Abstract: An interface circuit provides communication between a memory card and a host device. The interface circuit includes first and second sets of pins and a control unit. The control unit enables the first set of pins and disables the second set of pins when transferring a first set of signals in a first mode via the first set of pins, and disables the first set of pins and enables the second set of pins when transferring a second set of signals in a second mode via the second set of pins. The control unit transfers a clock signal of the second set of signals by differential signaling in the second mode via a clock pin of the second set of pins. A signal transfer in the second mode is at a greater speed than a signal transfer in the first mode.

Abstract: A flexible dual mode battery charger that charges a battery in two different modes, depending on the difference between the adapter voltage and the battery voltage, with a smooth transition between these two modes and the charging current remains relatively constant during the transition is provided in this application. At a lower battery level, the dual mode battery charger charges the battery as a LDO charger and when battery voltage is very close to the adapter voltage, the charger migrates its operating mode from the LDO mode to the boost mode and charges the battery as a boost charger. This flexible battery charger uses one common control circuit for controlling the operations of the LDO charger and the boost charger. The switching operation from one operation mode to other operation mode is smooth.

Abstract: A method for efficiently charging a battery. The method includes producing a first signal having a voltage level dependent on the voltage of the battery, comparing the voltage level of the first signal with a settable voltage representative of a maximum battery charging current, and producing a second signal representative of a charging current to be provided to the battery, the second signal having a voltage level selected to be the lower voltage level between the first signal and the settable voltage.

Abstract: A battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a control system for a stacked battery is disclosed. The control system comprises a plurality of processors, a plurality of controllers, and a monitoring unit (control unit). The method comprises sending a diagnostic information from the central unit to a top processor of the plurality of processors, transmitting a return information from the top processor of the plurality of processors to the central unit, comparing the diagnostic information sent from the central unit with the return information received by the central unit, and indicating a communication problem if the diagnostic information sent from the central unit is different from the return information received by the central unit. The steps are repeated by eliminating the top processor from a previous cycle and assigning a new top processor if there is no problem with the reconfigurable communication system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.

Abstract: A global positioning system (GPS) system includes a clock module for providing multiple counter values at multiple time points. The GPS system also includes a system module coupled to the clock module. The system module is capable of obtaining a time value for each time point according to a set of signals from a signal source. The system module is further capable of calculating a set of parameters based on the counter values and the time value for each time point, and determining an estimated time value based on the parameters and a present counter value from the clock module.

Abstract: A signal processing system for demodulating navigation bits from a satellite signal is disclosed herein. The signal processing system includes a digital baseband processor for determining a boundary between two navigation bits in the navigation bits according to a first plurality of coarse acquisition (C/A) codes captured from the satellite signals, storing the first plurality of C/A codes, and demodulating a second plurality of C/A codes captured after determining the boundary to recover a first series of the navigation bits. The signal processing system further includes a complementary demodulating unit coupled to the digital baseband processor for demodulating the first plurality of C/A codes to recover a second series of the navigation bits.

Abstract: A navigation system for detecting error on Doppler frequencies of a plurality of satellite signals measured by the navigation system is disclosed herein. The navigation system includes an offset calculator for calculating offsets of the Doppler frequencies of the satellite signals during a predetermined time period and calculating an average value of the offsets. The navigation system further includes an error detecting unit coupled to the offset calculator. The error detecting unit compares the offsets of the Doppler frequencies of the satellite signals with the average value of the offsets and determines whether the satellite signals are unavailable according to corresponding comparison results.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control system which is used for a stacked battery of a plurality of battery packs. Each battery pack has a plurality of battery cells coupled in series. The control system is capable of reconfiguring communication among the battery packs in the stacked battery, and comprises a plurality of processors, a plurality of controllers, and a monitoring unit. The processors are coupled to the battery packs. Two adjacent processors among the processors are able to communicate with each other though a first bus. The controllers are coupled to the battery packs. Two adjacent controllers among the controllers are able to communicate with each other through a second bus. The processors are capable of communicating with the controllers through a third bus. The monitoring unit is used for monitoring communications among the plurality of processors and communications among the plurality of controllers.

Abstract: A positioning method using global positioning system (GPS) signal and digital broadcasting system (DBS) signal. The method includes detecting a presence status of the GPS signal through a signal detector in a receiver, detecting a presence status of the DBS signal through the signal detector, determining the signal strength of the GPS signal if the GPS signal is detected, determining the signal strength of the DBS signal if the DBS signal is detected, choosing one positioning mode among a plurality of positioning modes in a signal processing unit in the receiver based on signal presence status and the signal strength of a detected signal, and determining a location of the receiver based on the chosen positioning mode. The plurality of positioning modes includes standalone GPS mode, assisted GPS (AGPS) mode, assisted GPS positioning with DBS assist mode, DBS positioning with GPS assist mode, standalone DBS mode, and assist DBS mode.

