Abstract: Augmented (virtual) reality techniques are described for assisting in determining characteristics of swimming pools and spas. Such pools and spas may, for example, be mapped at least as to their general sizes and shapes. The mapped and other information may be available for display and may be furnished to an automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) to improve its operational efficiency in cleaning the pool.

Abstract: A touch sensor system includes touch sensors, drive-sense circuits (DSCs), memory, and a processing module. A DSC drives a first signal via a single line coupling to a touch sensor and simultaneously senses, when present, a second signal that is uniquely associated with a user. The DSC processes the first signal and/or the second signal to generate a digital signal that is representative of an electrical characteristic of the touch sensor. The processing module executes operational instructions (stored in the memory) to process the digital signal to detect interaction of the user with the touch sensor and to determine whether the interaction of the user with the touch sensor compares favorably with authorization. When not authorized, the processing module aborts execution of operation(s) associated with the interaction of the user with the touch sensor. Alternatively, when authorized, the processing module facilitates execution of the operation(s).

Abstract: A method of facilitating control of a distributed energy resource which includes establishing, at a platform in communication over a network with the distributed energy resource, a first control access bundle of a first rank. The first control access bundle defines a first container including a first plurality of control events for controlling a distributed energy resource. A second control access bundle of a different, second rank is also established at the platform. The second control access bundle defines a second container including a second plurality of control events for controlling the distributed energy resource. Consolidated control events are generated from the first plurality of control events and the second plurality of control events, which may be of different priority. Events corresponding to the consolidated control events are sent to the distributed energy resource, the events controlling one or more parameters of the distributed energy resource.

Abstract: A touch sensor system includes touch sensors, drive-sense circuits (DSCs), memory, and a processing module. A DSC drives a first signal via a single line coupling to a touch sensor and simultaneously senses, when present, a second signal that is uniquely associated with a user. The DSC processes the first signal and/or the second signal to generate a digital signal that is representative of an electrical characteristic of the touch sensor. The processing module executes operational instructions (stored in the memory) to process the digital signal to detect interaction of the user with the touch sensor and to determine whether the interaction of the user with the touch sensor compares favorably with authorization. When not authorized, the processing module aborts execution of operation(s) associated with the interaction of the user with the touch sensor. Alternatively, when authorized, the processing module facilitates execution of the operation(s).

Abstract: A battery characterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC), memory that stores operational instructions, and processing module(s) operably coupled to the DSC and the memory. Based on a reference signal, the DSC generates a charge signal, which includes an AC (alternating current) component, and provides the charge signal to a terminal of a battery via a single line and simultaneously to senses the charge signal via the single line to detect an electrical characteristic of the battery based on a response of the battery. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the battery. The processing module(s), based on the operational instructions, generate the reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal (e.g.

Abstract: A touch screen display includes a display, a video graphics processing module, electrodes integrated into at least a portion of the display, and drive-sense circuits coupled to the electrodes. The drive-sense circuits, when enabled and concurrent with the display rendering frames of data into the visible images, detect changes in electrical characteristics of electrodes. At least some drive-sense circuits monitor sensor signals on at least some electrodes. A sensor signal includes a drive signal component and a receive signal component. The at least some drive-sense circuits generate the drive signal components of the sensor signals. The receive signal component is a representation of a change in an electrical characteristic of an electrode of the at least some electrodes when a corresponding drive signal component is applied to the electrode. The change in the electrical characteristic of the electrode is indicative of a proximal touch to the touch screen display.

Abstract: A battery characterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC), memory that stores operational instructions, and processing module(s) operably coupled to the DSC and the memory. Based on a reference signal, the DSC generates a charge signal, which includes an AC (alternating current) component, and provides the charge signal to a terminal of a battery via a single line and simultaneously to senses the charge signal via the single line to detect an electrical characteristic of the battery based on a response of the battery. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the battery. The processing module(s), based on the operational instructions, generate the reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal (e.g.

Abstract: A method for execution by a personal computing device includes detecting an incoming operation. The method further includes transmitting a notice of the incoming operation to a vehicle computing device via a screen-to-screen (STS) communication link. The method further includes receiving an accept message via the STS communication link from the vehicle computing device. The method further includes facilitating the incoming operation via one or more of: one or more inbound STS channels for inbound STS signals and one or more outbound STS channels for outbound STS signals.

Abstract: A method for execution by a vehicle computing system includes establishing a screen-to-screen (STS) communication link with a personal computing device. The method further includes detecting a requested operation of the personal computing device. The method further includes determining whether the requested operation is allowed based on one or more of: operational status of the vehicle, a type of the requested operation, and targeted vehicle occupant. The method further includes, when the requested operation is allowed, establishing one or more of: one or more inbound STS channels for inbound STS signals and one or more outbound STS channels for outbound STS signals. The method further includes facilitating the requested operation via the one or more of: the one or more inbound STS channels and the one or more outbound STS channels.

Abstract: A power supply signal conditioning system includes a power supply, one or more loads, and a drive-sense circuit (DSC). The power supply is operably coupled to one or more loads. When enabled, the power supply configured to output a power supply signal having a DC (direct current) voltage component and a ripple voltage component that is based on conversion of an AC (alternating current) signal in accordance with generating the power supply signal. The DSC is operably coupled to the power supply. When enabled, the DSC is configured simultaneously to sense the power supply signal and, based on sensing of the power supply signal, adaptively to process the power supply signal in accordance with reducing or eliminating the ripple voltage component of the power supply signal to generate a conditioned power supply signal to service the one or more loads.

