Abstract: A travel direction speaking system that is based on a portable laptop computer. The computer determines a route between an origin and a destination using an electronic map, and prepares driving instructions based on the route. Each driving instruction includes the spatial position (longitude and latitude) of a change in direction at which the driving instruction applies. The system includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit that provides the GPS determined position of the laptop computer. The computer compares the GPS position to the spatial position and outputs the corresponding driving instruction when the two positions are inferred to be within a specified range of each other. The range can be determined based distance or on a time period required to travel from the current position to a position at which the instructions should be spoken.

Abstract: An ATM network including a plurality of channels comprises a cell memory MC comprising r buffers for virtual circuits (MC1, . . . , MC2). The output cells of MC carried by a multiplex DNO are read by a readout address section circuit. The circuit also comprises a mechanism for establishing a one-to-one relationship between each activated channel and a predetermined level of priority, a rhythm synthesis table, a mechanism dependent on the output of the rhythm table for activating pulse signals which have frequencies that correspond to the data rates of activated channels, an automatic timing unit and a mechanism for selecting a channel of highest priority at each cell time.

Abstract: A device for the detection of objects in a sequence of images. The device having a means for registering images, means for increasing the contrast of objects within a registered image, means for increasing the contrast of moving objects between two registered images and means for a final selection of signals considered as corresponding to the objects to be detected.

Abstract: A DS-CDMA system comprises at least one transmitter and at least one receiver operating on a dedicated signal channel which is used by other DS-CDMA operators in a non-synchronous way. A receiver for use in such a DS-CDMA system includes a data aided multiuser interference canceller (38) comprising a feedforward filter (48) connected to a subtracting stage (50). A decision stage (52) is connected to an output of the subtracting stage (50). Decisions from the decision stage (52) are stored in a memory which also stores preliminary decisions made on the signal applied to the feedforward filter (48) by a simple receiver (46). These decisions are applied to a feedback filter (58) the output of which is connected to the subtracting stage (50) thereby removing the effects of pre-cursive and post-cursive interference. The input to, and output from, the decision stage 52 are compared and the difference is used for adjusting the tap weights of the feedforward and feedback filters (48,58).

Abstract: A circuit for detecting pulses in an electric input signal, which pulses are superposed on a specific reference level (U.sub.ref), has an input terminal for receiving the electric input signal, at least a first and a second comparator device, switching means (S.sub.1), an output terminal and control signal generator means. The control signal generator means supply a control signal to the switching means (S1) to control the position of the switching means. The input terminal (1) is coupled to a first input of the comparator devices, whose outputs are coupled to a terminal (c and a respectively) of the switching means (S.sub.1). The output terminal (b) of the switching means is coupled to the output terminal. The first comparator device transfers only pulses whose relative amplitude in relation to the reference level exceeds a first value (U.sub.D1). The second comparator device transfers only pulses whose relative amplitude in relation to the reference level exceeds a second value (U.sub.D2).

Abstract: A local area network comprises a plurality of network interfaces with each network interface coupled to a station, the network interfaces further for exchanging data with each other. The local area network further comprises a distribution station for exchanging data with the network interfaces. The distribution station further receives load information of the network interfaces, and in response to the load information, transmits a channel distribution for the exchange of data between the network interfaces.

Abstract: A CMOS inverter circuit is provided which includes a compensation circuit which modifies the inverter threshold depending on changes in supply voltage and/or temperature. The inverter includes a standard CMOS inverter, current boosting circuitry and a reference signal generator. The input of the inverter is coupled to the current boosting circuitry. A reference signal is also coupled to the current boosting circuitry in order to change the effective PMOS to NMOS ratio of the inverter to control the input threshold over a range of supply voltages and/or temperatures. The reference signal generator generates a reference signal which is dependent upon changes in supply voltage and which can be controlled over a range of temperatures.

Abstract: In an adaptive filter a frequency domain filter is used to enhance the convergence properties of the filter for strongly correlated signals.To reduce the amount of delay in the filter the impulse response of said filter for small values of time is generated by a time domain filter, and said impulse response for larger values of time is generated by a frequency domain filter.

Abstract: In a presentation system a transmitter station transmits messages that provide information on demand. Such message is divided into parts. An earlier part of the message is presented more often than at least one later part of the messages. In particular, the presentation pattern is such that upon accessing the message's firts parts all other parts can be contiguously accessed according to a standard presentation velocity as from a time instant that is within a prespecified distance in time from the start of accessing said first part. In particular, the distance may be zero.

Abstract: A data exchange system is provided including a fixed station and portable data carrier for transmitting energy between the station and carrier. Both the fixed station and the portable data carrier operate in the active mode and the passive mode. The data carrier operates in an active mode only when energy transfer is required.

Abstract: System for converting synchronous time-division (STD) signals into asynchronous data packets (ATD), in which the incoming and outgoing signals are spread over various (multiplex) channels. Not more than a single RAM and a single FIFO are utilized for various channels together. The RAM is subdivided into rows and columns, one column per channel, data packets being preferably stored in successive columns shifted by at least 1 row.

