Abstract: An antenna arrangement comprises a patch conductor (102) supported substantially parallel to a ground plane (104). The patch conductor includes first (106) and second (108) connection points, for connection to radio circuitry, and further incorporates a slot (202) between the first and second points. The antenna can be operated in a plurality of modes by variations in the impedances connected to the first and second points. For example, if signals are fed to the first point (106) then a high frequency antenna is obtained by connecting the second point (108) to ground and a low frequency antenna by leaving the second point (108) open circuit. A wide range of embodiments having alternative connection arrangements are possible.

Abstract: An antenna diversity system includes at least two antennas. Each antenna may be connected via a common connection point to a receiver by a respective switch which presents a low impedance connection between the antenna and receiver in the on state and a substantially reactive load to the antenna in the off state. Selection of appropriate impedances for the off state load enables the antennas to function as an array with a variety of beam patterns depending on the state of the switches. Cycling through a sequence of switch states steers the antenna beam providing improved resistance to fading and multipath effects. Alternatively, the antennas may be connected to a hybrid coupler, which enables two beam patterns to be available simultaneously for signal quality measurement and comparison.

Abstract: A remote control device provides commands and options based on the configuration of components in a user's environment, and based on a defined user activity. A storage device contains a user profile that includes the configuration of components at the user's environment, and defined set of user activities, such as “watching television”, “viewing a movie”, “watching a sports program”, and so on. Each user activity has a corresponding mapping of keys on the remote control device to facilitate the user activity. When the user identifies a preferred activity, the remote control device communicates commands to the components of the system to support the activity, and subsequently communicates commands to each component corresponding to this activity. A user may define multiple user activities, and the storage device may contain configurations and activities from multiple users.

Abstract: In a method for inter-frequency handover of a mobile station from forward and reverse links with a current base station of a wireless cellular system to new forward and reverse links usually with a new base station utilizing a CDMA modulation type, dropped calls are substantially eliminated by increasing spreading factor during the handover. Thus, a handover command is sent from the current base station to the mobile station which identifies a new operating frequency, a final spreading factor, and a starting spreading factor which is at least double, and preferably at least four times, the final spreading factor. The mobile station switches its operating frequency in accordance with the identified new operating frequency, and establishes new forward and reverse links from the mobile station at the new operating frequency and the identified starting spreading factor with the new base station.

Abstract: A remote control device comprises a telephone and a touch screen functionality to enable the user to participate in interactive TV programs and interact with advertisements. This approach is independent of the infrastructure delivering traditional content, and independent of the configuration of an STB.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus has a protection device which includes a random number generator for producing a random number unique to the electronic apparatus. The random number is stored as a personality data in a memory when the electronic apparatus is switched on for the first time. Subsequently, a comparator compares the random number with the personality data stored in the memory and prevents operation of the electronic apparatus device and/or memory access when the comparison result indicates that the random number and personality data are different. The random number generator is formed by a voltage divider of resistors having large tolerances and/or being chosen randomly, where the voltage divider output is converted to a digital value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a network station (1) comprising a selector switch (4) for coupling a switching center (2) to a POTS or ISDN telephone, and a detection circuit (3). After the detection circuit (3) has been made operative or after the mode change from the POTS mode to the ISDN mode, the detection circuit (3) controls the selector switch (4) such that this switch goes to the ISDN mode and thus couples the switching center (2) to an ISDN network terminator (11). When the ISDN mode is changed into the POTS mode, the selector switch (4) is actuated by the detection circuit (3) so that the switch couples the switching center (2) to the POTS telephone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fault condition protection for a lighting control circuit is presented. The method consists of a hybrid software and hardware solution to take advantage of the useful attributes of both. In the event of a fault condition being detected the software set driving signals to the light are rapidly blocked via hardware. In the event the fault condition persists, software modifies the driving signals to the light.

Abstract: In a transceiver comprising a time-division-duplex (TDD) of transmit and receive functions, the characteristics of unwanted image signal energy being transmitted from the transceiver are determined, and thereafter feedback is provided to the transmitter to reduce this unwanted image signal energy. The image signal energy is measured by the receiver component of the transceiver and fed back to the transmitter component of the transceiver. The transmitter component uses the fed back information to adjust the gain and or phase relationship between the quadrature signals that are subsequently quadrature-phase modulated and transmitted. A variety of techniques can be employed to allow the image signal energy to be measured directly by the receiver component. The phase modulation signals at the transmitter can be interchanged, so that the unwanted image signal energy is transmitted in the sideband of the intended signal.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing resolution in a video image includes acquiring a relatively low resolution video signal and applying a peaking function and analyzing the peaked signal to identify potential edges. The low resolution signal is then upconverted to a higher resolution format. Actual edges in the image are detected and linked in the higher resolution format, and a luminance transition improvement function is applied to the edges to sharpen the image. Analysis of the image while at low resolution reduces computation time, yet still produces a high quality output image.

