Abstract: A data receiving method used in a powerline environment is used for converting a modulated signal received from a powerline over a data period within a predetermined clear zone after one zero crossing point of the powerline into a data bit. Each data period includes at least one predetermined bit period. The modulated signal is received within the bit period of one data period. The method includes: detecting zero crossing points of the powerline and generating a SYNC signal when a zero crossing point is detected; converting signals contained within the bit period of a data period after each SYNC signal into digital samples; generating an adaptive threshold according to the digital samples converted from the bit periods of a plurality of data periods; and converting the digital samples converted from the modulated signal into the data bit by using the adaptive threshold.

Abstract: A lighting control system (LCS) (50) is provided to remotely and centrally control the operation of lamps and other electrical appliances. The LCS (50) includes a master controller (100), zone controllers (110), slave units (120), an IR controller (160). The master controller (100), zone controllers (110), and slave units (120) are electrically linked together over a common powerline through a process of installation. A process of verification is provided to confirm that the master controller (100), zone controllers (110), and slave units (120) are installed properly. The slave units (120) are further linked with a corresponding electrical appliance. Appropriate commands applied by a user of the LCS (50) to the master controller (100), the zone controllers (110), the slave units (120), and the IR controller (160) control the operation of electrical appliances individually or collectively. The LCS (50) allows the program and recall of configurations of operating levels of the electrical appliances.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telephone answering machine which can be initiated after a telephone connection is established. It comprises a memory for storing out-going messages and incoming messages, a voice processing circuit for playing the out-going messages stored in the memory and recording incoming messages into the memory, a line interface circuit connected to an external telephone network for connecting the voice processing circuit to the telephone network, a microprocessor for controlling the voice processing circuit and the line interface circuit, and a recording key connected to the microprocessor wherein the microprocessor establishes a telephone connection between the voice processing circuit and the telephone network by using the line interface circuit and initiates the voice processing circuit to play an outgoing message and record incoming messages after the recording key is actuated.

Abstract: An error sensing method for increasing error control accuracy and efficiency of a data block having a plurality of ECC (error control code) coded words transmitted through a communication media, the method comprising the steps of:(1) inserting a plurality of sensing bits into one or more predetermined positions within the data block;(2) modulating and transmitting the data block to the communication media;(3) receiving and demodulating the data block from the communication media;(4) extracting the sensing bits out of the received data block and calculating a BER by using the extracted sensing bits; and(5) requesting for retransmission if the BER of the received data block is worse than a predetermined BER1 which is approximately equal to the ratio of the number of maximum detectable errors of the ECC to the number of bits contained in one ECC coded word.

Abstract: This invention relates to a gain control system for handling periodic noises to facilitate receiving of data signals in a noisy environment such as a powerline. The gain control system includes a period detector for detecting periods of the periodic noises and generating a SYNC signal for each detected period; a signal converter for digitizing the input signals; signal analyzing means for analyzing the digitized input signals received between two SYNC signals and generating a gain control table for flattening the periodic noises contained between two SYNC signals; a gain controller for amplifying the input signals; and a control signal generator for generating a sequence of gain control signals according to the gain control table after each SYNC signal to control the gain controller whereby the periodic noises contained between each pair of SYNC signals are flattened by the gain controller.