Abstract: An automated system includes transducers, at least one computing device, and at least one automated apparatus. The transducer(s) is/are driven and sensed using drive-sense circuit(s). A drives and senses drive and sense a transducer via a single line, generates a digital signal representative of a sensed analog feature to which the transducer is exposed, and transmits the digital signal to the computing device. The computing device receives digital signals from at least some of drive-sense circuits and process them in accordance with the automation process to produce an automated process command. The automated apparatus executes a portion of an automated process based on the automated process command.

Abstract: An automated system includes transducers, at least one computing device, and at least one automated apparatus. The transducer(s) is/are driven and sensed using drive-sense circuit(s). A drives and senses drive and sense a transducer via a single line, generates a digital signal representative of a sensed analog feature to which the transducer is exposed, and transmits the digital signal to the computing device. The computing device receives digital signals from at least some of drive-sense circuits and process them in accordance with the automation process to produce an automated process command. The automated apparatus executes a portion of an automated process based on the automated process command.

Abstract: A power supply signal conditioning system includes a power supply, one or more loads, and a drive-sense circuit (DSC). The power supply is operably coupled to one or more loads. When enabled, the power supply configured to output a power supply signal having a DC (direct current) voltage component and a ripple voltage component that is based on conversion of an AC (alternating current) signal in accordance with generating the power supply signal. The DSC is operably coupled to the power supply. When enabled, the DSC is configured simultaneously to sense the power supply signal and, based on sensing of the power supply signal, adaptively to process the power supply signal in accordance with reducing or eliminating the ripple voltage component of the power supply signal to generate a conditioned power supply signal to service the one or more loads.

Abstract: A touch sensor device (TSD) includes TSD electrodes associated with a surface of the TSD. Also, an overlay that includes marker electrode(s) is also associated with at least a portion of the surface of the TSD. The TSD also includes drive-sense circuits (DSCs) operably coupled to the plurality of TSD electrodes. A DSC is configured to provide a TSD electrode signal to a TSD electrode and simultaneously to sense a change of the TSD electrode signal based on a change of impedance of the TSD electrode caused by capacitive coupling between the TSD electrode and the marker electrode(s) of the overlay. Processing module(s) is configured to process a digital signal generated by the DSC to determine characteristic(s) of the overlay that is associated with the at least a portion of the surface of the TSD.

Abstract: A touch sensor system includes touch sensors, drive-sense circuits (DSCs), memory, and a processing module. A DSC drives a first signal via a single line coupling to a touch sensor and simultaneously senses, when present, a second signal that is uniquely associated with a user. The DSC processes the first signal and/or the second signal to generate a digital signal that is representative of an electrical characteristic of the touch sensor. The processing module executes operational instructions (stored in the memory) to process the digital signal to detect interaction of the user with the touch sensor and to determine whether the interaction of the user with the touch sensor compares favorably with authorization. When not authorized, the processing module aborts execution of operation(s) associated with the interaction of the user with the touch sensor. Alternatively, when authorized, the processing module facilitates execution of the operation(s).

Abstract: A Hall effect sensor system includes a Hall effect sensor and a drive-sense circuit (DSC). The Hall effect sensor includes an input port to receive a DC (direct current) current signal and generates a Hall voltage based on exposure to a magnetic field. The DSC generates the DC current signal based on a reference signal and drives it via a single line that operably couples the DSC to the Hall effect sensor and simultaneously to sense the DC current signal via the single line. The DSC detects an effect on the DC current signal corresponding to the Hall voltage that is generated across the Hall effect sensor based on exposure of the Hall effect sensor to the magnetic field and generates a digital signal representative of the Hall voltage.

Abstract: A method includes determining, by one or more processing entities associated with at least one of: one or more low voltage drive circuits (LVDCs) and one or more other LVDCs, an initial data conveyance scheme and an initial communication scheme for each communication of a plurality of communications on one or more lines of a bus. The method further includes determining a desired number of channels for each communication of the plurality of communications based on the initial data conveyance scheme and the initial communication scheme, a desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications based on the desired number of channels, determining whether the desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications exceeds a total number of available channels. If not, allocating the desired number of channels to each communication of the plurality of communications in accordance with the channel allocation mapping.

Abstract: A Hall effect sensor system includes a Hall effect sensor and a drive-sense circuit (DSC). The Hall effect sensor includes an input port to receive a DC (direct current) current signal and generates a Hall voltage based on exposure to a magnetic field. The DSC generates the DC current signal based on a reference signal and drives it via a single line that operably couples the DSC to the Hall effect sensor and simultaneously to sense the DC current signal via the single line. The DSC detects an effect on the DC current signal corresponding to the Hall voltage that is generated across the Hall effect sensor based on exposure of the Hall effect sensor to the magnetic field and generates a digital signal representative of the Hall voltage.

Abstract: A roller-and-rail cargo handling system that includes tracked rollers and side rails for receiving cargo pallets. A trolley system is used to move the pallets along the tracked rollers, which includes a trolley movable along a trolley track by one or more cables. The trolley includes (1) a body sized and configured for sliding beneath the pallet located on the tracked rollers, and (2) a pawl in a cavity of the body which is mounted for rotation between closed and open positions. In the open position the pawl extends above an upper surface of the body to engage a cutout of a pallet and exert a moving force thereto, and in the closed position the pawl is sufficiently within the cavity to permit the trolley to slide beneath the pallet without engagement thereof.

Abstract: A rearview mirror assembly that includes a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing. The rearview mirror assembly further includes a monitoring system that includes an image capturing module, an illumination source connected to the PCB, and an optical element aligned with the illumination source. The optical element is configured to redirect an illumination from the illumination source toward an occupant position in an automobile.