Abstract: A speech-actuated control system for use with a consumer product, and in particular, in an automotive vehicle, recognizes a speech command and has a sequencer for after the recognition, effecting a change of state in the control. In particular, a plurality of different commands are recognized. The system has a mechanical actuator for, after the recognition, allowing a specifier command for specifying the most recently recognized speech command. The specifying effects a differential setting change in either of two opposite directions.

Abstract: A database system comprises an individual station with berth means for receiving an optically readable information carrier with local information. The system reads the carrier and furthermore receives remotely supplied secondary information. It has a processor for processing both local information and secondary information to produce output information, and a user interface for presenting said output information to a user. In particular, the carrier has a read-only part, and a write part for storage of at least one decryption key. The processor is arranged for decrypting the secondary information using said at least one decryption key.

Abstract: A manually operated or automatic equalizer (1) with adjustable band filters for varying the frequency characteristic of an electric signal presented to an input (2) and for applying a frequency characteristic-adapted electric signal to an output (3). The equalizer has a plurality of band filters (F.sub.1 to Fn) with their bands located adjacent to one another in a given frequency range. The distance (frequency separation) between the central frequencies of filters having neighboring bands is greater than the distance between the central frequencies of one third octave filters having neighboring bands located at at least approximately the same frequencies as those of the band filters (F.sub.i). At least those band filters (F.sub.1 to F.sub.m) whose bands are located in the low-frequency part (f<450 Hz) of the frequency range have a central frequency (fc.sub.i) which is variable. A digital filter which can be used as a band filter in the equalizer is also described.

Abstract: The noise-dependent volume control in accordance with the invention is capable of distinguishing between the real background noise and speech in a space (8). The gain (A) of the amplifier (1) is corrected only depending on the level of the background noise, so that once a difference in level between the background noise and a desired signal has been set this is maintained. The volume control is based on repeated measurements of the acoustic signal in the space (8). If it appears that in at least one frequency range the measured energy content (E.sub.i) has fallen at least N times within a range of values .DELTA.M around a value (M.sub.i) stored in a memory (26) the gain factor is adapted.

Abstract: The equalizing arrangement in accordance with the invention comprises an equalizing unit (4) for correcting the frequency characteristic of an electric signal applied to its first input (7) under the influence of a control signal (10) applied to its second input (8) and for supplying a corrected electric signal to its output (9), and a frequency analyzing unit (16) having a first input (15) coupled to a point in the signal path between the input terminal (1) and the first input (7) of the equalizing unit (4), a second input (17) coupled to the pick-up means (14) and an output (19) for supplying the control signal (10).The analyzing unit (16) is constructed to apply a Fourier transform to the previously digitized input signals x(t) and y(t) applied to its first and its second input, to compute Fourier-transformed signals F.sub.x (f) and F.sub.y (f) of these two signals and to compute a transfer function between these two signals.

Abstract: A loudspeaker system for converting an n-bit digitized electric signal (11) into an acoustic signal comprises an electrodynamic loudspeaker (1) with n voice-coil sections (4.1, 4.2, . . . 4.n) which cooperate with a magnet system (3). The loudspeaker system further comprises means (18.1, 18.2, . . . 18.n) for short-circuiting a voice-coil section if the value of the bit corresponding to the voice-coil section is such that the relevant voice-coil section is not driven.