Abstract: A financial and/or a commercial enterprise, such as a mutual funds operator and/or a general merchandise/product sales establishment, prices its various financial and/or commercial goods in certain basic pricing units and sells uniquely coded certificates denominated in such pricing units; which pricing units are of such nature as to be substantially unaffected by inflation. Then, at any later time the holder of such a certificate is entitled to exchange this certificate for financial and/or commercial goods equivalent in total pricing units to the denomination specified on the certificate, regardless of any intervening changes in dollar pricing of the various items of financial and/or commercial goods. Since the purchaser of a certificate helps pay for the inventory of financial and/or commercial goods underlying the certificates, each holder of such a certificate periodically receives an interest payment in the form of a pre-established probabilistic chance to win additional certificates.

Abstract: In an electronic ballast, a half-bridge inverter is powered from a DC voltage and provides an AC output voltage having a waveform with trapezoidally shaped half-cycles. The DC voltage is obtained by way of a pre-converter with a control input operative to permit control of the magnitude of the DC voltage. The AC voltage is applied across the primary winding of a leakage transformer, whose loosely coupled secondary winding is connected across a gas discharge lamp. The internal inductive reactance of the secondary winding constitutes a lamp ballasting means by way of limiting the magnitude of the resulting lamp current to a desired level. Prior to the flow of lamp current, the magnitude of the DC voltage is controlled by negative feedback to the control input so as to remain at a maximum level. After lamp current has started to flow, by negative feedback derived from the lamp current itself, the magnitude of the DC voltage is reduced so as to bring the magnitude of the lamp current down to the desired level.

Abstract: A lighting system for a suspended ceiling comprises a plurality of power conditioning units permanently wired-in with the 120 Volt/60 Hz power line and mounted in various suitable locations on the permanent ceiling above the suspended ceiling. Each power conditioning unit conditionally provides a voltage at each of several multi-connector power output ports. Each power output port is operable: (i) to connect with a special lighting fixture by way of a light-weight flexible disconnectable connect cord; and (ii) on receipt of a special signal from the lighting fixture, to power the lamp(s) therein. Plural such special lighting fixtures are mounted in the suspended ceiling, with each lighting fixture being connected with and powered from one of the power output ports of a power conditioning unit mounted somewhere nearby on the permanent ceiling above.

Abstract: In a self-oscillating full bridge inverter, a small non-linear inductor is connected in series with the inverter's load. Tightly coupled with this inductor are four individual secondary windings, one for each of the inverter's four transistors. By way of a high-speed rectifier for each secondary winding, at the end of each half-cycle of the inverter's 20 kHz squarewave output voltage, the energy stored in the inductor is used for: i) rapidly sweeping out the charges from the collector-base junction of the transistor last to cease conducting of the two most recently conducting transistors, and ii) for preventing the obverse two transistors from becoming conductive until the most recently conducting two transistors have both fully ceased to be conductive. As a result, even with a purely resistive load, the transistors are affirmatively prevented from forming direct conduction paths across the DC source.

Abstract: An in-building telephone distribution system has a multi-conductor telephone distribution cable, starting at the point where the telephone utility lines enter the building and extending from there to each location at which a telephone outlet is wanted, at which a smoke alarm is wanted, and/or at which one of numerous other devices (e.g., door chime) might be wanted. At a suitable point along the cable, a first pair of the cable's conductors is connected with the power output terminals of a Class-2 (or Class-2-equivalent) DC power supply, whose power input terminals are connected with an ordinary electric utility power line. Thus, at any point along the cable, the first pair of conductors may be accessed and used as a Class-2 DC power source. A second pair of the cable's distribution conductors is used for distribution of the telephone signals.

Abstract: Subject electronic ballast draws power from the power line with a power factor higher than 90%. The ballast consists of a power-factor-correcting rectifier circuit and an inverter circuit that provides a high-frequency squarewave voltage across a series-resonant L-C circuit to which a fluorescent lamp is connected.

Abstract: An arrangement for transmitting electric power from a source point to a load point comprises (i) a first sensor to monitor the amount of power being supplied from the source point, (ii) a second sensor to monitor the amount of power being received by the load point, and (iii) communication circuit for communicating to a control circuit information in respect to the amount of power supplied from the source point as well as that received by the load point. The control circuit then compares the amount of power supplied versus that received, and provides a warning and/or halts the supply of power in case a substantive discrepancy were to occur between power supplied versus power received. Thus, in case an improper loading were to occur between the source point and the load point, it would be detected by the control circuit, which would then instigate protective action.

