Abstract: A drop deck trailer is provided with a deck that has the ability to raise and lower to conveniently load and unload goods and materials on the deck. A pneumatic system can raise and lower the deck and also serve as a suspension system for the trailer to dampen the relative movement between a frame and the deck. In addition, some embodiments of the trailer have a deck with a movable carriage that can move along the deck to automatically load a vehicle such as a golf cart. The carriage has rollers that secure the front wheels of a vehicle, and the carriage moves along the decks to pull the vehicle onto the deck. Moreover, various embodiments of a trailer frame can selectively connect to different decks to allow each deck to be specialized for particular goods and materials.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for audio amplification devices are provided herein. In certain configurations, an audio amplification device includes a device body, at least one speaker, an electrical system housed in the device body, and one or more light elements integrated into the device body. The electrical system is configured to control an output of sound to the at least one speaker. Additionally, the electrical system controls the one or more light elements, such as by controlling light intensity, flashing rate, and/or color, to thereby enhance safety to the user.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for headsets, such as multi-source audio amplification and ear protection devices, are provided herein. In certain configurations, protection headset system includes a removable growth band that fills the gap of the user and a headband of the device. The device may optionally have at least one microphone that generates an ambient sound signal based on detecting ambient sound, at least one speaker, and an electrical system that controls sound outputted by the at least one speaker based on amplifying the ambient sound signal and a secondary sound source signal. The electrical system receives a user-controlled volume signal that is operable to control an amount of amplification provided to the ambient sound signal, and/or an amount of amplification provided to the secondary sound source signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for headsets, such as multi-source audio amplification and ear protection devices, are provided herein. In certain configurations, protection headset system includes a removable growth band that fills the gap of the user and a headband of the device. The device may optionally have at least one microphone that generates an ambient sound signal based on detecting ambient sound, at least one speaker, and an electrical system that controls sound outputted by the at least one speaker based on amplifying the ambient sound signal and a secondary sound source signal. The electrical system receives a user-controlled volume signal that is operable to control an amount of amplification provided to the ambient sound signal, and/or an amount of amplification provided to the secondary sound source signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for headsets, such as multi-source audio amplification and ear protection devices, are provided herein. In certain configurations, protection headset system includes a removable growth band that fills the gap of the user and a headband of the device. The device may optionally have at least one microphone that generates an ambient sound signal based on detecting ambient sound, at least one speaker, and an electrical system that controls sound outputted by the at least one speaker based on amplifying the ambient sound signal and a secondary sound source signal. The electrical system receives a user-controlled volume signal that is operable to control an amount of amplification provided to the ambient sound signal, and/or an amount of amplification provided to the secondary sound source signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for audio amplification devices are provided herein. In certain configurations, an audio amplification device includes a device body, at least one speaker, an electrical system housed in the device body, and one or more light elements integrated into the device body. The electrical system is configured to control an output of sound to the at least one speaker. Additionally, the electrical system controls the one or more light elements, such as by controlling light intensity, flashing rate, and/or color, to thereby enhance safety to the user.

Abstract: A natural gas engine system may have an engine having at least one cylinder. The engine may also have an intake manifold configured to deliver air for combustion to the cylinder and an exhaust manifold configured to discharge exhaust from the cylinder. The natural gas engine system may have a generator coupled to the engine. The generator may be configured to generate electrical power for an electrical load. The natural gas engine system may have a fuel source configured to supply natural gas for combustion in the engine, and an air tank in fluid communication with the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold. Further, the natural gas engine system may have a controller. The controller may be configured to direct a first amount of air from the air tank to the exhaust manifold and a second amount of air from the air tank to the intake manifold.

Abstract: A natural gas engine system may have an engine having at least one cylinder. The engine may also have an intake manifold configured to deliver air for combustion to the cylinder and an exhaust manifold configured to discharge exhaust from the cylinder. The natural gas engine system may have a generator coupled to the engine. The generator may be configured to generate electrical power for an electrical load. The natural gas engine system may have a fuel source configured to supply natural gas for combustion in the engine, and an air tank in fluid communication with the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold. Further, the natural gas engine system may have a controller. The controller may be configured to direct a first amount of air from the air tank to the exhaust manifold and a second amount of air from the air tank to the intake manifold.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a servo reader and a read/write head for a data storage tape machine that reads and writes data to a data storage tape. The data storage tape has a servo pattern that is recorded on the tape in a known location. The servo pattern is used to provide precise position information for the data storage tape. According to the method, data is recorded on the data storage tape and the location of the data storage track is read. The location of the data storage tape is compared to the known location of the servo pattern to establish a reader offset value. The data storage tape machine is updated based upon the reader offset value to adjust the position of the read/write head.

