Abstract: A hearing device comprising at least two microphones, a processor and an output for further processing in a reproducer, the microphones being electrically coupled to the processor, and the output for further processing in a reproducer being connected to the processor. The processor comprises: a summer providing a sum signal of the microphone signals, and to which summer a proportional amplifier is connected, and a summer for providing a difference signal of the microphone signals, to which summer an integrator is connected, and that the proportional amplifier and the integrator are coupled on the output side to a third summer providing a sum signal of the proportional amplifier and the integrator, and that the third summer forms the output for further processing in a reproducer.

Abstract: An interface box links a user's cellular telephone with all the standard telephone extensions at the user's home or office. In this way, the portable cellular telephone is the interface between the user's telephone extensions and the telephone company. The interface box connects to the cellular telephone's access connector, for example, whenever the cellular telephone is laid in a cradle of the interface box. Through this connector is sent all power, signal and input/output connections. In addition to the interface circuitry, the interface box preferably recharges the cellular telephone's battery.

Abstract: An infrastructure for telephony is described, comprising a network (n) and a service provider (SP) coupled thereto. The network comprises a service switching function (SSFN) as well as a service control function (SCFN) for controlling said service switching function. The service provider comprises a service switching function (SSFS) as well as a service control function (SCFS) for controlling said service switching means. The service provider comprises an inter-working unit (IWU). In communication with a service switching function (SSFS) of the service provider, the inter-working unit (IWU) behaves as service control function. In communication with a service control function (SCFS) of the service provider, the inter-working unit (IWU) behaves as service switching function. In communication with the network, the inter-working unit (IWU) behaves as special resource point (SRP).

Abstract: Apparatus (1200, 1300) and accompanying methods to visualize and calculate, by direct visual measurement and interpolation, polarized light, in the form of sphere (observable polarization sphere—OPS) along with its associated spherical coordinate system consisting of latitudes and longitudes, which maps transformation of the state(s) of polarization (SOP) of an optical beam that propagates through either a single optical device (generally a “media”) or a series of optical devices (mediums), e.g., phase shifters (waveplates, compensators), attenuators (polarizers), and field rotators. The OPS can be used to calculate and display phase shifting of the polarization state of an optical beam as it propagates through each such polarizing media. The OPS describes the behavior of a rotated ideal linear polarizer on a propagating polarized optical beam, as well as polarized light in many regions of the electro-magnetic spectrum.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for use in a network of, for example, computers, for generating summary data, such as traffic summary information, from a plurality of data records, the data records having a different temporal basis, for example, one hour or one day or one week, and different start and end times. The summary data is generated for a requested time interval having a requested start time and a requested end time by selecting a data record with a record start time corresponding to the requested start and an end time as far as possible from the record start time but equal to or before the requested end time. The data from that selected data record is processed, and the initial time is then set to the end time of that particular data record and the process repeated. In this way one can gather and process such data with a minimum number of steps.

Abstract: An ion exchange scrubber has a housing, and a partition plate installed within the housing. The partition plate partitions an inner space of the housing in longitudinal direction into two chambers that are filled with a predetermined amount of aqueous solution. The upper end portions of the two partitioned chambers communicate with each other. At least one cartridge is installed at the upper portion and has an ion exchange resin. The ion exchange resin removes a harmful substance contained in the gas. By repeatedly pumping the aqueous solution from one side chamber to the other side chamber, and immersing and cleaning the contaminated ion exchange resin in the aqueous solution, the contaminated gas can be effectively processed even with a small amount of water.

Abstract: A method of and an arrangement for obtaining quality indicators for an objective assessment of a degraded or output video signal with respect to a reference or input video signal. The strength of edges or signal transitions in both the input and the output video signals are calculated to provide input and output edge signals. By processing the edge signals, introduced edges and omitted edges in the output edge signal are established. For each of the luminance and chrominance signals of a color video signal first and second quality indicators are obtained from normalized values of the introduced edges and omitted edges, relative to the output edge signal and the input edge signal normalized by first and second normalization factors, respectively. By using smeared Sobel filtering, correlation of calculated MOS and observed MOS by human test persons reaches a value of above 0.9.

Abstract: A method graphically presents a selected group of data values of a series of data values in a predetermined presentation area. The largest data value within the selected group of data values is determined. A scaling factor for the determined largest data value to correspond with a lateral dimension of the presentation area is determined. The determined scaling factor is applied to all the data values in the group of data values. The scaled group of data values within the presentation area is graphically presented. Advantageously, the graphical presentation of the data values is scaled according to the data presented in the presentation area, thus maximizing the detail shown in the graphical representation. The method is preferably implemented in the form of a computer program.

Abstract: A digital phase lock loop (PLL) for maintaining synchronization with the phase of a received data signal including a preamble and an information-containing data frame, by incrementing a state machine through an internal cyclic count, each cycle thereof including a center count tending to coincide with center regions of the successive pulses and an edge count tending to coincide with edges of the successive pulses. The PLL selects a current sample of the signal whenever the internal count reaches the predetermined center count value. The state machine internal count is updated in accordance with a cumulative phase error obtained by summing the phase errors detected over successive edges between each edge and the corresponding center count. The interval over which the cumulative phase error is computed depends upon the number of received edges during the preamble and depends upon elapsed time during the data frame.