Abstract: A self-contained programmable wall switch actuator/timer unit can easily be mounted directly onto the outside of the face plate of a standard wall switch. This actuator/timer unit can be programmed to operate the lever of the wall switch in accordance with a program that automatically repeats on a diurnal, weekly or other cyclical basis. It comprises a small battery, a miniature electric motor with a gear/linkage mechanism operable to engage with and to move the switch lever between its OFF and ON positions, and a quartz-clock-based programming means having programming intput keys and time display means. Once programmed by way of the programming input keys, the programming means is operative to actuate the electric motor in such manner as to move the switch lever into its ON and/or OFF position in accordance with the keyed-in program.

Abstract: An electronic ballasting circuit provides high efficiency ballasting for most common types of fluorescent lamps. The circuit consists of a half-bridge inverter providing a substantially squarewave voltage across a series-combination of an inductor and a capacitor. The fluorescent lamp is connected in parallel circuit with the capacitor in such a way that the current flowing through the capacitor also flows through the lamp cathodes, thereby providing continuous low voltage heating therefor. The values of inductance and capacitance are so chosen that the series-combination has a natural resonance frequency that is substantially equal to or lower than the lowest frequency component present in the squarewave voltage.

Abstract: A half-bridge inverter is powered from a constant DC voltage and loaded by way of an L-C circuit that has a natural resonance frequency equal to or lower than the inverter's operating frequency. A gas discharge lamp is disconnectably connected across the tank capacitor of the L-C circuit and, when indeed so connected, is provided with a current-limited high-frequency (30 kHz) voltage. The magnitude of the resulting lamp current decreases as the inverter's operating frequency is increased; which operating frequency is controlled by way of a negative feedback arrangement that causes the frequency to increase as a function of increasing magnitude of the current flowing through the tank capacitor. Thus, particularly with the lamp disconnected, the magnitude of the current flowing through the capacitor--and therefore also the magnitude of the voltage existing across it--will be regulated so as to be lower than it would be in the absence of the negative feedback.

Abstract: A power-line-operated frequency-converting power supply provides a 30 kHz current-limited AC voltage at an output receptacle. An instant-start gas discharge or neon lamp is connected across the secondary winding of a gapped ferrite-type leakage transformer, the primary winding of which is connected with the output receptacle by way of a light-weight cord, thereby permitting the lamp-transformer combination to be located remotely from the power supply. The secondary winding is arranged to have a well defined inductance; which inductance is tuned to resonate at 30 Khz by way of a parallel-connected tuning capacitor. Tightly coupled with the secondary winding is a control winding with which is connected a protection circuit operative to place an auxiliary capacitor across the control winding in case the neon lamp fails to ignite within a few milli-seconds, thereby detuning the secondary winding enough to protect the power supply and the leakage transformer from sustained overload.

Abstract: In an electronic ballast, a full-bridge inverter is powered from a DC voltage and provides a square-wave-like inverter output voltage. This inverter output voltage, which has a peak amplitude equal to the magnitude of the DC voltage, is applied to an instant-start fluorescent lamp via a current-limiting inductor connected in series with a DC blocking capacitor. The DC voltage is obtained by way of a pre-converter with a control input operative to permit control of the magnitude of the DC voltage. Prior to the flow of lamp current, the magnitude of the DC voltage is controlled by negative feedback to the control input so as to remain at a certain maximum level. About 100 milli-seconds after initial flow of lamp current, one half of the full-bridge inverter is disabled, thereby reducing the amplitude of the inverter output voltage by half.

Abstract: Power to a self-oscillating inverter ballast is supplied from a DC voltage source through an inductor means having two separate windings on a common magnetic core--with one winding being positioned in each leg of the power supply. The inverter is loaded by way of a parallel-tuned L-C circuit connected across the inverter's output, thereby providing an output voltage thereat. The output voltage consists of sinusoidally-shaped voltage pulses of alternating polarity, with a distinct brief period of discontinuity at or near the cross-over points. A fluorescent lamp is connected by way of a current-limiting capacitor with the inverter's output.

