Abstract: This invention relates to a device and a method of generating a first and a second fingerprint (102,104) usable for synchronization of at least two signals (101,103) and corresponding method and device for synchronizing two or more signals. A fingerprint pair is generated on the basis of a segment of a first signal e.g. an audio signal and of a segment of a second signal e.g. a video signal at each synchronization time point. The generated fingerprint pair(s) are stored in a database (203) and communicated or distributed to a synchronization device (303). During synchronization, fingerprint(s) of the audio signal and fingerprint(s) of the video signal to be synchronized are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, the fingerprints also determine the synchronization time point, which is used to synchronize the two signals. In this way, a simple, reliable and efficient way of synchronizing at least two signals is obtained.

Abstract: A device, multilayer record carrier and method are given for providing information in a controlled way. The multilayer record carrier has spiral angle information to be applied and/or verified while accessing the content of the record carrier. Thereto a spiral angle (55) between two data layers of the multilayer record carrier is detected. The spiral angle indicates an actual rotational angle between a first predetermined location (51) on the first data layer (40) and a second predetermined location (52) on the second data layer (41). The spiral angle information and the spiral angle for controlling are combined for controlling said providing of information, e.g. for copy protection, various versions of software or for providing a parameter to identify the record carrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ad-hoc network (100) comprising a network device (201) for configuration management. The network device (201) comprises a traffic monitoring processor (211) which monitors traffic between different network elements. The network device (201) further comprises a configuration processor (213) which determines combined configuration information for at least a first and second network element in response to the monitored traffic. The combined configuration information is stored in a data store (215) and may be communicated to other network elements. The network device (201) may thus derive combined configuration information which relates to more than one network element and may specifically determine combined configuration information in the context of location, connections and history of the ad-hoc network (100). The stored combined configuration information may be used to initiate a replacement network element or to emulate the functionality of an existing network element.

Abstract: A computer system includes a system memory (SM) and a non-volatile memory (NVM). The computer system is arranged to copy at least a part of the system state, stored in the system memory during a clean boot-up procedure, into the non-volatile memory (209, 329). During subsequent start-ups of the computer system, the system state is copied from the non-volatile memory into the system memory (205, 305), resulting in a significantly faster system start-up. In case the configuration of the computer system has changed, the complete boot-up procedure is executed again and the new system state is copied into the non-volatile memory, overwriting the previously stored system state.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device and a method of relating one or more trigger actions with a multimedia signal and corresponding method and device for detecting one or more trigger actions in a multimedia signal. One fingerprint is generated on the basis of a segment of the multimedia signal at each trigger time point. The generated fingerprint(s) is stored in a database and communicated to playback devices. During playback fingerprints of the multimedia signal are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, associated trigger actions is retrieved. The trigger time point is determined as a time point near or at a segment of the multimedia signal that caused a fingerprint to match. In this way, a simple and reliable way of detecting trigger markers for trigger actions is enabled without modifying the multimedia signal.

Abstract: A universal memory device is presented that provides adaptability to existing hardware and software environments. The memory can “mimic” existing memory technology combining the advantages of integration all memory capacity in to one single technology and still providing the implicit protections and access characteristics known from the different existing memory technologies.

Abstract: A PVR device (10) having a varying size time-shift buffer (22) that provides a guaranteed minimum replay time for a more consistent consumer experience. The PVR device includes a video data storage means (24), a video input means (12), a video output means (32), a user input means (28), an input module (30) for receiving the video input data and writing the video input in the time-shift buffer (22), an output module (32) for reading the written video data from the time-shift buffer (22) and displaying it via the video output means (32) and a trimming module (42) for reducing the size of the time-shift buffer (22).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a write controller (10) for a memory with a plurality of non-volatile storage cells, a read controller for a memory with a plurality of nonvolatile storage cells, to a combined write/read controller, to a solid state device comprising a memory with a plurality of non-volatile storage cells, a programmer device for writing a binary code to a non-volatile memory, to a method for writing data comprising at least one input bit to a memory having non-volatile storage cells, and to a method for controlling the integrity of data comprising at least one input bit stored in non-volatile storage cells of a memory. The invention provides a reliable detection of changes that have occurred to the content of a non-volatile memory. The basic concept of the present invention is to extend information stored in a non-volatile memory by at least one checking bit. The checking bit is allocated to one code bit, or to each of a plurality of code bits.

