Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Heidt

Thomas D. Heidt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4986187
    Abstract: The invention comprises a toy vehicle such as a train, for moving about a track and which includes an optical sensing apparatus. The vehicle includes a charge coupled device to sense radiant energy external of the vehicle. The vehicle includes sensing circuitry to convert the image into a video signal. The video signal is FM modulated and supplied to the track by a transmitter on the vehicle for transmission to a receiver. The receiver receives the FM signal and demodulates same to produce a video signal adapted to be received by a monitor for viewing by the user of the toy vehicle as the vehicle moves along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Lionel Trains, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Booth, Thomas D. Heidt
  • Patent number: 4877954
    Abstract: An apparatus for counting hangers having a convex surface includes a housing having a central light source carried by the housing for projecting a light beam on the convex surface. A pair of spaced light detectors is positioned on the housing substantially on opposed sides of the central light source, the spaced light detectors detect light reflected from the convex surface. A detecting circuit is connected to the pair of spaced light detectors and detects the sequence of reflected light beams, and then determines whether the detected sequence is a sequence of reflected light beams characteristic of the relative displacement of the housing and the convex surface when the housing or the convex surface is displaced in substantially the direction of the space between the pair of opposed light detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Arnold I. Neuman
    Inventors: Arnold I. Neuman, Thomas D. Heidt, Andrew Bergman, James Wickstead
  • Patent number: 4310840
    Abstract: A text-processing system for presenting input data on a display device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) and/or a data receiving unit from which the data may be selectively retrieved and presented in a predetermined format. The system comprises memory addressing and interpreting means which functions substantially independently for CRT beam controlling means, thus enabling parallel operation of these functions. The system further comprises slewing means for controlling beam movement directly between any selected points on the CRT face. Provision is made for italicizing and/or altering the size of selected ones of the displayed characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1982
    Assignee: Vydec, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan R. Williams, Thomas D. Heidt