Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows highly compressed data files to be expanded in a standalone decoder having an output at least 80 times larger than the compressed input. In one embodiment, a universally available interface is used to transport encoded media from a host PC to a decoder external to the PC for expansion and presentation as a HD display image. In one embodiment, a USB port of the user's PC (or other storage device) is used to transport data at a rate of between 0.3 Mbit/sec and 5 Mbits/sec for expansion into a robust HD signal of up to about 3Gbits/sec or higher. In other embodiments, provision is made for reducing the decompressed expanded data file to below 480 Mbits/sec so as to accommodate retransport of the decompressed file back to the PC or storage device for temporary storage or display.

Abstract: A vehicle control unit is disclosed which can be coupled between a tachometer sensor and an electronic ignition system on a vehicle. The unit is also coupled to a speedometer sensor to measure the vehicle's speed. The vehicle control unit limits the vehicle speed by modifying the tachometer signal from the tachometer sensor and providing the modified tachometer signal to the ignition system. The tachometer signal is a pulse train which is used by the electronic ignition system to determine ignition timing. The vehicle control unit limits both ground speed and engine speed by suppressing pulses from the original tachometer signal to prevent the combustion of fuel and thereby reduce engine power when the ground or engine speeds exceed predetermined limits. The vehicle control unit is microcontroller-based and preferably includes a logging function and an acceleration sensor. The microcontroller is coupled to the acceleration sensor to detect the peak accelerations experienced by the vehicle.

Abstract: A battery charger system providing increased reliability over conventional chargers includes one or more charging modules coupled to a central controller module. Each charging module is cable of charging one or two batteries and includes control logic that controls the charging current provided to each battery. Each charging module is capable of charging the associated batteries using a pre-programmed, selectable charging protocol. The control logic included in each of the charging module provides a “first level of intelligence” for charging batteries. The controller module provides a “second level of intelligence” that generally operates in conjunction with the first level of intelligence provided by the charging modules. The second level of intelligence provided by the controller module individually enables and disables charging to a particular battery by an associated charging module.

Abstract: The sound field in a stereo reproduction system is enhanced by a preprocessor that removes a portion of the audio information that is common or substantially common to both the left and right stereo input signals before processing the signals in left and right sound placement filters. The left and right placement filter output signals, from which a portion of the common audio information was previously removed before processing, are added to the right and left stereo input signals, respectively, to produce enhanced sound field stereo output signals. The input signals that do not undergo placement processing can be delayed in delay filters to improve coherency when the signals are added and both the placement filters and the delay filters can be implemented by a series of cascaded bi-quadratic filters.