Abstract: A system for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprises at least one battery for storing energy. The system also comprises a controller for determining when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit; and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from the battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit. The determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply.

Abstract: A wireless receiver, in the form of a mobile telephone, includes a DAB receiver and a GSM/GPRS transceiver which enables bi-directional point-to-point data communications via a service provider. The DAB receiver is arranged to receive media data from an over-the-air broadcast channel, the media data primarily representing television and radio streams. In order that the streams can be decoded and decrypted by media playing software on the wireless receiver, a provisioning operation is employed to provide NSC header files and DRM licenses to users in response to them making content requests. The header files and licenses are sent over a separate data channel and in advance of the broadcast content.

Abstract: A system for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprises at least one battery for storing energy. The system also comprises a controller for determining when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit; and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from the battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit. The determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply.

Abstract: The degree of degradation imposed on signals transmitted over a communications link from a transmitter to a receiver is tested. A predetermined test signal is transmitted using spare capacity detected by a voice activity detector when no speech is to be transmitted over the communications link. The test signal received by the receiver is compared with the reference signal, and a measure of the degradation of signals caused by the communications link is generated therefrom.

Abstract: A wireless receiver (17), in the form of a mobile telephone, comprises a DAB receiver (31) and a GSM/GPRS transceiver (29) which enables bi-directional point-to-point data communications via a service provider (55). The DAB receiver (31) is arranged to receive media data from an over-the-air broadcast channel, the media data primarily representing television and radio streams. In order that the streams can be decoded and decrypted by media playing software (47) on the wireless receiver (17), a provisioning operation is employed to provide NSC header files and DRM licences to users in response to them making content requests. The header files and licenses are sent over a separate data channel and in advance of the broadcast content.

Abstract: The perceptual quality of voice signals used for Voice over IP (VoIP) systems is assessed. The content of the voice data packets may be altered in order to increase the perceived quality of the VoIP system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test method which can determine whether a user terminal is capable of supporting a real time connection, such as a computer telephony link, with a network terminal while simultaneously supporting a connection with a WWW server.

Abstract: The perceptibility of degradations caused to signals transmitted over a transmission medium is measured by generating one or more predetermined transmission degradation conditions (et) and subjecting a test signal (St) to the transmission degradation conditions (et) in a network simulation device. The degree M(e) to which the or each transmission degradation condition (et) is perceptible to the human perceptual system is measured and a data set is generated and stored for converting one or more transmission degradation conditions (et) to respective values of perceptibility M(e). The data set may be a look-up table or an empirically determined formula. The data set may then be used on live traffic (S?), by identifying objectively measured transmission degradation conditions (e) in the received signal (S?) and retrieving from the data set in the data storage means (7) a value of perceptibility (M) associated with the transmission degradation conditions (e) so identified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test method which can determine whether a user terminal is capable of supporting a real time connection, such as a computer telephony link, with a network terminal whilst simultaneously supporting a connection with a WWW server.

Abstract: Apparatus for assessing the performance of telecommunications systems by comparison of a reference signal with the same signal as degraded by the system under test tends to give unreliable results when used to test connectionless packet-switching equipment. This is because variable delay in delivery of the individual packets can result in the test signal and reference signal becoming unsynchronised. This may lead to the apparatus recording a poorer performance than a human tester would have recorded. To overcome this problem, the invention separates the test signal into a series of individual sections, which are synchgronised and analysed separately, and a quality value, aggregated over all the sections, is derived.

Abstract: The perceptibility of degradations caused to signals transmitted over a transmission medium is measured by generating one or more predetermined transmission degradation conditions (et) and subjecting a test signal (St) to the transmission degradation conditions (et) in a network simulation device (3). The degree M(e) to which the or each transmission degradation condition (et) imperceptible to the human perceptual system is measured and a data set is generated and stored to converting one or more transmission degradation conditions (et) to respective values of perceptibility M(e). The data set may be a look-up table or an empirically determined formula. The data set may then be used on live traffic (S′), by identifying objectively measured transmission degradation conditions (e) in the received signal (S′) and retrieving from the data set in the data storages means (7) a value of perceptibility (M) associated with the transmission degradation conditions (e) so identified.

Abstract: The invention provides a method whereby the perceptual quality of voice signals used for Voice over IP (VoIP) systems is assessed. The content of the voice data packets may be altered in order to increase the perceived quality of the VoIP system.

Abstract: A method of testing the degree of degradation imposed on signals transmitted over a communications link from a transmitter to a receiver, comprises the steps of transmitting a predetermined test signal using spare capacity detected by a voice activity detector when no speech is to be transmitted over the communications link, comparing the test signal received by the receiver with the reference signal, and generating therefrom a measure of the degradation of signals caused by the communications link. Typically the test signal is longer than the speech gaps, so a part of the test signal in each such gap, the receiver assembling a complete version of the degraded test signal for comparison with the reference signal.

Abstract: A test stimulus includes two signals RR, S. Signal S is transmitted to a customer equipment interface and over a system under test to a complementary remote apparatus. The test apparatus has two inputs processed by a number of functional elements. The first input is the reference signal RR. The other input is a corresponding test signal R′ generated at remote test apparatus as a test signal R, identical with reference signal RR, and transmitted over the system under test via the customer interface. These two versions of the same test signal are compared. Firstly, the signals RR, R′ are processed by a psycho-acoustic model, the output of which is transmitted to a perceptual layer, and then to a conversion unit which also receives a further input from a non-optimum loudness rating unit. The output from the conversion unit is transmitted to a signal quality determination unit, which also receives an input from the customer equipment interface.

Abstract: A communications system is tested to simulate a realistic conversation. A first measurement device make a call, through the system it is testing, to a second measurement device and the two devices converse using predetermined speech generated dynamically by each device in response to the signals received from the other, to simulate aspects of conversation over non-perfect communications system link. The progress of the conversation will therefore take different courses according to the quality of the link. For example, if an expected signal is detected by one device, it transmits an appropriate predetermined response to the other device. However, if the expected signal is corrupted, or not received at all, different predetermined responses (or no response at all) are transmitted to the other device. This in turn may cause the other device to repeat the original signal.

Abstract: A system for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprises at least one battery for storing energy. The system also comprises a controller for determining when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit; and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from the battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit. The determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply.

Abstract: A system for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprises at least one battery for storing energy. The system also comprises a controller for determining when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit; and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from the battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit. The determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply.