Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100207454 | DC PLANT CONTROLLER AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AMONG MULTIPLE POWER SOURCES AND DC PLANT EMPLOYING THE SAME - Various embodiments of a DC plant controller, methods of selecting among multiple power sources and DC plants incorporating the DC plant controller or the method. In one embodiment, the DC plant controller includes: (1) a source identifier configured to identify power sources couplable to a common DC bus, (2) a source prioritizer coupled to the source identifier and configured to prioritize the power sources based on at least one criterion and (3) an output characteristic assigner coupled to the source prioritizer and configured to assign output characteristics to the power sources that differ from one another as a function of the priority. | 08-19-2010 |
20100231170 | ADAPTIVE LOW VOLTAGE DISCONNECT CONTROLLER, METHOD OF PROTECTING A BATTERY AND A POWER SYSTEM MANAGER - Provided herein is a controller for a low voltage disconnect (LVD), a method of protecting and providing a maximum or substantially maximum battery reserve coupled to a DC load bus and a power system manager. In one embodiment, the LVD controller includes an adaptive disconnect system configured to determine a variable LVD threshold voltage value and instruct the LVD to disconnect a battery reserve from a DC load bus based thereon. The variable LVD threshold voltage is determined based on a current of the battery reserve during a battery-discharge event. | 09-16-2010 |
20110148207 | HYBRID ARCHITECTURE FOR DC POWER PLANTS AND A METHOD OF MINIMIZING BATTERY CONDUCTOR CURRENT - Included herein is a DC power plant, a DC power system and a method of reducing battery current. In one embodiment, the DC power plant includes: (1) a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, the rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at the AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at the DC power output and (2) a controller configured to monitor a battery current associated with a battery distribution conductor coupled to the rectifier system for a remote battery system and dynamically adjust the DC output voltage to maintain the battery current at substantially zero amperes. | 06-23-2011 |
20120195081 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING DC POWER SYSTEM EFFICIENCY WITHOUT REQUIRING A LARGE BATTERY RESERVE - A system for increasing parallel rectifier DC power system efficiency. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a controller configured to sense and classify a load magnitude change into groups including large load transients and moderate load transients and (2) at least one rectifier coupled to the controller and configured to transition from a stand-by mode to an active mode upon an occurrence of one of a large load transient and a moderate load transient. | 08-02-2012 |
20120212060 | DC PLANT FOR SELECTING AMONG MULTIPLE POWER SOURCES - Various embodiments of a DC plant. In one embodiment, the DC plant includes (1) power sources couplable to a common DC bus, (2) rectifiers and DC-DC converters associated with the power sources and (3) a DC plant controller. The DC plant controller includes a source identifier configured to identify the power sources, a source prioritizer coupled to the source identifier and configured to prioritize the power sources based on at least one criterion, and an output characteristic assigner coupled to the source prioritizer. | 08-23-2012 |
20120217810 | DC PLANT CONTROLLER AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AMONG MULTIPLE POWER SOURCES - Various embodiments of a DC plant controller and methods of selecting among multiple power sources. In one embodiment, the DC plant controller includes: (1) a source identifier configured to identify power sources couplable to a common DC bus, (2) a source prioritizer coupled to the source identifier and configured to prioritize the power sources based on at least one criterion, (3) an output characteristic assigner coupled to the source prioritizer and configured to place ones of the power sources on standby based on a calculated battery holdup time | 08-30-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080319961 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ACCESSING INFORMATION RELATING TO RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS - A method for enabling a music listener to receive audio or auxiliary information about a particular musical selection includes providing a database storing a plurality of musical selections and auxiliary information relating to each selection. A request from a remote location is received, where the request is to obtain audio or auxiliary information about one of the musical selections stored in the database. The audio or auxiliary information is communicated to the requester. | 12-25-2008 |
20090307724 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GRAZING TELEVISION CHANNELS FROM AN ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE - A television system comprises an electronic program guide (EPG) including a picture-in-picture (PIP) window and means for returning to a last channel viewed full screen (LCF) in a television viewing mode prior to entering the guide mode. The EPG displays a program list including a listing for the LCF and text identifying it as such. This last channel listing is positioned at the top of a program list area in the guide. The viewer returns directly to the LCF in the television viewing mode by setting a cursor to the last channel listing prior to exiting the guide mode. In guides including listings for future programs, the last channel listing remains in a designated position of the program list area. To return to the LCF from the guide mode, the viewer cursors to the last channel listing in the program list and then presses a GUIDE/TV button, designates the LCF as the default channel to which the system automatically tunes when exiting the guide mode, or presses a LAST CHANNEL button on the remote control unit to simultaneously exit the guide mode and tune the system to the LCF. Alternately, the system may employ separate television and PIP tuners. In the guide mode, the television input is switched to the PIP tuner and the television tuner remains tuned to the LCF. Thus, when the viewer reselects the television viewing mode, the program being telecast on the LCF is displayed full screen. | 12-10-2009 |