Abstract: An improved format is disclosed for storing a randomized data block in a storage device. The data block format includes a data field, an identifier (ID) field for storing an identifier that identifies data stored in the data field, and a randomizer seed field for storing a randomizer seed. An error check character generator generates an ID field error check character utilizing said identifier. The randomizer seed includes the ID field error check character.

Abstract: A Viterbi decoder is used to provide erasure information to a symbol based decoder. In a preferred embodiment, a Viterbi decoder is used to provide either minimum distance path metric information or path probability information, which is summed over a symbol window to derive erasure information for the symbol based decoder.

Abstract: In a tape drive for storing and retrieving information to and from a media, a system for optimizing write performance includes a tape head and a controller. The tape head may include a write element. The controller may be for optimizing write performance in response to at least one media information signal that is stored on a media cartridge.

Abstract: A drive and method of identifying write velocity during reading are provided. When a track is being read, the data signal is processed prior to determining the data stream to identify the velocity with which the track data were written. The read channel is adjusted based on the identified velocity to compensate for write channel transfer function variation.

Abstract: Servo tracks for magnetic tape storage are written using two opposite polarities, rather than the one polarity normally used in servo tracks. Timing continues to be performed using only pattern members of like polarity, due to physical restraints, but the use of two polarities allows additional information to be encoded in the pattern more efficiently.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording device, a system and method for correcting errors in decoding a read data input signal. The system and method include multiple decoding channels, each channel processing the read data input signal and generating an output signal, where the output signal includes a data signal when no error is detected, and an error detection code when an error is detected. The system and method also include multiple error correction code (ECC) decoders, each decoder associated with and receiving the output signal of one of the channels and generating a corrected data signal when the received output signal is an error detection code and the error is correctable. The system and method further include a controller for selecting from the decoders one of the corrected data signals.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for dynamically shortening a number of error correction codewords to correspond to an amount of user data to be recorded on a recording medium. The system and method determine in advance that the number of bytes of user data will only fill a portion of a codeword matrix, and automatically shortens the size of ECC word segments to match the actual user data fill. This allows an ECC interleave to be completed with only a partial fill of the matrix, thereby reducing the required number of recording passes and associated processing time.

Abstract: A tape drive and method of identifying write velocity during reading are provided. When a track is being read, a lead-in code of the data signal is processed prior to determining the data stream. The lead-in code identifies the velocity with which the track data were written. The equalization/detection channel is adjusted based on the identified velocity to compensate for write channel transfer function variation. The lead-in code is coded in a way that is reasonably immune to write channel transfer function variation such that the lead-in code is comprehended prior to adjusting the equalization/detection channel.

Abstract: An asynchronous method for locating individual blocks of data in a tape drive, without having to read the blocks of data is provided. The invention comprises placing an ID mark adjacent to the data blocks and inter-block gaps on the tape. The ID mark contains a small amount of information about the next respective data block on the tape. The ID mark is encoded such that the same detection mechanism that detects the inter-block gap can also retrieve the ID mark information, without having to process the entire block of data associated with a particular ID mark. The ID mark is symmetrical such that it can be detected and decoded in the forward and backward direction, allowing the tape drive to find a desired block of data by searching either forward or backward, even when the magnetic tape uses a unidirectional data format.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for writing data to a magnetic media. A first frequency is written on a first track on the magnetic media on a first track width. A second frequency is written on the first track in which a combination of the first frequency and the second frequency encodes a bit of data on the first track. An erase pattern is created on a second track on the magnetic media, the second track being adjacent to the first track in which the bit of data on the first track is readable by a tape drive system having a second track width wider than the track width of the first track.

Abstract: A method of controlling a compressor includes measuring a pressure of fluid entering the compressor, measuring a pressure of fluid exiting the compressor, and measuring a rotational speed of the compressor. Signals indicative of the measured pressure of fluid entering the compressor, measured pressure of fluid exiting the compressor, and measured rotational speed of the compressor are sent to an electronic control unit. The operation of the compressor is controlled in response to at least the signal indicative of the measured rotational speed of the compressor received by the electronic control unit.