Abstract: An apparatus and methods for a card that allows a cardholder to set up auto-charge payment of dues and fees to a series of clubs, merchants or service providers. The card also may be used for other transactions that accept credit cards. The apparatus includes a database containing information of the associated clubs, merchants and service providers, so that applicants and cardholders can easily configure auto-charging for multiple business concerns in one sitting. The apparatus may process auto-charge transactions in an automated fashion without requiring a cardholder to submit payment authorization or the business concern to submit a charge for each payment. Inconvenience and administrative costs to the cardholder and the business concern are reduced. The system and method provide a competitive advantage to the associated business concerns to secure the initial account and then to maintain it.

Abstract: In an optoelectronic interface for digital communication the slopes of the rising edges and falling edges of a digital signal are decreased making use of an RC-combination. The amount of Emi generated is thereby decreased.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device (1) comprising one pixel (10) with an electrophoretic medium (13), electrodes (6, 7), as well as drive means (4) by which the pixels can be brought into different optical states. Some time (thold) after the application of an addressing pulse (Paddress) for setting the brightness level (Rw, Rb) of a pixel (10), a restore pulse voltage (Prestore) is applied between the electrodes (6,6?,7) for restoring the brightness level of a pixel to the set level (Rw, Rb). The restore pulse may be a set of consecutive pulses to bring the drifted brightness level even more smoothly (i.e. less perceivably) back to the original brightness level.

Abstract: A method of using films having optimized optical properties for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) endpoint detection. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes a method for improving chemical mechanical polishing endpoint detection. The method comprises the step of depositing a dielectric layer over a reflectance stop layer. The reflectance stop layer is disposed above a component that is disposed on a semiconductor wafer. During a determination of the thickness of the dielectric layer using a reflected signal of light, the reflectance stop layer substantially reduces any light from reflecting off of the component. Therefore, the present invention provides a method and system that provides more accurate endpoint detection during a CMP process of semiconductor wafers. As a result of the present invention, an operator of a CMP machine knows precisely when to stop a CMP process of a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A device for multiple row addressing is driven with pulse patterns based on sets of 8 (or more) orthogonal functions which have a less varying frequency content than pulse patterns based on a set of 8 Walsh functions. Mutually orthogonal signals are obtained from at least two types of the orthogonal functions having four elementary units of time. Within the four elementary units of time, one pulse each unit of time has a polarity which is different from the plurality of the other pulses.

Abstract: An information processing system has first and second physical components represented by a first and second software objects. Both objects have properties that are changeable through calls to the objects. The system enables registering a property route linking a first property of the first object to a second property of the second object so that a change in the first property causes the second call being issued to the second object upon invoking the property route. The input call to the first object comprises an identifier enabling to conditionally invoke the route. In this manner, routes belonging to different scenarios are being kept independent so that the system operates more reliable that without scenario identifiers.

Abstract: A data measurement system (DMS) (30) for a computed tomography (CT) scanner (12) includes a plurality of connectorized detector sub-array modules (32). Each detector sub-array module (32) includes: a scintillator (40) that produces scintillation events responsive to irradiation by x-rays; a photodetector array (42) arranged to detect the scintillations; and two symmetrically arranged signal connectors (541, 542) that transmit the photodetector signals. Symmetrically mounted pipeline cards (60) mate with the signal connectors (54) of each side of groups of the detector sub-array modules (32) to receive the photodetector signals. A processor (64) communicating with the pipeline cards (60) receives the photodetector signals from the pipeline cards (60) and constructs a DMS output from the photodetector signals.

Abstract: A processor executes image processing under control of a clock facility, such that a sequence of C effective clock cycles will effect a processing operation of a predetermined amount of image information. In particular, the processor has programming means for implementing programmable stall clock cycles interspersed between the effective clock cycles for implementing a programmable slowdown factor S, such that a modified number of C*S overall clock cycles will effect processing of the predetermined amount of digital signal information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a limiting amplifier for amplifying an input signal including at least first portions having a first amplitude and second portions having a second amplitude being lower than said first amplitude. The amplifier includes a first peak detector for detecting the current maximum value in the input signal. The amplifier also includes a second peak detector for detecting the current minimum value in the input signal. The amplifier also includes determining means for providing a first decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a variation in a first amplitude and/or a second amplitude, or a second decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a transition from a first portion to a second portion, a third decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a transition from a second portion to a first portion, and controlling meats for either activating or inactivating one of the decreasing means and the increasing means based on the decision.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions such as body and hair cleansing products, in particular shampoos, comprising one or more antifungals inhibiting fungal ergosterol biosynthesis as a first active ingredient, a synthetic, amphotheric phospholipid acting both as a second active ingredient and as a surface active agent, and art-known body or hair cleansing product ingredients as a carrier.

