Editing Philo Farnsworth (section)

==Career==
[[File:Farnsworth cvc 500h 1.jpg|thumb|upright|left|''[[Statue of Philo Farnsworth|Philo Farnsworth]]'' in the [[National Statuary Hall Collection]], U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.]]
A few months after arriving in California, Farnsworth was prepared to show his models and drawings to a patent attorney who was nationally recognized as an authority on [[Electromagnetism|electrophysics]]. Everson and Gorrell agreed that Farnsworth should apply for patents for his designs, a decision that proved crucial in later disputes with RCA.<ref name="Collier's">''Collier's Magazine'', October 3, 1936.</ref> Most television systems in use at the time used image scanning devices ("[[Rasterisation|rasterizers]]") employing rotating "[[Nipkow disk]]s" comprising a spinning disk with holes arranged in spiral patterns such that they swept across an image in a succession of short arcs while focusing the light they captured on [[photoelectric effect|photosensitive]] elements, thus producing a varying electrical signal corresponding to the variations in [[intensity (physics)|light intensity]]. Farnsworth recognized the limitations of the mechanical systems, and that an all-electronic scanning system could produce a superior image for transmission to a receiving device.<ref name="Collier's"/>{{sfn|Schatzkin|2023}}

On September 7, 1927, Farnsworth's [[image dissector]] camera tube transmitted its first image, a simple straight line, to a receiver in another room of his laboratory at 202 Green Street in [[San Francisco]].<ref name=videopt2p97 /> Pem Farnsworth recalled in 1985 that her husband broke the stunned silence of his lab assistants by saying, "There you are – electronic television!"<ref name=videopt2p97 /> The source of the image was a glass slide, backlit by an [[arc lamp]]. An extremely bright source was required because of the low light sensitivity of the design. By 1928, Farnsworth had developed the system sufficiently to hold a demonstration for the press.<ref name="sfmuseum"/> His backers had demanded to know when they would see dollars from the invention;<ref name=Schwartz>[[Evan Schwartz (author)|Schwartz, Evan I.]], ''The Last Lone Inventor: A Tale of Genius, Deceit & the Birth of Television,'' [[HarperCollins]], 2002. {{ISBN|0-06-621069-0}}</ref> so the first image shown was, appropriately, a dollar sign. In 1929, the design was further improved by elimination of a [[motor-generator]], which meant the television system now had no mechanical parts. During the same year, Farnsworth transmitted the first live human images with his system, including a {{convert|3.5|in|abbr=on}} image of his wife Elma ("Pem") with her eyes closed (possibly due to the bright lighting required).<ref>[http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0648.xml/complete The Philo T. and Elma G. Farnsworth Papers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422211543/http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0648.xml/complete |date=April 22, 2008 }}</ref>

Many inventors had built [[History of television#Mechanical television|electromechanical television]] systems before Farnsworth's seminal contribution, but Farnsworth designed and built the world's first working [[History of television#Electronic television|all-electronic television]] system, employing electronic scanning in both the pickup and display devices. He first demonstrated his system to the press on September 3, 1928,<ref name="sfmuseum">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist10/philo.html |title=Philo Taylor Farnsworth (1906–1971)|publisher=[[The Museum of the City of San Francisco]]|access-date= July 15, 2009|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106124048/http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist10/philo.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="EFarnsworth108">{{harvnb|Farnsworth|1990|page=108}}</ref> and to the public at the [[Franklin Institute]] in [[Philadelphia]] on August 25, 1934.<ref name="TheHistoryofTV2">{{cite book|last =Abramson | first=Albert | year = 1987 | title = The History of Television, 1880 to 1941 | publisher = [[McFarland & Co.]] | location = [[Jefferson, North Carolina]] | page = 209 | isbn = 978-0-89950-284-7}}</ref>

