Abstract: An image processing system, for correlating shapes in multi-dimensional images including image data processor for estimating a similarity measure including estimating two image signals representing shapes defined in respective windows in two multi-dimensional images using a Hermite Transform applied to both the image signals for performing an evaluation of two first sets of scalar valued Hermite coefficients from which a combination yields a transformed set of scalar valued Hermite coefficients {KI}. The inverse Hermite Transform is applied to the transformed set of scalar valued Hermite coefficients to achieve the computation of a windowed correlation function. The maximum of the windowed correlation function is estimated as the wanted similarity measure to correlate the shapes. The correlated shapes and/or processed images are displayed.

Abstract: A fabric (2; 20) formed from a plurality of first fibers or filaments (4), and a plurality of second fibers or filaments (6); the first fibers or filaments being non-conductive and comprising an electro-optically active material; and the second fibers or filaments being conductive; whereby a voltage difference between two second fibers causes a colour change in a first fiber positioned therebetween.

Abstract: An electronic file, e.g., an MP3 file, is partitioned into a sequence of segments at the server side. The first segment is played out upon downloading. While the first segment is being played out, the second is being downloaded and buffered so that it is available when the play out of the first segment is completed. While playing out a current one of the segments, next one(s) of the segments are being downloaded and buffered. This partitioning and sequential play out enables to emulate streaming of a file and to minimize latency while downloading an electronic file.

Abstract: A system (100) has a collection of programs on a central storage device (112). The system (100) supplies a particular program to a plurality of client terminals (104, 106) in a near-video-on-demand fashion using a redundant broadcast schedule. The users of the client terminals have a maximum waiting time until the client terminal can present the start of the program. An individual client terminal (104) may offer a shorter maximum waiting time to its user by prerecording a fraction of the program that is broadcast as part of the broadcast schedule.

Abstract: A system includes a 3-D display device with a display screen, an addresser for addressing the 3-D screen, and a renderer having an input for a 3-D model and an input for at least one viewpoint for rendering image information for supply to the addresser. The renderer includes an initial part having an input for the 3-D model and for a main view point for rendering objects in the form of a main view point Z-stack. The Z-stack includes stack layers having RGB and Z-values. The renderer further includes a Z-stack constructor in which, from the main view point Z-stack generated by the initial stage, Z-stacks for additional viewpoints are constructed. An image information occlusion semantics stage is provided for generating image information from the Z-stacks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for producing an image of the heart (5), in which the image is preferably three-dimensional and is reconstructed from a series of X-ray projection pictures from various projection directions. In this connection, the electrocardiogram (7) is recorded in parallel with the X-ray pictures and used by a data processing device (10) to control the picture-taking rate, the X-ray pulse duration, the tube current and/or the tube voltage of the X-ray device (1) in such a way that, during the phase to be displayed of maximum movement of the heart, the mean X-ray exposure rate is higher than during the other phases. The data processing device (10) may furthermore use the electrocardiogram to drive an injection pump (8) for the contrast agent in such a way that an approximately constant contrast display of the vessels is produced with minimum contrast-agent injection despite a variable flowrate in the vascular system.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for combining information obtained from CT and Coherent Scatter Computed Tomography to better determine whether there are dangerous materials in the baggage or not. Hence, the attenuation coefficient and the diffraction pattern of the item of baggage are used to determine whether the baggage should be cleared.

Abstract: The invention relates to a PVR system (100) making choices to store or remove certain programs in or from a memory (102) in order to create space for new programs to be stored in the memory. The choices are arranged in a list (201) of programs to be stored and a list (211) of programs to be erased from the memory. After these lists have been generated by the system (100), they are presented to the user for the purpose of confirmation and possible modifications. In this way, the user is aware of the choices made by the system and the method according to the invention enables him to confirm multiple choices by the system in one action. An operating device (104) is provided with a key (301) which is specifically intended to confirm choices made by the system (100).

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a speech signal by providing a first speech unit signal having an end interval and a second speech unit signal having a front interval, wherein at least some of the periods of the end interval are appended in inverted order at the end of the first speech unit signal in order to provide a fade-out interval, and at least some of the periods of the front interval are appended in inverted order at the beginning of the second speech unit signal to provide a fade-in interval. An overlap and add operation is performed on the end and fade-in intervals and the fade-out and front intervals.

Abstract: The light modulator for modulating light has a light modulating element, having a medium with a particle (6) and an optical state depending on the position of the particle (6), and a particle controller (10,11,100) being arranged to enable a movement of the particle (6) to one of the positions for modulating the light. For the light modulator to have a particle (6) which can relatively easily be moved, the particle (6) has a carrier particle (81) which contributes in operation to the ability of the particle (6) to be moved and is substantially non-contributing to the optical state, and an optical particle (86) which has an optical property for contributing to the optical state, is associated with the carrier particle (81), and has a position depending on the position of the carrier particle (81).

