Abstract: Methods and devices are described for writing to an optical record carrier, in which a mark representing recorded data is written in a phase-change layer of a record carrier by a sequence of radiation pulses. A rear heating pulse is introduced after a last write pulse and a front heating pulse is introduced before the first write pulse. The power level of the front heating pulse and the power level of the rear heating pulse may be dependent on the length of the mark to be recorded and on properties of the record carrier. The method results in a reduced jitter of the marks written, especially when writing at high recording speeds.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a speech signal by providing a first speech unit signal having an end interval and a second speech unit signal having a front interval, wherein at least some of the periods of the end interval are appended in inverted order at the end of the first speech unit signal in order to provide a fade-out interval, and at least some of the periods of the front interval are appended in inverted order at the beginning of the second speech unit signal to provide a fade-in interval. An overlap and add operation is performed on the end and fade-in intervals and the fade-out and front intervals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and bandwidth allocation message to a wireless station in a wireless network. The apparatus of the invention comprises a hybrid coordinator that is capable of (1) creating a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and a bandwidth allocation message for a wireless station and (2) sending the QoS service schedule and the bandwidth allocation message to the wireless station. The wireless station is capable of using the scheduling information to perform power management by entering a power save mode during times when the hybrid coordinator has not scheduled any transmission opportunities.

Abstract: The electrophoretic display panel (1) for displaying pictures has drive means (100) which are arranged for controlling the potential difference of each picture element (2) to be a picture potential difference having a picture value and an associated picture duration representing a picture energy for enabling the particles (6) to occupy one of the positions for displaying one of the pictures, subsequently to be an inter-picture potential difference having an inter-picture value and an associated inter-picture duration representing an inter-picture energy and subsequently to be a subsequent picture potential difference for enabling the particles (6) to occupy one of the positions for displaying a subsequent one of the pictures.

Abstract: A device for recording information writes marks in a track on a record carrier of a re-writable type. The device records the information according to a predefined recording format like DVD for constituting a recording area containing user data preceded by a lead-in zone. The device has a formatting unit (36) for formatting the record carrier. First it is detected if the record carrier has been recorded before. If so, a size is determined of a pre-existing contiguously written area that extends from the beginning of the recording area. The formatting includes writing data on the record carrier indicating that the recording area does not contain user data. Formatting status information is provided on the record carrier indicating the size of the pre-existing contiguously written area.

Abstract: A method for reading data from a track (3) of a data carrier (2) comprises the following steps. During reading, a tracking quality parameter (Q) is determined, relating to a track portion (3Px) of the data carrier from which the data is being read. The tracking quality parameter is stored in a tracking performance memory (30) in relation to the corresponding track portion (3Px). If a jump back to a previously read track portion appears to be necessary, said tracking performance memory (30) is consulted to determine a target track portion (3P(x-n)) having a sufficient value of the tracking quality parameter (Q); then, a jump back (JB) to the target track portion (3P(x-n)) thus determined is performed.

Abstract: An optical scanning device provides a radiation source (2,200), a collimator lens (4,40), an objective (7,90) for converting a beam (5,30?) to a scanning spot at the position of an information layer (101) of a record carrier (1,100). The device also includes an electrowetting cell (6). The electrowetting cell (6) acts such that a beam (5,30?) enters the objective (7,90) at a predetermined height of an entrance pupil of the objective (7,90) independent of the position of the objective (7,90) and that the beam (5,30?) forms a predetermined angle at the entrance pupil of the objective (7,90) with the optical axis (8). In this way the rim intensity may be kept constant over the entrance pupil of the objective (7,90).

Abstract: A combination of a microphone and a sigma-delta A/D converter include at least one feedback loop, such as a DC feedback loop. The DC feedback loop provides the bias current for a junction FET of the microphone. In this way, the signal current from the FET can be injected directly into the input integrator of the sigma-delta A/D converter without the need of signal resistors in series with the FET.

Abstract: A device for recording information records blocks, having continuous logical addresses on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses, translates logical addresses into physical addresses in dependence of defect management information. The, defect management information includes assignment information indicative of assignment of physical addresses in first parts of the track to at least one user data area, assignment of physical addresses in second parts of the track to defect management areas, and assignment of the defect management information to the defect management areas. A data type of recorded information is detected, such as the type being streaming for real-time data like digitally encoded video, or non-streaming for random data like computer data files. The device reassigns defect management area for changing the assignment information in dependence of the data type. For example, a contiguous defect management layout is converted into a distributed layout.

Abstract: An apparatus for scanning a track on a record carrier has a head for scanning the track and generating a read signal. The tilt between the head and the record carrier (11) is compensated via a tilt servo loop. Thereto the head is provided with tilt compensating actuators (42). A measure of the tilt is jitter in the read signal generated by a front end (43) and filter (44). A wobble generator (40) provides a wobble signal to the actuators and to an input of multiplier (45) for synchronous detection of the jitter. The output of the multiplier (45) is coupled to a low pass filter (46) for generating a tilt error signal coupled to a tilt controller (47) for generating a tilt control signal.

