Abstract: A method and device is disclosed for determining deviations of a nominally planar surface of a thin object, which is subject to warpage related to gravity, such as a wafer, relative to a reference plane. The method includes supporting the object by three support members and detecting deviations, wherein the three support members are in a position relative to each other so that each support member is located underneath the point of gravity of a circular sector of the object extending over an angular range of 120°.

Abstract: A data carrier (2) includes memory (16) adapted to store the information data (ID), and further includes first detection unit (28) adapted to detect first command data (CD1), and further includes initialization unit adapted to initialize, after detection of the first command data (CD1), the memory (16) for the storage of information data (ID), and further includes a second detection unit (29) adapted to detect second command data (CD2), and further includes write unit (32) adapted to write the information (ID) into the initialized memory (16) after detection of the second command data (CD2).

Abstract: A bridge terminal of a local area network is provided for transmitting data between the terminals of at least two sub-networks via a wireless medium. The bridge terminal is alternately connected to the sub-networks for exchanging data. For buffering received data for an unconnected sub-network, the bridge terminal includes an intermediate store.

Abstract: A point to multipoint channel extension protocol and system are disclosed. More particularly, the system includes an extension protocol for extending a point to point radio link between a primary station and a secondary station to a point to multipoint radio link in which the primary station broadcasts to the secondary stations. This is done by first informing the handset to which a point to point radio link has been set up that an extension is to be done so that the handset can switch off its transmitter, and then transmitting extension messages to all handsets. Furthermore, a transfer and skipping protocols are proposed with a reliable connection establishment by using a double checking protocol for seizing a pair of free channels.

Abstract: In a transmission system for digital symbols, such as used for DVB, source symbols are encoded by a block coder (4), subjected to an interleaving operation in an interleaver and subsequently encoder in a channel encoder (8) according to one out of a plurality of possible channel codes. The output symbols of the channel encoder (8) are applied to transmit means (10). These output symbols are modulated on a carrier and applied to an antenna (12). An antenna (14) connected to a receiver (16) receives the signal transmitted by the antenna (12). Receive means (18) are arranged for amplifying and demodulating the signal received from the antenna (14). The output of the receive means (18) are applied to quantizing means (20) which convert its input signal into a quantized digital signal, before applying it to a Viterbi decoder 22. The complexity of the Viterbi decoder 22 depends on the number of quantization levels at the output of the quantization means (20).

Abstract: A method and system are provided for preventing the unauthorized playback of broadcasted digital data streams. The method includes the step of embedding a watermark in a digital data stream. The digital data stream having the embedded watermark is encrypted. The encrypted digital data stream is broadcasted with a ticket. The encrypted digital data stream and the ticket are received. The ticket is saved and the encrypted digital data stream is provided to a decryption device to decrypt the digital data stream. The decrypted digital data stream is received from the decryption device. The watermark is extracted from the decrypted digital data stream. A one-way cryptographic hashing function is applied to the saved ticket. The hashed ticket-is compared to the extracted watermark. Playback of the digital data stream is prevented, when the hashed ticket does not match the extracted watermark.

Abstract: A huge vocabulary speech recognition system for recognizing a sequence of spoken words, having an input means for receiving a time-sequential input pattern representative of the sequence of spoken words. The system further includes a plurality of large vocabulary speech recognizers each being associated with a respective, different large vocabulary recognition model. Each of the recognition models is targeted to a specific part of the huge vocabulary. The system comprises a controller operative to direct the input pattern to a plurality of the speech recognizers and to select a recognized word sequence from the word sequences recognized by the plurality of speech recognizers.

Abstract: A DES permutation is presented that has minimal crossovers between the DES 64-bit structure and 32-bit data structures, allows for efficient data transfers via a 32-bit data bus. Every other bit location in the DES 64-bit data structure is mapped to a contiguous bit location in the 32-bit data structure, in a sequential order. The sequential mapping to contiguous bit locations minimizes potential crossovers that are area inefficient, and allows for encoding algorithms that effect the mapping by using incrementing or shifting operators only.

Abstract: A data base query submitted in natural speech normally requires a dialog with the data base system, which repeatedly prompts the user to submit further statements. From each speech utterance submitted by the user a plurality of sets of statements are derived. The statements in these sets are tested for consistency with stored statements determined previously and consistent new statements are stored and stored statements are corrected or verified. Moreover, the stored statements are basically used in each dialogue step in order to derive from these statements an optimum request for the user by the system. Preferably, the statements are also stored with probability values or reliability values, the corresponding values of new statements to be stored being derived from the reliabilities of the statements of the respective speech utterance and the corresponding consistent statements stored.

