Abstract: A record carrier (40) of a removable type has an information plane of a layer of magnetic material on a substrate constituting an array of bit locations (11). A magnetic state of the material represents the value of each bit location. A storage device (35) has an interface surface (32) for cooperating with the information plane. The interface surface has an array (31) of electro-magnetic elements that are sensitive to said magnetic state of the electro-magnetic material. The record carrier and device have alignment elements (38, 41) for positioning the bit locations near the electro-magnetic elements within a near-field working distance between a bit location and the corresponding electro-magnetic element when the record carrier is mounted in the device.

Abstract: A fastener impact driver device includes a fastener engagement member having a plurality of projections disposed about a lower portion that engages a corresponding peripheral portion of a fastener. The device further includes a positioning member having an upper portion that ultimately receives a force thereupon, and a lower portion that engages a cooperating upper portion of the fastener engagement member whereby a force such a hammer strike is imparted upon the upper portion of the positioning member to drive the projections of the fastener engagement member into the head of the fastener without damage of the fastener engagement member, whereupon the positioning member is removed from the fastener engagement member and a hand tool is removably secured to the fastener engagement member to impart rotary motion to the member and the fastener thereby removing the fastener from or urging the fastener into a workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus for securely holding and protecting a layout of elements for a page of a scrapbook includes a portfolio having first and second covers, each cover having a width and height each of which exceeds the width and height of a scrapbooking page; and a first overlay having a width and height each of which exceeds the width and height of a scrapbooking page. The first overlay and the first cover are releasably cohered together, preferably utilizing magnetic forces. A scrapbooking page and loose elements arranged thereof thereby may be secured between the overlay and the cover for safe storage and transport between scrapbooking sessions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a onium salt functionalized by at least one organic function, as a soluble support, in the presence of at least one organic solvent, for organic synthesis of a molecule, in a homogenous phase, by at least one transformation of said organic function. The onium salt enables the synthesized molecule to be released. The onium salt is present in liquid or solid form at room temperature and corresponds to formula A1+, X1?, wherein A1+ represents a cation and X1? represents an anion.

Abstract: The invention relates to cryptographic identification in a practical, low cost environment. A secret number (a kind of hidden identity) is stored in a device that, in combination with its public identity, can be used for identification by a Certifying Authority (CA) and subsequent subscription. To enable efficient renewed subscription, the CA will store a mapping of the hidden identity.

Abstract: In a depilation device (1) with a reel (16) for accommodating a tape roll (15) formed by winding up of a depilation tape (2), said reel (16) advantageously performs a dual function, such that the reel (16) is designed both for un-reeling the depilation tape (2) from the tape roll (15) accommodated on the reel (16) and for winding up the depilation tape (2) onto the tape roll (15) present on the reel (16).

Abstract: A drill insert includes a pair of cutting webs inclined relative to each other, a pair of transversely opposed cutting portions, each cutting portion partially defining a side portion of a corresponding cutting web. Each cutting portion includes an outer cutting edge, an inner cutting edge connected to the outer cutting edge and having a positive rake angle, and a notch having a first face, a curved second face and a curved valley, the curved valley connecting the first face and the second face. The first face is bound by the curved valley and the inner cutting edge. The drill insert further includes a chisel defined by the first face, the valley, the second face and the inner cutting edge of each cutting portion and the cutting webs converging to a point region.

Abstract: An output audio signal (L, R) is generated based on an input audio signal, the input audio signal comprising a plurality of input subband signals (N). The input subband signals are delayed in a plurality of delay units (76) to obtain a plurality of delayed subband signals, wherein at least one input subband signal is delayed more than a further input subband signal of higher frequency, and wherein the output audio signal is derived (77) from a combination of the input audio signal and the plurality of delayed subband signals.

Abstract: A sigma-delta modulator (SDM) including n (n>_1) integrators in series, where a first of the n integrators receiving an input signal, at least one Q device, which acts as a quantizer when an absolute value of a signal input thereto is smaller and as a gain element (either with or without offset) when the absolute value of the signal input thereto is larger, and a device for quantizing an output of the unit. The SDM may be a feed back or feed forward SDM. The SDM may include a single or multiple Q devices. The single Q device may be positioned so that the signal input to the one Q device is an output of the last integrator and the output of the one device Q, is input to the device for quantizing and/or to the n integrators. For multiple Q devices, each of the Q devices may have different parameters set to improve stability, improve SNR, and/or reduce introduction of artifacts. The SDM may be part of an analog to digital converter and/or a digital to digital converter.

Abstract: The invention relates to video transcoding between a first and second video standard, such as H.264 and MPEG-2. A video transcoder (201) comprises an interface (203) that receives a video signal in accordance with a first video encoding standard. The video signal is decoded in a decoder (207). An extraction processor (209) extracts motion estimation data from the first video signal, preferably as part of the decoding process. A motion estimation data processor (211) generates second motion estimation data, compatible with a second video encoding standard having a different set of motion estimation options, from the first motion estimation data. The second motion estimation data is generated by projecting motion estimation block positions between reference pictures, aligning prediction blocks with a block position framework and adjusting the prediction block sizes.

