Abstract: There is provided a method of transmitting data words. The method includes (a) scrambling a first occurrence of a data word to produce a first scrambled data word, (b) block encoding the first scrambled data word to produce a first code word, (c) scrambling a second occurrence of the data word to produce a second scrambled data word, and (d) block encoding the second scrambled data word to produce a second code word, where the second code word and the first code word are different from one another.

Abstract: A system has at least two data-receiving applications running on one or more data-receiving devices. Each data-receiving application is capable of requesting and receiving data. A data-processing apparatus and a data-storage apparatus are also provided, the data-storage apparatus being connected to the data-receiving applications via the data-processing apparatus. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to receive a plurality of data-requests which form a request group from the data-receiving applications. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to evaluate the data-requests and to send a single request for the data-requests within the request group to the data-storage apparatus, and further arranged to receive data from the storage apparatus, in response to the single request. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to process and distribute the received data, or portions thereof, to at least one of the data-receiving applications.

Abstract: An audio system comprises an audio source terminal 11 and a audio playback terminal 13, connected to each another by a wireless data link 14. The source terminal 11 comprises a source computer 15, and a cellular modem 17. The playback terminal 13 comprises a playback computer 19 having an internal processor 23 and an audio processor 24. Connected to the processor 23 is a cellular modem 21, an audio transducer 25, and a user control 27. Data relating to audio components, representing different services, is stored at the source terminal 11 where it is spatially processed and transmitted to the playback terminal. At the same time, each individual audio component is transmitted at a lower bit-rate than the spatially processed data, to the audio source terminal 11, whereafter it is spatially processed. Although the low bit-rate transmission causes a loss of audio quality, the positional data remains unaffected.

Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The interface is generated by apparatus that includes functionality for determining for each sound source, a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field. To facilitate discrimination between the synthesized sound sources, the sound-source rendering positions are adjusted such that the audio field is dilated in a region of the audio field about a focus reference; this focus reference is, for example, the current direction of facing of the user or the position of an audio cursor in the audio field.

Abstract: There is provided a method of encoding a data word. The method includes encoding a first occurrence of the data word to produce a first code word, and encoding a subsequent occurrence of the data word to produce a second code word. The second code word and the first code word are different from one another.

Abstract: Many modern microprocessors support parallel processing operations, such as single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operations. The present invention presents a number of ways in which maximum advantage can be taken of these operations to provide an efficient way of processing multiple data channels.

Abstract: There is provided a method of encoding a data word. The method includes (a) scrambling a data word to generate a scrambled data word, and (b) encoding the scrambled data word so that a first occurrence of the scrambled data word is encoded to produce a first code word, and a subsequent occurrence of the scrambled data word is encoded to produce a second code word. The second code word is different from the first code word.

Abstract: Logical connections between nodes in a network can be established by the following steps: generation of an identifier by each group of logically connected nodes in the network; exchange of identifiers between physically connected groups of logically connected nodes; and establishment of logical connections between physically connected groups of logically connected nodes for which the exchanged identifiers differ. Repeatedly carried out, these steps can allow a network without logical loops to be built up from individual nodes.

Abstract: Codeword synchronization and scrambler synchronization in a block-coded serial communications link are accomplished by (i) substituting a specific comma control codeword for a selected codeword value occurring in the output of a scrambler receiving an input data stream, and (ii) using selected polarity-independent bits of the block-coded scrambled bit stream to convey samples of the scrambler state. Inversion of received control codewords indicates polarity inversion somewhere along the link, enabling automatic polarity correction to be applied.

Abstract: The relative average actual or allocated usage of a limited resource, such as communication bandwidth, by task entities in different respective input-modality processing stacks is dynamically adjusted. This adjustment is effected by a moderator in dependence on one or more of the actual usage of the different modalities by a user, the confidence in the results of processing of each of the modalities, and pragmatic information on mode usage.

