HALL OF FAME / inventor profile

Louis W. Parker
Born Jan 1 1906 - Died Jun 21 1993

Television Receiver
Television
Patent Number(s) 2,448,908

Inducted 1988


Louis W. Parker invented the intercarrier sound system for television sets, the modern basis for coordinating sound and picture.

Invention Impact


Inventor Bio

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Parker received his primary and secondary education in Hungary. Following graduation he immigrated to the United States, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1932. After learning English, he studied at the City College of New York. He was honored by Nova University in 1970 with an honorary Doctor of Science degree. Parker first gained publicity in 1929 with a hotel radio system that used low-frequency signals to broadcast over the electric wires within the building. This made it possible to receive noiseless reception with one-tube receivers.

Later he worked on radio direction finders for airplanes and cathode ray oscilloscopes, which led to work on television and closed circuit television systems.

During World War II, Parker designed and manufactured portable radio transmitters for military use. After the war he created the intercarrier sound system still used in all television receivers. Without it television receivers would not work as well and would be more costly.

Among Parker's other inventions was the first color television system using vertical color lines. This made it possible to change from the original three-color dot system to the simpler vertical color-line system. Most of the color television receivers in the world now use this system.

Later he invented electrical instruments operating on somewhat different principles which were greatly superior in performance and which were the basis for the Parker Instrument Corporation. The company was chosen by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to furnish selected instruments for use in the manned Apollo flights to the moon.

Parker received more than 200 United States and foreign patents.

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