Abstract: An electrically powered portable device, the device being other than a toothbrush, the device including means for providing a function to be performed by the device, an electrical power supply which incorporates at least one capacitor for storing electrical charge to power the device, electronic control circuitry to control electrical power drawn from the electrical power supply for driving the function providing means, and a recharge interface for recharging the electrical power supply, the recharge interface being arranged to be electrically connectable to a charging device.

Abstract: In a basestation, both chip and symbol rate processing are performed within the same DSP. The tasks involved in these baseband processing operations are performed using functions selected from groups of functions available for performing certain tasks. For example, demodulation can be performed using either a rake receiver function or an adaptive equalisation function, the choice being made according to the prevailing circumstances, for example, on the basis of such factors as available baseband processing power, delay spread and spreading factor.

Abstract: A movement monitoring device for monitoring the movement of items past or through a work station wherein the items move synchronously with a ribbon through or past the work station. The transport of the items is monitored by a detector which monitors the linear movement of the ribbon. Signals from the detector can be used to activate the work station at intervals corresponding to the passage of the items.

Abstract: In a machine which uses cassettes, a compartment is provided for receiving the cassette. Examples of such machines are printing machines using an inked ribbon cassette. In the compartment there is a V-shaped toggle spring which is pivotally mounted at its vertex with two arms and extending forward so that when a cassette is inserted and pushed in against both arms, the latter are splayed apart and the spring pivots and snaps the cassette into a "home" position in which it is retained by a cooperating means on the cassette and the compartment.

Abstract: Independent control by a single motor of two members mounted on a shaft, e.g. print wheels in a printing machine such as a postal franking machine, is enabled by having the first member either fixed in rotation to the shaft or connected to the shaft by a one-way clutch, and having the second member connected to the shaft by a one-way clutch, the arrangement being such that rotation of the shaft in one direction causes movement of the first member only (by direct drive or by the action of the associated clutch) and rotation of the shaft in the other direction causes movement of the second member only, by the action of the associated clutch.

Abstract: A franking machine adapted to print variable data as well as constant data onto mail as it is presented to the variable data including a plurality of endless bands of self-inking material containing printing indicia around their external surfaces; a separate drive for each band for advancing same to present different ones of said printing indicia to the printing station; microprocessor adapted to control the operation of the separate drive; transducers adapted to produce an electrical signal indicative of the position to which a band has moved at any instant relative to a reference position; and, a device for feeding to the microprocesser the electrical signal or signals derived therefrom whereby the microprocessor is continually made aware of the position occupied by each movable band.

Abstract: A pattern recognition system which produces from any object a diffraction pattern-typically an optical Fourier transform of the object, on a high resolution detector. Different points in the detector can be addressed by a scanning device to produce an electrical signal which can be digitized if required before being processed and compared with reference signals in a processor. A reduction in the formation to be scanned and pattern matched is obtained by using an optical Fourier transform or the like of the original object.

Abstract: A transducer is described which has primary application in a clinometer, detail of which is also contained in the application.The transducer comprises a hollow cylindrical housing of glass or plastics material (10) having a single electrode (12) mounted on one end face and three equal equally spaced electrodes (14,16 and 18) on the opposite end face.The three separate capacitors having a common plate (12) control the frequency of oscillation of three oscillator circuits (30,32 and 34) the outputs of which are compared by comparators (38,46 and 48) and decoded by decoding circuit (40). A computing device (42) provides an output signal for an indicator (44).An audible indication of inclination for use in combination with the device is described.