Abstract: A signaling system comprises a user device, and a personal computing device separate from the user device and configured to inform a user about the user device based on information received by the personal computing device from a remote server. In accordance with the present invention, the user device has an indicator to alert the user to use the personal computing device to get information relating to the user device.

Abstract: A signaling system comprises a user device, and a personal computing device separate from the user device and configured to inform a user about the user device based on information received by the personal computing device from a remote server. In accordance with the present invention, the user device has an indicator to alert the user to use the personal computing device to get information relating to the user device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of guiding a mobile robot, comprising: providing a transmitter (110), and having said transmitter transmit a guide signal (300) into a spatially bounded guide signal reception field (302); providing a mobile robot (200) including two mutually adjacently disposed guide signal sensors (210a, 210b), each configured to generate a reference signal that reflects its reception of the guide signal; and moving the robot along a boundary portion (306) of the guide signal reception field while, based on said reference signals, maintaining a tracking state in which a first of said guide signal sensors (210a) is positioned substantially on a first side of said boundary portion, and a second of said guide signal sensors (210b) is positioned substantially on an opposite, second side of said boundary portion (306). Also disclosed is a system implementing the method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of guiding a mobile robot, comprising: providing a transmitter (110), and having said transmitter transmit a guide signal (300) into a spatially bounded guide signal reception field (302); providing a mobile robot (200) including two mutually adjacently disposed guide signal sensors (210a, 210b), each configured to generate a reference signal that reflects its reception of the guide signal; and moving the robot along a boundary portion (306) of the guide signal reception field while, based on said reference signals, maintaining a tracking state in which a first of said guide signal sensors (210a) is positioned substantially on a first side of said boundary portion, and a second of said guide signal sensors (210b) is positioned substantially on an opposite, second side of said boundary portion (306). Also disclosed is a system implementing the method.

Abstract: The actuator (10, 90) of a personal care appliance, such as a toothbrush (11), which includes a housing member (12), a double E shaped yoke assembly (14, 52) with two electrical coils (36, 38) wound around the opposing E shaped sections. An armature (28) extends adjacent the top of the yoke assembly (14, 52), extending beyond the edges thereof. The armature (28) further includes side portions which extend adjacent the sides of the E shaped yoke (52), with each side portion including two spaced magnets which are aligned with the coils (36, 38) when the actuator (10, 90) is in a rest position. Power is supplied from a battery source, and a programmable control assembly (46) applies power to the coils (36, 38) in a selected manner to produce axial and/or tangential or complex movement of the brushhead workpiece (33) at the end of an output shaft extending from the armature (28).

Abstract: A flow-through heater (1) provided with a channel (2) for guiding a liquid to be heated. The flow-through heater (1) comprises a ferromagnetic wall (5) encasing an induction coil (4) for heating at least a wall portion of the ferromagnetic wall (5), wherein the channel (2) extends along said wall portion. In this construction, no additional electromagnetic shield is required.

Abstract: A keg enveloping a container (8) for containing a beverage and means for deforming the container (8) in order to drive the beverage out of the keg (1). The container (8) comprises two substantial rigid walls (13,14), which walls are mutually connected by a flexible wall (15). The flexible wall (15) is shaped as a bellows. Said means can move the two rigid walls (13,14) towards each other, so that the distance between the two rigid walls (13,14) varies. The material of the container (8) comprises preferably a metal layer or is made of metal.

Abstract: A plurality of loads (12) such as lamps receives power through respective switches. A control circuit (16) controls the switches (14). The control circuit controls energy supplied to the loads (12) by causing the switches (14) to switch current to loads of a first half of the plurality of loads (12) on or off at one or more selectable phase points (30a,b) during each positive half of the AC cycles. The control circuit switches current to loads of a second half of the plurality of the loads (12) half an AC cycle out of phase with corresponding loads in the first half of the loads (12). In an embodiment there are least four loads (12), and the control circuit switches on lamps in the first half at two phase points (230a,b) with a temporal offset with respect to each other.

Abstract: An electric hot water kettle comprises a container (2) for containing water to be heated. In order to provide a user of the kettle with information regarding a level of water that is present inside the container (2), the kettle comprises water level indication means (10). These means (10) comprise a lighting member (20) having at least one light (21) and a float (30) which is capable of floating on water, and which is arranged in the container (2). The lighting member (20) is arranged in the float (30), so that the at least one light (21) moves along with the water surface by means of the float (30), as a result of which a most accurate indication of the water level is obtained. The at least one light (21) of the lighting member (20) is powered by a pickup coil (57) arranged in the float (30), wherein an inductive coupling between the pickup coil (57) and a coil (55) connected to the mains (52) exists.

