Abstract: A method for processing two different types of geographic address data sets to establish candidate matched data includes entering address data into the system and accessing a point level address data set. A determination is made if the point level data set contains an exact match to the entered address data. Any exact address data match from the point level data set is output. Candidate address data matches from the point level data set are saved when no exact match is determined as existing in the point level data set. A centerline address data set is accessed and a determination is made of candidate address data matches from the centerline address data set. Candidate address data from both the point level data set and the centerline data set are scored and matched. A system for geocoding and address hygiene includes a processing system with an input and an output system coupled to said processing system. A point level data set is coupled to the processing system.

Abstract: A linear sliding guide comprises a longitudinal guide rail with guide flanks that extend in a direction of sliding and a bearing block that lodges therein and has corresponding counterpart flanks. Compensation-for-play spring assemblies are provided between these two components; they are formed by a receptacle and a spring bushing that is inserted therein. The spring bushing acts on the corresponding guide flank of the longitudinal guide rail by way of a gap in the receptacle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a collimator (1) for use in an optical device, such as a display device, an illumination device or an optical touch sensitive device. The collimator (1) according to the invention comprises a multi-layered sheet of preferably at least five alternating light transmitting (10) and light impervious layers (11). A collimation angle of a few degrees is obtainable using a collimator (1) according to the invention. The invention also relates to methods for producing such a collimator (1) by co-extruding or injection molding.

Abstract: A loudspeaker comprising: a support, a sound-generating element mounted to the support for vibration to generate sound; and an electro-active device coupled between the support and the sound-generating element for vibrating the sound-generating element in response to an electrical signal. The electro-active device comprises a structure extending along a minor axis which extends in a curve around a major axis parallel to the vibration direction of the sound-generating element, the structure comprising successive electro-active portions arranged with electrodes to bend around the minor axis on activation in response to application of the electrical signal to the electrodes, and coupled together such that bending of successive portions causes concomitant rotation of adjacent portions around the minor axis adding incrementally along the minor axis, which rotation causes concomitant change of the axial length of the structure along the major axis.

Abstract: A digital pulse-width-modulation (PWM) generator comprising: an n bit digital magnitude comparator having first and second n bit inputs and an output indicative of the relative values of the signals applied at the first and second inputs; a first n bit digital up/down counter having a count direction input coupled to receive a sign bit of a digital unary input signal, an n bit parallel binary count output connected to the first n bit input of the magnitude comparator, and a clock input; a second n bit counter having a clock input coupled to receive a constant rate clock signal and an n bit parallel binary count output connected to the second n bit input of the magnitude comparator; an AND gate having a first input coupled to receive the constant rate clock signal in frequency divided form and a second input coupled to receive a magnitude portion of the digital unary input signal, and further having an output connected to the clock input of the first counter; and wherein the comparator continually generates an

Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a distance to a target. The method includes sending light, at a first time, to a light reflector mounted in a reflector device, receiving light reflected from the light reflector at a second time, and determining the distance to the reflector device using the difference between the first time and the second time. The reflector device has a first lateral surface, a second lateral surface parallel to the first lateral surface, and a rod surface extending from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface. The reflector device includes sockets arranged in the rod surface with a light reflector mounted in each socket. The sockets may be arranged in a plurality of rows with possibly a plurality of sockets in each row. The reflector device may be mounted as an insert to or at the top of a target to determine the distance to the target.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generating of images by means of a two-dimensional field of image sensors, notably by means of a flat dynamic X-ray detector FDXD. In order to adhere to with the maximum data rate Gmax of an evaluation unit (1) it is necessary to satisfy the relation y.f/b £ Gmax between the width x and the height y of a sub-region of the image sensor read out, the imaging rate f and the binning factor b. In conformity with the method, parameters defining the size, position and/or shape of the sub-region can be preset at will, the other variables of the inequality being adapted, if necessary, in such a manner that the inequality remains satisfied. In the context of the method there is also performed a mosaic calibration during which calibration images of the complete image sensor are composed from calibration images of sub-regions.

