Abstract: An apparatus is presented for monitoring the relative positions and/or for measuring and evaluating relative position in a system which contains at least two sub-systems. The apparatus has several devices, of which at least one device has a vibration-isolation device. Furthermore, at least one device is provided for determining the relative positions of the devices and one evaluation device is provided for testing whether the measured relative positions of the devices lie within a tolerance interval.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to determine the presence of one or more cellular phones in the same sound field as an endpoint that is dedicated for teleconferencing, such as a speakerphone. The teleconference bridge of the illustrative embodiment continually receives geo-location information about the cell phone. Based on the geo-location of the cell phone relative to the position of the speakerphone, the bridge determines whether to include or exclude signals that are received from the cell phone when preparing a signal for transmission to the speakerphone during a conference call. The bridge also determines whether to refrain from transmitting an audio signal to the cell phone, when the bridge infers that the cell phone is being used as a satellite microphone, such as when the cell phone is placed on a conference room table. As a result, each conference call participant is able to use his or her own cell phone as a personal satellite microphone, which can improve the sound quality of the conference call.

Abstract: A smart signal jammer is disclosed that receives a description of an unwanted signal or signals to be jammed, and transmits one or more jamming signals in one or more temporal transmission patterns of pulses that jam the unwanted signal or signals. A smart jammer according to the present invention can use available transmitters efficiently to transmit jamming pulses in a manner that maximizes jamming effectiveness. A smart jammer according to the present invention comprises a jamming signal calculator that calculates the parameters of the jamming signals to be transmitted. The calculations are based on inequalities that are satisfied by an efficient jamming signal.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that enables one or more telecommunications endpoints to subscribe to a conferencing system and to be notified of one or more conferencing events. As part of the conferencing system of the illustrative embodiment, a conference invitation server maintains information on all of the conferences that are scheduled to occur on the conferencing system, including (i) the addresses of the identified participants for each call and (ii) the conference identifier that the server generates for each call. When a conference call is going to begin, the server sends out notifications to all endpoints that are subscribed to the conference. If there are participants who are not subscribed to the conference, then alternative mechanisms for notifying participants can be used. Each subscribed endpoint then transmits a request to join the conference—either via user interaction or automatically—providing the conference identifier as part of the join request.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed that improve how an incoming call is handled across multiple data-processing systems, without some of the disadvantages of the prior art. Specifically, in a telecommunications call when a called telephone number is not associated with a particular in-service terminal, an enhanced terminating system of the call refrains from transmitting ringback to the calling terminal until an appropriate event occurs, such as the receiving of an asynchronous response from the auxiliary data-processing system to which the call has been directed. Depending on the response received, the terminating system might refocus the call or provide other treatment to the call. In some embodiments of the present invention, the terminating system also transmits a feedback signal to the calling terminal to provide status to the calling party on the progress of the call attempt, wherein the feedback signal is different than the ringback signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing system for omnidirectional reading of optical patterns, for example of one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes. One object is to provide an image processing system which ensures high resolution with rapid processing at the same time in order, in particular, to allow processing in video real time and to provide reliable identification of the image information, in particular reliable and low-error edge detection, segmentation and object association. According to the invention, this is achieved by the use of a plurality of convolvers, which operate in parallel and/or using the time-division multiplexing method, for convolution of the digital image data, of a neighborhood processor (90) for reading and linking contour points (22), and/or of a statistical processor for reading a segment list.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed that enables detecting the spoofing of a telephone number. To validate the identity of a calling terminal, some techniques in the prior art rely on exchanging data that only the legitimate calling system and the called system know about. In contrast, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention validates the identity of the calling terminal by assessing characteristics other than the calling terminal's telephone number, such as the telephone type and the signaling protocol. By using characteristics other than telephone number to validate the identity, the data-processing system of the illustrative embodiment makes it more difficult to spoof a legitimate telephone's number.

Abstract: A restraint for immobilizing a projectile with respect to its launch system is disclosed. When electromagnetic force is applied to the restraint, the restraint releases the projectile, thereby enabling its launch.

Abstract: The invention relates to a discharge vessel of a quartz glass for discharge lamps with a diffusion barrier inner layer of silicon oxide, which as a single layer is applied and/or is generated on the inner surface as well as to a method for generating and/or applying such a diffusion barrier inner layer and to the use of such a discharge vessel.

Abstract: A method for controlling dopant diffusion is disclosed. Using certain control parameters that are not used in the prior art, the method provides an unprecedented measure of control over the dopant diffusion process. The control parameters include, among others, the size of the diffusion windows in the diffusion mask and the proximity of the diffusion windows to a dopant sink. In some embodiments, the diffusion process is conducted in an epi-reactor.