Abstract: A recording medium (D) comprises a file system area (FSA), a data area (DAA) and an initial defect management area (DMA). A system comprises a drive (DR) for writing data (DA) to or reading data (DR) from the data area (DAA) or the defect management area (DMA), and a host (H) for sending data (DA) to or for receiving data (DA) from the drive (DR) when the drive (DR) is in a mounted state wherein a file system (FS) in the file system area (FSA) is available to the host (H). The method of accessing such a recording medium (D) detects (S1) whether a shortage of free space in the defect management area (DMA) is to be expected, and if yes, allocates (S2) supplemental defect management area (SDMA) at the cost of the data area (DAA). The file system (FS) is adapted to reflect the latest state of available data area (DAA) and the allocated supplemental defect management area (SDMA).

Abstract: System for performing telemetric measurements, comprising a plurality of mobile communication devices (100), each communication device (100) being provided with at least one sensor (110) and a sensor control section (120) for performing measurements, a cellular communication network structure for the mobile communication devices, a server provided with communication means for receiving measurement data from the plurality of mobile communication devices (100), and for sending measurement instructions to respective sensor control sections (120) of the mobile communication devices (100) wherein the sensor control sections (120) are programmable by the server.

Abstract: A method of decoding possibly mutilated codewords (r) of a code (C) into information words (m?) including information symbols (m?1, m?2, . . . , m?k), the information words (m) being encoded into codewords (c) of the code (C). In order not to considerably deviate from the standard method and apparatus for decoding a standard Reed-Solomon code, a method of decoding is proposed including decoding the possibly mutilated codewords (r) into codewords (r?), reconstructing information symbols (m?1, m?2, . . . , m?k) from the codewords (r?), comparing the reconstruct information symbols (m?1, m?2, . . . , m?k) with information symbols (m1) known a priori before decoding, and verifying decoding errors based on the result of the comparison.

Abstract: An optical component (48) for introducing optical aberrations to a light beam defining an optical axis (28) is described, comprising a fluid chamber (46) having a first fluid (56) and at least a second fluid (58) therein, the first and second fluid (56, 58) being non-miscible, the first fluid (56) and the second fluid (58) being in contact along an interface (60) extending through the fluid chamber (46) substantially transverse to the optical axis (28), the first and second fluids (56, 58) having different indices of refraction, the first fluid (56) being substantially electrically insulating and the second fluid (58) being substantially electrically conductive; at least a first electrode (62-70) separated from the second fluid (58) and at least a second electrode (72) acting on the second fluid to alter the shape of the interface (60) in dependence on a voltage applied between the first and second electrode (62-70, 72).

Abstract: A cooling assembly for cooling a heat source, such an electronic components, with a coolant includes micro jets adapted to eject the coolant onto the heat source in response to a control signal, and a controller adapted to control the ejection of the coolant from the micro jets in a sweep mode in which the micro jets eject the coolant sequentially. The micro jets may be arranged as an array and the coolant is forced induce velocity perturbations of the coolant, to avoid the occurrence of free circulation areas in the cooling channel, and to obtain a microscopic transport of the cooling through the cooling channel.

Abstract: An electronic data processing circuit contains a plurality of data handling units (10a-d, 16a-b) with data outputs, at least part of the data handling units having address outputs. The data handling units supply words of preferably selectable size to a bus. A bus controller (20) is arranged to control access to the bus in successive access cycles. The bus controller (20) causes data bits from a plurality of data words from respective ones of the data handling units (10a-d, 16a-b), to be placed in combination on the data lines in a same bus cycle. The bus controller causes write addresses that the respective ones of the data handling units (10a-d, 16a-b) supply for respective ones of the plurality of data words to be placed on the address lines in a plurality of respective bus cycles. Preferably, the temporal or spatial arrangement of the data words on the bus lines adapted so as to minimize the number of logic level changes on the bus.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for recording information on a multi layer record carrier. The information is recorded on the record carrier according to special filling patterns, such that the record carrier is compatible with the DVD-ROM standard while the time required for closing a session and/or finalizing the disc is reduced. The information is substantially evenly distributed over the layers in blocks of a predefined amount of storage space. The size of these blocks may be flexible and set by the method or read from the record carrier.

Abstract: A method and a device are described for generating a program stream of MPEG coded video and audio signal, wherein several functional tasks are distributed in an optimal manner between hardware on the one hand and software on the other hand. Forming the elementary streams is performed in hardware. Packer and packetiser functions are performed in hardware by pre-packing the elementary streams, filling-in packet header and pack header as much as possible. Parsing of the elementary streams is performed in hardware. Parse information is stored in a meta byte structure in each prepack. Maintaining the P-STD Model is performed in software. Deciding for an audio pack or a video pack is performed in software. Finishing the packet header and pack header is performed in software, on the basis of the parse information present in the meta byte structure in each prepack.

Abstract: A method for recognizing type (CD; DVD) of an optical disc, wherein: a light beam (32) is caused to reflect from the optical disc (2); wherein an optical lens (34) is caused to move axially with respect to said optical disc (2); a detector output signal (SR) is analyzed to detect when (P1; ts) a focus point of said light beam (32) substantially coincides with a disc surface and to detect when (P2; tL) said focus point substantially coincides with an information layer wherein a thickness time At is calculated in accordance with the formula: ?t=tL?ts and wherein the measured thickness time ?t is compared with a reference value (?tREF) which is calculated from an experience-based average value (?tAV(CD)) of the thickness time 66 t of CD discs, or from an experience-based average value (?tAV(DVD)) of the thickness time ?t of DVD discs, or from both.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (LAN) comprises an access point which transmits a beacon signal at 0 dBm. The detection threshold of the mobile unit is ?65 dBm and thus the mobile unit is detected when located within 10 meters of the access point.