Abstract: A processor-based system may function without expensive hot swap circuitry by preventing component swapping with power applied to the system. The access to a swappable component may be arranged so that the component can not be removed with a power carrying cable plugged into the system.

Abstract: A processor-based system may function without expensive hot swap circuitry by preventing component swapping with power applied to the system. The access to a swappable component may be arranged so that the component can not be removed with a power carrying cable plugged into the system.

Abstract: A power sharing circuit in a peripheral device that can combine power from both an external power supply and from an internal power supply is disclosed. The external power supply could be a computer bus, for example. The power sharing circuit has power inputs from both the computer bus and from the internal power supply, and has an output that powers the load circuitry in the peripheral device. The power sharing circuit monitors power used by the load circuitry and determines from where the power that drives the load circuitry will originate. The power can originate from either the internal or external power supply, or from a combination of the power supplies. The power sharing circuit can modify the origin of power provided to the load circuitry based on how much power it is using.

Abstract: An adapter for a cassette tape player couples to a digital audio player. The adapter enables controls operated on the cassette tape player to control an external digital audio player. The digital audio player may be coupled to the adapter to receive signals indicative of which controls on the cassette tape player were operated. For example, in one embodiment the adapter may determine the direction of cassette tape player rotation, the initiation of rotation and the speed of rotation to detect which controls were operated. Appropriate signals may then be provided to the digital audio player, either through a wired or wireless connection, to enable the digital audio player to respond accordingly.

Abstract: A combined shield member and grid shield for a digitizer tablet having conductive grids on a flexible substrate comprising a sheet of a metal having a high magnetic permeability substantially the size of a square X-Y axis coordinate system of the digitizer tablet shielding the flexible substrate. Preferably, the metal has an initial permeability of at least 5,000. The metal can be a NiFe alloy having an initial permeability sufficiently high to qualify it as a .mu.-metal. Typically, the sheet of metal is a square sheet of substantially the size of a square X-Y axis coordinate system of the digitizer tablet and the flexible substrate has edge portions which extend beyond side edges of the sheet of metal and are wrapped around the side edges. An alternate embodiment employs the high permeability shield positioned between two rigid substrates carrying the grids and interconnects respectively. A conductive metal foil over the surface of the substrate corrects any signal errors introduced by the shield.