Abstract: A buoyancy compensation device and method for a scuba diver or other underwater object, which decreases buoyancy by actively pumping air from a flexible bladder while the diver or object is in any orientation, said bladder having internally a manifold assembly providing access to pockets of air anywhere within the bladder. In addition, said device and method may be adapted for automatically diving, surfacing, or maintaining a predetermined water depth while the diver or object is in any orientation and while the diver's or object's orientation changes, including a sensor for measuring water depth, one or more control inputs for selecting a depth, and a controller unit that determines descent rate, ascent rate, or maintenance of a selected depth based on monitoring the water depth, the setting of the control inputs, and the diver's or objects previous habits and behavior.

Abstract: There is disclosed, an active termination circuit includes a transmitter adapted to be coupled to a bidirectional conductor, a receiver also adapted to be coupled to the bidirectional conductor, a first impedance adapted to be switched to couple to the bidirectional conductor to match the input impedance of the receiver to a characteristic impedance of the bidirectional conductor to which it is adapted to be coupled when the receiver is in the receive mode, and a second impedance adapted to be switched to couple the bidirectional conductor to match the output impedance of the transmitter to the characteristic impedance of the bidirectional conductor to which it is adapted to be coupled when the transmitter is in the transmit mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing both switch control and processor control over selectable functions of an external circuit. The present invention provides a control circuit having a single input/output port through which the control circuit reads a present function of the external circuit as controlled by the switch circuit, and generates a control signal to override the switch circuit control when the present function is not the same as a desired function.

Abstract: A bi-directional digital signal processing system comprises: a memory including a memory buffer of a predetermined size; a CODEC unit; and a bi-directional digital signal interface. The interface is adapted to be coupled to the memory and the CODEC and is further adapted to at least bi-directionally transfer digital signal samples from and to one selected memory location in the memory buffer.