Abstract: A switch mode power supply for feeding a single ended class D amplifier, having. two voltage sources (1, 2) is disclosed. The power supply comprises a voltage equalizer circuit including a coil (10) having a first terminal connected to said common point (3), a first switch (11) connected between a second terminal of the coil (10) and the positive side of the first source (1), a second switch (12) connected between said second terminal of the coil (1) and the negative side of the second source (2), and control circuitry (13, 14) for determining when the voltage (v 1, v2) of one of the voltage sources (1 or 2) exceeds a predetermined threshold value (vthresh,ON), and, in response to such a determination, periodically operate the switch (11 or 12) associated with said one voltage source ON and OFF, thereby redistributing energy from said one voltage source (1 or 2) to the other voltage source (2 or 1).

Abstract: A multi-layered copy protection scheme distinguishes between security failures due to faulty watermark detection schemes and true security failures. At an initial security level, the fault-tolerance is low. If the security test fails at this initial security level, the process enters a next level of security, wherein the fault-tolerance is increased, but at the expense of additional processing time. If the security test again fails at this increased security level, the process enters a higher level of security, wherein the fault-tolerance is further increased, but at the further expense of additional processing time. Eventually, either the security test is passed, and the protected material is rendered, or a determination is made that the failures are not due to faults in the watermark detection process, indicating that the content material is, in fact, copy protected, but not authorized for rendering.

Abstract: Access to information is controlled by maintaining, for a given device or other entity through which information may be accessed, a contact list that includes information identifying one or more other entities which have attempted to communicate with the given entity. The contact list further includes a contact count field specifying, for each of the entities on the contact list, the number of times the corresponding entity has attempted to communicate with the given entity. The contact list is utilized in conjunction with a revocation list stored in a memory associated with the given entity in order to determine which of the other entities are authorized to communicate with the given entity. The contact list is updated after a modification of the revocation list, or if a new entity not already included on the contact list attempts to communicate with the given entity.

Abstract: This device (1) enables the user to personalize the call signal (ringing) which it is called on to deliver. This personalization consists of transforming a melody (FIG. 1) which the user hums into his microphone in order to transform it into a polyphonic melody (FIG. 8). Application: Ringing for mobile telephones.

Abstract: Real-time events are electronically recommended using a fuzzy-now function of time. Real-time experiencing apparatus can be automatically tuned to a particular real-time event using a surf ring related to recommendations or automatically without a user request. Recommendations can be presented on a remote control device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing peer-to-peer communications between televisions wherein a query request is sent from any of the televisions to any other of the televisions. The query request is for information identifying content currently watched on the queried television including samples of the currently watched content. In operation, each television is first identified to each other television. The identifying information includes determining whether a given television may receive content identifying information from each other of the televisions. In some instances, the querying television may only be allowed to receive certain types of content identifying information from the queried television. The identifying of the television is performed by either the televisions or a mediator that is separate from each of the televisions. The televisions receive information identifying what content identifying information a given other television may receive from a user of the televisions.

Abstract: A number of data items are selected for inclusion in a data set so as to discourage a transmission of the entire set over a limited bandwidth communications path, such as the Internet. The data set includes an entirety parameter that is used to determine whether the entirety of the data set is present. In a preferred embodiment, the entirety parameter is a hash value that is based on watermarks of each data item. When presented for rendering, the watermarks of the data items in the presented material are read and a hash value based on the presented watermarks is computed. A mis-match between the computed hash value and the entirety hash value contained in the data set indicates that less than the entirety of the data set is being presented, and the rendering is prohibited.

Abstract: An image processing system processes a sequence of images to generate a statistical model for each of a number of different persons to be tagged so as to be identifiable in subsequent images. The statistical model for a given tagged person incorporates at least one appearance feature, such as color, texture, etc., and at least one geometric feature, such as shape or position of a designated region of similar appearance within one or more images. The models are applied to subsequent images in order to perform a person detection, person location and/or person tracking operation. An action of the image processing system is controlled based on a result of the operation.

Abstract: Method of detecting a watermark embedded in a signal (S), in which a plurality of frames of the signal (S) is combined to a detection set (Dj) for one detection event. According to the invention, the reliability of watermark detection is enhanced by using non-consecutive frames to form the detection set (Dj). The invention also relates to an apparatus (2) for recording and/or playback of a signal, and to a system for broadcast monitoring, comprising such a watermark detector (24).

