Quartz Clock

The patent for a frequency-control system helped create the first electronic clock in 1927. This invention may seem small – a tiny quartz crystal inside an electrical circuit – but it was a big advancement. It could read the time by measuring the crystal molecules’ vibrations, and with this technology, you can look down at a clock on the wall or a watch on your wrist and know the time. What a gem!

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This custom lobby scene, Knowledge Archive, celebrates AT&T’s rich legacy as one of the nation’s most prolific inventors and largest patent holders. Each abstract object surrounding you is a unique data sculpture quite literally derived from the data points of individual AT&T patents. Every sculpture in the lobby is unique and represents one of AT&T’s thousands of patents.

There are six major patent categories, each with its own set of identifiable data sculpture characteristics. This patent is one of many AT&T patents for Wireless Technologies & Applications. The shape for this sculpture is an artful nod to the forms derived from radio wave signals.

Scan other QR codes to discover how each AT&T patent has impacted your daily life.