Abstract: The ratio of useful-signal power to the power of interference signals at an antenna (ANT) having plural sensors, and at least one sensor is obtained by filtering the antenna output signal with a filter having a transfer function (W(t), W(t, f)) equal to the ratio of two linear functions of the power ({circumflex over (p)}y(t), {circumflex over (p)}y(t, f)) at the output of the antenna to the power {circumflex over (p)}x(t), {circumflex over (p)}x(t, f)) at the input of the antenna (ANT).

Abstract: In order to prevent the use of a virtual prepaid card illegitimately acquired and transmitting only one identification code, for example read after the card has been scratched, to a service provision server, a second code is delivered on paying for the card, and the two codes have to be authenticated so that the user-purchaser of the card can subsequently use the service concerned in the server still using only the first code.

Abstract: A filtering device for a narrow-band terminal in a private installation connected to an access network carrying narrow-band services (analogue or ISDN) and broad-band services (xDSL or HomePNA). The device has a low-pass filter associated with an insulation enabling the device to have a high input impedance insulating the installation when the narrow-band terminal is on hook while allowing the ringing signal to pass. Applicable to private telephone-teledata installations.

Abstract: A method for processing radio signals of a plurality of radio communication standards occupying a broadband frequency having a step which consists in broadband analysis to acquire information on the signals contained in the frequency broadband and selecting an appropriate narrowband processing to demodulate the radio signals; and a step which consists in processing in narrowband the radio signals contained in the frequency broadband to demodulate them.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating the motion between two digital images and to the use of this method for coding images. The aim of the method is to eliminate the disturbances caused by the mesh being overturned during the motion estimation process. According to the invention, the method consists of carrying out a first motion estimation in order to identify the faulty mesh, i.e. the mesh that is overturning or is overlapping after the displacement vectors have been applied; then carrying out a second motion estimation, excluding at least said faulty mesh, in order to minimize prediction error on the remaining mesh of the model.

Abstract: An access network for mobile terminals includes a switch arranged to be connected to at least one external network and a local access network connected to a plurality of radio base stations. Each base station is arranged to enter into communication with mobile terminals, each terminal being arranged for receiving or sending user cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a fixed virtual path identifier and a specific virtual circuit identifier allocated thereto at the time a call is established. Signaling cells on a virtual channel are identified by a specific virtual path identifier and a specific fixed virtual circuit identifier. The switch allocates a virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier to each user channel. To each signaling channel, the switch allocates a virtual path identifier equal to the virtual path identifier of the user circuit and a fixed virtual circuit identifier.

Abstract: A method of calculating the fast Fourier transform or the inverse fast Fourier transform of a series of N real samples x(n), with N power of two, operating according to a time interleaving algorithm and providing the sample series X(n) in ascending order to index n and using limited calculating storage means. A method of calculating the fast Fourier transform or the inverse fast Fourier transform of a series of N conjugated complex samples X(n), with N power of two, operating according to a frequency interleaving algorithm.

Abstract: Label switching paths in an MPLS network having plural nodes connected by IP links, each path passing through a series of network nodes and links called “elements of the path,” are protected. An element of a first path is protected by a bypass path starting from a node of the first path upstream and ending in a node of the first path downstream of the element to be protected. A certain number of resources of the network are reserved for the bypass path. An element of a second path is protected by a bypass path of the second path starting from a node of the second path upstream of the second element and ending in a node of the second path downstream of the second element. The bypass path of the second path includes at least one part of the resources reserved for the first bypass path.

Abstract: The video component(s) of a digital audio-visual first program are switched onto the video components of a second digital, audio-visual program by (1) switching onto the video component of the second program, subsequent to the switch command and to the end of a picture of the first program, and (2) replacing, as seen in the order of transmission, each non Intra picture of the component of a second program, with a picture having coding performed independently of (a) the picture data of the replaced picture and (b) of the contents of the pictures to which it refers until the beginning of the next Intra picture of the component of the second program.

Abstract: First digital audio-visual program video component(s) are switched on a second digital audio-visual program video component(s) by switching on the beginning of the first set of images including an Intra-coded picture of the second program video component encountered after the switching command. In the transmission order of images, each bidirectionally predictive-coded picture of the first set of images referring to the set of images pertaining to the set of images preceding it before switching, is substituted for a bidirectionally predictive-coded picture of the video coding which is produced independently of (1) the substituted image content and (2) the contents of the images to which it refers.

Abstract: A method for encoding a digital image for producing a bit stream representing the image, the bit stream length depending on the quality of the desired representation, consisting in: a) defining, on the domain of the image to be encoded, a hierarchical meshing comprising a plurality of nested meshes whereof the mesh peaks are the image pixels; b) determining for each mesh of the hierarchical meshing, a brightness variation between the image to be encoded and an interpolated image obtained from the nested meshing peaks whereto pertains the mesh concerned; and c) inserting in the bit stream position, brightness and chrominance values of the peaks of meshes whereof the brightness variation is higher than a threshold variation useful for encoding fixed or animated images with speed reduction.