Abstract: An apparatus for radiating an object with UV-radiation, the apparatus comprises a series arrangement of an incandescent lamp (LA1) and a gas discharge UV lamp (L2) which generates at least UV light. The series arrangement is arranged for receiving current (IP) from an AC power source (PS). A filament of the incandescent lamp (LA1) forms a ballast for the gas discharge UV lamp (LA2). A HF generator (OSC) generates a generator current (IOSC) through the gas discharge UV lamp (LA2), at least when an AC-voltage (VM) generated by the AC power source (PS) is lower than an ignition voltage of the gas discharge UV lamp (LA2), to keep the gas discharge UV lamp (LA2) ionized.

Abstract: An apparatus for radiating an object with UV-radiation, the apparatus comprises a series arrangement of an incandescent lamp (LA1) and a gas discharge UV lamp (L2) which generates at least UV light. The series arrangement is arranged for receiving current (IP) from an AC power source (PS). A controllable switching element (T1) is arranged for obtaining a lamp current (ILA1) through the incandescent lamp (LA1) to preheat the incandescent lamp (LA1) before igniting the gas discharge UV lamp (L2).

Abstract: A communication system comprises a plurality of communication modules (M1, . . . , MN) for phase shifted driving of a corresponding plurality of power converters (1, . . . , 3). The communication modules (M1, . . . , MN) are interconnected in a chain to exchange information for determining which communication module (M1, . . . , MN) is the first module (M1) in the chain, and for determining what the total number (N) of communication modules (M1, . . . , MN) in the chain is. Each communication module (M1, . . . , MN) comprises a controller (C1, . . . , CN) which controls, for all communication modules (M2, . . . , MN) except the first module (M1), a time of occurrence of an active phase of an associated one of the power converters (1, . . . , 3) in response to a synchronization signal (SI1, . . . , SIN?1) indicative for a time of occurrence of a previous active phase of a power converter (1, . . . , N?1) associated with the preceding communication module (M1, . . . , MN?1).

Abstract: The actuator (10, 90) of a personal care appliance, such as a toothbrush (11), which includes a housing member (12), a double E shaped yoke assembly (14, 52) with two electrical coils (36, 38) wound around the opposing E shaped sections. An armature (28) extends adjacent the top of the yoke assembly (14, 52), extending beyond the edges thereof. The armature (28) further includes side portions which extend adjacent the sides of the E shaped yoke (52), with each side portion including two spaced magnets which are aligned with the coils (36, 38) when the actuator (10, 90) is in a rest position. Power is supplied from a battery source, and a programmable control assembly (46) applies power to the coils (36, 38) in a selected manner to produce axial and/or tangential or complex movement of the brushhead workpiece (33) at the end of an output shaft extending from the armature (28).

Abstract: A deep fat fryer has a control system (11) connected to a temperature sensor circuit (6) and to a heater control (13) for thermostatically activating a heating element (2) in response to a temperature signal from a temperature sensor circuit (6) representing a temperature at or below a lower limit value and deactivating the heating element (2) in response to a temperature signal representing a temperature at or above an upper limit value. The control system (11) is further adapted for, if the heating element (2) is active, generating the food lowering command signal in response to a temperature signal from the temperature sensor circuit (6) representing a predetermined sensed temperature below the upper limit value.

Abstract: A low power portable device includes a terminal (2) for connection of the device to a power source. A rectifier (3) is connected to the terminal and a half-bridge circuit (4) is connected to the rectifier in order to generate an a.c. switching voltage and includes a half-bridge point (5). A control circuit (6) controls the half-bridge circuit from a power supply (7) which derives a supply voltage for the control circuit from the switching AC voltage supplied by the half-bridge circuit. The power supply comprises a charging capacitor (10) connected to the half-bridge point. A load circuit (8) is connected to the half-bridge point and the charging capacitor is connected to the half-bridge point through an impedance (13, 16).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1, 14, 17) comprising: a terminal (2) for connection of the device to a power source; a rectifier (3) connected to the terminal; a half-bridge circuit (4) connected to the rectifier in order to generate an a.c. switching voltage, and having a half-bridge point (5); a control circuit (6) for controlling the half-bridge circuit; a power supply (7) for deriving a supply voltage for the control circuit from the switching AC voltage supplierd by the half-bridge circuit, said supply comprising a charging capacitor (10) connected to said half-bridge point; and a load circuit (8) connected to the half-bridge point, wherein the charging capacitor is connected to the half-bridge point through an impedance (13, 16).