Abstract: The invention relates to the identification of the direction of the relative movement between a scanning beam of an optical scanner and the tracks of optical storage media. Use is made of the fact that the amplitude of the component TW of a track error signal TE, said component being brought about by wobble of the tracks, is maximal in the track center and minimal in the region between the tracks. A signal TW is thus present which does not assume its maxima and minima across the scanning location x at the same places as the track error signal TE. The invention describes devices and methods for determining the movement direction DIR of the scanning beam from the phase shift between the two signals.

Abstract: A method is proposed introducing a temporarily erased flag in order to indicate a cell to be temporarily erased. In addition, necessary time stamps are set for complete Stream Object Units to be erasable to enable on the fly permanent erasure without any additional view into the streams or quick permanent erasure. Advantageously the temporarily erasure can also be completely withdrawn.

Abstract: In DVB/MPEG transport streams, the PID specifies the assignment of the packets to the different elementary streams. For reproduction of the elementary streams, for instance by a set-top box with outputting via the screen of a television set, the packets of the desired program have to be selected from the transport stream by means of the PIDs using the demultiplexer. This requires in each case the evaluation of the Program Association Table and Program Map Table, and also that the PIDs of the elementary streams to be reproduced be known to the demultiplexer in the set-top box. If the set-top box has a digital interface via which parts of the transport data stream can be stored and reproduced later or via which an arbitrary transport data stream can be fed to the set-top box, the demultiplexer must firstly be reprogrammed with the PIDs.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having at least two information carrier layers, on which information can be written by means of a focused light beam. In the present invention, a separating layer is arranged between the information carrier layers and a respective transparent covering layer is arranged between the information carrier layer and the surface of the recording medium, the thickness of each transparent covering layer substantially exceeds that of the respective information carrier layer. One object of the present invention is to propose an optical recording medium in the which it is possible to write to both information carrier layers using a low optical power. Further objects of the invention are to specify an apparatus and also a suitable method for writing to recording medium according to the present invention. A recording medium according to the invention has information carrier layers which are both semi-transparent.

Abstract: In consumer electronics appliances, for example in the case of a television set, it is known for there to be a key on the remote control which allows the user to switch over to the previously selected channel. However, a disadvantage of this conventional solution is that, once the user has jumped from one channel to the next, which is called zapping, the television recognizes only the last channel in the zapping sequence as the last channel in each case. The invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for storage of a channel. The method according to the invention for storage of a channel in consumer electronics appliance which can be switched over between different channels is distinguished in that the reception duration of the current channel is determined, and in that, as soon as the reception duration exceeds a predetermined time interval ZE, the channel is stored as a channel of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gear rack arrangement, which, for the compensation of backlash, comprises two gear racks (A, B) which are mutually displaceable on latch elements and are resiliently braced, and refers both to the assembly and disassembly characteristics of the gear rack arrangement and to the number of moulded elements used. Application is envisaged, in particular, for a positioning device in a recording and reproducing instrument for optical recording carriers, although the field of application is not however thereby restricted. According to the invention, an anti-detachment safeguard is provided, which is formed by an elastic boss (F). In order to prevent the detachment of a second gear rack (B) from a first gear rack (A) during the assembly or disassembly, the elastic boss (E) is provided at one end of one of the gear racks (A, B).

Abstract: MPEG2 data streams contain data packets for a set of programs and time stamps for data synchronization purposes. An MPEG2 transport stream is assembled of fixed-length transport packets. The received transport packets of at least one specific program of this set of programs can be stored using for example a DVD Streamer recorder or DVD-RAM recorder. For the real-time playback of recorded specific program data packets each packet needs a separate time stamp. For that reason a timestamp is to be captured for each data packet at recording time. However, capturing of timestamps from a transport stream is a very time consuming action in software implementation processing. Therefore transport stream timestamps are captured for every Nth packet only and the missing timestamps are calculated. Thereby software-processing time is saved for generating the timestamps required for real-time bitstream recording.

Abstract: An optical detection device for detecting an intensity of a light beam in a detection window and for detecting data transmitted by the light beam includes a first detection diode and an array of at least two second detection diodes in a detection window. In addition, provision is made for a first readout circuit connectable to the first detection diode, for reading out the first detection diode at a first readout speed to detect the data, and for a second readout circuit connectable to the second detection diodes, for reading out the second detection diodes at a second readout speed smaller than the first readout speed, so as to detect the intensity of the light beam.

Abstract: A set top box can be connected to a DVD Streamer via an IEEE1394 interface which contains means to timestamp data and to strip off these timestamps again, using them for timing regeneration. The DVD stream also must regenerate the timing of data packets as it was upon recording, when these packets are played back. The streamer could also use its own timestamps and strip them off again when replaying. So, in total, there is an in-series connection between two time stamping and time regeneration mechanism which introduces jitter accumulation.

