Abstract: A method for determining the address of a frame inside a data sector of an optical recording medium (17), the sector comprising a plurality of frames, each frame being preceded by a synchronization code, and an apparatus (10) for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media (17) using such method. A method for determining the address of a frame inside a data sector of an optical recording medium (17) that is robust against streaming loss is proposed. The method comprises the steps of: keeping a history of previously detected synchronization codes; appending (2) the detected synchronization code to the history; comparing (3) a pattern of the last synchronisation codes with a plurality of valid patterns of synchronization codes; delivering (4) a valid frame address if the pattern corresponds to a valid pattern, the frame address corresponding to the valid pattern, and delivering (7) an error frame address if the pattern does not correspond to a valid pattern.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for using Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) as storage for correction and track buffering in front end ICs of optical recording or reproduction devices. Data to be stored or read is organized in appropriate bursts for accelerating the SDRAM (SDR) traffic. The SDRAM is built around two banks of memory, and are accessed using a pipelined address logic, thereby accelerating access speeds.

Abstract: A method for displaying data within a video display having on screen message display capability. The method comprises the steps of accessing digital data within the display, and displaying each bit of data as a character forming part of an on screen message display representation of the digital data.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an electronic device comprising a set of electronic components, a housing element for lodging the set of electronic components, the housing comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, a left panel and a right panel, the device comprising an envelope surrounding the housing. The electronic device is wherein the entire envelope is constituted of a single piece and is fixed to the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for converting frequencies comprising a local oscillator of fixed frequency and a first mixer with two inputs and an output, a first input receiving the signal to be converted and a second input receiving the signal arising from the local oscillator. It further comprises a second mixer with two inputs and an output, a first input receiving the signal arising from the phase-shifted local oscillator and the second input receiving a dc signal whose value is dependent on the power of the residual spectral component at the output of an adder receiving as input the signals arising from the first and from the second mixer(s) and giving as output a transposed signal. The invention applies in particular in terminals operating in the Ka band.

Abstract: With audio data reduction on the basis of ISO/IEC standard 11172-3, a frame length varying by 8 bits is used at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz in order to arrive, on average, at a particular fixed data rate. The lengthening of a data frame is signalled by a padding bit in the header of the frames. The invention dispenses with evaluation of the padding bit. Instead, the mean frame length L is calculated, L is rounded down to the next integer, for the subsequent frame it is first established whether the expected sync word for this frame appears, and, if this is so, this frame is decoded without taking into account the padding bit, but if the expected sync word for this frame does not appear, the decoding of the frame is started one 8-bit later without taking into account the padding bit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Fresnel lens. Each refractive structure of the lens is bounded by two surfaces, the second surface making a second angle with the normal to the plane of incidence. At least two zones of refractive structures are provided in which the second angle is equal to the entrance angle of a beam. Each first surface refracts the light along a direction parallel or not parallel to the axis of the lens depending on the zone. The invention also relates to a system comprising a folding mirror and a Fresnel lens, in which system the second angle is equal to the entrance angle of a parasitic ray obtained by reflection on the Fresnel lens and then on the mirror. The invention also relates to a corresponding back projection screen and a corresponding back projection unit.

Abstract: A method for registering a device in a wireless network comprising a central controller. The method includes the step of asking a user whether he wants to install a new network or install a device on the network. In the case of installing a new network, the user enters a PIN code, an authentication key of the new network is generated and the device becomes the central controller. In the case of installing the device on an existing network, the user enters a PIN code, and upon authorization, receives an authentication key of the network for use in authenticating procedures with the central controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing video pictures for display on a display device having a plurality of luminous elements corresponding to the pixels of a picture wherein the time of a video frame or field is divided into a plurality of N sub-fields during which the luminous elements can be activated for light emission in small pulses corresponding to a sub-field code word of n bits used for coding the p possible video levels lighting a pixel, comprising the steps of: determining if pictures are static pictures or moving pictures, in case of static pictures, processing video pictures using a first sub-field encoding method adapted to pictures when no motion is detected, and in case of moving pictures, processing video pictures using a second encoding method reducing dynamic false contour effect adapted to pictures when motion is detected. The invention applies to plasma display panels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the remote deactivation of at least one decoder for accessing multimedia digital data, which is provided by a service operator. The decoder has a unique identifier (ID) known to the operator. To deactivate a decoder with determined identifier (ID), the operator sends, through a communication network linking the decoder to the operator, a destruction command for destroying all or part of the software embedded in the decoder, this destruction command being addressed to the decoder with determined identifier (ID). The invention also relates to a decoder which comprises an eraser software module suitable for erasing all or part of the software embedded in the decoder when the decoder receives a destruction command which is addressed to it.

