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Imagineered Products
and Services
Examples of Imagineered Products &
Services
Updated on:
Monday, September 17, 2007 02:22 PM |
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Imagineered Products
& Services:
Examples of
Imagineered Products & Services
Introduction to Wind
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Ideas |
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This
section describes some products and service ideas that have either come from my
imagination as long as 40 years ago or are based on scientific research that hint at some
new products. Some of the ideas listed have since become commercially available. In
addition to the ideas listed below, I also have some more detailed discussions. |
OPTICAL HETERODYNE METHODS
IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS (15)
Students of radio are familiar with the classical super-heterodyne technique for radio
receivers. In brief, this method mixes the incoming radio signal frequencies with another
fixed local oscillator frequency. The result is both a sum and difference family of
frequencies that can be more easily amplified and separated from the background noise.
It is now possible to apply this same principle in the realm of
optical frequencies. Such methods are now being used with new semiconductor diode lasers
that emit very pure light of nearly one single wavelength. When the light is mixed with
another laser of a slightly different wavelength a sum and difference set of wavelengths
are produced. This technique promises to take full advantage of the nearly one quadrillion
hertz bandwidth that optical communications can provide. Since each laser diode could be
modulated in excess of 30 gigahertz it will be possible to have tens of thousands of
different optical color bands that could each contain tens of gigahertz of bandwidth.
The possibilities are limitless. Just think, this
technique could allow a single optical fiber to carry nearly all the telephone, television
and radio communications that occur in the U.S. at any given moment. |
FLASHLIGHT WONDER WAFERS (16)
It never fails, you reach for a flashlight , click it on and are greeted with a dim orange
glow. Although there still might be plenty of energy left in the batteries, the battery
voltage is not sufficient to maintain proper lamp operation. To squeeze more energy out of
a set of batteries, I propose a voltage boost circuit that is inserted between the
batteries and the light bulb. I envision the device to be a wafer thin circuit board that
contains a switch mode power supply. The circuit would send a constant voltage to the
lamp, even as the battery voltage dropped. Since there are many kinds of flashlights,
there would have to be a number or different wafers that would be available to the buyer.
The wafer type would be based on the number and type of battery cells stored in the
flashlight.I imagine the devices
sold as an after-market product in blister packs that are placed next to flashlights in a
department store. The devices might also be offered in catalogs that cater to users that
depend on high quality flashlights. Policemen, firemen, paramedics and military personal
all may want their flashlights to deliver bright light. |
LINE POWERED COLD CATHODE
FLUORESCENT LAMP DRIVER (17)
Compact fluorescent lamps are becoming very popular for home lighting needs. They outlast
standard incandescent lamps and produce more light for less electricity. But, there is
still room for some improvements. Manufacturers of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL)
claim that their lamps last two and three times longer than standard hot cathode
fluorescent lamps. They also claim that their lamps can produce more light with less
electricity. Such features are why CCFLs are used in almost all notebook computers.
However, these lamps have yet to find their way into home lighting needs. I believe that
there must be a huge market for a family of CCFLs that are deigned to be powered from
standard line voltages and are designed so they can be placed in standard home lighting
fixtures |
PULL-STRING
ELECTRIC GENERATOR (18)
With potential problems associated with the Y2K computer bug, a spring powered radio from
a UK company called Freeplay Energy has been selling very well. These radio receivers will
operate for about 30 minutes after few turns on a crank.
I imagine that other markets exist if a small human powered generator was developed.
Perhaps the device would be about the size and shape of a C size battery cell. It might
have a string about 3 feet long with an attached finger ring. A clutch mechanism would
rewind the string after each pull. Using super magnets, the generator might be able to
produce several watts of power. Unlike solar cells, the device could charge batteries day
or night. The device might find applications for charging batteries used in cell phones,
notebook computers, camcorders or radios. It might be great for hikers or downed military
pilots. |
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