Abstract: Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. Embodiments describe methods for magnetometer calibration and computing sensor orientation relative to users' local frame of reference. The embodiments use an initial yaw estimate, accelerometer, and gyroscope measurements along with other readily available information (the earth's magnetic field intensity, inclination angle, and declination angle).

Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of sensors, a sensor processor, and a sampling rate engine. The sensor processor is coupled to an output of each sensor of the plurality of sensors. The sensor processor estimates user dynamics in response to a first output signal of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors. The sampling rate engine is coupled to an output of the sensor processor./ The sampling rate engine determines a sampling rate value of a second sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to a user dynamics value from the sensor processor. The second sensor comprises a selectable sampling rate. The selectable sampling rate is configured in response to the sampling rate value determined by the sampling rate engine.

Abstract: A power provider circuit includes a plurality of power delivery controllers, a single stage power supply, and control circuitry. Each of the plurality of power delivery controllers is configured to provide power to a detachable device. The single stage power supply is configured to generate the power for provision to the detachable devices, and to provide the power at a plurality of selectable voltages. The control circuitry configured to select a given voltage of the plurality of selectable voltages to be made available via all of the power delivery controllers based on power utilization capabilities and other optional status indications reported by the detachable devices.

Abstract: A wireless device for indoor positioning has a satellite positioning system, a transceiver, a motion measurement system, and a position estimation system. The satellite positioning system is configured to determine a location of the device based on received satellite positioning signals. The wireless local area network transceiver is configured to measure while in the areas of non-reception, signals transmitted by wireless local area network (WLAN) access points (APs). The motion measurement system is configured to measure movement of the wireless device. The position estimation system is configured to determine a reference location, and record measurements of movement. The reference location and the recorded measurements are to be provided to a positioning database that generates a positioning grid.

Abstract: Described examples include USB controllers and methods of interfacing a host processor with one or more USB ports with the host processor implementing an upper protocol layer and a policy engine for negotiating USB power delivery parameters, in which the USB controller includes a logic circuit implementing a lower protocol layer to provide automatic outgoing data transmission retries independent of the upper protocol layer of the host processor. The controller logic circuit further implements automatic incoming data packet validity verification and acknowledgment independent of the upper protocol layer of the host processor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for operating a communication system comprising three or more communication transceivers. In illustrative embodiments, multiple unique start-of-packet delimiters are maintained. A data packet to be transmitted is constructed using a specified one of the plurality of start-of-packet delimiters to demarcate the start of said data packet. The chosen start-of-packet delimiter reflects one or more transceivers that are intended recipients of said data packet. When a data packet is received by a transceiver, the start-of-packet delimiter of the received data packet is compared to one or more valid start-of-packet delimiters for the receiving transceiver. If the start-of-packet delimiter of the received data packet matches a valid start-of-packet delimiter for the receiving transceiver, the data packet is accepted, otherwise it is rejected.

Abstract: A disclosed method includes computing, for each of a plurality of values of at least one type of error parameter, a distance traveled for each of a plurality of directions of travel. The method includes selecting, from the plurality of values of the at least one type of error parameter, a value that provides a greatest distance traveled for any of the plurality of directions of travel relative to the unselected ones of the plurality of values. The method further includes applying the selected value of the at least one type of error parameter to gyroscopic sensor data, and then determining navigation information based on the gyroscopic sensor data with the selected value of the at least one type of error parameter applied.

Abstract: A method of power delivery. Port controllers each include a state machine, an IO pin, a receptacle supply pin receiving power from a receptacle, and a gate driver pin coupled to a control node of a power path switch each having an output coupled to a load. The state machines implement a dead-battery control (DBC) algorithm upon sensing a DB condition. The DBC algorithm pulls up the IO pin, starts a timer for T1, and monitors the IO pin for T1. If the IO pin is pulled low, the port controller is reset for a pulled low period, the DBC algorithm is then restarted or its IO pin is monitored until not pulled low for T1. One port controller pulls its IO pin low for an assertion period to claim priority over the other port controller, and closes its associated power path switch to exclusively provide power to the load.

Abstract: An automobile has a system for navigating using a vehicle speed sensor reading rotation data from a wheel and a gyroscopic sensor. For each of a plurality of error parameter values, a distance traveled for each of a plurality of directions of travel. The system also includes selecting the error parameter value that maximizes the distance traveled in one or more of the directions of travel, applying the selected error parameter value to data from the gyroscopic sensor, and navigating using dead reckoning based on data from the vehicle speed sensor and data from the gyroscopic sensor with the applied error parameter value.

Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a system includes a digital imaging device, an electronic compass (e-compass), and a processor coupled to the digital imaging device and the e-compass. The processor is operable to execute instructions that cause the image device to scan a visual code, read a yaw angle from the visual code, cause the e-compass to obtain magnetic field measurements, estimate a yaw angle based on the magnetic field measurements, compare the yaw angle read from the visual code and the estimated yaw angle to determine a quality factor; and determine whether the e-compass is calibrated based at least partially upon the quality factor.

Abstract: An electronic system includes a computer and a power adapter. The computer includes an embedded controller (EC) coupled to a computer power delivery (PD) controller. The power adapter includes a power adapter PD controller connected to a slave device and is configured to communicate with the computer over a communication link. The computer PD controller is configured to receive a command from the EC and, to transmit a universal serial bus (USB) vendor defined message (VDM) header and one or more vendor defined objects (VDOs) including the information of the payload of the transmit command. The power adapter PD controller responds to the one or more VDOs either by changing an output signal to the slave device connected to the power adapter PD controller, reports a state of a general purpose input/output (GPIO) pin of the power adapter PD controller, or changes the state of the GPIO pin.

Abstract: Method including detecting low user dynamics by a first MEMS sensor is provided. A first sensor determines sampling rate value corresponding to the low user dynamics. The first sensor sampling rate value is less than a second sensor sampling rate value corresponding to high user dynamics. A sampling rate of a second MEMS sensor is adjusted to the first sensor sampling rate value.

Abstract: Described examples include USB port controllers with a control circuit configured to switch from a normal first power mode to a second power mode for reduced power consumption in response a command from a port manager circuit, and to switch from the second power mode to the first power mode in response to detected activity on a communications connection, or a detected connection of a USB device to a USB port connector. After switching back to the first power mode in response to detected communications activity, the control circuit automatically switches operation of the USB port controller back to the second power mode unless a communications transaction addressed to the USB port controller is received within a non-zero certain time after switching from the second power mode to the first power mode.

Abstract: At least some embodiments are directed to an electronic device port system comprising a first device configured to negotiate power supply contracts from a power source via a universal serial bus (USB) cable. The system also comprises a second device configured to negotiate power supply contracts from the power source via the USB cable when the first device is unable to negotiate power supply contracts from the power source. The second device is configured to activate a switch after the second device negotiates a power supply contract with the power source. The switch is configured to permit the provision of power from the power source to a battery system of the electronic device per the negotiated power supply contract.

Abstract: Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. In an embodiment, an imaging device, an gyroscope, and a processor are elements of a system. The processor is coupled to the imaging device and the gyroscope. The processor causes the imaging device to scan a visual code. Based on scanning the visual code, the processor causes the gyroscope to be calibrated.

Abstract: A method of power delivery. Port controllers each include a state machine, an IO pin, a receptacle supply pin receiving power from a receptacle, and a gate driver pin coupled to a control node of a power path switch each having an output coupled to a load. The state machines implement a dead-battery control (DBC) algorithm upon sensing a DB condition. The DBC algorithm pulls up the IO pin, starts a timer for T1, and monitors the IO pin for T1. If the IO pin is pulled low, the port controller is reset for a pulled low period, the DBC algorithm is then restarted or its IO pin is monitored until not pulled low for T1. One port controller pulls its IO pin low for an assertion period to claim priority over the other port controller, and closes its associated power path switch to exclusively provide power to the load.

Abstract: A circuit includes a controller to communicate with a sink device and communicate a plurality of power sources that are available to the sink device. A plurality of switch devices switch power from one of the plurality of power sources to the sink device in response to a control signal from the controller. A policy engine in the controller defines policies for the operation of the controller during different communications phases between the controller and the sink device.

Abstract: Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. In an embodiment, an imaging device, an e-compass, an accelerometer, and a processor are elements of a system. The processor is coupled to the imaging device, the e-compass, and the accelerometer. The processor causes the imaging device to scan a visual code, read a yaw angle from the visual code, and computes an estimate of a yaw angle based on magnetic field measurements taken by the e-compass. The processor generates scale factors and biases determined from measurements generated by the e-compass. Based on scanning the visual code, the processor computes a quality factor based on the yaw angle read from the visual code and the estimate of the yaw angle.

Abstract: Methods of reducing power consumption in a USB power-delivery source device. In one such method, one or more source capabilities messages are sent by the USB power-delivery source device. If, after sending a source capabilities message, a response to said source capabilities message is not received within a predetermined time period, the device sends another source capabilities message. If, after sending a predetermined number of source capabilities messages, no response is received, the device waits an extended period of time before sending another source capabilities message. Receiving functionality of the USB power-delivery source device is turned off during some or all of said extended period of time.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting a USB cable-type. A USB PD device configured at a near end of a USB cable is configured to (i) receive and process a signal from a device at a far end of the USB cable to determine a power rating of the USB cable and (ii) adjustably establish power delivered by the first device to the USB cable as a function of the determined USB cable power rating.