Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, apparatuses, a system, and a computer program product for selecting at least one cooperative node from multiple cooperative nodes (21 to 23) for receiving a signal from a source node (10), wherein at least two stages of a backoff process are provided, in which the candidate cooperative nodes (21 to 23) determine respective backoff numbers according to their channel conditions to the source node (10), wherein the second stage is performed if the first stage was not successful or if a second cooperative node shall be selected.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer (10) comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (14), an array of acoustic elements (20), and a pitch independent interposer (12). The ASIC (14) includes a plurality of contact pads (16) on a surface of the ASIC that are separated from adjacent ones thereof by a first pitch. The acoustic elements (22) of the array (20) are separated from adjacent ones thereof by a second pitch. In addition, the pitch independent interposer (12) features a plurality of conductive elements (26) separated from adjacent ones thereof by a third pitch different from both the first pitch and the second pitch.

Abstract: A method and system for dependently controlling color light sources. The lighting system comprises a drive current controller providing current signals for one or more first groups of light-emitting elements, and a signal derivation module operatively connected to the drive current controller. The signal derivation module is configured to determine and provide current signals for one or more second groups of light-emitting elements, the current signals being based on the current signals provided to the first groups of light-emitting elements. The method comprises the steps of determining one or more first drive currents for driving one or more first groups of light-emitting elements, and determining one or more second drive currents for driving one or more second groups of light-emitting elements, wherein each of the one or more second drive currents is predetermined based on at least one of the one or more first drive currents.

Abstract: A method of congestion management in a wireless mesh network in which the CSMA/CA algorithm is used to access wireless medium, said network comprising a first station and at least one neighboring station able to communicate directly with the first station, comprises: —broadcasting (22) an announcement message by the first station to the at least one neighboring station when the first station experiences a congestion in its environment, said announcement message comprising a congestion level parameter, —activating (26) by the neighboring station, at reception of the announcement message, a congestion state in which the minimum size of the time window, called contention window, to access the medium before transmission of a message is strictly greater than the minimum size (CWmin) defined in absence of congestion, said minimum size in congestion state being defined as a function of the congestion level parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-beam transmission apparatus and system, and to a method for operating a multi-beam transmission system, wherein a first transmission resource information and a second transmission resource information are determined for respective first and second transmission beam, and wherein a first transmission parameter information and a second transmission parameter information are determined for the respective first and second transmission beams. The first and second transmission resource information and the first and second transmission parameter information are jointly encoded into a joint signal; and the joint signal is transmitted via the first and second transmission beams from a first station to a second station.

Abstract: A solid-state lighting device (500) includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (510, 525, 530) configured for generating light that are thermally coupled to a heat spreading chassis configured for coupling to one or more heat sinks (520). The lighting device further includes a mixing chamber which is optically coupled to the plurality of light-emitting elements and configured to mix the light emitted by the plurality of light-emitting elements. A control system is operatively coupled to the plurality of light-emitting elements, and configured to control operation of the plurality of light-emitting elements.

Abstract: A method is described for driving a light source, particularly a HID lamp (2), the method comprising the steps of: providing a commutating DC current for supplying the lamp; and varying a commutation period (T) in order to transmit data. In an embodiment, the duration of each commutation period (T) is set to be equal to one of two possible values (T1, T2) such as to encode a digital bit.

Abstract: The combination of a power toothbrush and an oral fluid, in which the oral fluid has the characteristic of changing viscosity, depending upon the action of a workpiece element portion, such as a flexible membrane, of the power toothbrush. The power toothbrush has two operating conditions. In one condition, the membrane moves toward and away from the teeth at a speed such that the fluid is liquid and flows easily to and around the teeth, including the interproximal regions. In the second condition, the membrane is moved at a significantly higher speed, in response to which the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially, having a shear rate at least as great as necessary to remove biofilm from the teeth.

Abstract: Supply circuits (1-3,101-102,201-203) for supplying output current signals to loads (6,106,206) and comprising first circuits (1,101,201) with transistors (11-14,111-112,211-212) for converting input voltage signals into pulse signals and comprising second circuits (2,102,202) with resonance circuits for receiving the pulse signals and for supplying the output current signals to the loads (6,106,206) are provided with third circuits (3,203) for controlling the first circuits (1,101,201), which third circuits (3,203) comprise generators (35-37) for generating control signals for controlling the transistors (11-14,111-112,211-212) for reducing dependencies between the input voltage signals and the output current signals. The third circuits (3,203) supply the control signals in dependence of the input voltage signals and independently from the output current signals. The transistors (11-14,111-112,211-212) may form a full bridge, a full bridge operated in a half bridge mode, or a half bridge.

