Abstract: The invention relates to a shaving apparatus comprising a housing (1) and at least one hair-cutting member (6). In order to prevent a user from irritating and injuring the skin during shaving, as far as possible, the shaving apparatus comprises means for warning the user when a given preset force is exceeded. The means can be, for example, one or more sensors which measure the force between the hair-cutting member and the housing during shaving. The sensor can be, for example, a Hall sensor (21), which is secured to the housing and which cooperates with an annular magnet (19), which is secured to a coupling pin (11) for driving the rotary hair-cutting member (6). The invention can also be used in wet-shavers.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement suitable for igniting a high-pressure discharge lamp and provided with input terminals for connection to a voltage source. A pulse generating circuit includes a switch, a primary winding of a pulse transformer, and a non-linear capacitor which shunts the switch and the primary winding. An electrical connection is provided between a secondary winding of the pulse transformer and lamp connection terminals. The non-linear characteristic of the capacitor results in a more reproducible amplitude of the generated ignition voltage pulse.

Abstract: A method for identifying faults and stratigraphic features within seismic data without interpreter bias by processing seismic data to identify the minimum difference between seismic traces. Large values of difference are plotted as display attributes for seismic reflection data interpretation for two-dimensional and three-dimensional seismic data. The large values of difference represent faults and stratigraphic features within the seismic data. Dip azimuth and dip magnitude attributes can be generated and displayed as well.

Abstract: In an electron microscope it is sometimes important that specimens can be studied at a very low temperature (for example, that of liquid helium). In the case of known specimen holders the specimen is cooled by supplying the cooling medium via a bore in the specimen holder; this causes thermal drift of the removed specimen holder each time when a specimen is exchanged, and also an acoustic coupling (i.e. transfer of vibrations) exists with the dewar vessel connected to the specimen holder. In accordance with the invention, the specimen is arranged on the end 20 of the specimen holder 7 by means of a separate transport unit 13, 36 so that it is not necessary to remove the specimen holder 7 in order to exchange a specimen, with the result that the specimen holder is not heated. Moreover, the coupling to the cold source 22, 28 can take place via a flexible cooling conduit 30 which extends directly to the end 20 to be cooled and may be permanently connected thereto, thus avoiding the transfer of vibrations.

Abstract: The filament for the emission of the electrons in an X-ray tube inevitably evaporates gradually during operation of the tube. Depending on the location of the filament in the tube, the metal vapor thus released is deposited on the X-ray window of the tube. Consequently, the transmission of the X-ray tube window gradually decreases in the course of the service life of the tube. In order to counteract the deposition of filament material, an edge structure is provided on the inner side of the window; this structure comprises edges which extend perpendicularly to the window surface, and is preferably a honeycomb structure with hexagonal cells. The height of the edges is chosen so that, viewed from the filament, the edge structure forms a shadow zone for the entire X-ray window, so that the metal vapor is deposited on the structure instead of on the window.

Abstract: An element of an apparatus is magnetized so as to generate a magnetic field pattern around the element. To achieve this, use is made of a magnetizing coil, and the element and the magnetizing coil are moved relative to each other, the magnetizing coil carrying an alternating current of substantially constant amplitude as well as a signal current. Preferably, there is a phase difference between the signal current and an intended magnetic field pattern.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum based cellular mobile radio system resolves average mutual interferences (I.sup.u (j).sub.av, I.sup.d (j).sub.av) between radio zones j, j') from a total interference experienced in a radio zone (j), using statistical methods. First, interference measurements are carried out in the radio zones (Z1, Z2), and data is transmitted to a central control arrangement (CA) which resolves the average mutual interferences. Then, these average mutual interference (I.sup.u (j).sub.av, I.sup.d (j).sub.av) are used in an optimization process for acquiring access control parameters (x) for controlling traffic per radio zone (Z1, Z2). In the optimizing process various objective functions may be applied so as to fulfil system operator demands. Thus, system overload is avoided, and further, a flexible tool is provided for satisfying operator demands.

Abstract: Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.

Abstract: A quartz glass vessel having mutually opposed first and second neck-shaped portions is heated over the first neck-shaped portion while flushing the vessel with gas, then pinched over an external current wire and collapsed over a metal foil by means of reduced pressure to form a seal. The second neck-shaped portion may also be collapsed over a metal foil by reduced pressure in the lamp vessel to form a seal. The seals are preferably shaped to form flat external surfaces.

Abstract: In the manufacture of integrated circuits, damage to transistors caused by ESD is customarily precluded by connecting the gates of the transistors, in an early stage, to a protection diode. If, for example during plasma etching or reactive ion etching, an electric charge is stored on a floating gate, this charge can be removed via the diode before electric breakdown occurs. In a first embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention, the diode is formed in an active region covered by an electrically insulating layer 12. The gate 8, or a poly track 9 connected thereto, projects above this layer and covers only a part of the active region. In the uncovered part of the active region, a cathode or anode is provided so as to be self-aligned relative to the poly track. In another embodiment, the poly track 9 is situated directly next to the region of the diode. The poly track 9 and the surface zone 10 of the protection diode are interconnected by an overlapping metal contact 15.