In 1930, RCA recruited [[Vladimir K. Zworykin]]—who had tried, unsuccessfully, to develop his own all-electronic television system at [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|Westinghouse]] in [[Pittsburgh]] since 1923<ref name="TheHistoryofTV4">{{harvnb|Abramson|1987|pages=79–81}}</ref>—to lead its television development department. Before leaving his old employer, Zworykin visited Farnsworth's laboratory, and was sufficiently impressed with the performance of the Image Dissector that he reportedly had his team at Westinghouse make several copies of the device for experimentation.<ref name="TheHistoryofTV6">{{harvnb|Abramson|1987|pages=149–151}}</ref> Zworykin later abandoned research on the Image Dissector, which at the time required extremely bright illumination of its subjects, and turned his attention to what became the [[Iconoscope]].<ref name="TheHistoryofTV5">{{harvnb|Abramson|1987|page=173}}</ref> In a 1970s series of videotaped interviews, Zworykin recalled that, "Farnsworth was closer to this thing you're using now [i.e., a video camera] than anybody, because he used the cathode-ray tube for transmission. But, Farnsworth didn't have the mosaic [of discrete light elements], he didn't have storage. Therefore, [picture] definition was very low.... But he was very proud, and he stuck to his method."{{sfn|Lovece|1985a|page=98}} Contrary to Zworykin's statement, Farnsworth's patent number 2,087,683 for the Image Dissector (filed April 26, 1933) features the [[Video camera tube#Iconoscope|"charge storage plate"]] invented by Tihanyi in 1928 and a "low velocity" method of electron scanning, also describes "discrete particles" whose "potential" is manipulated and "saturated" to varying degrees depending on their velocity.<ref>[https://farnovision.com/wp/no-iconoscope-in-1923/ Schatzkin], Paul. [https://farnovision.com/wp/no-iconoscope-in-1923/ "Reconciling The Historical Origins of Electronic Video", The Farnsworth Chronicles, excerpt]</ref> Farnsworth's patent numbers 2,140,695 and 2,233,888 are for a "charge storage dissector" and "charge storage amplifier," respectively.

In 1931, [[David Sarnoff]] of RCA offered to buy Farnsworth's patents for $100,000, with the stipulation that he become an employee of RCA, but Farnsworth refused.<ref name="Everson1">{{cite book | last = Everson | first = George | year = 1949 | title = The Story of Television: The Life of Philo T. Farnsworth | url = https://archive.org/details/storyoftelevisio00everrich | location = [[New York City]] | publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Co.]] |  isbn= 978-0-405-06042-7 | page = #?}}</ref> In June of that year, Farnsworth joined the [[Philco]] company and moved to [[Philadelphia]] along with his wife and two children.<ref name="EFarnsworth135-8">{{harvnb|Farnsworth|1990|pages=135–138}}</ref> RCA later filed an interference suit against Farnsworth, claiming Zworykin's 1923 patent had priority over Farnsworth's design, despite the fact it could present no evidence that Zworykin had actually produced a functioning transmitter tube before 1931. Farnsworth had lost two interference claims to Zworykin in 1928, but this time he prevailed and the [[U.S. Patent Office]] rendered a decision in 1934 awarding priority of the invention of the image dissector to Farnsworth. RCA lost a subsequent appeal, but litigation over a variety of issues continued for several years before Sarnoff finally agreed to pay Farnsworth [[Royalty payment|royalties]].<ref name="Postman">{{cite news | url = http://www.time.com/time/time100/scientist/profile/farnsworth.html |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20000531100005/http://www.time.com/time/time100/scientist/profile/farnsworth.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 31, 2000 | author-link = Neil Postman | last = Postman | first= Neil | title = The ''Time'' 100: Scientists & Thinkers: Philo Farnsworth | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date = March 29, 1999 | access-date = July 28, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Burns">{{cite book| title = Television: an international history of the formative years| author = Burns, R. W.| publisher = IET| year = 1998| isbn = 978-0-85296-914-4| page = 366| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gZcwhVyiMqsC&q=Dieckmann%20Hell%20image-dissector-tube%20aperture%20Farnsworth&pg=PA366}}</ref>

In 1932, while in England to raise money for his legal battles with RCA, Farnsworth met with [[John Logie Baird]], a Scottish inventor who had given the world's first public demonstration of a working television system in London in 1926, using an electro-mechanical imaging system, and who was seeking to develop electronic television receivers. Baird demonstrated his mechanical system for Farnsworth.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Godfrey|first=D. G.|year=2001|title=Philo T. Farnsworth: The Father of Television. University of Utah Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/philotfarnsworth00godf/page/69 69]|publisher=University of Utah Press|isbn=978-0-87480-6755|url=https://archive.org/details/philotfarnsworth00godf/page/69}}</ref>