Abstract: An arrangement including an electric iron having a water tank, a steam chamber, and valve for controlling the water flow from the water tank to the steam chamber, a stand for supporting the iron, an electrical connector, and a locking mechanism for locking the connector to the stand or to the iron. When the cordless mode is selected, the electrical connector remains attached to the stand while the iron is detached therefrom, and when the corded mode is selected the connector remains attached to the iron while the iron is detachable from the stand. The arrangement is provided with an actuator acting on the valve for obtaining a higher maximum water flow rate in the corded mode than in the cordless mode. The actuator may be a spring-loaded push rod arranged in the iron, one end thereof cooperating with the connector and the other end thereof cooperating with the valve.

Abstract: A speech recognition method is described in which a basic set of models is adapted to a current speaker on account of the speaker's already noticed speech data. The basic set of models comprises models for different acoustic units. The models are described each by a plurality of model parameters. The basic set of models is then represented by a supervector in a high-dimensional vector space (model space), the supervector being formed by a concatenation of the plurality of the model parameters of the models of the basic set of models. The adaptation of this basic set of models to the speaker is effected in the model space by means of a MAP method in which an asymmetric distribution in the model space is selected as an a priori distribution for the MAP method.

Abstract: A marking (4, 5) is formed in an outer layer (3; 23; 43) comprising a polymer material with an inorganic main chain and with certain visual properties by at least one region (9; 29; 49) of the outer layer (3; 23; 43) of which at least one of the visual properties shows a deviation, visible to the human eye, from the same property in other regions (9; 29; 49?) of the outer layer (3; 23; 43). Since the marking (4, 5) is obtained by means of at least a locally changed visual property of material of the outer layer (3; 23; 43) itself, the marking (4, 5) does not constitute a substantial interruption of the outer layer (3; 23; 43), and the application of the marking (4, 5) does not cause any substantial unevennesses in the outer layer (3; 23; 43). The following are further described: an element having such an outer layer (3; 23; 43) and a method of applying such a marking (4, 5).

Abstract: The invention relates to an antenna diversity comprising a first and a second antenna element one of which is operated in an active mode whereas the other one of which is operated in a parasitic mode. It is the object of the present invention to further minimize the amount of mismatch by still being able to maximize a predetermined signal quality criterion for the electromagnetic signal on the active path between the active antenna and the transceiver. This object is solved by a switching unit 120 for either operating the first antenna element in the parasitic mode and simultaneously operating the second antenna element in the active mode or vice versa and by providing a pre-selection unit 130 as well as a selection unit 140 for selecting an optimal configuration for the antenna diversity ensuring that the amount of said mismatch is below a predetermined threshold value and that simultaneously a predetermined quality criterion for the transceived electromagnetic signal is fulfilled best.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for time-correct combination of two data streams, particularly video data streams. In this case, a sync signal of the first video data stream is a horizontal sync signal. In this case, methods and apparatus are provided to combine the two video data streams in a pixel-precise manner, even though time base error, i.e. discontinuities occur in the second video data stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of encoding, which receives an input video signal (IS) for providing a compressed video data signal (CS). Said method comprises the steps of segmentation (SEG) of the input video signal for extracting the video object planes, hereafter referred to as VOP, contained in the video scene; detection (DET) of a non-visible VOP; correction (COR) for converting a bidirectionally predictive coded VOP preceding, in a display order, a non-visible intra or predictive coded VOP that has been detected (Y) by the detection step, into an intra or predictive coded VOP; encoding (ENC) the converted VOP, if a non-visible VOP has been detected by the detection step, or the regular VOP in the opposite case (N), resulting in the compressed video data signal. Use: MPEG-4 encoder.

Abstract: A local communication system comprises a plurality of devices interconnected for data communication. One of the devices is a display device arranged to display data from one or more other devices of the system, and one of the devices is a remote control carrying a first group of controls (A . . . G) for controlling respective operational functions of a device of the system. The system is configured to identify a selected device of the system to be controlled by user operation of a remote control device, and to determine which operational functions of that selected device are missing on the remote control. For such functions, the system generates on the display device a user actuatable simulacrum of a control for that function (H, J, K, L).

Abstract: A luminophore capable of down conversion has a host lattice with a pair of activators of a first lanthanoid ion and a second lanthanoid ion and a co-activator of a third lanthanoid ion. A gas discharge lamp fitted with a gas discharge vessel filled with a gas filling which is suitable for a gas discharge which emits VUV radiation, and has a luminophore coating containing the down conversion luminophore is environmentally friendly and has good lamp efficiency.

Abstract: A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Athena’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with pink ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 15-20; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.