Motion Sensing Light Switch



Melvin got the idea for an improved motion sensing light switch as he stood in line at the hardware store. It didn't make sense to him that all outdoor motion sensors that operated lights at night required a separate switch somewhere to turn them on and off, when there was a switch already in the circuit, aka the light switch. So, Melvin started reading up on motion sensors and learned a bit about them. He found out they were comprised of a Fresnel lens to focus infrared energy from a warm body onto the a semiconductor pyroelectric sensor, creating hotspots that changed the voltage potential across the sensor as the warm body moved and the Fresnel lens projected the hotspot to a new position on the sensor. He found out that the sensors were actually preceded by the predicted physics properties of Albert Einstein. Of course, Einstein developed a lot of mathematical equations that predicted what would ultimately turn out to be very useful semiconductor devices, such as cadmium photo-electric sensors, and light emitting diodes



Melvin began working on his invention, drawing logic gates and filter circuitry that could be controlled by the light switch to which the motion sensor was attached. The idea was that the user could disable the motion sensor when he wasn't using it, and enable when he did want to use it, all by using the light switch. It wasn't long until he had a prototype that actually worked. He checked the United States Patent and Trademark Office files for patents, searching to make sure that no one had already patented his idea. He thought it was brilliant, and it probably wasn't a bad idea. He made plans to get the patent process rolling and contacted a local patent attorney's offices. He arranged a meeting and went in to meet the attorney.

On the big day, he carried his motion sensor switch built into a little suitcase like box, all of which he had constructed himself. He got all dressed up in a business suit, and presented himself punctually on time at the attorney's expensive and very nice office. The secretary asked him to wait, which he patiently did until the attorney showed up and escorted him to a conference room. There, he explained his invention, the problems that it solved, and the novelty of the solution. However, much to his dismay, the patent attorney was not experienced in electrical systems. Neither did he know or care anything about light switches or motion sensors. He listened until Melvin was finished with his explanation, and then began to talk.