Abstract: A method and an apparatus for minimizing latency in digital signal processing paths. One example is an active noise cancellation device. The system includes a digital closed feedback loop having a forward path and a feedback path. The forward path includes a compensation filter, a digital-to-analog converter, and an output transducer. The feedback path includes an input transducer, a feedback delta-sigma modulator, and a feedback sampling-rate converter. An input signal is processed in one of several ways into a processed digital input signal having a preselected intermediate sampling rate. Through the feedback path, an analog output signal is processed into a digital feedback signal having substantially the same preselected intermediate sampling rate. The processed digital input signal and the digital feedback signal are combined and processed through the forward path to produce an anti disturbance signal that is combined with a disturbance signal to form the analog output signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an apparatus and method for use in a system with an x-ray source to produce a pencil beam of x-rays to scan an object and a first detector providing a value representative of the intensity of the x-rays scattered from the object to produce a scattered image having a second detector disposed opposite the first detector to provide a value representative of the intensity of the x-rays passing directly from the x-ray source to the second detector; a processor coupled to the system to receive information specifying a position of the pencil beam of x-rays, the processor also coupled to second detector to produce a shadow image formed of pixels indicating the intensity value measured by the second detector for a plurality of positions of the pencil beam of x-rays; and combining the scattered and shadow image to produce a composite image.

Abstract: A power module for a power system adapted to employ a star link topography. The power module includes a star section having an internal clock connection and a star link connection. The power system includes a plurality of power modules that each have a substantially similar star section. The star section utilizes an oscillating signal to generate an internal clock signal. The star section utilizes a star link signal to determine the phase of the oscillating signal. Either the addition of a power module to a power system or the removal of a power module from a power system including at least three power modules will result in the adjustment of the spread of the phases of each of the power modules to an amount about equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of power modules in the power system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dithering for color computer display systems includes the addition of a noise component to each of the color components of each pixel in a pseudo-random manner. The noise component is preferably different for each color component. Taking the image as a whole, the noise component repeats on a regular basis but is preferably selected so as not to repeat on adjacent pixels. The image is divided into squares of pixels and the same noise component is added to each of the same relative pixels from square to square. The preferred square of pixels is four pixels wide by four pixels high. The value of the noise component is chosen such that the most significant bit alternates both horizontally and vertically from pixel to pixel within the square of pixels.