Abstract: A multimode switched-mode power supply operates in a first control mode when the output power supplied is lower than a predetermined value, and in a second control mode when the output power supplied is higher than said predetermined value. The switched-mode power supply comprises a series arrangement of a switch (S1) and an inductor (L; Lp), the series arrangement being coupled to receive a DC input voltage (Vin). A control circuit (CC) controls the on and/or off times of the switch (S1) to generate a periodical inductor current (Ip) in the inductor (L; Lp). In the first control mode, a peak value of the inductor current (Ip) is substantially constant, independent of the power supplied. The substantially constant peak value is substantially equal to a peak value of the inductor current (Ip) at an instant when the second control mode is altered into the first control mode.

Abstract: A system for measuring the speed of a person while running or walking along a surface. A single acceleration sensor measures the acceleration in the forward direction and provides an acceleration signal which is amplified and subsequently sampled by analog to digital converter. The digital signal is processed by a microprocessor which executes an algorithm that determines the stride length and the stride duration from the digitized acceleration signal and calculates the speed and the distance traversed. The information thus obtained is transmitted by means of a radio frequency transmitter and received by a radio frequency receiver in a watch or other device which comprises a display which can be viewed by the runner or walker. The speed and distance traversed is displayed on the display, along with other useful information, such as average speed, maximum speed, total distance traversed, calories expended, and heart beat.

Abstract: Method in which the positions of the color ray tube and the deflection unit are matched to each other, using a step of recording a displayed image and in which the envelope is oriented upside down during matching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure metal-halide lamp comprising a discharge vessel with an ionizable filling containing Hg, a halide and a rare gas, which vessel includes electrodes with a rod containing substantially W. The lamp, when in operation, maintains a W-halide cycle in the discharge vessel. According to the invention, the discharge vessel contains an oxygen dispenser.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for encoding a stream of databits of a binary source signal (S) into a stream of databits of a binary channel (C), wherein the stream of databits of the source signal is divided into n-bit source words (x1, x2), which device comprises converting means (CM) conceived to convert said n-bit source words into corresponding m-bit channel words (y1, y2, y3) in accordance with a conversion of the Jacoby type, where m and n are integers with m>n. The device further comprises control means (10) for carrying out DC-control on said binary channel signal by introducing a freedom of choice in the source-to-channel conversion. Furthermore, a decoding device is disclosed for decoding the channel signal obtained by means of the encoding device.

Abstract: A software agent is a functional part of a user-interactive software application running on a data processing system. The agent creates a user-perceptible effect in order to mask latency present in delivery of data to the user. The agent creates the effect employing cinematographic techniques.

Abstract: In an active matrix electroluminescent display device the drive current through an EL display element (20) in each pixel (10) in a drive period is controlled by a driving device (22) based on a drive signal applied to the pixel in preceding address period and stored as a voltage on an associated storage capacitor (36). In order to counteract the effects of display element ageing through which the light output of an element for a given drive signal level diminishes over time, the pixel includes a feedback circuit (40, 45, 47, 48) which is responsive to the potential difference across the display element in an initial part of the drive period indicative of the extent of ageing and which is arranged to adjust the voltage stored on the storage capacitance accordingly.

Abstract: A shaving apparatus has a housing (1), a shaving head (2) and a hair-collecting chamber (3) for collecting hair cuttings, the shaving head comprising a holder (4) which is connected to the housing by means of a hinge construction (15). The holder comprises an external cutting member (6) and an internal cutting member (8). For driving the internal cutting member a drive member (11) of a drive unit (10) can be coupled to the internal cutting member (8). For cleaning the hair-collecting chamber (3) the chamber is opened by pivoting the holder (4) and after the cleaning process the holder is pivoted back onto the housing. During opening and closing of the hair-collecting chamber the drive member (11) and the internal cutting member (8) are coupled and uncoupled. In order to improve coupling and uncoupling the hinge construction is such that in a first stage of the movement of the holder the holder is moved substantially in a longitudinal direction (14) of the drive member (11).

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a bipolar transistor having a collector (1), a base (2) and an emitter (3) at its active area (A). The semiconductor body (10) of the device is covered with an insulating layer (20). At least a part of a base connection conductor (5) and an emitter connection conductor (6) extend over the insulating layer (20) and lead to a base connection area (8) and an emitter connection area (9), respectively. The known transistor is characterized by poor gain, particularly at high frequencies and at high power.

Abstract: Grey scal linearity and power efficiently in activ matrix (O) LEDs are enhanced by operating the display in a switched mode.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement (40) and display apparatus are described for use in 3-D graphics, where 2-D texture maps stored at different resolutions in a pyramidal array are indexed by a pair of texture coordinates and an associated level coordinate (L). In order to introduce depth cues to the 2-D transformed image of the 3-D environment, a focus depth (F) for the image is specified and those image components having a depth (z) other than the focus depth have their texture blurred to direct the viewer's eye to the depth of interest. The texture blurring is introduced by applying an offset (FS) to the level coordinate (L) indexing the pyramidal array in an amount determined by the distance to the focus depth.