Abstract: The high pressure discharge lamp has a discharge vessel (1) mounted in an outer envelope (4) in which an oxygen dispenser (30) is disposed. The oxygen dispenser (30) contains silver oxide and may be disposed at a location where it obtains a temperature of at least 340.degree. C. during operation of the lamp, at which temperature the oxide is decomposed and oxygen is released. The deposit of black coatings originating from hydrocarbon contaminations is thereby prevented.

Abstract: The determination of a plurality of sequences of words from a speech signal with a decreasing probability of correspondence utilizes the best word sequence as a basis and as further word sequences there are determined only those which enclose a part of the best word sequence, that is to say the remainder of these word sequences. To this end, the recognition involves first the formation of a word graph and the best word sequence is separately stored as a tree which initially has one branch only. The word boundaries of this word sequence form nodes in this tree. Because only nodes of this tree have to be taken into account for the next-best word sequences, the calculation is substantially simpler than if the complete word graph were first completely expanded in the form of a tree and completely searched again for each new word sequence.

Abstract: A method of detecting an object in an examination zone is well-suited for detecting land mines buried in the soil. The mean atomic numbers of the object is different from that of the examination zone. The examination zone is irradiated by gamma radiation. The annihilation radiation thus generated is measured and evaluated. The gamma radiation, which is sufficiently strong to generate electron-positron pairs, amounts to less than 10 MeV. The radiation generated in the examination zone by the gamma radiation beam is detected by a plurality of detector elements, which are arranged in such a manner that they can always detect only a respective segment of the gamma radiation beam.

Abstract: A communication system with a control circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes an operating system for exchanging messages and user software, and a device for exchanging software. For a software component to be exchanged in a few milliseconds, a newly loaded software component, corresponding to a successor component, obtains states and messages from a service port of a stopped software component that is to be replaced, corresponding to a predecessor component. The successor component is restarted with the transferred states and messages.

Abstract: A post-processing method and apparatus to produce focus/defocus effects in computer generated images of three dimensional objects. A convolution filter stores pixel values (V) and associated depth values (Z) with a filter kernel being selected from a look-up table in dependence of the depth of the centre pixel (Z.sub.c) in relation to a specified focus depth (P). To minimize spurious effects where filter kernels overlap objects at different depths in the image, an inhibition function stage varies the amount by which each pixel contributes to the kernel in dependence on that pixel's depth value (Z) and the centre pixel and focus depth values (Z.sub.c and P). Inhibition profiles over a range of contributing and centre pixel values are provided.

Abstract: A series of points on a surface is projected onto pixels of an image along a projection axis. Furthermore, texture coordinates are allocated to the points as follows. First a normalized coordinate which is a ratio of the texture coordinate to a depth of the point along the projection axis is determined by linear interpolation. Displacement of the pixel is determined relative to a line in the image onto which a part of the surface, which has a constant depth in the projection direction, is projected. Subsequently, an interpolation function is calculated which interpolates the depth as a function of the displacement. The texture coordinate is determined by multiplication of the normalized coordinate by the depth. The image contribution by the point to an image content of the pixel is determined on the basis of the texture coordinate.

Abstract: A description is given of an electroluminescent (EL) device (1) composed of polymeric LEDs comprising an active layer (7) of a conjugated polymer and a transparent polymeric electrode layer (5) having electroconductive areas (51) as electrodes. Like the active layer (7), the electrode layer (5) can be manufactured in a simple manner by spin coating. The electrode layer (5) is structured into conductive electrodes (51) by exposure to UV light. The electrodes (9) and (51) jointly form a matrix of LEDs for a display. When a flexible substrate (3) is used, a very bendable EL device is obtained.

Abstract: A method of applying a starch sizing to a forming web on a paper machine, such as in the form of a curtain on a fourdrinier machine, employs a suspension of uncooked particulate starch and water which is applied, as a suspension, to the inlet of a downwardly opening die positioned over the forming web and applied at a consistency of between about 2 to 10% onto the surface of the web as a free falling curtain, the impact velocity of which is controlled to a rate sufficiently low to prevent distortion of the web on impact. Improved drainage is achieved by heating the suspension to a temperature less than about 150.degree., to prevent the cooking of the starched particles. The curtain may be applied to the web at fourdrinier table consistencies as low as about 2% and still obtain starch retention rates of about 80%.

Abstract: An information retrieval system is disclosed, wherein the system includes a plurality of text search engines based on substantially different computational searching techniques. By activating each search engine with input from a user information request, the output from each of the search engines is combined into a single list of information items. A ranking process ranks the information items in the combined list by utilizing information item ordering data also received from each of the search engines as to the relevance of the information items output by the search engine to the user's request. Thus, by providing higher rankings to those information items determined to be most relevant to the user's request by each of (or a majority of) the search engines, these information items have been found to be highly consistent in satisfying the user's request for information.