20100275230 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND RELATED TEXT - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time or stored video clip images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 10-28-2010 |
20110167451 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING, STORING AND PROCESSING ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE DATA FOR ON-SCREEN DISPLAY - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 07-07-2011 |
20120030698 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PARENTAL CONTROL USING V-CHIP PLUS+ AND MASTER PASSWORD - A method and apparatus for exercising access control over television programs using a parental control user interface that has different functions is provided. The method requires a password to enter into a master mode for obtaining access to all the functions of the parental control user interface. Once in the master mode, the user may enter a criterion for blocking a television program from being viewed or recorded or the user can override an already blocked television program. | 02-02-2012 |
20120167136 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND RELATED TEXT - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time or stored video clip images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 06-28-2012 |
20140196074 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PARENTAL CONTROL USING V-CHIP PLUS+ AND MASTER PASSWORD - A method and apparatus for exercising access control over television programs using a parental control user interface that has different functions is provided. The method requires a password to enter into a master mode for obtaining access to all the functions of the parental control user interface. Once in the master mode, the user may enter a criterion for blocking a television program from being viewed or recorded or the user can override an already blocked television program. | 07-10-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080301733 | Method and system for displaying advertisements between schedule listings - In one embodiment, the invention is a system and method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG). The system displays television schedule information in rows of schedule information items including the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items. An advertisement is selected for display from a plurality of advertisements, and the selected advertisement is displayed between two rows of the schedule information items simultaneously with the displayed television schedule information items. | 12-04-2008 |
20100223643 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISEMENTS BETWEEN SCHEDULE LISTINGS - In one embodiment, the invention is a system and method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG). The system displays television schedule information in rows of schedule information items including the time and channel for least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items. An advertisement is selected for display from a plurality of advertisements, and the selected advertisement is displayed between two rows of the schedule information items simultaneously with the displayed television schedule information items. | 09-02-2010 |
20100247071 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING A DATABASE OF TELEVISION SCHEDULE INFORMATION - Compressed codes of as few as 1 to 8 digits, which are decoded by a decoder to convert the compressed code into channel, date, time and length information, identify single TV programs or a category of programs and are stored at a central location accessible over telephone lines through pay-per-use, toll free or regular toll numbers from remote locations. The channel, date, time and length information is used to select channels, start recording, and stop recording at the appropriate time or to control viewing on a TV. | 09-30-2010 |
20100247072 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING A DATABASE OF TELEVISION SCHEDULE INFORMATION - Compressed codes of as few as 1 to 8 digits, which are decoded by a decoder to convert the compressed code into channel, date, time and length information, identify single TV programs or a category of programs and are stored at a central location accessible over telephone lines through pay-per-use, toll free or regular toll numbers from remote locations. The channel, date, time and length information is used to select channels, start recording, and stop recording at the appropriate time or to control viewing on a TV. | 09-30-2010 |
20130067507 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PARENTAL CONTROL USING V-CHIP PLUS+ AND MASTER PASSWORD - A method and apparatus for exercising access control over television programs using a parental control user interface that has different functions is provided. The method requires a password to enter into a master mode for obtaining access to all the functions of the parental control user interface. Once in the master mode, the user may enter a criterion for blocking a television program from being viewed or recorded or the user can override an already blocked television program. | 03-14-2013 |