Abstract: A method for recommending a video content to a viewer. The method including the steps of: determining a user profile of the viewer, the user profile indicating the viewing preferences of the viewer, providing a plurality of user profiles; comparing the user profile of the viewer to each of the plurality of user profiles to determine if each of the plurality of user profiles contains at least one common characteristic with the user profile of the viewer; and determining a recommendation for the video content based on the plurality of user profiles, wherein user profiles having the at least one common characteristic are assigned a greater recommendation weight than user profiles not having the at least one common characteristic.

Abstract: An equivalent to the spatial separation either side of a nominal median plane that is inherent in a bimorph (with one piezoelectric layer on one side, and the second on the other side of the plane) is attained by structurally shaping the cross-section of a simple, single piezoelectric layer (11) such that it has a multiplicity of piezoelectric portions arranged in two generally-planar groups one either side of a median plane, so that any dimension change undergone by a portion on one side of that plane will tend to bend the whole device in the opposite direction to the same sense dimension change undergone by a portion on the other side of that plane. The simple, single layer acts as though it were a bimorph if elongate and beam-like, bending along its length, one end moving up/down, or back/forth, relative to the other but with any need for an internal, electrode.

Abstract: Electro-active actuators (310) and methods of manufacturing such actuators are described with such actuators (310) having a plurality of electro-active segments (311) arranged along a curved line with each segment (311) being essentially planar and coupled to adjacent segments (311) through joint sections (312) placed at opposite corners of the segment (311). The actuators (310) exhibit a displacement in a different direction than the direction of displacement of a segment when seen in isolation. They can be made from a continuous tape of material, preferably by die punching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the generation of a plasma through electric discharge in a discharge space which contains at least two electrodes, at least one of which is constructed from a matrix material or carrier material, such that an erosion-susceptible region with an evaporation spot is formed at least by the current flow. To present a method or a device for the generation of a plasma by electric discharge, it is suggested that a sacrificial substrate (38) is provided at least at the evaporation spot, the boiling point of said lying below the melting point of the carrier material (30), such that charge carriers arising in the current flow are mainly generated from the sacrificial substrate (38).

Abstract: A method for matching grayvalued first elements of a first data set with grayvalued second elements of a second data set so that a first distribution of the first elements optimally matches a second distribution of the second elements, said method being characterized by the following steps: mapping said first elements on said second elements and evaluating a local grayvalue distribution difference between any mapped first element and its associated second element; from said local grayvalue distribution difference deriving for each said first element a force vector of a force field, said force vector indicating a preferred motion size and direction; combining said separate force vectors into a single force and a single torque value acting on said first elements collectively, for iteratively moving said first elements collectively to an amended mapping that improves a match between said first and second distributions.

Abstract: A method of feeding an infant, the method comprising the steps of: providing a feeding device; adding a female's breast odor to the feeding device; and feeding the infant using the feeding device. A feeding device, a pacifying device and an odor carrier are also described.

Abstract: A method of detecting a shot-cut in a sequence of video images on basis of a first set of segments (S1n-1, S2n-1, S3n-1 and S41-1) and a second set of segments (S1n, S2n, S3n and S4n) being determined by means of segmentation, comprises: creating a third set of segments (S1n, S2n-1, S3n-1 and S4n-1) on basis of the first set of segments (S1n-1, S2n-1, S3n-1 and S4n-1); computing a consistency measure C(n-1, n) on basis of a number of values representing overlap (A,ij) between respective pairs of segments, each pair off segments comprising one of the segments (Sjn-1) of the third set of segments and one of the segments (Sin) of the second set of segments; and comparing the consistency measure (C(n-1, n)) with a predetermined threshold (Tc,) and establishing that the shot-cut is detected if the consistency measure (C(n-1, n)) is below the predetermined threshold (Tc).

Abstract: A method includes, in response to a request by a subscriber for a subscription to a product or service, wherein the subscription has a subscription period and wherein the subscription period is initially for a first period of time, automatically providing the subscriber with the product or service for the first period of time. The method also includes automatically entering the subscriber into one or more sweepstakes drawings which occur during the first period of time. The one or more sweepstakes drawings have one or more corresponding jackpots. The method also includes, at the end of the subscription period, automatically renewing the subscription for a next period of time; and in connection with the renewed subscription, automatically entering the subscriber into one or more sweepstakes drawings which occur during the next period of time.

Abstract: A total amount, M, of memory is allocated over streaming data buffers (86). The memory is partitioned over a set of streams (88), each stream being given a partitioned amount of buffer memory. Scheduling is repeatedly performed during each filling/emptying cycle. The scheduling includes: spinning up a storage disk (80), filling/emptying each stream buffer by reading/writing from/to the storage disk until the respective stream buffer is full/empty, determining an earliest next spinning up time, putting the storage disk in standby mode, spinning down the storage disk, re-determining, at or just prior to the earliest next spinning up time, a new earliest spinning up time based on current buffer fullness, iteratively re-determining the new earliest spinning up time until the time is within a predetermined closeness to the previous time, or within a predetermined closeness to the current time, and waiting until the next earliest spinning up time, or just prior to that time.