Abstract: Audible crosstalk can be mitigated in a low-cost three-wire device having audio capability and/or voice applications. In some embodiments, a voltage can be introduced in a microphone power supply that is approximately the same as a measured noise voltage and the resulting voltage appearing at a microphone output can be optimized to mitigate the noise voltage and, thus, the presence of crosstalk. In some embodiments, a microphone within a circuit can be isolated to mitigate crosstalk by introducing current into a circuit that is approximately the same as a measured current, but having a flow in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing having an external surface including a user interface region. A battery cell within the housing is characterized by a charging status, a state of charge, and a state of health. A processor disposed within the housing determines and/or stores the charging status as well as one or more of the state of charge and the state of health of the battery cell. The user interface region provides a plurality of visual components configured to provide a plurality of visual cues relating to the charging status, the state of charge, and the state of health of the battery cell. The plurality of visual components may include a persistent display, an on-demand display, and an input component. The input component may be used to select the manner in which the visual cues are provided.

Abstract: Audible crosstalk can be mitigated in a low-cost three-wire device having audio capability and/or voice applications. In some embodiments, a voltage can be introduced in a microphone power supply that is approximately the same as a measured noise voltage and the resulting voltage appearing at a microphone output can be optimized to mitigate the noise voltage and, thus, the presence of crosstalk. In some embodiments, a microphone within a circuit can be isolated to mitigate crosstalk by introducing current into a circuit that is approximately the same as a measured current, but having a flow in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing having an external surface including a user interface region. A battery cell within the housing is characterized by a charging status, a state of charge, and a state of health. A processor disposed within the housing determines and/or stores the charging status as well as one or more of the state of charge and the state of health of the battery cell. The user interface region provides a plurality of visual components configured to provide a plurality of visual cues relating to the charging status, the state of charge, and the state of health of the battery cell. The plurality of visual components may include a persistent display, an on-demand display, and an input component. The input component may be used to select the manner in which the visual cues are provided.

Abstract: A structure has an inner, load bearing member and a surrounding, concentric over-wrap. The inner member is composed of a carbon composite and the over-wrap is composed of a non-carbon composite. The inner member has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion and the over-wrap has a positive coefficient of thermal expansion that is an order of magnitude greater than that of the inner member. When subjected to cryogenic temperatures, the over-wrap will shrink and apply a compressive force against the inner member, to resist the creation of microcracks in the inner member.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for charging a battery in a mobile device are described. In embodiments described herein a power supply voltage and/or a power supply current of a power supply coupled to charger of the mobile is reduced. The reduction in power supply voltage and/or current results in a reduction in heat dissipation and power dissipation by the charger.

Abstract: A multiplexing circuit uses parallel-configured pairs of resistors and signal sources in a voltage divider network in such a way that a single analog-to-digital input can be used to specify the state of more than one signal source. One circuit includes a microprocessor having an analog-to-digital (ADC) input; a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor; and a voltage divider network having an output coupled to the ADC input, wherein the network includes a plurality of resistors paired with a plurality of respective signal sources, and wherein the output is unique for each combination of states of the signal sources in accordance with a known relation that is stored in the memory. The signal sources are selected from two categories of sources: continuous sources and discrete sources, where discrete sources may be binary discrete or random discrete. In one embodiment, the first signal source is either a continuous source or a random discrete source, and the second signal is a binary discrete source.

Abstract: A multiplexing circuit uses parallel-configured pairs of resistors and signal sources in a voltage divider network in such a way that a single analog-to-digital input can be used to specify the state of more than one signal source. One circuit includes a microprocessor having an analog-to-digital (ADC) input; a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor; and a voltage divider network having an output coupled to the ADC input, wherein the network includes a plurality of resistors paired with a plurality of respective signal sources, and wherein the output is unique for each combination of states of the signal sources in accordance with a known relation that is stored in the memory. The signal sources are selected from two categories of sources: continuous sources and discrete sources, where discrete sources may be binary discrete or random discrete. In one embodiment, the first signal source is either a continuous source or a random discrete source, and the second signal is a binary discrete source.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for authenticating a power source. The system comprises a battery including a first encryption engine storing a first key and a computing device including a microcontroller and a second encryption engine storing a second key. When the microcontroller detects a coupling of the battery to the computing device, the microcontroller issues a challenge to the first encryption engine and the second encryption engine. The first encryption engine generates the first response as a function of the challenge, the first key and a predefined algorithm, and the second encryption engine generates the second response as a function of the challenge, the second key and the predefined algorithm. The microcontroller compares the first and second responses to authenticate the battery.

