Abstract: An endoscope including a rigid section having opposed first and second ends and an opening situated between the first and second ends, the rigid section defining a longitudinal axis; a handle portion coupled to a first end of the rigid section and having first and second scissor-type handles suitable for grasping by a user; and a base part situated at the second end of the rigid section and coupled to the first handle of the scissor-type handles such that displacement of the first handle causes a rotation of the base part.

Abstract: An I/O driver has v/i characteristic control for maintaining a substantially flat output impedance response using a transmission gate configuration at an I/O output pad. The configuration includes a linear resistive element electrically connected at an I/O pad for limiting a processed data I/O signal, an active impedance element for receiving and processing the data signal, which comprises data represented by a series of voltage state transitions, and pull-up and pull-down array calibration words, for generating and outputting a processed I/O output signal to the resistive element to output a substantially flat v/i response at switching of the data signal.

Abstract: A polarizer including a polarization grating comprising a polarization sensitive photo-alignment layer and a liquid crystal composition arranged on said photo-alignment layer. An alignment pattern, corresponding to the polarization pattern of a hologram, is recorded in the photo-alignment layer, and the liquid crystal composition is aligned on the photo-alignment layer.

Abstract: A method of and device for granting access to content on a storage medium, including obtaining cryptographic data from a property, such as a wobble, of the storage medium, reading helper data from the storage medium, and granting the access based on an application of a delta-contracting function to the cryptographic data and the helper data. The delta-contracting function allows the choice of an appropriate value of the helper data, such that any value of the cryptographic data which sufficiently resembles the original primary input value leads to the same output value. Substantially different values of the cryptographic data lead to different values of the output.

Abstract: To conclude, in a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, the sound system comprises two loudspeakers (LA, LB) which mask their spectral signatures at the ear (C1) of the listener by positioning the two loudspeakers (LA, LB) such that their maxima of the polar radiation patterns have directions which at least differ 30 degrees, and which generate coherent sound in the direction of the listener. These two aspects together cause different gradients of the sound of the two loudspeakers (LA, LB) at the same ear (C1) of the listener, while the information which reaches the ear (C1) from the spatially shifted different loudspeakers (LA, LB) is still coherent and not blurred by diffusion. The loudspeakers LA, LB should be spaced apart to obtain sufficient different gradients of their sound at the same ear.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent light source has at least one substrate and layers that are arranged on the substrate. The layers include electrodes of which at least one electrode is transparent and one acts as an anode and one as a cathode, and at least one organic electroluminescent layer that is arranged between the electrodes. The organic electroluminescent layer has regions that emit blue light and/or green light, and at least one phosphor layer that is arranged in the beam path of the light leaving the organic electroluminescent light source and that partly covers the electroluminescent layer.

Abstract: A method encrypting data including selecting a pair of sequences based on a seed, performing a transposition of the data utilizing elements of a first one of the pair of sequences to produce a first transposition result, and performing a transposition of the first transposition result utilizing elements of a second one of the pair of sequences to produce the encrypted data. The pair of sequences may be selected from a pool of constrained sequences. The pool of constrained sequences may be generated utilizing a Knights Tour sequence generating system. The pool of constrained sequences may be transferred to a decrypting device for decryption of the encrypted data. The pair of sequences may be randomly generated utilizing a random integer sequence generator and the seed. The constrained indication may be constrained to a number of sequences present in the pool of sequences.

Abstract: A telecommunications system provides mobile internet protocol related communications services to mobile nodes via a plurality of access networks that each include an access gateway, a mobility manager operable to receive link quality messages from the mobile nodes providing an indication of a currently available link quality from an access network with which the mobile node is currently affiliated. The mobility manager is also operable to receive application server messages from the application server for managing the communications service with respect to the communications session level. The mobility manager directs a change of affiliation of a first mobile node between one of a first of the access networks and a second of the access networks to the other of the first and second access networks, or a change of communications session level of the first mobile node.

Abstract: A system, method, Application Programming Interface (API) and device for discovering a location of a device, for example, to provide location information for a Location Based Service (LBS). The device includes a memory, a display, and a processor operably coupled to the memory and the display. The processor may be arranged to provide a user interface (UI) on the display, retrieve location cues in response to a location request, forward location cues to a location server and receive location information back from the location server. The location information may be a location query page associated with a new place ID if the location cues do not correspond to the location server cues or the location information may be a previously discovered place ID associated with the server location cues if one or more of the location cues correspond to one or more of the server's location cues.

Abstract: A technique to electronically deliver a message from a sender to an intended recipient based on tracking movement of a mobile object, including obtaining a message provided by the sender, obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of the message, tracking a specified mobile object having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals, determining from the transmitted current position whether the specified mobile object has reached the designated location, and initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of the message electronically to the intended recipient upon the specified mobile object being determined to have reached the designated location.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of breaking a substrate of a brittle material, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate (1) of a brittle material, heating the substrate with a laser beam (3) to create a heated spot on the substrate, moving the laser beam and the substrate with respect to each other to create a line of heated spots on the substrate (2), cooling the heated spots on the substrate by locally applying a cooling medium (4) behind the heated spots such that a micro-crack is propagated in the line of heated spots, and breaking the substrate along the line of the propagated micro-cracks by applying a mechanical force on the substrate wherein, the cooling medium comprises an aqueous surfactant solution. The surfactants will connect to the broken siloxane bonds inside the surface cracks. Then recombination and healing of the broken siloxane bonds will not occur and the required breaking load will remain constant over time.

