William Henry Ward
Encyclopedia
William Henry Ward on 30 April 1872 was granted a USA patent
for "Improvement for collecting electricity for telegraphing" (U.S. Patent No. 126,356). He theorized that an "electrical layer in the atmosphere" could carry signals like a telegraph wire, and thus is sometimes listed among supposed inventors of radio
.
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for "Improvement for collecting electricity for telegraphing" (U.S. Patent No. 126,356). He theorized that an "electrical layer in the atmosphere" could carry signals like a telegraph wire, and thus is sometimes listed among supposed inventors of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
.
External links
- http://www.npr.org/euonline/members/feature/inventors/references.htm
- http://earlyradiohistory.us/sec021.htm