Abstract: A method for the collective production of microlenses at the end of a set of aligned optical fibers. The method consists in heating the end of all the fibers by means of an electric arc in order to form the microlenses, the plane in which the ends of the fibers are situated being distant from the line of the hottest points in the electric arc in order to round their end homogeneously. Useful for making optical and optoelectric modules.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of protecting the transmission of cells in a telecommunication system, the method consisting, on the transmitter side, of simultaneously transmitting two identical flows of cells on two distinct physical links and, on the receiver side, of receiving each of the two flows of cells respectively transmitted on the said two links and selecting one of them. The method further consists, on the transmitter side, of inserting, regularly in each of the flows, cells serving as markers and thus delimiting blocks of cells or sets of blocks of cells, and, on the receiver side, of selecting, block after block or group of blocks after group of blocks, the block or group of blocks from the flow of cells which has the fewer transmission errors compared with the block or group of blocks of the same order number in the other flow.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of controlling the conformity of the transmission rate of data cells transmitted by a source terminal in communication with a destination terminal. It consists essentially, when a backward-resource management cell (BW-RM) of order k arrives at the said interface unit (21), of determining the programming time (tp(k)) of the taking into account, by the said control process (21b), of the rate request (ER(k)) contained in the field of the said cell (BW-RM). It also concerns a user-network interface unit which has means for being able to implement the steps of the said methods.

Abstract: An access network for mobile terminals has a switching circuit (VCX) connected to at least one other external network and to a local access network (RLA) which has a number of radio terminals (BR) for providing communication with mobile terminals (MT). Set-up and release protocols provide for signaling channels and user channels between switching circuit (VCX) and a mobile terminal (MT). Security protocol (SSCOP) provides for the channels implemented by exchanging signaling messages at the level of switching circuit (VCX) and mobile terminals (MT). An adaptation server (ARX) intercepts the messages sent by the signaling protocols and implements the intercepted messages. Management protocols of the local access network (RLA) oversee set up and release of the signaling channels and the user channels and reserves corresponding radio resources for the signaling channels.

Abstract: A method for the deposition of a coating layer on an optical fiber while it is being drawn. The coating layer is designed to reduce the permeability of the optical fiber to water vapor and therefore to increase its lifetime. The method is characterized in that it consists in carrying out a decomposition of a gas mixture of boron halogenide and hydrogen and/or boron halogenide and ammonia gas by a microwave plasma-assisted addition of energy and in that the operation is conducted in the presence of a carrier gas in order firstly to carry the gas mixture to a reaction medium and secondly to activate the plasma.

Abstract: A process provides for searching through a written text in response to a spoken question comprising a plurality of words. The first step in the process is to transcribe the written text into a first sequence of phonetic units. Then, a spoken question is segmented into a second sequence of phonetic units. The search is conducted through the written text for an occurrence of the spoken question. The search comprises aligning the first and second sequences of phonetic units.

Abstract: A system and a process arranges equitable-loss data packets in a high-volume asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system and establishes the output order of the packets. There are a plurality of inflowing data packet streams, a minimum quantity ri of each incoming flow being reserved. At all times, there is a ratio K(t) between two parts of each incoming data packet flow. One part is a quantity of packets &Dgr;xi(t) allocated above the minimum reserve quantity ri. The other part ei(t) is an instantaneous quantity &Dgr;xi(t) above the minimum reserve quantity ri.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a local mobile access network, of the kind that comprises a distribution network (RDL) formed by a plurality of nodes (NIE), each node (NIE) being connected to a concentrator (CTR) which is connected to at least one radio terminal (BR) designed to communicate with mobile units linked with said terminal (BR), at least one of said nodes (NIE) of said distribution network (RDL) being connected via routing equipment (PONT) [bridge] to a virtual channel switch (VCX).

Abstract: The invention concerns a directional method for a server for cells transmitted by a module attached to a local mobile area network as well as a network of this type for implementing said method. The directional method applies to a network which is comprised of a plurality of concentration stages and terminals linked to the low-level concentration stages, said network comprising servers respectively linked to concentration stages. This method is characterized therein that it consists of initially establishing permanent virtual channels in direction of the servers and, when a mobile is connected to two terminals of said network, said two terminals ascertain the closest common server and modify the header of the user cells transmitted by said mobile in such a way that they carry the identifier VPI/VCI of the channel established for said server so as to enable it to be processed there. The present invention also concerns a network provided for implementing said method.