Abstract: A digital switching signal sequence is realized as a previously digitized, high-pass filtered white noise signal of a predetermined length T, with a high-pass cut-off frequency which lies above the frequency where the loudness threshold characteristic in silence of the human hearing has its highest sensitivity, if possible. The switching signal sequence is employed for switching purposes (206), e.g., for switching between two information signals (201, 207).

Abstract: A special instruction for not encoding a content is incorporated into access authorization data contained in the received signal, so that within a unified system for transmitting and receiving of encoded or non-encoded sound and/or picture contents, it is possible to meet the requirement of public broadcasting and “free-to-air” program providers for a non-encoded processing and/or display and/or storage of freely accessible contents for the end user. The instruction signalizes that the sound and/or picture contents, once received, must be available in the non-encoded form to the end user. The access authorization data remain added to the sound and/or picture contents, even in cases of a cascading, encoded retransmission, or remains logically linked thereto by suitable means, even if transmitted physically separate along with the picture and/or sound contents.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to indicate the availability of an update for an MHP application, which is modified only periodically, to the user of a set top box, while helping him or her to decide whether the modified update is actually required and optionally still maintaining the availability of the older update without restrictions. To achieve this, information concerning the scope and/or type of modification in relation to the older version is provided in the transmitted version number for the modified MHP application. The set top box starts the saved older version if special information exists (“launchable with older version” flag) and permits a comparison of the version number with the received version number of the modified MHP application as to whether the modifications of the modified MHP application are of such significance that the modified version must be received and saved in the cache memory.

Abstract: To improve a cropping system by obtaining coverage of a wide range of contents for smaller sized displays of handheld devices, a method starts from a metadata aggregation and corresponding video, e.g. in post-production, program exchange and archiving, wherein (a) video is passed to a video analysis to deliver video, e.g. by use of motion detection, morphology filters, edge detection, etc.

Abstract: To improve a cropping system by obtaining coverage of a wide range of contents for smaller sized displays of handheld devices, a method starts from a metadata aggregation and corresponding video, e.g. in post-production, program exchange and archiving, wherein (a) video is passed to a video analysis to deliver video, e.g. by use of motion detection, morphology filters, edge detection, etc.

Abstract: In order to reduce the multitude of data for transmitting and converting use authorizations, which are received either encoded or non-encoded together with sound and/or picture contents in signals from optional networks, it is proposed to reduce the hierarchically structured use authorization information in the form of a tree structure before transmitting it further, such that non-occupied tree branches are detected and marked as not relevant, wherein the tree branches marked as not relevant are not included during the further transmitting of the use authorization information.

Abstract: A special instruction for not encoding a content is incorporated into access authorization data contained in the received signal, so that within a unified system for transmitting and receiving of encoded or non-encoded sound and/or picture contents, it is possible to meet the requirement of public broadcasting and “free-to-air” program providers for a non-encoded processing and/or display and/or storage of freely accessible contents for the end user. The instruction signalizes that the sound and/or picture contents, once received, must be available in the non-encoded form to the end user. The access authorization data remain added to the sound and/or picture contents, even in cases of a cascading, encoded retransmission, or remains logically linked thereto by suitable means, even if transmitted physically separate along with the picture and/or sound contents.

Abstract: Source coding digitized audio signals includes providing time or spectral domain sampling values of the digitized audio signal, requantizing the sampling values according their permissible quantizing noise as determined by a coding and requantizing control signal, and multiplexing the control signal and the requantized sampling values into a time multiplex frame depending on the bit rate reduction employed. The coding and requantizing control signal is determined from the sampling values by determining the global masking effect from all relevant maskers which are tonal maskers and noise maskers, and which result from the sampling values, and from a silence audio threshold.

Abstract: In order to transmit or to store digitalized, multi-channel audio signals which are digitally represented by a plurality of spectral subband signals, at an encoder, subband signals of different audio channels but having the same frequency position are combined across channels according to a dynamic control signal. This control signal is derived from several audio channels by an audio signal analysis based on a psycho-acoustic binaural model. At a decoder, the subband signals of several audio channels but having the same frequency position are dissociated across channels according to a control value derived from the dynamic control signal, transmitted or stored therewith.

Abstract: A method of encoding an audio signal for transmission and/or for storage includes changing a digitized audio signal based on a selected signal changing criteria. The changed digitized audio signal is encoded, based at least on an available data rate for transmitting and/or storing the audio signal, for reducing an amount of data associated with the changed, digitized audio signal. The reduced-data audio signal is then evaluated for determining whether a code overload condition exists. If a code overload condition exists, another signal changing criteria is selected. A time behavior and/or a spectral distribution of the digitized audio signal is recursively changed based on the another signal changing criteria before the amount of data associated with the digitized audio signal is reduced so that deterioration of reduced-data audio signal is not perceptible when the coded signal is decoded.

Abstract: In order to require only a relatively small increase in the data rate when the number of channels of multi-channel digitalized and bit-rate reduced audio signals is increased, the psychoacoustic concealment or masking by at least part of the remaining audio channels or the redundancy of individual audio channels is taken advantage of in each individual audio channel when reducing the bit rate of audio signals having more than two audio channels. Only those parts of the concerned audio channel are transmitted or stored which are not concealed by the audio signals of other audio channels or which are contained in the audio channels for stereophonic reproduction with all types of reproduction available for selection. In addition, the used parts are transmitted or stored with a resolution only big enough for the totality of all audio channels to keep concealed the quantization noise generated during quantization in all types of reproduction available for selection.

Abstract: Digitalized encoded audio signals for transmission over disturbed channels are composed of a series of information blocks made of information units containing various types of information, such as control information, scale factor information and information on encoded scanning values derived from partial-band and/or transformation coding at the source. The units of information concerning the encoded scanning values are allocated to a predetermined spectral structure. Before its transmission or storage, the encoded audio signal is subjected to a channel encoding dependent on the desired error protection. When errors are recognized, they are corrected, and when the errors cannot be corrected, they are concealed. For the channel encoding of the units of information concerning the encoded scanning values, a variable bit error protection is provided depending on the allocation of the individual information unit to a determined spectral structure, i.e.