Abstract: A point-to-point communications device (SS) which is capable of generating melodic alerts, each alert being generated using numeric data in a received message. The device includes a controller (36) programmed with an algorithm for dividing the digits in a decoded message into one or two digit fields. One digit fields are used respectively to determine the tempo (t) and the number of times (p) a sequence of notes is played and two digit fields are used to select notes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an array of ultrasound transducers which each comprise a substrate (1), a membrane (2), a first electrode (4), a piezoelectric layer (5), and a second electrode (6), wherein the substrate (1) comprises at least one opening (3) which adjoins the membrane (2) at one side, while the piezoelectric layer (5) has a high piezoelectric coupling coefficient k and is textured. The invention further relates to an ultrasound transducer and to a method of manufacturing an array of ultrasound transducers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer tomograph provided with a charge-integrating read amplifier having a plurality of gain factors for a data acquisition system as well as a control circuit for the gain factor. In order to avoid noise in addition to the shot noise in computer tomographs of this kind and also to avoid degrading of the DQE (Detection Quantum Efficiency), according to the invention it is proposed that the control circuit automatically selects the gain factor in dependence on the expected integrated input signal of the next frame, the expectation being based on the maximum possible relative variation of the integrated input signal between two successive frames.

Abstract: A record carrier provided with at least two parallel information layers (20, 21) suitable to be scanned by means of a single scanning head is described. Each information layer is provided with a control block (26, 31) in which information is stored which can be used for reading the user information stored in this information layer. The control blocks are placed in the record carrier in such a way that they can be sequentially read by means of a scanning device, with a minimum displacement of the scanning head. The user information may be stored in a first format in the first information layer, and the same user information may be stored in a second format in a second information layer. The first format may be a low-density structure and the second format may be a high-density structure.

Abstract: Liquid crystal display device (1) (particularly having a low threshold voltage) provided with means (9, 13, 20, 21) for compensating the temperature dependence of characteristic voltages of the display device by adapting the frequency at which the pixels are driven. The voltages to be used then do not need to be adapted, notably if they are determined once for the highest occurring drive frequency (which generally occurs at the highest operating temperature).

Abstract: In a transmission system a signal to be transmitted is applied to a source encoder (4) for being encoded. The encoded signal is applied to a channel encoder (6) which applies an error correcting code on the encoded input signal. The output signal of the channel encoder (6) is transmitted to a receiver (14) which processes the received signal by means of a channel decoder (18) and a source decoder (20).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of switching from a first to a second video sequence, in which it is provided, in order to avoid the creation of special access points such as splicing points defined in MPEG standard, to insert at the switching point, between the two sequences, an additional sequence of k pictures. These pictures, said minimal in that sense that they are coded with a reduced number of bits, may be for instance uniform color pictures or the repetition of a single previous I or P picture.

Abstract: Magnetic head having a head face (5) and comprising a head structure composed of thin layers and provided with a transducing element (E11), in which different materials occurring in different areas are present in the head face. The head face is provided with a first layer (31) of a material which is more sensitive to corrosion than other materials in the head face, and the first layer is provided with a second layer (33) of a wear-resistant material which is more insensitive to corrosion than the material of the first layer. The second layer constitutes a contact face (35) for cooperation with a magnetic tape (7).

Abstract: A deflection unit of a cathode ray tube is provided with a cooling fan. The fan includes means for reducing the disturbing effect of the electric field generated by the fan on the deflection of the electrons, or the fan is arranged in such a manner that the disturbing effect is small.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body 1 which is provided at a surface 2 with a transistor comprising a gate structure 21, a patterned layer 10 is applied defining the area of the gate structure 21. Subsequently, a dielectric layer 18 is applied in such a way, that the thickness of the dielectric layer 18 next to the patterned layer 10 is substantially equally large or larger than the height of the patterned layer 10, which dielectric layer 18 is removed over part of its thickness until the patterned layer 10 is exposed. Then, the patterned layer 10 is subjected to a material removing treatment, thereby forming a recess 19 in the dielectric layer 18, and a contact window 28,29 is provided in the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Substrate carrying a mixed organic conductive polymer coating, with a high index of refraction.