Abstract: A system comprises an apparatus which is capable of personalizing its behavior in accordance with a user profile, and a gatekeeper device which comprises control means for allowing a user to control said personalization of the apparatus. The gatekeeper device is capable of detecting apparatuses which have personalization capabilities and of notifying the user upon such detection. The user may then decide to establish a relationship with the apparatus, which relationship specifies the extent of personalization which the apparatus is allowed to exhibit and whether confirmation by the user is required at fixture occasions. The user is allowed to change the relationship at any time. The system enables the user to build up anonymous relationships with various apparatuses, providing the user with personalized services while privacy is guaranteed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of transmitting teaching materials by means of an electronic data network, wherein a person to be taught is first shown the teaching material on a client computer system. After the teaching material has been displayed, the person to be taught has the possibility of undergoing a test on the displayed teaching material. The invention also describes a computer network with a server computer system as well as a server computer system.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an infant, child, invalid, or other person requiring care uses computer vision and hearing, and inputs of other modalities, to analyze the status of a caretaker and/or cared-for person and its environment. The conditions are classified as normal or alarm conditions and an informative alarm signal is generated which may include records of the vision audio and other inputs. The system also has the ability to solicit responses from the occupants to stimulate a classifiable input to reduce ambiguity in its state signal.

Abstract: The learning rate used for updating the weights of a self-ordering feature map is determined by a process that injects some type of perturbation into the value so that it is not simply monotonically decreased with each training epoch. For example, the learning rate may be generated according to a pseudorandom process. The result is faster convergence of the synaptic weights.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (4) is described for surface mounting of electrical and/or electronic components, in particular an SMD (surface mounted device) antenna with a ceramic substrate (1) and at least one resonant track structure (20; 30), and such an antenna for single and multiband applications, in particular in the high-frequency and microwave range. Since one end of the track structure (20) of the antenna is connected to the ground metallization (41), a relatively large bandwidth is achieved with small dimensions of the antenna plus the possibility of smaller board design.

Abstract: The invention relates to an information processing device (1), including a user control unit (2) for the selection of units of primary information to be processed and functions to be invoked. The device also includes storage means (3) for storing the primary information. From the selections made by the user the device derives personalizing information concerning the use of the device and the primary information processed with the device. The personalizing information is stored separately and represents a history of the usage of the device, thus making the device more personalized to its owner.

Abstract: An information processing system comprises a plurality of information objects. The system has an input device through which a user can select a particular information object to be processed. An information object has an object representation to allow selection of the information object by the user. The user selects a particular information object on the basis of attributes of the corresponding object representation. In the processing system according to the invention, the object representation has a tactual attribute representative of that object representation and the input device is operative to provide the user with a tactile stimulation on the basis of this tactual attribute.

Abstract: A target database (4) connected to the Internet (NET) is designed to gather entry data (EI) stored in source databases (1, 2, 3) similar in content, which source databases (1, 2, 3) are likewise connected to the Internet (NET). The target database (4) is designed to compare and enter retrieved entry date (EI) into a target memory module (20) of the target database (4), wherein a check is performed, according to the majority principle, as to which of the mutually deviating entry data (EI) are correct. The target database (4) is further designed to notify an administrator of the source data base (1, 2, 3) from which incorrect entry data (EI) were received.

Abstract: A lighting controller is disclosed that automatically adjusts a lighting device based on user activity. The disclosed lighting controller processes at least one of audio and video information to identify predefined user events that suggest that a lighting device should be activated or adjusted. In one implementation, a number of behavior rules define various user activities or events that suggest that the user would like to activate or adjust a lighting device. Each rule contains one or more conditions, and, optionally, a corresponding action-item that should be performed when the rule is satisfied to activate or adjust the lighting device. Upon detection of a predefined event, the corresponding action, if any, is performed by the lighting controller.

Abstract: A system having a video display screen that provides video to a user. The position of the display screen is adjustable based upon the location of the user with respect to the display screen. The system includes at least one image capturing device trainable on a viewing region of the display screen and coupled to a control unit having image recognition software. The image recognition software identifies the user in an image generated by the image capturing device. The software of the control unit also generates at least one measurement of the position of the user based upon the detection of the user in the image.

Abstract: An animated virtual creature is generated on a display such as a television set, in order to simulate a pet or to facilitate user interface functions. In one embodiment, one or more signals corresponding to the program being watched are monitored. When certain events are detected based on this monitoring, the animated character is controlled in a manner that corresponds to the detected event. In another embodiment, the animated virtual creature responds to program selections made by a user in a program recommendation system.