The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 23, 1999
Applicant:
Inventor:
Patrick J. McGarry, West Chester, PA (US);
Assignee:
Mars Incorporated, McLean, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H05B 3/702 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H05B 3/702 ;
Abstract
A device and method for detecting the viability of a fluorescent light tube of a vending machine is described. A light tube detector circuit includes a photodetector, a circuit means to compensate for ambient light connected to the photodetector, and an output line. A microcontroller may be used to monitor the phase shifts in the pulses generated by the light tube detector circuit, and to determine when one or more fluorescent light tubes are going bad.