Abstract: A portable location alarm device is provided which allows a user to preset an alarm event to occur when the device arrives at a pre-determined location. The alarm event alerts the user by audible, visual or vibrating means. The alarm device determines it's actual location using GPS data. In one embodiment the user bookmarks particular locations while physically present at a given location. Part of the bookmarking process involves the device simultaneously receiving GPS data that describes the physical location. The user can subsequently set an alarm event for any bookmarked location without the need for the device to carry large databases, for example of the type cross-referencing place names to mapping co-ordinates.

Abstract: An optical disc is described for recording data, which disc has a recording area for recording data encoded in optical marks at a recording density. The recording area has circular or spiral tracks provided with a servopattern comprising headers alternating with track portions. The headers contain position information encoded in preformed marks. The track portions comprise periodic characteristics, e.g. a wobble, to synchronise the data writing and reading operations. For reliably detecting the headers the phase of the periodic characteristics comprises a phase jump at a predetermined distance before each header.

Abstract: An image retrieval system contains a database with a large number of images. The system retrieves images from the database that are similar to a query image entered by the user. The images in the database are grouped in clusters according to a similarity criterion so that mutually similar images reside in the same cluster. Each cluster has a cluster center which is representative for the images in it. A first step of the search to similar images selects the clusters that may contain images similar with the query image, by comparing the query image with the cluster centers of all clusters. A second step of the search compares the images in the selected clusters with the query image in order to determine their similarity with the query image.

Abstract: A network communications system comprises a number of user stations (10,24), coupled via a data network (12) to a number of service provider host systems (14,16). The user stations (10) are registered as client stations at the host system (16) of a service provider, with the host system maintaining a database of registered client station identification data. The host system additionally maintains a directory of the client stations that are on-line at a given time, determined from periodic messages sent to the host by each client station. Callers (24,28) wishing to contact a client station (10) user first contact the service provider (16) which, from the directory, determines whether the user is currently on-line. If so, a paging message is generated by the service provider from data supplied by the caller and sent via the network (12) to the client station (10), the address of which is held in the service provider database.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film transistor comprises providing first electrode layers (42) over a transparent substrate (40), the first electrode layers comprising a lower transparent layer (42a), and an upper opaque layer (42b). The first electrode layers are patterned to define a first electrode pattern in which an edge region of the transparent layer (42a) extends beyond an edge region of the opaque layer (42b). A transistor body region comprising a semiconductor layer (16) defining the channel area of the transistor and a gate insulator layer (18) is provided over the first electrode pattern (42). A transparent second electrode layer (46) is also provided. A negative resist (70) is exposed through the substrate (40), with regions of the negative resist layer (70) shadowed by the opaque layer (42b) of the first electrode pattern (42) remaining unexposed.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and a system for transferring a communication session from one service area (101) to another (102), where each service area is associated with a transcoding proxy (111, 112) for transcoding communication sessions established in said service area to and from a format suitable for a mobile device (104). A gateway server (103) relays the communication session from a content server (105, 106, 107) via the appropriate transcoding proxy to the mobile device (104). When the mobile device (104) moves to the second service area (102), the second transcoding proxy (112) is contacted and session handling is transferred thereto. The transfer operation is transparent to the content server, so the session between mobile device (104) and content server (105, 106, 107) stays intact. The invention also relates to a mobile assistant server, a transcoding proxy and a mobile device for use in said system.

Abstract: A method is described for reproducing video frames coded in accordance with an MPEG format, in which method a carrier provided with recordings is played with a speed which differs from the nominal playback speed, and in which the number of frames to be transferred to a display apparatus and generated by reading out is compensated in such a manner that the average number per unit of time is equal to a predetermined nominal number by repeating or by skipping B frames.

Abstract: The invention relates to stores of information on a plurality of persons, such as a directory of subscribers to a communication network. In order to be able to browse through and select a particular person from such a store on the basis of image data, there is a need for a way of including image data into the store that is fast and easy. In accordance with the method of the invention, this is achieved by: establishing a video connection with a person whose image data is to be included; receiving a sequence of video frames making up the video connection; selecting a particular video frame from the sequence of video frames; and storing at least part of that particular video frame in the store.