Abstract: Golf balls and a system for finding golf balls and methods for making golf balls and methods for using such balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased in the shell and a tag which is disposed within the core material and which has at least one perforation. The tag includes a diode and an antenna which are coupled together. Another exemplary golf ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased within the shell and a tag which is within the core material and which includes an electrical element which is coupled to an antenna; the tag is detectable over a range of at least 20 feet from a handheld device, and the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with the golf ball specifications of the United States Golf Association.

Abstract: Golf balls and a system for finding golf balls and methods for making golf balls and methods for using such balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased in the shell and a tag which is disposed within the core material and which has at least one perforation. The tag includes a diode and an antenna which are coupled together. Another exemplary golf ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased within the shell and a tag which is within the core material and which includes an electrical element which is coupled to an antenna; the tag is detectable over a range of at least 20 feet from a handheld device, and the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with the golf ball specifications of the United States Golf Association.

Abstract: Golf ball locators and components of such locators and methods of operating such locators and processing signals within such locators. In one aspect of the inventions described herein, an exemplary method of initializing a golf ball locator includes receiving received RF signals while also transmitting signals used to locate balls and determining a parameter representative of received signal strength of the received RF signals and setting a threshold to determine when subsequent received signals are to cause an indication of golf ball detection. In another aspect of this disclosure, the golf ball locator is a handheld unit having a volume of less than about 150 inches cubed and includes a transmitter, a transmit antenna, a receiver, a receive antenna and a processor coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver, and the handheld unit achieves a signal isolation, between a second harmonic of a transmitted signal from the transmitter and the receiver's received signal, of greater than about 130 to 160 dB.

Abstract: A method to authorize, facilitate, and mediate transfer of DRM protected files from one portable multimedia player (1050) to another portable multimedia player (1080), while ensuring appropriate royalty payments are made to appropriate Copyright Owners A source i2i device includes a file transfer counting mechanism for monitoring and disabling the transfer of digital files between portable digital media devices, and further includes hardware for providing a secure Internet interface (1020) capable of connecting the source device a Credit Vendor server (1040) via a network-connected computer (1070) A Credit Vendor (1000) pays a fee to a DRM File Source Company (1010) to obtain virtual credits for transferring DRM files The user connects the source i2i device to the Credit Vendor server (1040) via a global computer network and downloads virtual credits, which authorize and enable the transfer of content between the source i2i device and a target i2i device The Credit Vendor (1000) then pays appropriate royaltie

Abstract: A method and apparatus for streaming and/or transferring data and/or content between a source multimedia player (SMP) having mass storage and at least one destination multimedia player (DPM), including SMP connection means for bringing the inventive apparatus into either wired or wireless communication with the SMP using a selected transfer medium; a user interface and identification and selection software for identifying content on the SMP mass storage for extraction; file extraction software for extracting the content from mass storage on the SMP; input hardware for receiving content data from the SMP; formatting or storage software for formatting the extracted content into a format suitable for transmission to a DMP or for storing the content to internal or external flash memory for later transmission to one or more DMPs; transmission hardware for transmitting the formatted content, or transferring the stored content, to DMPs; and DMP connection means for bringing the inventive apparatus into wired or wire

Abstract: An AM/FM/SW receiver coupled with an FM transmitter for personal multimedia players for both listening and recording uses innovative antenna and shielding design and placement to raise the signal-to-noise ratio of the intended broadcast content to a level which is acceptable to the listener.

Abstract: A circuit and method for providing an auto-off capability for a wireless transmitter, of a type having an audio plug which mates with the output jack of an audio source. The portable transmitter modulates signals from a baseband signal source onto a carrier and transmits the RF carrier to a receiver. The auto-off capability is provided to prolong battery life and eliminate the transmission of unmodulated RF carriers. The auto-off capability comprises turning power off to the transmitter circuit when baseband input signal is absent for more than a predetermined amount of time, and immediately turning on the transmitter circuit when baseband signal is present.

Abstract: Antenna system having as one element a conductors in an interconnecting cable, wherein that conductor is isolated at RF from the device at the opposite cable end, while also being tightly coupled to that device at audio frequencies and/or DC. Such an antenna is suited for use in wireless transmitters and receivers for transmitting a signal from an audio playback device to a remote audio out put device having multiple conductors interconnecting the wireless transmitter and media device, or multiple conductors interconnecting the receiver and headphones/speakers.

Abstract: A headphone receiver apparatus for use with low power transmitters includes a pair of headphone speaker enclosures connected by a headband. An antenna element in the form of a spring steel band or a plastic cable/antenna band where one of the conductors is utilized as the antenna is configured generally concentric with but offset from the headband and the user's head by at least 0.5 inches over at least some length of the antenna. Low-noise performance is improved by a low noise amplifier incorporated before the receiver IC, and a bandpass filter interposed between the low noise amplifier and the receiver IC. A base-loading inductor is used to tune the antenna element to resonance, with or without capacative end-loading. Lumped inductors, ferrite beads, or a parallel resonant LC circuit may be used to isolate the shield conductor at RF frequencies, and/or to reduce the loading of the other conductors.