In May 1933, Philco severed its relationship with Farnsworth because, said Everson, "it [had] become apparent that Philo's aim at establishing a broad patent structure through research [was] not identical with the production program of Philco."<ref name="TheHistoryofTV1">{{harvnb|Abramson|1987|page=195}}</ref> In Everson's view the decision was mutual and amicable.<ref name="Everson7">{{harvnb|Everson|1949|pages=135–136}}</ref> Farnsworth set up shop at 127 East Mermaid Lane in Philadelphia, and in 1934 held the first public exhibition of his device at the Franklin Institute in that city.<ref>{{cite web | title = Philo T. Farnsworth (1906–1971) Historical Marker | url = http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-3A6 | publisher = ExplorePAHistory.com ([[WITF-TV]]) | location = Philadelphia | access-date = January 19, 2016 | archive-date = March 20, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130320044731/http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-3A6 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

After sailing to Europe in 1934, Farnsworth secured an agreement with Goerz-Bosch-Fernseh in Germany.<ref name="Collier's"/> Some image dissector cameras were used to broadcast the [[1936 Summer Olympics|1936 Olympic Games]] in [[Berlin]].<ref name="TheHistoryofTV3">{{harvnb|Abramson|1987|pages=232–233}}</ref>

Farnsworth returned to his laboratory, and by 1936 his company was regularly transmitting entertainment programs on an experimental basis.<ref name="Everson2">{{harvnb|Everson|1949|pages=199–211}}</ref> That same year, while working with [[University of Pennsylvania]] [[biologist]]s, Farnsworth developed a process to sterilize milk using radio waves.<ref name="db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu">{{cite web | url = http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0648.xml/complete | title = The Philo T. and Elma G. Farnsworth Papers (1924–1992) | publisher = [[University of Utah]] [[J. Willard Marriott Library|Marriott Library]] Special Collections | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080422211543/http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0648.xml/complete | archive-date= April 22, 2008}}</ref> He also invented a fog-penetrating beam for ships and airplanes.<ref name="Collier's"/>

In 1936, he attracted the attention of ''[[Collier's Weekly]]'', which described his work in glowing terms. "One of those amazing facts of modern life that just don't seem possible—namely, electrically scanned television that seems destined to reach your home next year, was largely given to the world by a nineteen-year-old boy from Utah&nbsp;... Today, barely thirty years old he is setting the specialized world of science on its ears."{{fact|date=July 2022}}

In 1938, Farnsworth established the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with E. A. Nicholas as president and himself as director of research.<ref name="Everson1"/> In September 1939, after a more than decade-long legal battle, RCA finally conceded to a multi-year licensing agreement concerning Farnsworth's 1927 patent for television totaling $1&nbsp;million. RCA was then free, after showcasing electronic television at [[1939 New York World's Fair|New York World's Fair]] on April 20, 1939, to sell electronic television cameras to the public.<ref name="Everson1"/><ref name="TheHistoryofTV2"/>{{rp|250–254}}

Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation was purchased by [[International Telephone and Telegraph]] (ITT) in 1951. During his time at ITT, Farnsworth worked in a basement laboratory known as "the cave" on Pontiac Street in Fort Wayne. From there, he introduced a number of breakthrough concepts, including a defense early warning signal, [[submarine]] detection devices, [[radar]] calibration equipment and an [[infrared telescope]]. "Philo was a very deep person—tough to engage in conversation, because he was always thinking about what he could do next", said Art Resler, an ITT photographer who documented Farnsworth's work in pictures.<ref name="autogenerated2007"/> One of Farnsworth's most significant contributions at ITT was the [[Plan Position Indicator|PPI Projector]], an enhancement on the iconic "circular sweep" [[radar display]], which allowed safe air traffic control from the ground. This system developed in the 1950s was the forerunner of today's [[air traffic control]] systems.<ref name="db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu"/>