Abstract: In a data carrier with a data processing device in which there is provided an external as well as an internal power supply, it is proposed to provide at least one switching means in which is accommodated in the data carrier in order to realize temporary decoupling of the external power supply, thus making the retrieval of sensitive data impossible.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless network comprising a plurality of wireless terminals and optionally a base station uses a transmission frame (300) including an association section (310) for use by wireless terminals wishing to join the network. A variable number of association sections (310) is scheduled in response to operating characteristics such as the load on the network or the presence of a high security application on the network.

Abstract: An automated telephone operator platform (e.g., an auto attendant) has a natural names library associated therewith. The natural names library comprises a large database of audio files representing common objects expected to be recognized by a telephone-based ASR application associated with or executing on the platform. Whenever the ASR application requires playback of an object file (e.g., a user's name associated with a mailbox), the system first determines whether the user has recorded a sample of his or her own voice. If so, the user's actual voice sample is output. If, however, the user's actual voice sample is not available or has not been recorded, the ASR application accesses the database to retreive objects files from which it then builds an appropriate output string.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for controlling the transmission of enhancement layer video data for use in a video encoder containing a base layer encoder and an enhancement layer encoder. The base layer encoder receives input video frames and generates compressed base layer video frames suitable for transmission at a base layer bit rate to a streaming video receiver. The enhancement layer encoder compares the input video frames and a processed version of the compressed base layer video frames and generates enhancement layer video data suitable for transmission at a modifiable enhancement layer bit rate to the streaming video receiver. The apparatus comprises a base layer parameter monitor for receiving at least one base layer parameter and, in response thereto, modifying an allocation of the enhancement layer video data among corresponding ones of the compressed base layer video frames.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for adapting linguistic speech models in automatic speech recognition systems using speech recognition results obtained during operation of such systems, in which, during the adaptation, a list of N-best recognition result alternatives with N>1 for a speech utterance to be recognized is evaluated. To improve such an on-line adaptation of the linguistic speech models, a combination of a plurality of recognition result alternatives of the list is included in the adaptation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement which includes a stage for the processing of data signals which are applied to the stage in a selectable sequence during time intervals defined by a clock signal. In order to construct a circuit arrangement of this kind in such a manner that the power consumption which is dependent on the data signals is disguised, the invention proposes to supply the circuit arrangement, with modified data signals, instead of the data signals to be processed, in a respective part of each time interval.

Abstract: In order to prevent the retrieval of data via the measurement of the power consumption in a data carrier provided with a data processing device, it is proposed to connect a load circuit to the power supply of the data carrier so as to influence the power consumption of the data carrier at least during security-relevant operations of the data processing device.

Abstract: The distance computation represents a central, constantly recurrent task in sample and speech recognition. It is used in speech recognition as a degree of similarity between a part of a speech utterance and a speech reference. In picture processing and sample recognition, it is used for data compression. The distance computation requires the longest computation time so that a reduction of the computation time results in a considerable efficiency improvement. A reduction of the computation time is achieved by the integration of the distance computation in a memory module in which particularly the reference data are stored. Due to this integration, the other components of the overall system are relieved of this constantly recurrent task and are available for more complex processes in this period of time. This integration makes the distance computation essentially shorter because the communication between memory sections and computation unit takes place directly without utilizing a busy system.

Abstract: A distributed speech recognition system includes at least one client station and a server station connected via a network, such as Internet. The client station includes means for receiving the speech input signal from a user. A speech controller directs at least part of the speech input signal to a local speech recognizer. The, preferably limited, speech recognizer is capable of recognizing at least part of the speech input, for instance a spoken command for starting full recognition. In dependence on the outcome of the recognition, the speech controller selectively directs a part of the speech input signal via the network to the server station. The server station includes means for receiving the speech equivalent signal from the network and a large/huge vocabulary speech recognizer for recognizing the received speech equivalent signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a local area network for wireless transmission of control and user information between a plurality of terminals and a terminal working as a controller, i.e. a candidate-controller terminal, which candidate-controller terminal is provided for controlling the communication in the local area network. At least a further not candidate-controller terminal can be used as a controller. Besides the controller, at least the candidate-controller terminal receives all the control information necessary for controlling the communication in the local area network.

Abstract: In a communication system the quality of transmission is improvied with an arrangment including a first node having compression processor that derives from a plurality of source signals a plurality of compressed source signals and a multiplexer for multiplexing said plurality of compressed source signals into a multiplex signal, the first node transmits the multiplex signal to a second node, the second node has a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the multiplex signal into the plurality of compressed source signals and decompression processor that derives the source signals from the compressed source signals. The compression processor is arranged for variable compression that compresses the source signals in dependence on an aggregate rate of the source signals that are transmitted and the decompression processor is arranged for variable decompression that decompresses the signals received from the demultiplexer to obtain the source signals.