Abstract: An electronic device having a unique audio sensing method that senses the event of no audio for a predetermined period of time. The sensed information is used by a microprocessor to bring the device into a low-power mode. The same method may be used to bring a device into active mode from a low-power mode.

Abstract: A circuit (FIGS. 2A-2D) and method of providing an auto-on and/or auto-off capability for an audio device, of a type having an audio plug (14) which mates with the output jack of an audio source. The portable transmitter (10) modulates audio signals from the audio source onto a carrier and transmits them to a receiver. The auto-on and auto-off capability is provided to prolong battery life and degradation of the transmitter circuit and comprises pinching off a FET (Q2) when the circuit is in an “off” state. This occurs when a pre-determined threshold in a capacitor is reached by not discharging that capacitor. The capacitor (C29) is discharged by dropping a comparator input below a pre-determined threshold limit when presented with an audio peak and wherein the drop in value causes the comparator output to go low, causing the capacitor to discharge and causing the FET (Q2) to supply power to the regulator.

Abstract: A low-current transceiver, powered by two small low-voltage batteries, for use in wireless headset/phoneset applications, such as hands-free headsets used with cellular telephones. Re-use of current from at least one circuit to provide power to at least one other power-consuming element of the transceiver, along with interrupt-driven control of the current made available to transmit and receive circuits, enables extended battery life (e.g., 120 hours). The headset/phoneset circuits incorporate a technique that draws an extremely low supply current from two low-voltage batteries while providing clear two-way communication over a range of about 3 meters.

Abstract: An audio circuit digitizes raw analog input and uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to filter, modulate, and mix the input to produce a multiplex composite signal. The multiplex composite signal is output from the DSP through a digital/analog converter (DAC), and modulates a conventional FM RF stage. In a first preferred, hydrid embodiment, the composite signal is output from the DSP through a digital/analog converter (DAC), and modulates a conventional FM RF stage. In a second preferred, fully digital embodiment, carrier modulation takes place in the DSP, and FM modulated RF is output via a fast DAC for final filtering and radiation.

Abstract: A circuit and method for providing an auto-off capability for a wireless transmitter, of a type having an audio plug which mates with the output jack of an audio source. The portable transmitter modulates signals from a baseband signal source onto a carrier and transmits the RF carrier to a receiver. The auto-off capability is provided to prolong battery life and eliminate the transmission of unmodulated RF carriers. The auto-off capability comprises turning power off to the transmitter circuit when baseband input signal is absent for more than a predetermined amount of time, and immediately turning on the transmitter circuit when baseband signal is present.

Abstract: An RC filter pole (R1, C1) for FM transmitters converts an internal 2-pole Bessel-type filter (R1, C1, C2) on a chipset (BH141XS/F) by adding an external filter function to create a 3-pole composite filter with improved roll-off characteristics. The design methodology and specific low cost circuit implementation of the composite filter effectively minimizes the impact of signal degradation on overall link performance.

Abstract: Golf balls and a system for finding golf balls and methods for making golf balls and methods for using such balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased in the shell and a tag which is disposed within the core material and which has at least one perforation. The tag includes a diode and an antenna which are coupled together. Another exemplary golf ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased within the shell and a tag which is within the core material and which includes an electrical element which is coupled to an antenna; the tag is detectable over a range of at least 20 feet from a handheld device, and the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with the golf ball specifications of the United States Golf Association.

Abstract: Golf balls and a system for finding golf balls and methods for making golf balls and methods for using such balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased in the shell and a tag which is disposed within the core material and which has at least one perforation. The tag includes a diode and an antenna which are coupled together. Another exemplary golf ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased within the shell and a tag which is within the core material and which includes an electrical element which is coupled to an antenna; the tag is detectable over a range of at least 20 feet from a handheld device, and the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with the golf ball specifications of the United States Golf Association.

Abstract: The invention is a circuit and method for providing an auto-off capability for a wireless transmitter, of a type having an audio plug which mates with the output jack of an audio source. The portable transmitter modulates audio signals from the audio source onto a carrier and transmits them to a receiver. The auto-off capability is provided to prolong battery life and degradation of the transmitter circuit and comprises pinching off a FET when the circuit is in an “off” state. This occurs when a pre-determined threshold in a capacitor is reached by not discharging that capacitor. The capacitor is discharged by dropping an input to a comparator below a pre-determined threshold limit when presented with an audio peak and wherein the drop in value causes the comparator output to discharge the capacitor and causing the FET to supply power to the regulator.

Abstract: Golf ball locators and components of such locators and methods of operating such locators and processing signals within such locators. In one aspect of the inventions described herein, an exemplary method of initializing a golf ball locator includes receiving received RF signals while also transmitting signals used to locate balls and determining a parameter representative of received signal strength of the received RF signals and setting a threshold to determine when subsequent received signals are to cause an indication of golf ball detection. In another aspect of this disclosure, the golf ball locator is a handheld unit having a volume of less than about 150 inches cubed and includes a transmitter, a transmit antenna, a receiver, a receive antenna and a processor coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver, and the handheld unit achieves a signal isolation, between a second harmonic of a transmitted signal from the transmitter and the receiver's received signal, of greater than about 130 to 160 dB.