Interstate started it with the Compact (and added Revelation in 1950). Harold Schoettler was President of Interstate for several decades (70's and 80's). He started his own company and produced a plastic bodied Compact with a few minor improvements. This is the Patriot and Air Storm models. Tri-Star is the name that the Compact was changed to in the early 1980's - to differentiate the door to door model (Tri-Star) from the retail vac shop model (Compact). Eventually, the Compact name was dropped altogether. Electrolux (Aerus) and Tri-Star are owned by the same company today, and the machines share many components like motor, power nozzle, attachments, etc. The Miracle Mate was designed to compete with Tri-Star for door to door sales. The added cord rewinder makes the machine very heavy. The Miracle Mate uses a disposable bag that's somewhat different from a Tri-Star bag, and you can't very successfully interchange them - the Miracle Mate bags will be much harder to obtain than Tri-Star bags.
If I was going to buy one (and I actually one of each of these cleaners) I would go for the Tri-Star. Parts are easy to obtain and are reasonable in cost.