Abstract: An inverter-type electronic fluorescent lamp ballast has means to disable inverter operation in case of an overvoltage condition and/or in case its internal temperature were to exceed a safe level, thereby to provide automatic protection against damage that might otherwise result from excessive voltage and/or temperatures.

Abstract: A bridge rectifier is connected with a 277Volt/60 Hz power line and provides full-wave-rectified unfiltered DC voltage to a series-combination of: i) an inductor, ii) a full bridge inverter switched in synchronism with the 60 Hz power line voltage, and iii) an electronic switching device. A fluorescent lamp is connected with the inverter's output and receives 60 Hz current of exceptionally low crest-factor, thereby operating at an exceptionally high efficacy. The electronic switching device is normally in a fully conductive state. However, it is controlled--by a photo sensor responsive to the light output of the fluorescent lamp--in such a manner that whenever the instantaneous light output exceeds a certain adjustably predetermined upper level, it switches into a non-conductive state where it remains until the instantaneous light output level diminishes to a certain adjustably predetermined lower level.

Abstract: A fluorescent lighting system has: (A) a central power supply including: (i) a parallel-resonant self-oscillating bridge inverter operative to provide a 35 kHz sinusoidal output voltage at a pair of primary output terminals; (ii) a tank-inductor and a tank-capacitor parallel-connected across the primary output terminals; and (iii) plural pairs of secondary output terminals, each connected with the primary output terminals via its own dedicated current-limiting sub-circuit; thereby to prevent a load connected therewith from drawing more than a certain amount of power; thereby, in turn, to render each pair of secondary output terminals fire-hazard-safe and shock-hazard-safe; each pair of secondary power output terminals being connected with its own power output receptacle; and (B) a light-weight power cord plug-in-connected with one of the power output receptacles and having a pair of power conductors between which are connected a number of individually ballasted lighting units; each lighting unit having at lea

Abstract: A telephone and auxiliary power distribution system in a building has a flexible multi-conductor signal and power distribution cable; which cable originates from a central signal & power management facility located near the point where the telephone utility line enters the building and extends from there to each of numerous locations within the building at which a fire-hazard-proof signal & power outlet is wanted; each of which outlets is adapted to service one of plural different loads, such as a wide variety of telephone and telephone-related instruments, smoke detectors, PC's, TV's & VCR's, clocks and timers, thermostats, door chimes and buttons, modems, fax machines, lamps & lights, Class-2 & Class-3 sub-circuits, etc.

Abstract: A fluorescent lighting system has: (A) a central power supply connected with regular power line voltage and including a number of power supply modules (e.g., eight), each such module having: (i) a parallel-resonant self-oscillating bridge inverter operative to provide a 35 kHz sinusoidal output voltage at a pair of primary output terminals; (ii) a tank-inductor and a tank-capacitor parallel-connected across the primary output terminals; and (iii) several (e.g., four) pairs of secondary output terminals, each connected with the primary output terminals via its own dedicated current-limiting sub-circuit; thereby to prevent a load connected with a pair of secondary output terminals from drawing more than a certain amount of power; thereby, in turn, to render each pair of secondary output terminals fire-hazard-safe; (B) a plurality of lighting fixtures (e.g.

Abstract: A telephone and auxiliary power distribution system includes an optical fiber in joint combination with one or more copper conductors to provide electric power for powering the various electronic devices associated with the optical fiber telephone distribution system.

Abstract: An electronic ballast draws current from the power line with power factor over 90% and total harmonic distortion under 20%, and powers two series-connected 48"/T-12 fluorescent lamps with a 30 kHz current having crest-factor better than 1.7. The ballast includes a power-factor-correcting up-converter and a half-bridge inverter providing a 30 kHz squarewave voltage across a series-resonant high-Q L-C circuit. When the L-C circuit is not loaded, the magnitude of the 30 kHz voltage developing across its tank capacitor is clamped by non-dissipative means to a peak-to-peak magnitude equal to the magnitude of the inverter's DC supply voltage. The ballast output voltage consists of the sum of two components: (i) the 30 kHz voltage across the tank capacitor, and (ii) a 30 kHz voltage obtained from an auxiliary winding on the tank inductor.