Abstract: The present invention provides a special structure of magnetic elements, e.g. MRAM elements (10, 11), as a security device (30) for IC's containing magnetic memory cells. The structure may comprise a combination of two or more associated magnetic elements (10, 11) with pre-set anti-parallel magnetization directions. By determining the polarisation directions of the magnetic elements, exposure to an external magnetic field can be detected. Inverse polarisation directions indicate a normal situation, aligned polarisation directions indicate that the MRAM-array has been exposed to an external field. In this way it can be detected whether it has been tried to erase or alter the data stored in the MRAM in an illegal way. The IC can regularly check the resistance of the security system during operation. Upon detection of a field exposure, the IC can erase all MRAM data, or can reset itself or block its functioning.

Abstract: Method for writing a label on a recordable record carrier (1), the record carrier adhering to a predefined, standardized condition with respect to a physical parameter. The method retrieves label information, parameter information on the physical parameter, which parameter information is of a higher precision than the precision of the physical parameter mentioned in the pre-defined, standardized condition (22), and writing the label information on the optical disc using the parameter information (26). The invention further relates to a device for performing the method. Retrieving parameter information on the physical parameter with a higher precision than the precision of the physical parameter mentioned in the pre-defined, standardized condition enables writing such a label without a significant distortion in the label.

Abstract: The invention relates to a record carrier (1) comprising an area for storing data, the record carrier adhering to a pre-defined, standardized condition with respect to a physical parameter. The record carrier comprises parameter information on the physical parameter, which parameter information is of a higher precision than the precision of the physical parameter mentioned in the pre-defined, standardized condition. Using this high precision parameter information, it is possible to derive the exact position of a visible image pixel data making up a label. This parameter information thus enables a recorder to write a visible label on the record carrier according to the invention.

Abstract: When booting a personal computer, it needs to find instructions immediately to tell it what to run to start up the personal computer. These it finds within the so-called basic input/output system (BIOS) program. Usually the BIOS program is stored in a separate location, for example a ROM. It is usually shadowed into system memory (SM) to speed up its operation. The copying of the BIOS program to system memory (SM), amongst others, causes the boot process to be a relatively slow process. In the present invention, the system memory (SM) comprises a persistent system memory (PSM) and the BIOS program is stored in the persistent system memory (PSM). Furthermore, selected information used by the BIOS program is stored in persistent system memory (PSM) as well. As a result, the speed of booting the personal computer is significantly increased.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for managing memory space of a persistent-memory device and to a memory management device. The memory management method of the invention comprises a step of allocating (S14) at least one first part of said memory space to a file system (74) upon request from said file system (74) or from an application (70). The method and the device of the present invention enable a dynamical allocation of persistent-memory space to a file system. This way, the memory space of a persistent memory is effectively used also for write-caching. At the same time, write-caching and storing steps can be accelerated.

Abstract: In a file system and in particular in a real-time file system it might not be possible to write a data to disc completely. Nevertheless the data that has been written to disc is often still useful, for example in case of an MPEG-stream. Marking parts of the file defective in the file system providing meta-data enables an application to perform application specific error correction or error concealment By using a filter driver, the file system can be extended with this error handling, thus making this functionality available to every application.

Abstract: An improved method and arrangement for detecting a watermark in an information (e.g. image or video) signal are disclosed. The detection is more reliable and less vulnerable to image processing by partitioning the image into a sequence of blocks having a predetermined size, accumulating the blocks, computing a value indicative of the correlation of the accumulated blocks and the watermark having the predetermined size, and detecting whether the correlation value is larger than a predetermined threshold.