Abstract: A transmitter including a plurality of transmitting antennas and a processor operably coupled to the plurality of transmitting antennas. The processor is configured to select a first antenna from the plurality of transmitting antennas for transmission of a frame of data, determine if the frame is successfully received by a receiver, and select a second antenna different than the first antenna from the plurality of transmitting antennas for retransmission of the frame if it is determined that the frame was not successfully received by the receiver. The processor is configured to select a different antenna than a previous antenna for retransmission of the frame each time it is determined that the frame was not successfully received by the receiver. The processor is configured to discard the frame from further transmission if it is determined that the frame was not successfully received by the receiver after a number of transmission attempts.

Abstract: A memory for storing constraint data describing a constrained area, a location sensor, and a processor operationally coupled to the memory and location sensor for location tracking. In operation, the device acquires real-time location information from the location sensor and calculates a location within the constrained area utilizing the constraint data and the acquired real-time location information. The location sensor may include an accelerometer that produces signals corresponding to a change in speed and a gyroscope that produces signals corresponding to a direction traveled. The processor may calculate a distance traveled over time utilizing the signals from the accelerometer and calculate the location utilizing the calculated distance traveled over time and the direction traveled.

Abstract: A conductive tracing for a keyboard including a pair of electrically conductive paths that are electrically isolated from each other. The pair of electrically conductive paths may each include conductive surfaces that are electrically coupled together. Each of the plurality of conductive surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive paths extend radially between a center portion and a peripheral portion of the conductive tracing. One or more of the conductive surfaces may include a pair of outer edges that are substantially parallel to a respective radial direction that the outer edges extend in. The conductive surfaces of one of the pair of electrically conductive paths may be complementary formed to the conductive surfaces of another of the pair of electrically conductive paths. The conductive tracing may be substantially symmetric about an axis that passes through the center portion of the conductive tracing.

Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp has a light-transmitting discharge vessel (10) enclosing, in a gastight manner, a discharge space (11) provided with a filling of mercury and a rare gas. The discharge vessel (10) comprises discharge means for maintaining a discharge in the discharge space (13). At least a part of an inner wall (12) of the discharge vessel (10) is provided with a protective layer (16). The discharge vessel (10) is provided with a luminescent layer (17) comprising a luminescent material. The luminescent layer (17) further comprises inorganic softening particles (27) with a softening point above 450° C. The size of the softening particles (27) is in the range from 0.01 to 10 gm. Preferably, the softening particles (27) are selected from the group formed by strontium borate, barium borate, yttrium borate, yttrium-strontium borate and calcium pyrophosphate.

Abstract: A method and a circuit arrangement operate a discharge lamp, such as a high-intensity discharge lamp (HID) or ultra high performance lamps (UHP). The discharge lamp has first and second operating phases with a higher first or a lower second frequency of the lamp's alternating current (AC). The operating phases are activated alternatively at defined intervals and for defined periods of time, in order to achieve a stable arc discharge and only a low burnout or rise in burning voltage of the lamp during its life by configuring certain forms of electrode tips.

Abstract: A light-source module is described having at least one light-emitting element (3) such as, in particular, LEDs, light guides, collimator elements or lens elements, which together form a light exit area, as also is a holder for a module of this in the form of an LED module, system, such as in particular a motor vehicle headlight or a lighting or projecting means, that is intended to have a given light emission pattern. For this purpose, the module is able to be positioned relative to at least one reference plane of the optical system and, at the same time, is able to be replaced easily without soldered, bonded or welded connections being required.

Abstract: A wireless control is provided for a lamp, such as a fluorescent lamp, controlled by a ballast with a wireless control interface for RF communication. The receiver input and the transmitter output of the control interface module are connected to one or more electrode wires by a coupling capacitor(s) or a Lecher line transformer. During operation the lamp electrodes serve as the lamp antenna.

Abstract: An encapsulation structure for a display device includes a sealing structure and a stabilization layer. The sealing structure is an essentially water/oxygen impermeable film which covers environmentally sensitive parts and protrusions on the display device. The stabilization layer covers the display device, protrusions on the display and the sealing structure with a scratch resistant protective layer, resulting in a water/oxygen impermeable and scratch resistant encapsulation structure.

Abstract: A method and a system control at least one lighting arrangement, in which the lighting arrangement modulates the light it emits by lighting arrangement data that contains an identification code identifying the lighting arrangement. A user control device is suitable to receive the light from the lighting arrangement and to derive therefrom the lighting arrangement data. The user controlled device measures a property of the received light, apart from it representing data, to provide additional data which is associated with the lighting arrangement which is associated with the identification code contained in the received data. Data about a location of the user control device is determined, the user controlled device transmits the data it gained, and a main control device is suitable to receive the data transmitted by the user control device and to control the at least one lighting arrangement dependent on all the data.