In addition to his electronics research, ITT management agreed to nominally fund Farnsworth's nuclear fusion research. He and staff members invented and refined a series of fusion reaction tubes called "[[fusor]]s". For scientific reasons unknown to Farnsworth and his staff, the necessary reactions lasted no longer than thirty seconds. In December 1965, ITT came under pressure from its board of directors to terminate the expensive project and sell the Farnsworth subsidiary. It was only due to the urging of president [[Harold Geneen]] that the 1966 budget was accepted, extending ITT's fusion research for an additional year. The stress associated with this managerial ultimatum, however, caused Farnsworth to suffer a relapse.{{Clarify|date=January 2025}} A year later he was terminated and eventually allowed medical retirement.<ref name=Utah-bio>{{cite web| url =http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/UU_EAD,2160| archive-url =https://archive.today/20121211111558/http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/UU_EAD,2160| url-status =dead| archive-date =December 11, 2012| title =Biography of Philo Taylor Farnsworth| publisher =University of Utah Marriott Library Special Collections| access-date =July 5, 2007}}</ref>

In 1967, Farnsworth and his family moved back to Utah to continue his fusion research at [[Brigham Young University]], which presented him with an honorary doctorate. The university also offered him office space and an underground concrete bunker for the project. Realizing ITT would dismantle its fusion lab, Farnsworth invited staff members to accompany him to [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]], as team members in Philo T. Farnsworth Associates (PTFA). By late 1968, the associates began holding regular business meetings and PTFA was underway. They promptly secured a contract with the [[NASA|National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]], and more possibilities were within reach—but financing stalled for the $24,000 a month required for salaries and equipment rental.<ref name=Utah-bio/>

In a 1996 videotaped interview by the [[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]], Farnsworth's wife recounted his change of heart about the value of television, after seeing [[Neil Armstrong]] becoming the first person to walk on the Moon in real time on July 20, 1969, along with millions of others:<ref>{{cite video| url=http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/elma-pem-farnsworth# | publisher=(Part 10 of 12) [[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] | title= Elma "Pen" Farnsworth | date= June 25, 1996|access-date=May 19, 2015}}</ref> "We were watching it, and, when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, Phil turned to me and said, 'Pem, this has made it all worthwhile.'  Before then, he wasn't too sure."

By [[Christmas]] 1970, PTFA had failed to secure the necessary financing, and the Farnsworths had sold all their own ITT stock and cashed in Philo's [[life insurance]] policy to maintain organizational stability. The [[underwriter]] had failed to provide the financial backing that was to have supported the organization during its critical first year. The banks called in all outstanding loans, [[repossession]] notices were placed on anything not previously sold, and the [[Internal Revenue Service]] put a lock on the laboratory door until delinquent taxes were paid. In January 1971, PTFA disbanded. 

Farnsworth began abusing alcohol in his later years,<ref>[[Michael Largo]] (2006). ''Final Exits: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of How We Die''. New York: [[HarperCollins]], {{ISBN|978-0-06-081741-1}}, p. 29.</ref> 

He became seriously ill with [[pneumonia]], and died on March 11, 1971, at his home in [[Holladay, Utah]].<ref name=Utah-bio/><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia|url=https://www.broadcastpioneers.com/philofarnsworth.html|access-date=2022-02-19|website=www.broadcastpioneers.com}}</ref>

Farnsworth's wife Elma Gardner "Pem" Farnsworth fought for decades after his death to assure his place in history. Farnsworth always gave her equal credit for creating television, saying, "my wife and I started this TV." She died on April 27, 2006, at age 98.<ref name="heraldextra.com">{{cite news|url= http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/177009/ |last=Hummel|first= Debbie|title=Elma Farnsworth, widow of TV pioneer, dies at 98|agency=[[Associated Press]]|via=Daily Herald|location=Provo, Utah|date= April 28, 2006|page= D5|archive-date=May 15, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060515161238/http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/177009/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He was survived by his wife and their two sons.<ref name="heraldextra.com"/>

In 1999, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine included Farnsworth in the "[[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|''Time'' 100: The Most Important People of the Century]]".<ref name="Postman"/>