Abstract: An electronic navigation apparatus having improved determination of acceleration and higher order kinematic parameters of the apparatus relative to remote transmitters. The apparatus targets multiple carrier tracking channels having different tracking loop response functions, on a remote transmitter and determines the acceleration, and optionally higher order kinematic parameters, relative to the remote transmitter by operating on the frequency outputs from each of the tracking channels.

Abstract: A telecommunication system includes at least one switching center (1), a plurality of subscriber stations (2, 3) and a call diversion activator (7, 8-11) for automatically activating a call diversion from a first subscriber station (2) to a second subscriber station (3) at predefined instants. To ensure a reliable activation and deactivation of a call diversion also for subscribers who desire a call diversion in time periods ending at variable instants, the first subscriber station (2) includes a signaling device (13) for signaling an activated call diversion to the second subscriber station (3) and a manually operable call diversion deactivator (7, 8-11).

Abstract: A format for the recording of trick play signals in which trick play segments including sync blocks of information of a trick play signal are recorded in the tracks. At least first and second trick play signals are recorded on the record carrier. The first trick play signal is meant for reproduction in a reproduction apparatus at a reproduction speed n1 times the recording speed with which the trick play signals are recorded on the record carrier. The second trick play signal is meant for reproduction in the reproduction apparatus at a reproduction speed −n1 times the recording speed. Both trick play signals are recorded in the tracks such that, upon reproduction at the speed n1 times the recording speed, m1 sync blocks of information of the first trick play signal and, upon reproduction at the speed −n1 times the recording speed, m1 sync blocks of the second trick play signal are read from the record carrier during one revolution of the head drum in the reproduction apparatus.

Abstract: Audio-centered information is stored on a unitary medium by a Table-of-Contents (TOC) mechanism for specifying an actual configuration of various audio items on the medium. In addition to the TOC mechanism a file-based access mechanism to the information is assigned through a ROOT directory that contains a highest level TOC directory pointing at various audio items.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a preferably discrete bipolar transistor with a collector region (1), a base region (2), and an emitter region (3) which are provided with connection conductors (6, 7, 8). A known means of preventing a saturation of the transistor is that the latter is provided with a Schottky clamping diode. The latter is formed in that case in that the connection conductor (7) of the base region (2) is also put into contact with the collector region (1).

Abstract: A power supply circuit comprises a pre-regulator circuit (20) including an energy store (19). A control circuit (4) controls the current flow from a battery (18), creating an intermittent supply of current to the energy store (19) from which current is supplied to a voltage regulator (7) and application circuit (2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9). The energy store may be bypassed when desired, for example to maximise efficiency when the battery is approaching the end of its useful life.

Abstract: In a depilation system (1) comprising a depilation device (2) and a cooling device (3) which are detachably connected to one another, and in which the cooling device (3) comprises a housing (11) in which a cooling agent is contained, the cooling device (3) is provided with an envelope (30) of a thermally insulating material, which envelope (30) covers the housing (11) of the cooling device (3) in a thermally insulating manner at least in that region which is in contact with a hand during operation of the depilation system (1), and which envelope (30) is detachably connected to the housing (11) of the cooling device (3) and is constructed such that it can be taken by hand from the housing (11) of the cooling device (3).

Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode comprising a laminated structure including, in succession, a substrate layer, a first electrode layer, a layer including a p-conductive material, a layer including a complex compound of terbium with organic ligands, a layer including an n-conductive material and a second electrode, the complex compound of terbium with organic ligands having the following composition: TbL(C2H5OH)2, wherein L=N,N′,N″-Tris-(3-R1—,5-R2-2-X-benzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, wherein X=—O—, —COO—, R1=CH3, C2H5, C3H7, i-C3H7, t-C4H9, OCH3, OC2H5, OC3H7, OtC4H9, F, Cl, Br, NO2 and R2=CH3, C2H5, C3H7, i-C3H7, t-C4H9, OCH3, OC2H5, OC3H7, OtC4H9, F, Cl, Br, NO2.

Abstract: The invention relates, in a video decoder, to a method of switching from a first to a second coded video sequence when the second bit rate is lower than the first one. If the time spent in the decoders buffer by the first bit of the first transmitted picture of the second sequence that has to be decoded, also called vbv_delay, is greater -and therefore not compatible with—than the similar period for the first bit of the first replaced picture of the first sequence, it is then reduced by giving to the bitrate of said first transmitted picture an increased value, in order to obtain the compatibility of the vbv_delays. In case of a limited bandwidth for the bit rates, this reduction operation is successively repeated for as many following pictures as necessary.