Abstract: A system for the determination of optical coefficients in an object including an ultrasonic scanner for recording first and second pulse echoes before and after the object has been illuminated with a heating light beam from a light source. An evaluation unit determines a map of temperature increase caused by the heating light beam inside the object based on apparent displacements showing up between the second and first pulse echoes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a recording device for easy and quick access to record carrier management information stored on the record carrier itself. The invention further relates to a record carrier for use in such a method and recording device.

Abstract: A system for processing multi-subject volumes comprises a volume input (1) for receiving an input volume image dataset (13) comprising a plurality of subjects scanned simultaneously. A metadata input (2) receives metadata (15) relating to individual ones of the subjects. A subject finder (3) identifies a plurality of portions of the input volume image dataset (13), each portion comprising one of the subjects. A volume image dataset generator (4) generates a plurality of separate volume image datasets (16), each separate volume image dataset (7) comprising one of the portions of the input volume image dataset. A metadata handler (5) associates the metadata (15) relating to a subject with the separate volume image dataset (7) comprising the portion comprising the subject.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator system comprises a control unit (202) and a thermoelectric element (204) with a heat receiving surface (212) and a cooled surface (214). Heat (216) flows from a heater (208) through the thermoelectric generator (204). Depending upon the electrical power which is delivered to a load (232), the control unit (202) regulates the current generated by the thermoelectric generator (204). The electrical current through the thermoelectric element (204) is used to limit the operating temperature of the heat receiving surface (212).

Abstract: The invention relates to a membrane system which is particular suitable for oxygen generation. It comprises a membrane (14), and a porous substrate (12) for supporting the membrane (14), wherein the substrate (12) comprises pillars (15) and defined channels (16) for bringing a gas in controlled contact with the membrane (14). This membrane system (10) allows a gas flux and is furthermore applicable for small and light devices.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing a surface of a three-dimensional object (41) involves a projection of a laser spot pattern (12, 14) onto the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) by a laser (11), and a generation of a series of endoscopic images (24) as an endoscope (21) is translated and/or rotated relative to the three-dimensional object (41). Each endoscopic image (24) illustrates a different view (23) of a laser spot array (13, 15) within the laser spot pattern (12, 14) as projected onto the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) by the laser (11). The laser spot array (13, 15) may be identical to or a subset of the laser spot pattern (12, 14). The method further involves a reconstruction of the surface of the three-dimensional object (41) from a correspondence of the different views (23) of the laser spot array (13, 15) as illustrated in the endoscopic images (24).

Abstract: A multi nuclei RF antenna arrangement for use in a multi nuclei MRI system or an MR scanner, for transmitting RF excitation signals (B1 field) for exciting nuclear magnetic resonances (NMR), and/or for receiving NMR relaxation signals for multi nuclei MR (magnetic resonance) image reconstruction is disclosed, wherein the RF antenna arrangement is tuned to the Larmor frequencies of at least two different species of nuclei having at least two different gyromagnetic rations like 23Na, 39K, 17O and hyper polarized gases like 129Xe or other isotopes having a nuclear spin. Further, a method for reconstructing a multi nuclei MR image especially by means of the above RF antenna arrangement is disclosed. The method involves reducing back-folding artifacts of the species having the higher gyromagnetic ration by parallel MRI reconstruction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance method of electric properties tomography imaging of an object, the method comprising: applying an excitation RF field to the object via a coil at a first spatial coil position (402), acquiring resulting magnetic resonance signals via a receiving channel from the object, determining from the acquired magnetic resonance signals a first phase distribution and a first amplitude of a given magnetic field component of the excitation RF field of the coil at the first coil position (402), repeating these steps with a coil at a second different spatial coil position (404), to obtain a second phase distribution, determining a phase difference between the first and second phase distribution, determining a first and a second complex permittivity of the object, the first complex permittivity comprising the first amplitude of the given magnetic field component and the second complex permittivity comprising the second amplitude of the given magnetic field component and the phase

Abstract: A robotic control method for a camera (30) having an optical view and a robot (40) having an end-effector (42) and one or more joints (41) for maneuvering end-effector (42). The robotic control method involves an acquisition of a digital video frame (32) illustrating an image as optically viewed by the camera (30), and an execution of a visual servoing for controlling a pose of end-effector (42) relative to an image feature within the digital video frame (32).

Abstract: A server is configured to be communicatively linked with drug delivery devices used by a plurality of different subjects to receive aerosolized medicament as part of a therapy regime. The server provides a user with a user interface that enables the user to access therapy information related to the therapy of a plurality of different subjects. This may facilitate the monitoring of therapy received by the plurality of subjects.