Abstract: A portable device having code scanning features is provided. Information associated with scanned codes may be communicated to the portable device. This information may be communicated from a remote site, a docking station or another portable device. Information associated with scanned codes may be stored at a storage device at the portable device. Information associated with codes may be presented to the user via an output device at the portable device. In another suitable embodiment, information associated with scanned codes may be acquired by a docking station. Information acquired by the docking station may be presented to the user via an output device at the docking station. The docking station and portable device may have suitable communications circuitry such that portable device may interface with the docking station.

Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for generating the coefficients of a finite impulse response digital filter used in signal sample rate conversion. Sequence generation circuitry provides a discrete-time sequence x(n) that is coupled to a plurality of cascaded discrete-time integrators that generate the filter coefficients h(n). Bit serial and interleaved bit serial implementations are described that provide efficient coefficient generators. The described apparatus and methods also may be used to efficiently implement a finite impulse response digital filter for an oversampling analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: A programmable logic device has a plurality of super-regions of programmable logic disposed on the device in a two-dimensional array of intersecting rows and columns of super-regions. Horizontal and vertical inter-super-region interconnection conductors are associated with each row and column, respectively. Each super-region includes a plurality of regions of programmable logic, and each region includes a plurality of subregions of programmable logic. Inter-region interconnection conductors are associated with each super-region. Local conductors are associated with each region. Shared driver circuits may be provided (e.g., for (1) receiving signals from the subregions and the horizontal and/or vertical conductors, and (2) applying selected received signals to the inter-region conductors, the horizontal and vertical conductors, and possibly also the local conductors).

Abstract: An interactive program guide system is provided. The program guide system displays a program guide grid on a user's television equipment. The grid contains rows of television program listings for various channels. Columns in the grid are associated with the scheduled start times of the listed programs. The grid also contains non-program listings. Non-program listings rows contain selectable non-program options, such as options related to weather or sports information. The user can select a given one of the selectable non-program options by positioning a highlight region on one of the options and pressing an appropriate key on a remote control. When the system receives the corresponding command from the remote control, the system displays additional information for the selected non-program option on the user's display screen.

Abstract: A programmable logic device has a plurality of super-regions of programmable logic disposed on the device in a two-dimensional array of intersecting rows and columns of super-regions. Horizontal and vertical inter-super-region interconnection conductors are associated with each row and column, respectively. Each super-region includes a plurality of regions of programmable logic, and each region includes a plurality of subregions of programmable logic. Inter-region interconnection conductors are associated with each super-region, principally for bringing signals into the super-region and interconnecting the regions in the super-region. Local conductors are associated with each region, principally for bringing signals into the region. At the super-region level the device may be horizontally and vertically isomorphic, which helps make it possible to produce devices with low aspect ratios of one or nearly one. Shared driver circuits may be provided (e.g.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for improving the direct current (DC) offset performance of an oversampling analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, including A/D converters that include an oversampling quantizer such as a single or multi-bit &Dgr;-&Sgr; modulator, successive approximation quantizer, flash quantizer, pipelined quantizer or other suitable oversampling quantizer. The invention also relates to methods for providing a wide-band attenuation in the digital output of an A/D converter using a limited number of components.