Abstract: A system has at least two data-receiving applications running on one or more data-receiving devices. Each data-receiving application is capable of requesting and receiving data. A data-processing apparatus and a data-storage apparatus are also provided, the data-storage apparatus being connected to the data-receiving applications via the data-processing apparatus. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to receive a plurality of data-requests which form a request group from the data-receiving applications. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to evaluate the data-requests and to send a single request for the data-requests within the request group to the data-storage apparatus, and further arranged to receive data from the storage apparatus, in response to the single request. The data-processing apparatus is arranged to process and distribute the received data, or portions thereof, to at least one of the data-receiving applications.

Abstract: Codeword synchronization and scrambler synchronization in a block-coded serial communications link are accomplished by (i) substituting a specific comma control codeword for a selected codeword value occurring in the output of a scrambler receiving an input data stream, and (ii) using selected polarity-independent bits of the block-coded scrambled bit stream to convey samples of the scrambler state. Inversion of received control codewords indicates polarity inversion somewhere along the link, enabling automatic polarity correction to be applied.

Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The nature of the audio output devices used to render the synthesised sounds is such that the user is also able to hear real-world sounds from the environment. Under user control, a distinctive presentation effect is selectively applied to the item-related sounds emanating from a group of at least one synthesised sound source whereby to assist the user in distinguishing these sounds from the real-world sounds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for connecting an optical source to a multimode optical fibre in a multimode optical fibre communications system. A single mode fibre length is provided such that optical radiation admitted from an optical source at one end of the single mode fibre length is provided to a multimode optical fibre at the other end of the single mode fibre length. This method and apparatus is used in a duplex patchcord for connecting an optical transceiver to a pair of installed multimode fibres. The second fibre in the patchcord is a multimode fibre for passing optical signals to the optical receiver of the transceiver.

Abstract: Many modern microprocessors support parallel processing operations, such as single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operations. The present invention presents a number of ways in which maximum advantage can be taken of these operations to provide an efficient way of processing multiple data channels.

Abstract: Codeword synchronization and scrambler synchronization in a block-coded serial communications link are accomplished by (i) substituting a specific comma control codeword for a selected codeword value occurring in the output of a scrambler receiving an input data stream, and (ii) using selected polarity-independent bits of the block-coded scrambled bit stream to convey samples of the scrambler state. Inversion of received control codewords indicates polarity inversion somewhere along the link, enabling automatic polarity correction to be applied.

Abstract: Codeword synchronization and scrambler synchronization in a block-coded serial communications link are accomplished by (i) substituting a specific comma control codeword for a selected codeword value occurring in the output of a scrambler receiving an input data stream, and (ii) using selected polarity-independent bits of the block-coded scrambled bit stream to convey samples of the scrambler state. Inversion of received control codewords indicates polarity inversion somewhere along the link, enabling automatic polarity correction to be applied.

Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The nature of the audio output devices used to render the synthesized sounds is such that the user is also able to hear real-world sounds from the environment. Under user control, a distinctive presentation effect is selectively applied to the item-related sounds emanating from a group of at least one synthesized sound source whereby to assist the user in distinguishing these sounds from the real-world sounds.

Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. A division of the audio field into segments is specified. In response to predetermined user input indicating at least one of these segments, the audibility of the synthesised sound sources in the segment concerned is changed, for example, to mute or un-mute the sound sources. The segmentation of the audio field can be set relative to the user's facing direction, to a presentation reference determined by the configuration of audio output devices used to produce the synthesised sound sources, or to any other convenient reference. This selective segment muting facilitates exploration of the audio field by the user.

Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The sound sources are arranged in a cylindrical organization in the audio field and the field is preferably both displaceable along, and rotatable about, the axis of this organization. In one embodiment, the sound sources are arranged as on discrete floors of a building with only the sound sources on the current floor being audible; in this case, summary sound sources are provided in the audio field to indicate what sound sources are available above and below the current floor.