Abstract: The braking system of a vehicle is securely engaged in response to the operator of the vehicle causing the vehicle to stop. The braking system improves vehicle safety by remaining securely engaged upon detection of a fault such as a vehicle collision, an unintentional transmission shift, a vehicle malfunction or a problem with the operator or operation of the vehicle. In the event of a collision, securely engaged brakes can significantly reduce resulting vehicle acceleration, potentially avoiding a secondary collision and reducing injuries experienced by the vehicle operator and passengers. In the event that no fault is detected, the braking system is disengaged in response to the operator accelerating the vehicle, either by pressing the gas pedal or releasing the brake pedal, thereby making the securely engaged brakes virtually unperceivable under normal operating circumstances.

Abstract: A battery operated portable device, or “lockator” facilitates location of a parked automobile within having an unknown or forgotten location. The lockator locks, unlocks and locates the automobile with a simplified user interface. The locator has a combined automobile door lock and unlock transmitter and GPS locator. Pressing a lock button both transmits a lock signal and substantially determines the automobile location. Pressing the unlock button transmits the unlock signal and determines the direction back to the location where the lock button was pressed. Left and right icons on the lockator direct the driver back to the vehicle. The icons blink at a rate indicative of the distance to the automobile and indicate if the driver is heading away from the automobile. Measures are take to conserve power drawn from a battery powering the lockator.

Abstract: A virtual reality system (200-322) stereoscopically projects a virtual reality images including a three dimensional image (245) having an interface image (250′) in a space observable by a user (100). The display system includes a substantially transparent display means (200) which also allows real images of real objects (850) to be combined or superimposed with the virtual reality images. Selective areas or characteristics of the real images are obstructed by a selective real image obstructer (860) to enhance viewing of selected virtual reality images while providing for viewing or real images or virtual images combined with real images in other viewing areas. The display system includes either a stereoscopic headset display system or a heads-up display system. The selective real images obstructer is a gray scale liquid crystal display included with the display system providing for adjustment of the size, shape and/or transparency of the obstruction of real images.

Abstract: A battery operated portable device, or “lockator” facilitates location of a parked automobile within having an unknown or forgotten location. The lockator locks, unlocks and locates the automobile with a simplified user interface. The locator has a combined automobile door lock and unlock transmitter and GPS locator. Pressing a lock button both transmits a lock signal and substantially determines the automobile location. Pressing the unlock button transmits the unlock signal and determines the direction back to the location where the lock button was pressed. Left and right icons on the lockator direct the driver back to the vehicle. The icons blink at a rate indicative of the distance to the automobile and indicate if the driver is heading away from the automobile. Measures are take to conserve power drawn from a battery powering the lockator.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for permitting a user of a selective call receiver (31) to receive a certain number of personal messages and information service updates without paying a fee for such services in return for reading advertisements wirelessly transmitted to the selective call receiver. The user is allowed to read the advertisements at any time prior to receiving the personal messages and information service updates. The certain number is proportional to the number of advertisements read. The certain number can be increased by the user responding to questions within advertisements using reverse channel messaging capabilities of a selective call transceiver (32), or by using a conventional telephone (22).

Abstract: A two dimensional display panel produces a time variable image composed of light emitting pixels. The pixels are generated by a light emitting phosphor distributed within the panel, the pixels radiate light in response to being excited by charging and triggering energy beams. The energy beams are relatively invisible and may be generated by lasers or solid state diode energy sources. Wave guides within the panel direct the energy beams to the pixels. The wave guides may be composed of fiber optic threads and the display panel comprised of a fabric of woven fiber optic threads wherein pixels are produced at intersections of the woven fiber optic threads.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for permitting a user of a selective call receiver (31) to receive a certain number of personal messages and information service updates without paying a fee for such services in return for reading advertisements wirelessly transmitted to the selective call receiver. The user is allowed to read the advertisements at any time prior to receiving the personal messages and information service updates. The certain number is proportional to the number of advertisements read. The certain number can be increased by the user responding to questions within advertisements using reverse channel messaging capabilities of a selective call transceiver (32), or by using a conventional telephone (22).

Abstract: Status changes made on first pager (130 and 530) are wirelessly communicated to an infrastructure (110 and 510) which communicates the status changes to other pagers (150 and 550) so that the other pagers make corresponding status changes. Thus, a user's status changes made on one pager are automatically made on the user's other pagers. Status changes include changes to received messages, alarm times, alert thresholds, and key word alerts.

Abstract: A method for full duplex communication between master and slave devices (403, 422) coupled by a serial peripheral interface (420) includes the steps of the slave device (422) updating a status register (421) based upon an event, after which the slave device (422) transmits a communication request to the master device (403). When the master device (403) thereafter takes the slave-select line low to initiate communication, the slave device (422) automatically transmits the contents of the status register (421) over the master-in-slave-out line. At the same time, the master device (403) transmits an "empty" byte of information over the master-out-slave-in line.

Abstract: A method for configuring the presentation of received messages comprises the steps of user selectably defining (302) a period of time during which a visual representation of messages received during the period of time will be visually presented, and receiving (304) the messages during the period of time. During the period of time, a further step includes presenting (306) information about the messages received during the period of time on a standby information display. A still further step includes presenting (306) information about messages received during a subsequent period of time on the standby information display after expiration of the period of time.

Abstract: A radio communication device (100) receives a radio frequency (RF) signal comprising at least first, second, and third words which include message information and error correction information, wherein the second and third words are redundant words associated with the first word. A processing unit (120) included in the radio communication device (100) compares each corresponding bit of the first, second, and third words to determine, for each corresponding bit, which of first and second bit values is a majority bit value and generates a fourth word which includes a bit for each corresponding bit, wherein each bit of the fourth word has a value equivalent to the majority bit value corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A method for full duplex data transference between a master device and a slave device comprises the steps of the slave device providing (725) data stored in a location within the slave device to the master device and the master device providing (760) modified data to be stored in the location to the slave device. A further step includes the slave device, substantially coincident with the master device providing (760) the modified data to the slave device, providing (755) data stored in a subsequent location within the slave device to the master device.

Abstract: A selective call receiver comprises a receiver for receiving a signal, the signal comprising an address identifying the selective call receiver, a first information packet having a first information format, a second information packet having a second information format, and a control character. An output device presents the first information packet in a first output mode corresponding to the first information format in response to the control character, and the second information packet in a second output mode corresponding to the second information format in response to the address or a second control character.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (200) is capable of receiving messages and storing the messages for subsequent retrieval by a user. The selective call receiver (200) assigns a status designation (706) and a chronological order (704) to each stored message, and further prioritizes the messages in a sequential order being prioritized first by a priority of the status designation (706) assigned to the messages and then further prioritized therewithin according to the chronological order (704) assigned to the messages. The selective call receiver (200) then presents the messages to the user in the sequential order for the messages.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (10) for receiving a radio frequency message having message characters includes a memory (14) for storing information including predetermined message characters and processing circuitry (13) for determining an amount of available space within the memory (14) in response to reception of a message. When the available space within the memory (14) is insufficient for storage of the message characters included within the received message, one or more of the message characters included within the received message is deleted prior to storing the received message. Alternatively, one or more message characters included within a previously stored message may be deleted prior to storing the received message.

Abstract: A photodetector mounted on an electrical device serves as an ambient light sensor for low light illumination control and an optical receiver for receiving optically transmitted data.

Abstract: A selective call receiver, such as a pager, has a real-time clock and is capable of determining the response of the receiver to a message in accordance with a status associated with that message. The selective call receiver can also change the status at a selected time or if a characteristic of the message matches a predetermined characteristic. Additionally the selective call receiver may choose from a plurality of priorities a priority of a received message in order to determine if a message stored in the memory of the selective call receiver will be deleted by the received message. The selective call receiver is further capable of determining the type of data decoded by an address with respect to the time of day.

Abstract: A selective call receiver comprises a receiver for receiving a signal and a digital synchronizer coupled to the receiver. The digital synchronizer examines the signal transmitted at a predetermined baud rate for a predetermined time. Upon completion of the predetermined time, a decision is made as to whether or not the signal included the predetermined baud rate. If the signal includes the predetermined baud rate, a bit clock is established indicative of the boundaries and center of each baud symbol. The synchronizer samples the signal at a multiple of the baud rate and accumulates the phase relationship between the samples and transitions of the signal during the predetermined time. Upon conclusion of the predetermined time, the distribution of the phase relationships is examined and the presence or absence of signal is determined. If the presence is determined, the bit clock is established.

Abstract: An electronic device (FIG. 1) includes a sensor (17) for determining when the electronic device (FIG. 1) is being worn by a user and when the elecronic device (FIG. 1) is not being worn by the user. A first altering device (21) provides a first alert and a second altering device (22) provides a second alert. An alert selection device (16) which is coupled to the sensor (17) alternatively activates the first alerting device (21) when the electronic device (FIG. 1) is being worn by the user and the second alerting device (22) when the electronic device (FIG. 1) is not being worn by the user.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a signal is capable of determining the presence of absence of a signal having a predetermined baud rate. By initializing counting registers to either first or second values, and receiving the signal, either the presence or absence of the baud rate may be more rapidly detected. Rapid detection provides for improved battery savings when the invention is used within a portable receiver such as a pager. The invention provides for positive detection of the predetermined baud rate while rejecting a baud rate being an integer divisor of the predetermined baud rate. Additionally, as a result of the determination of the presence of the predetermined baud rate, a sample clock may be established for receiving data at the baud rate.