Abstract: A technique for implementing in a networked client-server environment, e.g., the Internet, network-distributed advertising in which advertisements are downloaded, from an advertising server to a browser executing at a client computer, in a manner transparent to a user situated at the browser, and subsequently displayed, by that browser on an interstitial basis, in response to a click-stream generated by the user to move from one web page to the next. Specifically, an HTML advertising tag is embedded into a referring web page. This tag contains two components. One component effectively downloads, from an distribution web server and to an extent necessary, and then persistently instantiates an agent at the client browser. The other component is a reference, in terms of a web address, of the advertising management system.

Abstract: System for the transformation of a number of source databases having n legacy data models to a target database having one target model, for the purpose of providing corporate information, such as customer information with integrated customer images. Use is made of a merge database, having an intermediate data structure with which the source database is coupled to the target database. The merge database has a number of structure elements on which four basic operations are performed, namely PROJECTING: filling the table of the merge database from the source database, GROUPING: determining the target-object-id of the object to which the record belongs, RELATING: determining the target-object-id of a related datum within the merge database, and CALCULATING: evaluation of an attribute of one table of the merge database. In this regard, the structure elements are read and changed by one of said basic operations according to a given processing matrix.

Abstract: A self-similar log-periodic antenna is described comprising a plurality of substantially triangular conductive elements, 4, symmetrically disposed in either planar or curved configurations about a central conductive boom to form an antenna arm. Two or more antenna arms are assembled into an antenna by symmetrically locating such antenna arms substantially in the shape of a pyramid (for planar arms) or in a conical shape (for curved arms). Some embodiments include a conductive fin, 5, to reduce cross-polarization coupling between antenna arms. Some embodiments include a grounded conductive shield on the interior of the antenna providing electromagnetic shielding for the interior region of the antenna while preserving the self-similar geometry of the antenna and shield combination.

Abstract: PLL error margin is improved by a half clock of the internal PLL clock by resolving the ambiguity between the two samples nominally centered about the pulse center point. This is achieved by intelligently choosing between the two samples nearest the pulse center by exploiting information from the phase error. Specifically, the choice is made depending upon the sign of the phase error. The result is that the margin of error of the PLL is improved by a half clock period, since on the average the choice between each one of the two samples represents half of the total one-clock resolution limit of the system.

Abstract: Apparatus, and accompanying methods for use therein, for a telephony gateway intended for use, e.g., paired use, at opposite ends of a data network connection, in conjunction with at each end, e.g., a private branch exchange (PBX) for automatically routing telephone calls, e.g., voice, data and facsimile, between two peer PBXs over either a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a data network, based on, among other aspects, cost considerations for handling each such call and called directory numbers, monitoring quality of service (QoS) then provided through the data network and switching (“auto-switching”) such calls back and forth between the PSTN and the data network, as needed, in response to dynamic changes in the QoS such that the call is carried over a connection then providing a sufficient QoS.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communication by means of an electronic call assistant which is able to operate in at least either a background mode or in a foreground mode wherein: the electronic call assistant is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence; and the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant as soon as a user has switched the electronic call assistant from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.

Abstract: Based on an output from a CCD, a luminance signal Y1 is extracted from an MTX circuit, and R gain and B gain of white balance information are extracted from a white balance control circuit. A luminance color gain conversion circuit generates a control signal for controlling the color gains of a high-luminance part based on the luminance signal Y1, R gain and B gain and supplies the generated control to a color suppression circuit. The color gains are varied as a color temperature of the high luminance part increasingly deviates from a color temperature associated with ordinary white light. Accordingly, an excellent color suppression characteristic for the high-luminance part is obtained relative to change in color temperature.

Abstract: In a high speed digital communication receiver, an n-stage oscillator of frequency f has a plurality of n stages with n variable analog delays connected to respective ones of the n stages, outputs of the n variable analog delays providing n successive cycles of a clock signal of frequency n×f. A delay control circuit varies the delay interposed by each of the variable delays through a range of 1/(n×f). The delay control circuit can vary the delay in m equal steps, whereby the oscillator exhibits n×m virtual oscillator stages, so that the oscillator provides a phase resolution of 1/(m×n×f).

Abstract: A digital PLL's stability and immunity to jitter are improved by deriving the correction to the state machine count from an average over several computations of the phase error. The PLL stability is improved by retaining all of the phase errors measured during a succession of plural phase measurement intervals. The plurality of phase errors thus obtained are averaged together, and the state machine internal count is corrected (updated) in accordance with this average, rather than according to an instantaneous phase error. As a result, the performance of the PLL is less susceptible to jitter-induced temporary excursions in the phase error, a significant advantage.

Abstract: Method and device for installing cables in ducts using a pressurized fluid, a fluid being applied which, under the operational pressure and operational temperature applied during the installation, is in a liquid state and which, under the ambient pressure and ambient temperature prevailing at the location of the installation, is in gaseous state. By applying such a fluid, the advantages of installing a cable using a liquid flow and using a gas flow may be combined, while the drawbacks respectively associated therewith are obviated.