Abstract: A device for mixing and applying mixed material, in particular medical cement, comprising a cartridge cylinder, a mixer, a plunger for closing the mixed material cavity and for forcing out the mixed material from the cartridge cylinder, and a latching ring having radially outer and inner hook formations. First counter-hooks on the cartridge cylinder interact with the radially outer hook formations on the latching ring. The plunger has second counter-hooks which interact with the inner hook formation on the latching ring in order to hold the plunger during the mixing, and release the plunger for being displaced at the beginning of the application procedure.

Abstract: A method for estimating the network-layer topology of a telecommunications network is described. In particular, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention estimates the existence and connectivity of nodes in the topology based on the detection of network-wide end-to-end path intersections. This is based on the assumption that pairs of streams of packets that share a common node will interfere and that the interference can be detected in the received streams. In general, this interference is manifested as jitter. By transmitting streams on each pair of end-to-end paths in the network, and detecting interference (or a lack of interference) a matrix of path intersections for the network can be created. Using logic and supposition, the topology of the network can be estimated using the matrix of path intersections. Once the estimate of the topology is complete, the maintenance and operation of the network can proceed based on the topology.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for adaptively and intelligently partitioning traffic among a plurality of communications channels, without injecting probe traffic into any of the channels. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a source node transmits traffic to a receiving node via K communications channels in accordance with partition coefficients ?1, . . . , ?K, and the source node receives information regarding the quality of service (QoS) provided by each of the communications channels. The source node adjusts the values of the partition coefficients ?1, . . . , ?K adaptively based on: the current channel QoS information, prior channel QoS information, the prior values of ?1, . . . , ?K, and a measure of channel independence for one or more pairs of communications channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to the development of a Profinet IO compatible subscriber device having a selector switch such that the station identifier is obtained directly from the respective setting of the selector switch in combination with a firmly prescribed group identifier which is specific to a respective particular group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling an interactive voice response (IVR) system to deliver a video stream to a telecommunications terminal and handle events related to the video stream. In particular, the illustrative embodiment overcomes two disadvantages of the prior art. First, the illustrative embodiment enables events to be generated and caught by a script of an IVR system at any time during a call. Second, the illustrative embodiment enables events to be handled in parallel with the execution of a script of the IVR system, thereby enabling the performing of actions response to a stream-related event without halting or interfering with other tasks of the IVR script.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating substrates by means of plasma enhanced vapor deposition are provided, in which at least part of the surroundings of the substrate surface of a substrate to be coated is evacuated and a process gas with a starting substance for the coating is admitted, wherein the coating is deposited by a plasma being ignited by radiating in electromagnetic energy in the surroundings of the substrate surface filled with the process gas. The electromagnetic energy is radiated in by a multiplicity of pulse sequences, preferably microwave or radiofrequency pulses, with a multiplicity of pulses spaced apart temporally by first intermissions, wherein the electromagnetic energy radiated in is turned off in the intermissions, and wherein the intermissions between the pulse sequences are at least a factor of 3, preferably at least a factor of 5, longer than the first intermissions between the pulses within a pulse sequence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a data-processing system, such as a server, to determine whether or not to grant a telecommunications terminal one or more privileges, without some of the disadvantages of the prior art. Specifically, in accordance with the illustrative embodiments of the present invention, a call-processing server transmits, to a first terminal, a first signal for verifying a second terminal, such as one that has been designated by a user. The user is then required to transmit a second signal to the call-processing server via the second terminal. The call-processing server then examines the received second signal with respect to the first signal and determines whether or not to grant the second terminal a privilege (e.g., handling calls on behalf of the user, etc.), based on the relationship between the first and second signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration isolation system, comprising at least one fluid bearing having a first control device in order to control the fluid pressure and having at least one actuator in order to compensate for position changes of the load to be isolated, which actuator is controlled by at least one second control device, wherein the input of one control device is connected to the output of the other control device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination device, in particular for vehicles. The illumination device comprises at least two semiconductor light sources which emit light with different colours, as well as at least one light guide into which the light from the semiconductor light sources is injected, and a light mixer device that is arranged on the entry side of the light guide and has a transparent light-refracting element, by which the spatial distribution of the light from the light sources is mixed so as to generate light that constitutes a colour superposition of the light from the semiconductor light sources. The transparent light-refracting element comprises an end face which forms a light entry face for the light emitted by the semiconductor light sources, the semiconductor light sources being arranged next to one another and in front of the light entry face.