Abstract: A favorable merging or grouping of simply connected regions into which the array of information samples is sub-divided, is coded with a reduced amount of data. To this end, a predetermined relative locational relationship is defined enabling an identifying, for a predetermined simply connected region, of simply connected regions within the plurality of simply connected regions which have the predetermined relative locational relationship to the predetermined simply connected region. Namely, if the number is zero, a merge indicator for the predetermined simply connected region may be absent within the data stream. In other embodiments, spatial sub-division is performed depending on a first subset of syntax elements, followed by combining spatially neighboring simply connected regions depending on a second subset of syntax elements, to obtain an intermediate sub-division.

Abstract: Actuator elements can be used for mechatronic, adaptive applications under the most varied conditions of use. These actuator elements have improved properties and can be manufactured inexpensively. The actuator elements are formed with at least one dielectric separation layer which is encompassed by two electrically conductive electrodes. The electrodes and the separation layer are in this respect formed using the same visco-elastically deformable plastic. The plastic forms a matrix in which carbon nanotubes are embedded at least in the electrodes.

Abstract: A decoder for decoding a picture is described, having: an extractor adapted to extract a first subset of syntax elements from a received data stream and a second subset of syntax elements being disjoint from the first subset of syntax elements, wherein the second subset of syntax elements has filter indication information defining a first filter for a first region of at least two different regions of the picture and a second filter for a second region of the at least two different regions of the picture; a pre-decoder adapted to pre-decode the picture based on the first subset of syntax elements to produce a reconstructed version of the picture; and a filter stage adapted to apply the first filter to the first region of the reconstructed picture to obtain a first filtered version of the reconstructed version of the picture and to apply the second filter to the second region of the first filtered version of the reconstructed version of the picture to obtain a second filtered version of the reconstructed versio

Abstract: A better rate distortion ratio is achieved by making interrelationships between coding parameters of different planes available for exploitation for the aim of redundancy reduction despite the additional overhead resulting from the need to signal the inter-plane prediction information to the decoder. In particular, the decision to use inter plane prediction or not may be performed for a plurality of planes individually. Additionally or alternatively, the decision may be done on a block basis considering one secondary plane.

Abstract: A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.

Abstract: An apparatus for intra predicting a block to be predicted of a picture from neighboring image samples sequentially extending along two rays starting at a common intersection point and pointing into different directions, the neighboring image samples including edge neighboring samples bordering the block to be predicted, includes a smoothing filter and a determiner. The smoothing filter is configured to one-dimensionally filter the neighboring image samples, which are sequentially arranged into a sequence by anti-parallelly traveling along a first one of the two rays and parallelly traveling along a second one of the two rays to obtain a filtered image sample sequence. The determiner is configured to determine a prediction value for a predetermined image sample of the block to be predicted by using the filtered image sample sequence.

Abstract: For controlling the acoustic reproduction of audio data containing audio elements that are periodically repeated, movement data regarding a movement process is detected. The movement process contains recurring events. Reproduction of the audio data is controlled using the movement data in such a way that at least within a certain period, one out of n audio elements that are periodically repeated is reproduced in synchrony with the moment one of the recurring events occurs (synchronization) or is reproduced temporally offset by a given amount of time from the moment one of the recurring events occurs (offset synchronization). The value n represents a positive integer.

Abstract: A terrestrial transmitting station for sending out a terrestrial broadcast signal includes a first receiver for receiving a signal to obtain a satellite receive signal, a second receiver for receiving a local signal to obtain a local receive signal and a signal combiner for combining the first receive signal with the local receive signal to form a combination signal. The signal combiner is implemented to generate the combination signal so that the combination signal is formed according to a hierarchical modulation, wherein the first receive signal is contained in a base layer of the hierarchical modulation and wherein the local receive signal is contained in an overlay layer of the hierarchical modulation. A terrestrial transmitting station further includes a transmitter for sending out the combination signal. A broadcast system includes a first transmitter and at least one terrestrial transmitting station.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination of diffusion coefficients and/or exchange coefficient of a material having electronic and ionic conductivity. The material is permeable to at least one gas. It is the object of the invention to provide a cost-effective, accurate method for the determination of the diffusion coefficient and of the surface exchange coefficient which can be carried out in a short time and can thus be used for a screening of materials, in particular for application in the field of permeation membranes. The procedure is followed in accordance with the invention such that a sample of the material is arranged in a measurement chamber and has an electric current passed through it for a determination of the electric resistance. In this respect, a gas mixture in which the respective gas is contained is conducted through the measurement chamber as a gas flow and the partial pressure of the respective gas in the gas mixture is changed periodically at regular intervals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a material for the formation of protective layers resistant to high temperatures on chromium oxide forming substrates, to a manufacturing method and to a use of these materials. It is suitable for a use as a chromium evaporation layer for metallic alloys containing chromium in the high temperature range. It is the object of the invention to provide a material for applications as a protective layer for chromium oxide forming alloys of high temperature resistance which is thermally and mechanically permanently stable and ensures a high electrical conductivity at the operating temperature of the fuel cell. In accordance with the invention, the material is formed from a spinel phase and an oxidic secondary phase which is preferably formed with an oxidic compound containing manganese.

