Anecdote about the birth of TV set
As soon as you turn on the TV, you may whip a horse, catch a spy or fly to the moon with the cowboys in this department. But one of the most amazing TV stories is not on your TV screen. In a way, this story is hidden behind your TV!
The story begins at 1922 in rigby, Idaho. This is Philo farnsworth's hometown. Philo 16 years old, a shy boy, doesn't talk to others very much. Only his science teacher Justin tolman realized that Philo was an unusual person.
Years later, tolman said, "Before I met Philo, I knew hundreds of boys. But I don't think I will ever meet a boy like Philo again. "
Although the boy was shy, he found a way to talk to Mr. tolman. Philo once said to tolman, "I want to learn all about science."
At first Philo attended a first-grade science class. But a few days later, he appeared in the fourth grade science class again. He explained, "I just want to hear something."
Philo listened carefully and studied hard. He soon learned all the contents of the fourth grade science class. He found many science books in the school library. He read and thought until he understood the contents of the books.
An idea drawn in chalk
One day after school, tolman found Philo still in the classroom. The boy is drawing on the blackboard.
Mr tolman asked with interest, "What are you doing? What are these pictures? "
Philo replied, "I want to invent. This is the first pattern I invented. "
Mr tolman smiled to himself. "What did you invent?"
Philo replied, "I have an idea of transmitting images through the air." Please allow me to tell you that you are the only one who can understand what I have designed. "
In 1922, radio broadcasting was even new. There are less than 30 radio stations in America. But it was in this year that a boy, who was only 16, actually showed the teacher the pattern of his TV set.
Philo read in a book in the school library that a man tried to make a TV set based on an idea, but he failed. Philo is convinced that his own idea is better than that of that man, and believes that he can succeed.
Mr tolman is not as sure as Philo. He asked Philo many questions about his paintings. Philo answered every question with data and theory.
But at the end of that school year, the Svahn family left rigby town. Since then, Philo hasn't seen his science teacher for many years-they didn't meet again until the most important moment in the young inventor's life came.
Key opportunity
From 65438 to 0926, Philo worked as an office attendant in Salt Lake City. There are many important businessmen in the office where he works. George everson from San Francisco is one of them. Like Mr tolman, everson soon became interested in Philo. This shy and diligent boy is different from the orderly person Iverson used to know.
One night, everson invited Philo to have dinner with him. After dinner, Philo began to tell everson about his TV vision. At first, everson was not interested in his invention, but just sat there listening out of courtesy.
Many years later, everson wrote a book. This book tells the story of the night he spent with Philo. Everson wrote: "When farnsworth talks about his invention, he seems to have changed. His eyes sparkled and his shyness was swept away. " Philo farnsworth freely described his invention. He is no longer an orderly, but a scientist.
At the end of the dinner, everson became more and more interested in Philo. He is also interested in Philo's TV ideas.
Everson and Philo returned to San Francisco together. Everson now has a group of important industrialists in San Francisco, and asked Philo to tell them about his invention. These industrialists were very interested in the young inventor, and they provided 25,000 dollars for his invention. Philo is only 20 years old, but his big chance has come.
However, what Philo needs first is an invention patent. Once a country obtains an American patent, it is impossible for others to own or sell the same invention in the United States. Only the United States Patent Office can grant patents.
The patent office should study an inventor's drawings and specifications for a long time and compare his invention with any other similar patent application idea. If two or more inventions are the same, whoever can prove who thought of them first will get the patent right.
Therefore, Philo sent his drawings and a letter to apply for a TV patent to Washington.
rival
However, Philo is not the only one who is interested in obtaining this patent right. A new york inventor named Liz Volgin is also studying TV sets. Many years ago, Volgin studied in the school library, where Philo read stories about people who devoted themselves to television research. Now, Volgin works in an important radio company in new york. The chairman of that company was very interested in Volgin's idea of making TV. He provided funds for Volgin to carry out experiments. Volgin is in new york, and Fine Svahn is in California, about 3000 kilometers away from him. They have no idea about each other's experiments and ideas.
But the U.S. Patent Office knows about these two people. The patent office learned that these two people are working on the same invention, and some of their most important ideas are the same.
Finally, Volgin and Farnsworth learned about each other's inventions. They immediately asked the patent office in Washington to decide who should get the patent right for TV sets. They all realized the importance of owning a patent right. The first person who successfully transmits images through the sky can gain fame and wealth-but only if they have a patent right to their invention.
The Patent Office asked farnsworth and Zwojin to come to Washington to attend the hearing. The most important question at the hearing is simple: who can prove that he was the first person to invent television?
Before Washington last year, farnsworth and his lawyer prepared for the hearing. They felt unsafe because Farnsworth couldn't figure out how to prove that he had started studying TV sets before going to San Francisco. He clearly knows that he started it years ago.
Farnsworth said, "I think when I drew the first TV pattern, it was 1922."
His lawyer asked, "Can you bring that painting?" Farnsworth said, "I wish I could bring it, but one day after school I drew a map of the liaison office on a big blackboard." His lawyer quickly asked him, "Has anyone else seen the photo?" Farnsworth replied, "Yes, Teacher tolman saw it."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know."
The lawyer said, "But he is the only one who can help you, Mr. farnsworth. We must try to find him. " So they began to look for tolman everywhere. Finally, he was found. He also teaches science in a school in Salt Lake City.
the key to the question
At the hearing in Washington, farnsworth's lawyer first proved that Philo had not seen his teacher for many years and had no correspondence with him. Farnsworth's lawyer said: "Philo has never had any contact with Mr. tolman since he finished his studies at rigby Town Middle School." He went on to say, "Mr. tolman, I want you to think back to when Philo farnsworth was your student. Did he ever tell you about one of his inventions, called television? "
"He told me."
"Do you remember what Philo farnsworth said to you about that invention?"
"yes." Thor answered slowly. Then he stood up and walked to the blackboard, where he drew the same picture as Philo did in rigby's classroom.
Then Volgin's lawyer asked tolman many questions about this photo. Tolman answered every detail and data of the TV system that the boy of 16 years old explained to him. Thanks to Mr. tolman's extraordinary memory, the patent right of TV was immediately awarded to Philo farnsworth.
Since then, television has become an important business all over the world. Volgin's work is as important as Farnsworth's. Today's TV system uses the best ideas of these two people.
Farnsworth owes his success partly to his outstanding talent and partly to the help of two good friends. One is the industrialist George everson. It was he who introduced the young man to some businessmen in San Francisco and made them believe him. The other is Justin tolman, a science teacher. He met a genius who had a good eye for gold. The most important thing is that he hired a genius to tell him everything.