Abstract: The invention relates to a camera module 100. The camera module 100 comprises a holder 102, which provides a light-conducting channel 121. Within the light-conducting channel 121 a lens 112 having an optical axis 106 is present. A solid-state image sensor 113 is present near an end 122 of the light-conducting channel 121. The image sensor 113 is provided with an image pick-up section 114, which is oriented perpendicularly to the optical axis 106. Near the end 122 of the light-conducting channel, forming part of the holder 102, aligning means 131 are present for aligning the image pick-up section 114 with the optical axis 106. In one embodiment of the camera module 100, the inner wall 130 of the holder 102 is substantially rectangular, seen in cross-sectional view in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis 106. Bulges 131 present near the corners of the rectangle form the aligning means.

Abstract: A three dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to guide or observe the operation of an invasive medical device (30) in three dimensions. The invasive medical device (30) is shown in a detailed ultrasonic image and the balance of the volumetric region (120) in which the device is located is shown in a wide field of view. The detailed and wide fields of view may be displayed separately or overlapping in spatial alignment on an image display (18). The wide field of view may be shown in two or three dimensions. A quantified display may be shown together with the wide and detailed anatomical displays. The detailed view may also be shown in an enlarged or zoomed format.

Abstract: A radiation shield (24) for use with a tomographic scanner (10) provides a shielded region which at which a clinician or other person is shielded from radiation generated during a scan of a patient. A support (20) supports the first radiation shield (24) in a location near the scanner (10). The shield support (20) may be attached to the scanner (10).

Abstract: An optical scanning device (3) for scanning a record carrier (2) comprises an objective unit (20) and a diffraction element (14). The objective unit (20) is adapted to transmit an auxiliary radiation beam (21) towards the record carrier (2) in a defocused mode in addition to a main radiation beam (6) that is used for read-out and/or writing operations. The diffraction element (14) defines a measuring region (16) with respect to a spot (44) of the main radiation beam (6) so as to avoid an influence of the auxiliary radiation beam (21) on the main radiation beam (6) reflected. Hence, the performance of read-out and/or writing operations is increased.

Abstract: A disposable cartridge (1) for use in a beverage maker comprises a container (10) for containing at least one beverage ingredient and a connector (20) for establishing a connection between the cartridge (1) and a beverage maker. The connector (20) comprises a hollow needle member (22) having a blunt end (23) for piercing a portion (11) of a wall (12) of the container (10), wherein the needle member (22) extends inside a dome-shaped portion (13) of the container wall (12). Furthermore, the connector (20) is movably arranged with respect to the container (10). During operation, an impacting force is exerted on the needle member (22), as a result of which the connector (20) is moved with respect to the container (10), in a direction towards the container (10), and the pierceable portion (11) of the container wall (12) is pierced by the end (23) of the needle member (22). After the piercing process has taken place, the content of the container (10) is retrievable through the needle member (22).

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a new technique for MR measurement of ultrashort T2* relaxation utilizing spin-echo acquisition. The ultrashort T2* relaxometry can be used for the quantification of highly concentrated iron labeled cells in cell trafficking and therapy. In an exemplary embodiment, a signal is induced by a low flip angle RF pulse. Following excitation pulse, a gradient readout is applied to form an echo. The time between the RF pulse and the center of the gradient readout is defined as TE. In tissues with highly concentrated iron labeled cells, T2* could be below 1 millisecond. Therefore, the signal can be decayed to a noise level with an echo time of a couple milliseconds. Because T2 is much longer in SPIO labeled cells, the signal acquired by spin echo is much bigger than that from the gradient echo, thus avoiding the negative effects associated with the massive signal loss in the image.

Abstract: Control of an operation of a multimedia terminal by an application, for example, a game or interactive television module, using remote control input signal is provided. An application is downloaded (S1), input signals from remote control units (RC-1, RC-2, RC-N) are received (S3) at the multimedia terminal, a message, including a source indication indicating the remote control from which the input signal was received, is sent (S5) to the downloaded application. According to the downloaded application, the operation of the multimedia terminal is controlled (S6) based on the source indication. The message may be sent to the downloaded application by an application program interface-based module resident at the multimedia terminal. A disable signal to disable a key could be transmitted to one or more of the remote control devices, for example, to disable the key for a specified time or a specified turn of a user.

Abstract: There is provided a system operable to execute automatic synchronization therein. The system comprises a first data memory (20) for storming a first data set, said first memory (20) being coupled to a communication network (10). The system further includes a portable device (100) including a second data memory (130) for storing a second data set, said portable device being provided with a wireless transceiver (150) wherein said transceiver (150) includes a data memory (320) for storing a record of synchronization updates required to synchronize the first and second data sets into mutual conformity. The transceiver (150) is operable when introduced together with the portable device (100) within communication range of the communication network (10, 30a) to at least partially synchronize automatically said first and second data sets.

Abstract: An audio signal is processed to extract key information by selecting (102) tonal components from the audio signal. A mask is then applied (104) to the selected tonal components to discard at least one tonal component. Note values of the remaining tonal components are determined (106) and mapped (108) to a single octave to obtain chroma values. The chroma values are accumulated (110) into a chromagram and evaluated (112).

Abstract: The reconstruction of images of an object of interest may introduce artifacts along lines of high gradients of absorption values. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, these artifacts may efficiently be removed by a statistical weighing during reconstruction of the image. Advantageously, according to an aspect of the present invention, the reconstruction of the image may be performed iteratively, wherein the updates are weighted with the intrinsic statistical error of the measured photon counts. This may lead to an efficient removal of artifacts.