Abstract: The invention specifies a system having a plurality of devices which are connected to one another via an IEEE 1394 interface and one of which contains a control unit which, when operated appropriately by a user, polls system data for devices in this system via the interface and passes this system data to an output unit of this device. The device having the output unit is, by way of example, a set-top box having a microprocessor which a user uses to poll system data for the devices, which contains, in particular the input and output characteristics of the latter, via the interface and which the user can use to store this system data on a smart card by means of a write/read device. Alternatively or at the same time, the system data can be shown on a display or transmitted to a desired address via a modem connection.

Abstract: A device for amplifying and converting current signals into voltage signals for processing The current signals are delivered by sensors, e.g. optical transducers, magnetical heads. The current signals are first amplified using a current to current amplifier, the amplified current signals are then transported using electrical conductors and eventually amplified using a current to voltage amplifier. The invention may find application in consumer electronic devices, cars, planes, industrial machines.

Abstract: A photoelement which is provided with a protective layer consisting of cured material and has a transparent element at a location intended for light to pass through. An object of the present invention is to propose an improved photoelement which can be produced at low cost. This is achieved according to the invention by the cured material being the transparent element.

Abstract: A device for rotating inside of a disk player and/or recorder a disk shaped data carrier which takes into account that the rotating disk may be eccentered from an imposed rotation axis. A side moving apparatus allows the rotating disk and a fixing device to which the disk is removably fixed, to move inside the player and/or recorder in a rotation plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the fixing device. The rotating disk and the fixing device go into a gyroscopic movement inside the player. A plurality of examples to realize the invention are described.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media on which data markings are arranged along tracks arranged next to one another. The apparatus according to the present invention comprises a light source, a focusing means and an intensity distribution converter. In the present invention, both the extent of the focus spot of the primary beam is reduced and the disadvantages occurring due to the secondary beams are reduced. In an exemplary embodiment, the intensity distribution converter comprises a filtering strip arranged in the region of the focusing means.

Abstract: Reproduction and/or recording device for optical recording media having a unit for adjusting the inclination of a bearing, is disclosed. The device includes a unit for adjusting the inclination of a bearing of a laser disk scanning apparatus, which has a board to which the bearing is fastened. The inclination of the bearing can be set with regard to the board by setting units, which alters the distance between the board and the bearing, the selling units each having at least one elastic element, is known. In order to improve the device to the extent that its individual components are inexpensive to produce and the adjustment can be carried out rapidly and in a simple manner, it is provided that the board has at least two elastic lugs, which are connected to the bearing. The inclinations of the lugs can be set with regard to the board by setting units, which act on the lugs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media having a scanning unit, which is equipped with at least two detector units each having a plurality of detector elements, and also an evaluation unit, each of the detector elements being connected to the evaluation unit by means of a line. The object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of a device of this type. This object is achieved by virtue of the fact that detector elements of different detector units are each connected to the evaluation unit via a single line. The device according to the invention is advantageously a device which can read from and/or write to not only optical recording media which correspond to a CD standard but also those which correspond to a DVD standard.

Abstract: For broadcasting purposes a multi-channel audio encoder board has been designed. A requirement for such encoders is that they are able to operate with different encoding parameters. It may happen that encoding parameters change during encoding operation. In order to avoid the output of invalid data the encoding parameters required for a specific processing path are added to the input streams for the audio channels and become linked with the associated audio data and are stored in various buffers together with its audio data, i.e. the corresponding encoding parameters are kept linked with the audio data to be encoded throughout the encoding processing.

Abstract: For the acquisition of multistandard video data a decoder is used with a register 201 having 24 cells for storing 3 times 8 bit of data. Each of the three bytes are connected with logical devices in order to compare the content of the cells with given start codes. Start of the register 202 is byte3, followed by byte2 and byte 1. In addition a second 8 bit register 202 is connected in parallel to the register 201. The content of byte3 is also fed to a Hamming (8/4) decoder 203 and of byte2 to a Hamming (8/4) decoder 204. Each decoder output of 4 bits is fed to the assigned 4 bits of the register 202, respectively.

Abstract: An input filter stage and to a method for filtering a data stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the reading and/or writing of optical recording media [(AT)] of various structures, which device operates with a single objective lens [(OL)]. The invention proposes to use a diaphragm varying in diameter, in particular a polarizing filter arranged in the optical path in order to adapt the aperture to each type of optical recording medium [(AT)] used. The wavefront can be corrected using a divergent lens [(SL)] which can also be positioned in the beam path. The Diaphragm formed by the polarizing filter PF is linked to the objective lens [(OL)]. The field of application of the invention relates to, in particular, devices for reading and/or writing optical recording media [(AT)] of various structure such as compact discs and digital video discs.