Abstract: A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function provides a masked list of emergency events during a user setup process for the emergency alert function which makes the setup process easier for users, and also ensures that the emergency alert function will be activated when certain important emergency events occur. According to an exemplary embodiment, the television signal receiver includes a memory operative to store data associated with the emergency alert function. A processor is operative to receive an input representing a geographical area and to enable generation of a masked list of emergency events responsive to the input using the data in the memory. The masked list of emergency events represents a subset of all emergency events associated with the emergency alert function.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a holographic disk medium (1) with servo marks (7), and more specifically to a holographic disk medium (1) having a common reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8). According to the invention, a holographic disk medium (1) with a recording layer (2) for recording holograms (6) and a reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8), includes servo marks (7) which are located in the reflective layer (3) at least partly below the holograms (6), wherein the servo marks (7) are designed such that their influence on the object and reference beams (8) is minimized.

Abstract: The invention provides an arrangement and a method for generating electrical image signals from an image original. The arrangement is, for example, a film scanner which illuminates or transilluminates a photographic image on a film using an illumination device. Optical signals generated hereby are converted into electrical signals by a CCD sensor subdivided into segments. The segments of the CCD sensor are connected via mutually independent readout channels to a signal processing stage, where the electrical signals of the readout channels are combined with one another in such a way that these represent a total image. Furthermore, an adjustment unit is provided which adjusts the transfer functions of the different segments of the sensor with respect to one another in such a way that visible image disturbances are avoided.

Abstract: An image display panel formed from a matrix of electroluminescent cells is described. The display panel has a front array of electrodes and a rear array of electrodes, an electroluminescent element, a photoconductive element and an element that provides optical coupling between the electroluminescent element and the photoconductive element. The electroluminescent element includes at least one electroluminescent layer and the photoconductive element includes at least one photoconductive layer. A shunt element connects at least one electroluminescent element in parallel to an electrode of the front array.

Abstract: A DVD disc contains a lead-in area that contains sync sectors, control data including the number of recording surfaces, disc keys and other information, and contains a Data Area occupying the main part of the available disc surface or surfaces. In order to handle the content of the disc it is necessary to know the control data and disc keys. According to the invention, the data content of the Data Area is used to determine the necessary control data, without reading information from the a lead-in area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for detecting the type of wobble on an optical recording medium. According to the invention, a programmable digitally tuned oscillator is provided for detecting the wobble at different frequencies and the wobble signal is converted to the base band. Favorably the consistency of the phase of the wobble together with the amplitude of the wobble is used for verifying the presence of the wobble. For this purpose a Cartesian to Polar converter is provided.

Abstract: The invention proposes a filtering device having a frequency response which is symmetrical, using asymmetrical filters coupled by transposition means. The advantageous characteristics of the asymmetrical filters are retained and the faults associated with the asymmetry are eliminated. The asymmetrical filters are, for example, quartz filters. The invention also proposes an external transmission and reception unit, using the filtering device with the application of the filtering method.

Abstract: A video system comprises a first video device which transmits a video signal comprising image information and synchronisation information and a second video device which receives the composite video signal. The second device has a time base. For synchronising the two devices synchronisation information is extracted from the video signal received by the second Video device and from the time base of the second video device; a phase difference between the video signal received by the second video device and the time base of the second video device is determined based on the extracted synchronisation information; control information of a first type representative of the amount of the phase difference is transmitted to the first device; and in the first device the phase of the video signal is switched by a phase angle represented by the first type control information.

Abstract: Method for connecting an IEEE1394 remote device to a cluster of IEEE1394 devices through a wireless link comprising a first wireless device connected to the cluster and a second wireless device connected to the remote device, wherein the remote device and the first wireless device for a first wired bus and the device cluster and the second wireless device form a second wired bus. The method comprises the steps of, representing the remote device on the cluster through the first wireless device and representing the devices of the cluster to the remote device through the second wireless device, such that the remote device and the devices of the cluster function as if these devices were part of a single IEEE1394 bus.

Abstract: The switched-mode power supply has a transformer which contains a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, a switching transistor in series with the primary winding, a driver stage for controlling the switching transistor, and a control circuit for controlling an output voltage. The control circuit in this case contains an oscillator which can be adjusted via a connection and is coupled to a secondary winding in order to determine the time at which the switching transistor is switched on. A switching stage is, in particular, arranged between the connection and the secondary winding and passes on a supply voltage to the connection when a sudden voltage change occurs on the secondary winding at the time of an oscillation. In consequence, the switching transistor is switched on at a time at which the losses when switched on are low, thus considerably reducing the losses which occur in the switching transistor.