Abstract: The invention is a method using ultrasound for non-destructive examination of a test body, whereby ultrasonic waves are coupled into the test body with one ultrasonic transducer or a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and the ultrasonic waves reflected inside the test body are received by a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and converted into ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic signals detected in the single measurement periods are individually stored and are accessible for off-line evaluation after termination of the measurements. Application of corresponding reconstruction algorithms permits subsequent synthetization of any desired ultrasonic coupling-in angles and focussing into the volume region of the test body from the stored ultrasonic signals without requiring any additional ultrasonic measurements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an X-ray detector having an X-ray sensor (first X-ray sensor) converting X-radiation directly into electric charge carriers, having signal evaluation electronics electrically connected to the X-ray sensor and preferably formed as integrated circuit(s), having an X-ray absorber formed for protecting the signal evaluation electronics, and having a sensor carrier (first sensor carrier) formed and arranged for positioning the X-ray sensor relative to the X-ray absorber, wherein, viewed in the direction of incidence of the X-radiation, both the signal evaluation electronics are arranged behind the X-ray absorber and in the X-radiation shadow thereof and the X-ray sensor is admittedly likewise positioned by means of the sensor carrier preferably arranged between the X-ray absorber and the signal evaluation electronics at least sectionally behind the X-ray absorber, but outside the X-radiation shadow thereof.

Abstract: An encoder, based on a combination of two audio channels, obtains a first combination signal as a mid-signal and a residual signal derivable using a predicted side signal derived from the mid signal. The first combination signal and the prediction residual signal are encoded and written into a data stream together with the prediction information. A decoder generates decoded first and second channel signals using the prediction residual signal, the first combination signal and the prediction information. A real-to-imaginary transform may be applied for estimating the imaginary part of the spectrum of the first combination signal. For calculating the prediction signal used in the derivation of the prediction residual signal, the real-valued first combination signal is multiplied by a real portion of the complex prediction information and the estimated imaginary part of the first combination signal is multiplied by an imaginary portion of the complex prediction information.

Abstract: A photoacoustic detector for providing a measurement, includes a first light source and a second light source each configured to provide light of a same intensity while retaining a same spectral distribution. Additionally, the photoacoustic detector includes a first beam path allocated to the first light source and at least one second beam path allocated to the second light source, wherein a different absorption of light occurs in the first path and the second beam path in at least one selected wavelength range. Further, the photoacoustic detector includes a photoacoustic measuring cell; and a mechanism for alternately guiding light from the first beam path and from the second beam path into the photoacoustic measuring cell.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are described in which is performed not only a shot detection (continuous recording with a camera) and an association of several key-frames to the shots, it then being possible for a subsequent scene recognition to be based on the grouping of shots into scenes. Rather, it is observed that a scene only relates to one event in a setting. Since both can change within a shot, not every scene boundary is at the same time also a shot boundary. In addition, not every shot is short enough, so that a reliable retrieval of different picture contents is not guaranteed. Therefore, exemplary embodiments are shown which are capable of defining sub-shots so that in principle, scene and shot boundaries are also sub-shot boundaries at the same time. Sub-shots furthermore include only video pictures with a small change in picture content.

Abstract: An edge emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor body having a wave guide area. The wave guide area comprises a lower cover layer, a lower wave guide layer, an active layer for generating laser radiation, an upper wave guide layer and an upper cover layer. The wave guide area also includes at least one structured laser radiation scattering area in which a lateral base laser radiation mode experiences less scattering losses than the radiation of higher laser modes.

Abstract: In a method for estimating a deviation between a free-running transmitter clock and a reference clock, at a receiver stationary with respect to a transmitter, a transmitter signal generated by the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter clock is received. On the basis of the reference clock, a time of arrival of the transmitter signal and a beat phase of the transmitter signals carrier is determined. On the basis of a clock error model, the time of arrival and the beat phase, the deviation between the transmitter clock and the reference clock is estimated. The clock error model is derived by fitting a correlation function of a stochastic model to a measured auto correlation function of the transmitter clock. Deviations for a plurality of transmitters may be estimated and the transmitters may be virtually synchronized based on the estimations.

Abstract: An aliasing correction in a wave field synthesis system is achieved by ascertaining the aliasing filter property specific for a virtual source. This aliasing filter property, which, for example, may be the aliasing frequency is ascertained by help of the source position information. This aliasing filter property is used for an adaptive anti-aliasing filter for adaptive filtering of the audio signal associated with the source or the component signals associated with the source.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for determining the sex of birds' eggs. It can be used for an early determination of the sex, in particular in poultry farming, and in this respect also with non-incubated eggs. In the method in accordance with the invention, electromagnetic radiation is emitted onto the blastodisk of an egg by a radiation source and, after a switching off of the radiation source, the decay behavior of the autofluorescence intensity excited by the electromagnetic radiation is detected by a detector at the irradiated region of the blastodisk with time resolution and spectral resolution for at least one wavelength of the autofluorescence. The fractal dimension DF is calculated using the determined measured intensity values and the value of the fractal dimension DF is compared with a species-specific and sex-specific limit value, wherein, when the limit value is exceeded, the respective egg is classified as female and, when it is not reached, the egg is classified as male.

Abstract: A spatial audio processor for providing spatial parameters based on an acoustic input signal has a signal characteristics determiner and a controllable parameter estimator. The signal characteristics determiner is configured to determine a signal characteristic of the acoustic input signal. The controllable parameter estimator for calculating the spatial parameters for the acoustic input signal in accordance with a variable spatial parameter calculation rule is configured to modify the variable spatial parameter calculation rule in accordance with the determined signal characteristic.