Inventor
Ian Watkins
I have many inventions in a diverse range of areas. Many of these inventions are summarised above in the “Solutions” section. I am currently commercialising my invention of an energy management system (Adreeme) for industrial-scale intensive electricity users that saves up to 10% of their electricity bill (see https://www.facebook.com/Adreeme/). However, Monash University assessed this invention as not patentable, so the technology of this invention is protected as confidential information. Most of my inventions have not been protected by patents, so descriptions of these cannot be provided. However, I can describe two of my inventions that have been patented by others and are therefore not subject to confidentiality restrictions.
Increased Data Transmission Through Optic Fibres
Data is sent through optic fibres as packets of light. To increase the amount of data transmitted, different parts of the data can be sent at the same time in different frequencies (colours). However, the speed of light through the optic fibre depends on the frequency of the light. Therefore, a packet of data sent in different frequencies at the same time will not arrive at the other end of the fibre at the same time because the different frequencies of light travel at different speeds. If the fast frequencies of light from one packet of data arrive at the other end of the fibre at the same time as the slow frequencies of light from the previous data packet of data, then the overlapping data causes interference. Therefore, the maximum amount of data (bandwidth) that can be transmitted through optic fibres is limited to the rate of packet transmission for which no data packet overlapping occurs at the other end of the optic fibre. My invention was to transmit each packet of data in a staggered arrangement, where the slowest frequency was transmitted first and then the increasingly faster frequencies were transmitted, so that all the frequencies of light for each packet of data arrived at the other end of the optic fibre at the same time. With this staggered transmission of each packet of data, the rate at which the packets of data could be transmitted without overlapping causing interference was from 4 to 10 times faster than the previous simultaneous transmission of each packet of data. Unfortunately, my invention was later independently invented and patented by two academics at Monash University and commercialisation of their invention is underway (see http://www.starfishvc.com/tag/ofidium.html).
Standby Power Eliminator
Standby power is the electricity used by appliances (e.g. televisions) when their main function has been turned off (usually with a remote control), but they still have an additional function operating – namely, electronics to detect and respond to an ON signal (again, usually from a remote control). The electricity used by the appliance when turned off is called Standby Power and has been estimated as comprising 10% of household electricity usage. This standby power can be eliminated by switching the appliance off at the wall switch, but doing this is often inconvenient because wall switches are often located behind cabinets, etc. My invention provides the equivalent of a wall switch in a convenient location so all power can be switched off. My invention firstly comprises a plug that is inserted into the wall socket. Secondly, on the end of a side-entry cord from the plug is a switch that can be placed in a convenient location (e.g. on top of the cabinet that the television sits on). Thirdly, the appliance plug is inserted into the back of the plug of the invention (often called a piggyback arrangement). The wiring inside the invention’s plug and cord is such that electricity flows from the wall socket into the plug, up the cord to the switch, back down the cord to the plug again and then into the appliance plug. To operate my invention, the wall switch is always left on and the appliance is switched on and off by using the switch at the end of my invention’s cord. Unfortunately, I then found that my invention had been previously invented and patented and was about to be sold for the first time (see Australian Patent Number 2008207285).
Increased Data Transmission Through Optic Fibres
Data is sent through optic fibres as packets of light. To increase the amount of data transmitted, different parts of the data can be sent at the same time in different frequencies (colours). However, the speed of light through the optic fibre depends on the frequency of the light. Therefore, a packet of data sent in different frequencies at the same time will not arrive at the other end of the fibre at the same time because the different frequencies of light travel at different speeds. If the fast frequencies of light from one packet of data arrive at the other end of the fibre at the same time as the slow frequencies of light from the previous data packet of data, then the overlapping data causes interference. Therefore, the maximum amount of data (bandwidth) that can be transmitted through optic fibres is limited to the rate of packet transmission for which no data packet overlapping occurs at the other end of the optic fibre. My invention was to transmit each packet of data in a staggered arrangement, where the slowest frequency was transmitted first and then the increasingly faster frequencies were transmitted, so that all the frequencies of light for each packet of data arrived at the other end of the optic fibre at the same time. With this staggered transmission of each packet of data, the rate at which the packets of data could be transmitted without overlapping causing interference was from 4 to 10 times faster than the previous simultaneous transmission of each packet of data. Unfortunately, my invention was later independently invented and patented by two academics at Monash University and commercialisation of their invention is underway (see http://www.starfishvc.com/tag/ofidium.html).
Standby Power Eliminator
Standby power is the electricity used by appliances (e.g. televisions) when their main function has been turned off (usually with a remote control), but they still have an additional function operating – namely, electronics to detect and respond to an ON signal (again, usually from a remote control). The electricity used by the appliance when turned off is called Standby Power and has been estimated as comprising 10% of household electricity usage. This standby power can be eliminated by switching the appliance off at the wall switch, but doing this is often inconvenient because wall switches are often located behind cabinets, etc. My invention provides the equivalent of a wall switch in a convenient location so all power can be switched off. My invention firstly comprises a plug that is inserted into the wall socket. Secondly, on the end of a side-entry cord from the plug is a switch that can be placed in a convenient location (e.g. on top of the cabinet that the television sits on). Thirdly, the appliance plug is inserted into the back of the plug of the invention (often called a piggyback arrangement). The wiring inside the invention’s plug and cord is such that electricity flows from the wall socket into the plug, up the cord to the switch, back down the cord to the plug again and then into the appliance plug. To operate my invention, the wall switch is always left on and the appliance is switched on and off by using the switch at the end of my invention’s cord. Unfortunately, I then found that my invention had been previously invented and patented and was about to be sold for the first time (see Australian Patent Number 2008207285).