Abstract: A method is provided for phytoremediating a site polluted by at least one type of pollutant, comprising at least one step comprising growing, on this polluted soil, at least one phytoremediating plant capable of fixing at least a portion of this pollutant, and comprising a subsequent step comprising of harvesting or destroying this plant that has fixed at least a portion of said pollutant. The step of growing the plant is effected, at least in part, in the presence of at least one water-soluble exogenous carbohydrate that can be assimilated by the plant or in the presence of a substance containing a carbohydrate of this type.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring messages addressed to a first receiver (E1), comprising a first receiver (E1) which contains a first undesirable receiver device (UNE) and which prevents a user of the first receiver (E1) from accessing the undesirable receiver (UNE), wherein a message category is defined as undesirable, and messages which are to be prevented from being made available to a user of the first receiver (E1) a re indicated. Verification occurs as to whether a message (M) addressed to the first receiver (E1) falls into the undesirable category. If the message (M) falls into the undesirable category, it is assigned to the undesirable receiver device (UNE). The first receiver (E1) is configured in such a way that the undesirable receiver (UNE) can only be accessed by a second receiver (E2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system to be used for setting up a communication connection between a number of communication devices across a communication network. The system comprises a similar number of identification means in which the same unique communication identifier is embedded; the communication identifier is unique on the communication network on which the communication connection is to be set up. The invention also relates to a method for a first communication device to set up a communication connection to a second communication device across a communication network and to a computer readable medium for performing the method.

Abstract: A ligament retractor assembly including a first retractor paddle, a second retractor paddle, a first elastic member having one end received in an opening of the first retractor paddle and an opposite end received by an opening of the second retractor paddle, and a second elastic member received in another opening of the first retractor paddle and an opposite end received in another opening of the second retractor paddle. Each of the first and second retractor paddles includes a first retaining section, a second retaining section and a lever section. The first and second retractor paddles are integrally formed of a polymeric material. The openings formed on the retaining sections of the paddles and each have a generally dog leg configuration.

Abstract: A pressure relief pad for use against a body member during orthopaedic surgery including a pad of a resilient material having a first outer surface and a second outer surface. The first outer surface has a slot extending longitudinally thereacross. The slot has a width suitable for receiving surgical tubing therein. The second outer surface has a contour suitable for placement against the body member. The surgical tubing will extend through the slot while the pad is interposed between the surgical tubing and the body member. Retractor paddles can be attached to the opposite ends of the surgical tubing for the purposes of retracting the incision during surgery.

Abstract: Hard-open defects between logic gates of, for example, an address decoder and the voltage supply which result in logical and sequential delay behavior render a memory conditionally inoperative. A method and apparatus for testing integrated circuits for these types of faults is proposed, in which two cells of two logically adjacent rows or columns are written with complementary logic data. If a read operation reveals the data in the two cells to be identical, the presence and location of a hard-open defect is demonstrated.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of modules (M) for processing applications is provided, wherein each of said modules comprise a local memory (LM). The integrated circuit further comprises a global memory (GM), which can be shared between the plurality of modules (M), and an interconnect means (IM) for interconnecting said modules (M) and said global memory (GM). A memory managing unit (MMU) is associated to each of said modules (M) and determines whether the local memory (LM) provides sufficient memory space for the currently processed application. If this is not the case, the memory managing unit (MMU) requests a global buffer (FB) in said global memory (GM) to be exclusively reserved for the processing data of its associated module (M). Accordingly, by using the local memory (LM), whenever possible, before data is outsourced to the global memory (GM), power as well as bandwidth of the interconnect means can be saved.

Abstract: A memory device has an information plane (32) for storing data bits in a magnetic state of an electro-magnetic material at an array of bit locations (31). The device further has an array of electro-magnetic sensor elements (51) that are aligned with the bit locations. The information plane (32) is programmable or programmed via a separate writing device (21). The writing device provides at least one beam of radiation (26) for heating the electro-magnetic material at the bit locations to a programming temperature. The magnetic state of the bit locations is programmed by applying a magnetic field during said heating of selected bit locations via the beams of radiation. Hence the memory device provides a magnetic read-only memory (MROM) that cannot be (re-)programmed without the proper writing device.

Abstract: The method for recording data comprised in a real time data stream sequentially on multiple recording media reduces the buffer required to temporarily store data from the data stream by starting the change of recording medium when an interruption in the program to be recorded is detected. At least part of the data during the change of recording medium is of less interest to the user and the loss of this data is thus preferred over the loss of data belonging to the program that is to be recorded. By allowing selective loss of data the buffer size is reduced.

Abstract: An adaptive filtering device and method where at least one adaptive filter receives an input signal and a metering device receives an output of the at least one adaptive filter, monitors a characteristic of the output, such as power of high-frequency components, and forwards a correction signal in a feedback loop to adjust the characteristic of the at least one filter in order to change the characteristic of the output. An adaptive filtering device (200) and method where two low-pass FIR filters (202, 204) receive an input signal, a weighted adder (206) receives outputs from the two low-pass FIR filters and changes a weighting of each to produce filtered output data, and a controller (208) that receives a cutoff frequency (203), supplies the cut-off frequency to the two low-pass FIR filters, and supplies a signal to the weighted adder for varying the weighting of each of the low-pass FIR filters to switch therebetween.