achieves decorative objects.

Abstract: A clock recovery unit for recovering a clock embedded in a data communication is disclosed. The clock recovery unit includes an oscillator (50) operating at a frequency close to that of the clock embedded in the data communication. The clock recovery unit also includes an edge detector (30) that produces a synchronization pulse with each transition in the data communication. The edge detector is coupled to the oscillator to force a transition in the oscillator in synchronization with the synchronization pulse produced by the edge detector. A start-up latch (10) that starts and stops the oscillator also forms part of the clock recovery unit. The start-up latch starts the oscillator at the beginning of the data communication, with no preamble bits required. For low-power consumption in stand-by mode, a counter (40) coupled to the start-up latch stops the oscillator after data has been determined not to be present for a preset period of time.

Abstract: A lamp holder includes a hollow holder body having a top opening to receive therein a base of a bulb. The holder body has two contact terminals provided therein in a spaced manner to be corresponding to filament extensions of the base of the lamp for establishing electrical connection therewith when the bulb is inserted into the holder body. Electrical wires are inserted into the holder body through a bottom opening of the holder body to physically connect to the contact terminals. A lengthening support is provided to support the holder body, comprising a tubular member made of an insulating material, having a side wall with an open top side and an open lower side. A partition plate is fixed to the open top side to define two openings adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A power distribution circuit is provided that isolates both power source and load faults. In one embodiment, the power distribution circuit includes two power MOSFETs connected with the channels of the power MOSFETs in series and having their gates electrically connected together. The body diode of one power MOSFET is aligned with the opposite polarity with respect to polarity of the body diode of the second power MOSFET. The power MOSFETs are adapted to be coupled between a first power source and a load. The power distribution circuit also includes a first sensor that detects when the power MOSFETs conduct too much current and switches the power MOSFETs off by discharging the gate voltage of both power MOSFETs during such overcurrent conditions. Accordingly, when both power MOSFETs are switched off, the opposing polarity of the body diodes in the power MOSFETs ensures that one of the body diodes will be reversed biased in case of a short circuit failure in either the load or the power source.

Abstract: A fault tolerant clock system that includes voting of power-on and other reset signals to ensure tight synchronization. A fault tolerant clock system (10) includes four channels, providing tolerance to a catastrophic failure in one of the channels and a second fault in another channel. Each clock channel comprises a crystal oscillator (12), an RC circuit (14), and a gain circuit (16) that are connected in a feedback loop with a first voter module (18). The first voter module produces a voted time base output signal corresponding to a majority vote of the timing signals provided by each of the four clock channels. This voted time base signal is fed back to the crystal oscillator through the RC circuit.