Abstract: A transceiver is disclosed having a baseband unit which outputs baseband signals and a modulator which modulates the baseband signals to output a modulated signal. A transmitter amplifier amplifies the modulated signal and outputs a transmit signal to a duplexer. The transceiver further includes a receive amplifier which receives a receive signal from the duplexer, where the receive amplifier has a gain which is modulated by an envelope signal which is proportional to the transmit signal, such as being proportional to the power or square root of the power of the transmit signal. The envelope signal is provided by either the baseband unit or by an envelope detector which receives the output of the receive amplifier. The envelope signal may also be provided by a rectifier which rectifies the output of the receive amplifier.

Abstract: A low IF receiver frequency translates an input signal in quadrature related mixers, filters in respective low pass channel filters, and derotates to produce a wanted signal and its image. At switch-on, the receiver is operated as a zero IF receiver in order to determine which of the adjacent channels to the wanted channel has the smaller interferer, and the local oscillator frequency supplied to the mixers is then adjusted to bring that interferer into the channel bandwidth of the low pass channel filters.

Abstract: Disclosed are a lithium battery and methods for the manufacture thereof. Such a lithium battery includes a stack of a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode. In the manufacturing methods, a pattern of holes is produced in the negative electrode as well as in the positive electrode, and a polymeric material is caused to penetrate the holes, whereby the negative electrode, the positive electrode and the separator are stuck and pressed together. Moreover, the negative electrode and the positive electrode are provided with an alignment pattern which can be used for the purpose of aligning the electrodes. The presence of such an alignment pattern facilitates the alignment of the layers with respect to each other.

Abstract: A substrate of a display device is provided with markers which ensure accurate alignment of the display device with respect to a housing of an electronic device which includes the display device. By using e.g. V-shaped notches in the substrate edge, easy mechanical alignment with other parts of the device is obtained.

Abstract: A method of operating a radio communication system uses a random access channel to enable a secondary station to transmit a message to a primary station. The secondary station transmits a preamble to the primary station. After successful receipt of the preamble the primary station transmits a control channel including power control information to instruct the secondary station to adjust the output power of its transmitter. This method ensures that the secondary station transmits at a sufficient power for the message to be received successfully by the primary station, while minimizing interference generated by the transmission.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a lithium battery having a stack of a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode. A pattern of holes is produced in the negative electrode as well as in the positive electrode. A polymeric material is applied on at least one side of the stack and the stack is subjected to heat and pressure, so that the polymeric material penetrates the holes, whereby components are stuck and pressed together. The polymeric material includes bulges which are at least partially located at the ends of holes in the electrode (s). The provision of such bulges of polymeric material makes enough polymeric material available to fill the holes and stick together the electrodes and the separator, while on the outer sides of the stack, in between the holes, the polymeric material can be very thin or even be absent.

Abstract: An ESD diode protects a circuit against electrostatic discharge (ESD). The ESD diode has four adjacent regions. The first and third regions are formed by doping a semiconductor substrate so that it has a P-type conductivity. The second and fourth regions are formed by doping the semiconductor substrate so that it has an N-type conductivity. The first region is for connection to a signal terminal of the circuit being protected when the fourth region is connected to a positive power line of the circuit. The fourth region is for connection to the signal terminal when the first region is connected to the ground line or a negative power line of the circuit.

Abstract: A coding device includes a coding circuit for converting a digital input into a coded output having a greater number of bits than the input, an interleaving circuit for combining a plurality of words of the coded output and producing therefrom a data block having a plurality of the interleaved words, and a puncturing circuit or repeating circuit for puncturing or repeating bits from the data block. The puncturing or repeating circuit uses a deleting or repeating pattern to provide data words for transmission during respective frames of a transmission channel. The deleting or repeating pattern is selected depending upon the characteristics of the coding circuit and of the interleaving circuit. The coding device is for use in a cordless communication system.

Abstract: A liquid crystal color display screen is provided with an electro-optical medium, two parallel transparent substrates by which the electro-optical medium is flanked, a device that influences the transmission state of the electro-optical medium, and a phosphor layer having at least two phosphors on the first substrate. A radiation source emits radiation having a maximum emission at a wavelength &lgr;1 <360 nm. The radiation source is situated at the side of the second substrate. The screen also includes a UV phosphor that transforms the radiation having a maximum emission at a wavelength &lgr;1<360 nm to radiation having a maximum emission at a wavelength &lgr;2>360 nm.

Abstract: A converter converts a DC voltage UBat into an output direct voltage Uout, in particular in TV or computer screens. The converter includes a full-bridge circuit for chopping the DC voltage UBar into an AC voltage U˜ on its output and a switching circuit for converting the AC voltage U˜ into the output direct voltage Uout of the converter. The converter further includes a control circuit for generating control signals to drive controllable switching elements in the full-bridge circuit. The output voltage Uout remains stable even during a switching of the full-bridge circuit between two operating modes due to the control circuit only carrying out this switching during a dead time interval ttot, during which at least one of the switching elements is switched off.