Abstract: A system for extracting energy from an energy storage device configured to supply direct current (DC) energy at a nominal voltage rating comprises a first node dimensioned and arranged to receive direct current energy from the energy storage device. Embodiments include a self-oscillating circuit having primary and secondary windings wound around a ferrite core, wherein a positive terminal of the primary winding is tied to the negative terminal of the secondary winding at the first node, and wherein a positive terminal of the secondary winding is coupled to a second node, the second node being coupled to a load requiring power to be supplied at one of a voltage less than, equal to, or higher than the nominal voltage. Some embodiments further include a transistor having a base resistively coupled to a negative terminal of the primary winding and a collector coupled to the second node.

Abstract: A data transfer system including a byte bus which provides an eight-bit data transfer between a processor and a plurality of port circuit boards. The system provides dual address and interrupt functionalies in the processor-initiator data transfers which may be initiated in either direction. The processor data transfers use a two-level address management scheme, which once initialized provides rapid access to a select number of address locations from a large number of available addresses allocated to a variety of port circuit boards and addressable functions thereon. Furthermore, the select addresses are assignable according to an interrupt priority value which allows for the rapid identification of the address requesting an interrupt service, and also for the subsequent provision of an interrupt service vector to the processor to provide the appropriate processing of the requested interrupt.