Abstract: A light projection system projects an image comprising a matrix of light pixels having modulated luminance. The projection system includes a first imager configured to modulate a light band on a pixel-by-pixel basis proportional to gray scale values provided for each pixel of the image to provide a first output matrix. A second imager is positioned and configured to receive the first output matrix of modulated pixels of light and modulate the individual modulated pixels of light from said first imager on a pixel-by-pixel basis proportional to a second gray scale value provided for each pixel of the image.

Abstract: A universal remote control includes a display that is partitioned into a button touch-screen portion and a message area. The button touch-screen portion includes pre-determined or etched areas defining a plurality of buttons and a given number of pre-determined labels for each button. The message area includes individual pixels (i.e. a dot matrix) that allow the display of messages, labels or the like such as text. Activation of a touch-screen button having a message or label associated therewith causes the message or label to be displayed in the message area of the display. The remote control is customizable by the user. The user can configure a label for a particular button to suit the user's preference(s). This is especially useful for “learning remotes” where the function “learned” (stored) with respect to a particular button or key may bear no relationship to the label printed or available for that button. Now the user can create a custom label that is displayed in a message area of the remote.

Abstract: To assist an operator to position a wireless camera so that a base station receives with good quality a radiofrequency signal transmitted from a transmitter linked to the camera, several measurers linked to diversity receivers of the signal each determine whether a characteristic of the signal via the respective receiver satisfies a reception criterion. In the base station, a counter counts the receivers satisfying the reception criterion, and a divider establishes a reception quality indicator dependent on the number of satisfactory receivers so as in particular to retransmit it via a return channel to the camera so that it can be displayed thereon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media, having a light source for producing a scanning beam for scanning the optical recording medium, detection means for detecting the beam influenced by the optical recording medium, and an optical element arranged in the optical beam path by means of a holder. The optical element has in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the beam path outer boundary lines inclined to one another in such a way as to enable a unique orientation. The holder has a cutout with correspondingly inclined inner boundary lines.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first signal receiving module, a second signal receiving module, and a signal transmitting module. The first signal receiving module is coupled between a first signal point and a third signal point for receiving a first RF signal from the first signal point. The first signal receiving module down-converts the first RF signal for providing a first down-converted signal at the third signal point. The second signal receiving module is coupled between a second signal point and the third signal point for receiving a second RF signal. The second signal receiving module down-converts said second RF signal for providing a second down-converted signal at the third signal point. The signal transmitting module is coupled between the first and second signal points and the third signal point for receiving a third RF signal from the third signal point.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering a clock from a run-length-coded data stream, said method making it possible for a phase-locked loop to lock in a rapid manner, and also to a circuit for implementing the method. An inventive method for recovering a clock from a run-length-coded data stream comprises the steps of: ascertaining the distribution of symbol lengths in the data stream for a chosen clock period; determining the deviation of the maxima of the distribution of symbol lengths from integer multiples of the chosen clock period; and regulating the chosen clock period on the basis of the deviation determined.

Abstract: An improved interactive network system is provided that allows the Network Operator to control the transfer of information to and from the network end users, the system preferably using triggers or markers embedded within the programming broadcast to users via the network. As a consequence of this system, the Network Operator is able to efficiently garner revenues from third parties transacting business over the network and to control the look and feel of programming offered to network users. Additionally the system can be used as a means of limiting network access, filtering programming, providing on-screen graphics or audible signals for particular programming types or providers, bookmarking programming, profiling network users, targeting advertising, and simplifying network transactions.

Abstract: A power supply has first and a second switch-mode power supply (SMPS) units, which both contain a transformer having a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, and a driver stage. The power supply furthermore has a normal operating mode, in which both SMPS units are in operation, and a standby operating mode, in which the first SMPS unit is switched off by a control voltage. In the standby mode, the control voltage is also used to reduce the switching frequency of the second SMPS unit, for example by means of a connection, which reduces the oscillation frequency of the oscillator of the second driver stage. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the output of a first driver stage is furthermore connected via a series circuit to the oscillator input of a second driver stage, for synchronization purposes.

Abstract: A method for determining the format of an optical recording medium (1) comprising one or more data or audio tracks or both types of tracks is proposed, the method being robust against partially corrupted data on the recording medium. The method comprises the steps of: reading (101) the table of contents (TOC); storing information from the table of contents; checking (102, 103, 105) whether all tracks are indicated as audio tracks or as data tracks or whether both audio tracks and data tracks are present; if one or more data tracks are present, checking (104, 106, 107) whether the first indicated data track contains any audio information; and determining the format according to the results of the checking steps (102-107).

Abstract: The invention relates to a serial data transfer in a numerically controlled control system to update an output value of the control system. A variable write depth shift register is used to update an output value of the control system in such a way that only a number of bits of a data word, which has to be updated to form the updated output value via a serial data transfer is transferred to the variable write depth shift register, so that the output value is updated in a shorter time and can be updated more frequently. The variable write depth shift register is applicable in a numerically controlled control system in which long data words and shift register are used to update the output value via serial data transfer.