Abstract: A line card (1) in a private branch exchange (1) accommodates interfaces (1) which switch standard output frames on a system bus. These standard output frames contain control data in addition to subscriber data. As a result, the system frame of the system bus (SB) is not filled efficiently. By switching only the subscriber data from the standard output frames to the system bus by the switching means, the system frame is filled efficiently.

Abstract: A consumer appliance having both explanatory comment and extra-linguistic signalization upon actuation thereof and reversible stepping between those two.An electronics-controlled consumer appliance has various hardwared actuator elements for through actuation thereof driving the appliance from a present state to an associated respective destination state. It also has audio output for under control of selected present state-actuation combinations outputting a specific audio specifier. By way of improvement the specifier comes in a two-tier organization: in an upper tier it outputs an explanatory audio comment and in a lower tier it outputs an extra-linguistic audio signalization. Furthermore, the device allows for selectively and reversibly stepping between said two tiers.

Abstract: A system of domestic audio-visual apparatuses (10-18) are connected on a one-to-one basis (20-26) for the exchange of video and audio signals. The apparatuses are also connected to a serial data bus (28,D2B) which allows distributed control messages to be sent and received by the apparatuses (addressable as `devices`) and elements of the apparatuses (subdevices). No apparatus has knowledge of the complete system of connections (20-26). An autonomous process (100, 102, 104, 110') can be initiated whereby a signal path from a source subdevice (64) to a destination subdevice (62) is identified step by step using the local knowledge of each apparatus. The speed of this process can be improved by initiating (101) a concurrent second autonomous process (106') whereby a signal path is identified from a third subdevice (42) to the destination subdevice.

Abstract: A number of domestic audio/video apparatuses (10-14) are connected to a serial control bus (D2B, 16). Each apparatus is addressable via the bus as a device and contains functional elements addressable on subdevices. One apparatus (14) includes an on-screen display subdevice (41) and a first control subdevice (24). Device information messages are defined whereby the first control subdevice can request a second control subdevice (22) in a second apparatus (12) to compose and return a status message in user-readable form. Thus the user can be informed about status in the second apparatus in an optimum manner, and further can be informed automatically of any change in status without the need for continuous polling of subdevices.

Abstract: A CMOS inverter circuit is provided which includes a compensation circuit which modifies the input threshold of the inverter depending on changes in the supply voltage. The inverter includes a standard CMOS inverter, current boosting circuitry and a further inverter. The input of the inverter is coupled to the current boosting circuitry and the input of the further inverter. The current boosting circuitry is also coupled to one of the supply voltages. The current boosting circuitry is operative to effectively change the PMOS to NMOS ratio of the inverter to maintain a substantially constant input threshold to counter the effect of any change in supply voltage.

Abstract: A system of domestic video apparatuses (10,12,14 etc.) are interconnected by video cables (64,66,68) and also by a serial data bus (D2B,16) having distributed control intelligence (20,22). Within each apparatus, signal generator and/or detector functions are defined, which can be activated and controlled via the bus (16). The video cable connections (64,66,68) between various plugs (26-1,2,3, 52-1,2,3, etc.) of the apparatuses (10,12,14) are identified automatically by interrupting signal transmission from all apparatuses involved then allowing a single transmission from an input to the connections and detecting the where the signal is output. By repeating the process with other all connections may be traced. The automatic identification of cable connections occurs without requiring additional conductors for cable detection signals.

Abstract: A data processing system based on (n, k) symbol code having symbol error correctability and plural error mendability is provided. The data processing system includes a decoder stage, a processor stage fed by the decoder stage, an encoding stage for receiving data words from the processor stage, a memory stage for receiving code words from the processor stage and a feedback stage for retro-coupling code words to the decoder stage. The data processing system includes at least two data processing units, each unit including more than one but less than n different encoder modules.

Abstract: The system comprises a number of stations interconnected for the communication of control messages which are multiplexed with digital audio signals. The control channel is divided into eight parallel channels, and each station is allocated one channel to transmit on, while it receives from other stations on the other seven channels. Messages on each channel are segmented into finite message units. When a longer message is to be transmitted, the receiving station implement a locking mechanism such that message units will not be accepted on other channels until all message units of the message have been received. To allow the number of stations to exceed the number of data channels, some of the stations are designated "slave only", and share a single channel for the transmission of control messages. To avoid conflicts, these stations are permitted to transmit only in response to request messages from a station having its own exclusive transmit channel.

Abstract: Apparatuses of an audio/video system convey user commands to one another via a serial control bus. The user commands convey key activations on a remote handset, whose keys include both "normal" keys such as "mute/unmute", and "repeat" keys such as "volume up" and "volume down". To convey a repeat key activation, a first control means within one apparatus addresses a key activation message to a second control means within another apparatus. The second control means synthesises locally a repetitive series of user commands, until a key release message is received. The need for repetitive user command messages to be sent via the control bus is thereby eliminated, and the frequency of repetition can be defined locally to give consistent response to user commands. The second control means can also implement a de-bouncing function, disregarding duplicate user command messages sent by a third apparatus which also responds to the handset.