Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method to allocate electrical power among tools in a bottomhole assembly disposed in a wellbore. A bottomhole assembly having an electric generator, an electrical bus, a bus master, and two or more tools is provided. One or more of the two or more tools has selectable power modes. Electrical power, up to a maximum output value, is provided through the electrical bus to the two or more tools using the electric generator. Electronic components of the two or more tools are synchronized, using the bus master to select a normal power mode or a low power mode for each tool having selectable power modes. The combined power requirements of the two or more tools at any given time do not exceed the maximum output value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method to allocate electrical power among tools in a bottomhole assembly disposed in a wellbore. A bottomhole assembly having an electric generator, an electrical bus, a bus master, and two or more tools is provided. One or more of the two or more tools has selectable power modes. Electrical power, up to a maximum output value, is provided through the electrical bus to the two or more tools using the electric generator. Electronic components of the two or more tools are synchronized, using the bus master to select a normal power mode or a low power mode for each tool having selectable power modes. The combined power requirements of the two or more tools at any given time do not exceed the maximum output value.

Abstract: In a digital radio system including a transmitter unit and at least one receiver unit, changes to the system can implemented without modifying the hardware components by providing the transmitter unit and the receiver unit with processing capability. With respect to the transmitter unit, the principal function of the processing capability is to modify the encoding of the transmitted signal stream. The processing capability of the receiver unit provides the ability to identify when the decoding algorithms are not compatible with the transmitted signal stream. The decoding algorithms of receiver unit can be updated to be compatible with transmitted signals in several different embodiments. According to one embodiment, the updated decoding algorithm can be transmitted to the receiver unit along with, or in place of, the program signal stream. The programmable processor of the receiver unit identifies the decoder algorithm signal stream and installs the decoder algorithm in the programmable processor.

Abstract: A digital radio includes an identification number available only to the digital radio itself. A transmitted band received by the digital radio includes an identification number in an information channel. When the two identification numbers match, then the digital radio performs at least one function included in the information channel or, accesses a preselected procedure. In either situation, the presence of the matching identification number in an information channel results in the execution of instructions causing the digital radio to suspend operation, e.g., by deleting certain files. These digital radio can only be reactivated by the manufacturer, e.g., by the reinstallation of the deleted files. In this manner, the digital radio, being inoperative, is useless to a thief. In addition, one of the activities enabled by the identifying number in the information channel, when the digital radio is installed in a vehicle, can be the disabling of the vehicle.

Abstract: In this patent, a timer-based recording scheme is developed to circumvent the internal delays associated with Flash based media when reading and writing from media such that the low level card access, rather than blocking the processor while writing to or reading from Media, uses a direct-memory-access (DMA) peripheral and then periodic interrupts (using an empirically determined period) to check whether write/read process is completed. If it is completed, then next write/read process is initiated. This process will be repeated until the recording is finished. At a higher level, to record in FAT format, the FAT table and Root Directory table are cached into the processor memory during initialization. Rather than updating those tables in the media, they are updated in processor memory (due to faster access times) while recording. Finally, those tables are written back to the media once recording is finished.

Abstract: A game console/computer as coupled thereto an external interface unit. The external interface unit permits information from a selected channel/address/station to be entered into the processor controlling the gaming environment and incorporated in the gaming environment. The incorporation of the information in the gaming environment can take the form, for example, of background audio material, audio material selectable from an image on the display, or image data incorporated in the display. For example, the information incorporated in the display can take the form of advertisements display on the image of a billboard. Using weather information content or traffic information content parameters of display portion of the game can be modified to provide a more interesting game environment.

Abstract: A compact disc player unit includes has a digital radio receiver unit. A compact disc identifier along with a user identifier is transferred to a radio broadcast station. The broadcast station includes a database of compact disc information. The information associated with the compact disc identifier is retrieved from the database. The retrieved information, along with the user identifier, is broadcast by the station. The digital radio receiver unit accepts the retrieved information when accompanied by the user identifier. The accepted compact disc information is stored in a local memory unit. In response to the disc identifier and a track identifier generated by the compact disc player, data concerning an accessed disc track can be provided to the user by a visual display and/or by the speaker unit.

Abstract: In a digital radio receiver, at least one receiver train demodulates signal from a transmitter to which the receiver is tuned. The signal includes two data streams, typically a program stream and an information stream. The processor separates the two data streams and typically applies the program data stream to an output unit such as a speaker. The processor analyses the information stream and, when appropriate, stores the information stream. The information stream can be used to provide program information or information of importance to the user. A second receiver train can be used by the radio to scan the signals from other transmitters. The information from the other transmitters can be used to identify possible alternatives to the present programming or to automatically apply different program material to the speaker.

Abstract: In a digital radio system including a transmitter unit and at least one receiver unit, changes to the system can implemented without modifying the hardware components by providing the transmitter unit and the receiver unit with processing capability. With respect to the transmitter unit, the principal function of the processing capability is to modify the encoding of the transmitted signal stream. The processing capability of the receiver unit provides the ability to identify when the decoding algorithms are not compatible with the transmitted signal stream. The decoding algorithms of receiver unit can be updated to be compatible with transmitted signals in several different embodiments. According to one embodiment, the updated decoding algorithm can be transmitted to the receiver unit along with, or in place of, the program signal stream. The programmable processor of the receiver unit identifies the decoder algorithm signal stream and installs the decoder algorithm in the programmable processor.