Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting an improper voltage levels between a hardware emulator and an auxiliary hardware device are provided. In various implementations, a voltage level detector is attached to a bus that connects an emulator with an auxiliary hardware device. Subsequently, the voltage level detector can be used to detect when operating conditions on the bus are outside specification. More specifically, when the voltage level on the bus falls outside a threshold level, the voltage level detector may be used to alert a user, pause operation of the emulator or both.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting an improper voltage levels between a hardware emulator and an auxiliary hardware device are provided. In various implementations, a voltage level detector is attached to a bus that connects an emulator with an auxiliary hardware device. Subsequently, the voltage level detector can be used to detect when operating conditions on the bus are outside specification. More specifically, when the voltage level on the bus falls outside a threshold level, the voltage level detector may be used to alert a user, pause operation of the emulator or both.

Abstract: The user may deliver an encryption key via any infrared remote controller to a computer data encryption controller external to the computing system but connected to the aforementioned computer system via the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port. The infrared delivered key may be combined with the computer system supplied key but this key can not be read directly by the computer system. All encryption functions are done external to the computers processing system, memory system, and disk drive as to erase the possibility of rouge unwanted programs such as spyware, viruses, malware, keystroke loggers, and root-kit programs from gathering encryption-key information.

Abstract: The user may perform a smoke detector battery capacity test via an infrared (IR) trigger from a remote controller. When the proper amount of directed infrared energy (sourced by an infrared remote control device) is detected at the smoke detector the smoke detector runs the battery life test. The result of the battery test is displayed on a visual indicator on the smoke detector unit.