Abstract: A computer-implementable method, system, and computer-usable medium designed to move data from a source file to multiple target documents by inserting a copy of an insertion point into each of multiple target files; associating specific source data, from a source file, with the insertion point; and pasting the specific source data into the insertion points that have been inserted into each of the multiple target files.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the filtering of unnecessary chat artifacts (e.g., “small talk”) from persistent chats. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: sending an instant message; and selectively including the instant message in a persistent chat.

Abstract: A power source management system disposed within a device is configured to communicate with a power source and perform an authentication procedure to determine whether the power source is an approved power source. The authentication procedure may involve the use of a challenge-response procedure using keys resident in the device and the power source. If it is determined that the power source is not an approved power source, the power source management system prevents use of or disables certain functionality of the device.

Abstract: A hybrid power supply used in a device generally includes a fuel cell plant configured to produce a DC voltage via electrochemical conversion of a fuel, a fuel reservoir attached to the fuel cell plant for supplying the fuel to the fuel cell plant, and a rechargeable battery electrically coupled to the fuel cell plant. The fuel cell plant keeps rechargeable battery substantially charged while rechargeable battery accommodates load variations resulting from operation of the device. In this way, the hybrid power supply maintains operation of the device when the fuel reservoir is removed.

Abstract: Described is a method of supplying power to recharge a battery and drive at least one load separate from the battery, wherein the load is connected to the battery. A current amount supplied to only the battery is determined. A battery voltage is determined. Power is disabled to the battery when the current amount is less than a predetermined current termination threshold and the battery voltage is greater than or equal to a voltage limit.

Abstract: Described is a method wherein a computer terminal is coupled to a power supply through a docking arrangement. The docking arrangement includes a protection circuit. A current supplied to the computing terminal is detected. When the current is greater than a predetermined value, the computer terminal is decoupled from the power supply. After the computer terminal is decoupled from the power supply, the computer terminal is recoupled to the power supply, and the method repeats beginning with detecting the current supplied to the computing terminal.

Abstract: A system and method for context-specific instant messaging are presented. A user views a page of data that is segmented into regions. The user performs a user action (e.g., a mouse click) and, in turn, a message generator displays context-specific phrases for the user to select based upon the region that the user action was performed and a corresponding object type. When a region corresponds to a meeting time, a context-specific phrase may also be time-sensitive. When a region corresponds to meeting participants, a context-specific phrase may include recipient identifiers. The user selects one of the context-specific phrases, and the message generator invokes a message session between the user and a recipient based upon the selected context-specific phrase. The message generator includes a link to the corresponding object such that the message recipient may easily identify the context of the message.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing user lists. A group of instant messaging addresses used most frequently by a user of an instant messaging client on the communications device is identified. The identified group of instant messaging addresses is displayed visibly within a display in the communications device.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for synchronization queue management. A synchronization queue management system can include a connection manager programmed to establish a synchronization link between a host pervasive device and a synchronization partner platform. The system further can include a link quality analysis service programmed to indicate a link quality for an established synchronization link. Finally, the system can include a synchronization application coupled to the connection manager and the link quality analysis service. The synchronization application can be configured to synchronize data in a synchronization queue in the host pervasive device with the synchronization partner platform over the established synchronization link. The synchronization application further can be configured to manage the synchronization queue based upon a link quality indicated by the link quality analysis service. Preferably, the link quality can be a throughput measurement or a usage cost measurement.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for displaying and navigating a tree. The method comprises: selecting a node on a level of the tree, wherein the node has a number of child nodes on a next level of the tree; determining if the number of child nodes of the selected node exceeds a predetermined level maximum number of child nodes; and, if the number of child nodes of the selected node exceeds the predetermined level maximum number of child nodes, displaying a single subset of the child nodes and at least one selectable affordance for displaying another subset of the child nodes.