Abstract: A method to enhance a mobile device's ability to transmit short messages over a wireless communication network is provided. The method includes the steps for preprocessing a data according to it data type, fragmenting the data into a plurality of data segments if the data is larger than a predetermined size after being preprocessed and compressed, and transmitting the data segments from a sending terminal after encoding the data segments. The method also includes the steps of recombining the plurality of decoded data segments into a single data after receiving and decoding the data, and displaying the data as a single piece of data at a receiving terminal after decompressing and processing the data.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting lock status of a spread spectrum signal, having a first accumulator, a first calculation unit, a second calculation unit, a second accumulator, a multiplier and a comparator. The first accumulator accumulates an in-phase integration result and a quadrature integration result over a time period. The first calculation unit determines a first evaluation value based on the accumulated in-phase integration result and the accumulated quadrature integration result. The second calculation unit processes the in-phase integration result and the quadrature integration result. The second accumulator accumulates the output of the second calculation unit over the time period. The multiplier determines a second evaluation value by multiplying the accumulated result from the second accumulator with a predetermined value. The comparator compares the first and second evaluation results wherein the comparison result is an indicator of the lock status.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer system adapted to play audio files. The computer system includes a central processing unit, a storage unit, a first operating system, an interfacing unit, and a second operating system. The first operating system can control at least the CPU. The interface unit can interface with an external digital media device that may store a plurality of compressed audio files. The second operating system is capable of controlling the computer system operating in an audio playback mode. The power of the computer system is turned on and the computer system plays the plurality of compressed audio files in the audio playback mode when the external digital media device is in communication with the interface unit.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a battery management system includes a charger controller for controlling a charging current of a battery according to a status of a load which is powered by the battery, and a counter coupled to the charger controller for determining a charging time according to such status. Advantageously, a first charging current is selected when the load is off. A second charging current that is less than the first charging current is selected when the load is on. Furthermore, a frequency of the counter is set to a first frequency when the load is off. The frequency is set to a second frequency that is less than the first frequency when the load is on.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for providing enhancements to a BIOS system without using replacement hardware in a microprocessor-based device. The microprocessor-based device boots from a BIOS procedure and interrupts the BIOS procedure to read information from an information module inserted to a information module reader connected to the microprocessor-based device. The information read from the information module is used to selectively alter the BIOS procedure.

Abstract: An adaptive wireless receiver and method thereof is disclosed in the present invention. The receiver includes an antenna, a bandpass filter, a front-end unit and a demodulator. Elements inside the front-end unit can be reused when the receiver operates in a zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) mode and in a low intermediate frequency (LIF) mode. The front-end unit includes a first and second down-conversion mixer, an analog filter, a first and second analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a digital filter.

Abstract: A power system for managing charging, discharging and protection of rechargeable batteries is disclosed. The power system mainly includes a power system. The power system includes a switching circuit coupled to the rechargeable batteries to charge and discharge the rechargeable batteries. The power system includes a power management unit to control the switching circuit. The power system includes a temperature sensing circuit to monitor a temperature of the batteries, voltage detectors to monitor voltages of the batteries, and current detectors to monitor a current of the batteries. If an abnormal condition is sensed by the power management unit when the power system is in an operating mode, the power management unit will terminate the operating mode by switching off the switching circuit to protect the batteries and the power system.

Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter with improved transient response, accuracy and stability is disclosed. The DC-to-DC converter includes a comparator, a driver, at least one switch and a stability circuit. The stability circuit receives a voltage signal based upon sensing one of the at least one switch. The configuration with elimination a current sensing resistor can create a simpler solution for the DC-to-DC converter.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for GPS positioning in a weak signal environment. The method includes obtaining assistance data for a GPS signal from a satellite at a predetermined time, wherein the assistance data including predicted navigation data, Doppler shift and Doppler shift rate and the GPS signal being modulated by a carrier signal, a pseudorandom code and navigation data, estimating a predicted receiving time for the GPS signal reaching the GPS receiver, capturing the GPS signal, converting the GPS signal to an intermediate frequency signal, acquiring a code phase of the pseudorandom code from the intermediate frequency signal by using the assistance data and the predicted receiving time, and obtaining a position for the GPS receiver based on the predicted navigation data and the code phase of the pseudorandom code.