Abstract: Tile comprising a substrate coated with at least one array of electrodes which is itself coated with an array of barrier ribs made of a mineral material, the porosity of which is greater than 25%, comprising a porous base underlayer which is inserted between the array of electrodes and the array of barrier ribs and which is made of a mineral material, the porosity of which is greater than 25%. Reinforced porous barrier ribs are obtained; advantageously, this tile does not include a specific dielectric layer; the number of manufacturing steps is limited and the tile can be manufactured entirely at low temperature.

Abstract: A method for identifying of tokens in a video sequence is described. First, the video sequence is scanned for boundaries between consecutive parts of the sequence where the appearance of the tokens is expected. After that step, candidate regions are pre-selected and classified in parts of the video sequence adjacent to detected boundaries, and tokens are located in the candidate regions. Information carried on the tokens is located, interpreted, and merged into consistent sets of information after passing a confidence analysis. In parallel a change in the visual appearance of a token, signaling a special event, is detected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for compensating scanning disturbances on optical recording media such as occur in a control loop of a playback or recording unit, in particular as settling amplitude after a disk disturbance and are caused by scratches or dirt on the optical recording medium. In order to compensate the scanning disturbances, a follow-up signal counteracting the settling amplitude is coupled into the control loop as additional offset as a function of the frequency of the occurrence of a disk disturbance for a prescribed time interval. The follow-up signal is coupled into the control loop with a step width that is increased from revolution to revolution on the recording medium until the change in the direction of the settling amplitude of the control loop. Large follow-up signal values are produced in a stepwise fashion in the event of absence of the disk disturbance, in order to avoid large variations in the follow-up signal value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radiation diversity antenna consisting of radiating elements of the slot-line type coupled electromagnetically to a feed line, in which the radiating elements have a tree structure, each radiating element having a length equal to k?s/2 where k is an identical or different integer from one element to the next and ?s is the guided wavelength in the slot-line constituting the radiating element with at least one radiating element comprising a switching means positioned in the slot-line constituting the said radiating element in such a way as to control the coupling between the said radiating element and the feed line as a function of a command. The invention applies chiefly to wireless transmissions.

Abstract: A temporally recursive chrominance signal noise reduction can be achieved by subtracting a delayed version of the chrominance output signal from the chrominance input signal and by multiplying the related difference signal by a variable share factor and adding the resulting signal to the chrominance output signal, for achieving different degrees of noise reduction. From the difference signal a motion representative value and a value representing the presence of a smear effect are calculated and used to calculate the variable factor. After having been multiplied by this factor, the difference signal is combined with a frame-delayed version of the chrominance output signal in order to form the noise-reduced chrominance output signal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for processing a packetized transport stream that determines whether a sequence of transport packets are received in a proper sequence and whether an error is present in a particular transport packet. The method includes the steps of determining a packet identifier for identifying transport packets associated with a selected program and parsing a packetized transport stream to identify and capture the desired sequence of transport packets in response to the packet identifier. The method further includes the steps of detecting a counter portion, determining whether a desired sequence of transport packets has been received in response to the counter portion, detecting a one bit toggle portion, and determining whether an error exits in the associated transport packet in response to the one bit toggle portion. An apparatus for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radiating element designed to operate in an electrically small antenna including a conducting strip folded N times like a bellows.

Abstract: An mp3-standard bitstream is formatted into a sequence of fixed-length data frames. These include headers, side information, main information and a remaining data field without generally defined information denoted as ‘ancillary data’. The mp3PRO format is an extension of the mp3 format, wherein the additional mp3PRO data are transferred in the ancillary data fields. In various applications, e.g. Internet music search machines, a necessity arises for a fast determination of the bitstream types. Such determination is normally executed using an mp3PRO decoder. However, because the frame header does not contain a corresponding pointer to the start address of the ancillary data field, an mp3PRO decoder must first completely decode at least one data frame according to the mp3 standard in order to find the end address of the mp3 data and thereby the following start address of the mp3PRO data in that data frame.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for displaying closed caption information during trick mode playback. A video processor (150) can be configured to delete one or more pictures in a segment of the video presentation that contains at least one picture having one or more NUL characters. A remaining portion of the segment of the video presentation containing the closed caption information can be displayed during playback at a trick mode speed. The segment of the presentation can include, but is not limited to, a group of pictures (GOP). The method can further include the step of determining pictures within GOP containing non-displayable control codes and deleting those pictures containing non-displayable codes. The Video processor provides to a display device a remaining portion of the GOP containing the closed caption information for display at a trick mode playback speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a portable video recorder system. This system comprises a video shooting part including an image capturing device, video compression means, a buffer memory filled by the output of the video compression means and low data rate wireless transmission equipment having a short range, and a recording part including a reception equipment and a cassette, or tape, or disk, or solid state memory recording unit. Means are provided for the simultaneous wireless transmission of data from the memory of the capturing device and the filling of this memory.