Abstract: The present disclosure refers to a method for determining characteristics of particles of a bulk material such as fertilizer, seed or the like, comprising: providing a heap of particles of a bulk material to be distributed by a distribution machine; providing a measurement tool having an optical landmark on a front side in a measurement position in which the heaped particles of the bulk material are provided in proximity to the measurement tool; providing a camera device configured to detect images; detecting image data by the camera device, the image data indicative of an image of the front side of the measurement tool and the heaped particles provided in proximity to the measurement tool; and determining characteristics of the particles from image data analysis of the image data. Further, a measurement system for determining characteristics of particles of a bulk material is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an agricultural spreader (1), comprising: providing a spreading material in a material reservoir (5) of an agricultural spreader (1); dosing the spreading material from the material reservoir (5) through a dosing opening (6); receiving the dosed spreading material by a spreader device (7); and spreading the dosed spreading material by the spreader device (7); the method further comprising: detecting digital image data by a monitoring device (4), the digital image data being indicative of a partial quantity of the spreading material located in the vicinity of the dosing opening (6) at the time of detecting the digital image data; and determining a material parameter for the partial quantity of the spreading material located in the vicinity of the dosing opening (6) from analyzing the digital image data by a control device (2). Furthermore, an arrangement for an agricultural spreader (1) system is provided.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a transfer function of a magnetic sensor (MS) on a substrate (SBSTR) in which sensor (MS) the presence of magnetizable objects (SPB) can be detected by magnetizing the objects (SPB) by a magnetic field (H) delivered by a magnetic field generator (WR1, WR2) and in which the transfer function is defined as the transfer from an electrical input signal (Iin) for generating the magnet field H, via magnetic stray field (SF) radiated by the objects (SPB) when magnetized, to an electrical output signal (Iout) delivered by the sensor (MS), comprising the steps of: putting sample fluid on the substrate (SBSTR), the sample fluid comprising a large amount of the magnetizable objects (SPB), attracting part of the magnetizable objects (SPB) towards the magnetic sensor (MS), activating the electrical input signal (Iin), thereby generating the magnet field (H), measuring the electrical output signal (Iout) as a response to the electrical input signal (Iin), calculating the transfer function from the

Abstract: A method (100; 200; 300; 400; 500) for scanning a track of a disc-shaped storage medium (2) comprises the steps of: receiving (101; 201; 301; 401; 501) at least one scanning command; calculating (102, 103; 211, 212; 311, 313; 411; 511) energy consumption estimates at different scanning mode settings (CAV; CLV); determining (110; 213; 312, 314, 320; 412; 512) a scanning mode setting associated with minimal expected energy consumption; executing (121, 122; 221, 222; 321, 322; 421; 521) said at least one scanning command at the thus determined scanning mode setting.

Abstract: A driver for driving a light generator for generating light, comprising a digitalto-analog converter (DAC) having a data input, a data output for generating an analog signal, a first multiplexer (MUX1) for cyclic selection of a number of data levels corresponding to desired intensity levels of the light and for coupling the data levels to the data input; a de multiplexer (DE-MUX) synchronized with the first multiplexer (MUX1) for de-multiplexing the analog signal into a set of analog signals; memory means for temporarily storing the set of analog signals; and a second multiplexer (MUX2) for selection of the stored set of analog signals and for generating a drive signal (IL) for the light generator. The memory means is preferably implemented by a set of capacitors (C1-C8). Usually, for instance in an optical disc drive, the light generator is implemented by a laser (Ls).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor power controller for a disk drive. Further on, the present invention relates to a disk drive comprising a motor power controller and to a method for controlling the motor power of a disk drive. Portable computers like laptop computers or portable audio/video systems like DVD players or other portable devices operate usually on battery power. An important factor in determining battery life is the disk drive. For that, in order to maximize battery life-time, the efficiency of the disk drive has to be improved. The present invention provides a motor power controller for a disk drive, especially for a disk drive of a portable device, comprising means defining at least two operation states of said disk drive, a first operation state running a motor of said disk drive continuously, and a second operation state spinning said motor up at the beginning of each data operation and spinning said motor down at the end of each data operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data storage device (101) which comprises a data interface (103) for reading data from a spinning data storage disc (105). The data storage device (101) comprises a motor (111) for spinning the data storage disc (105) at a desired speed. The data storage device (101) further comprises a speed change processor (115) for determining a preferred motor speed change time; and a motor controller (113) for controlling the motor (111) to perform the speed change in response to the preferred motor speed change time. Specifically, the preferred motor speed change time resulting in the lowest energy consumption for disc spin-up and jump operations are determined, and the motor (111) is controlled to change the speed substantially within the preferred motor speed change time. The invention is particularly suitable for Small Form Factor Optical (SFFO) disc systems and allows for reduced energy consumption and thus increased battery life.

Abstract: An optical disc drive apparatus (1) comprises a laser device (30) for generating a light beam (31) for optically reading data from a disc (2). Said laser device (30) is electrically incorporated in a resonant circuit (70), which comprises an inductance (L) coupled to said laser device (30).

Abstract: The invention relates to an information recording apparatus intended to record information on an optical medium by forming series of recorded marks whose length between leading edge and trailing edge corresponds to a binary value by irradiation means with a beam of light. According to the invention, said irradiation means are sequentially pulsed to at least a high laser current write level from a low laser current level LL close to zero during the writing of a recorded mark. The invention enables to lower the average laser current during writing and also erasing. As a consequence the power dissipation is lowered. Application: Information recording apparatus, especially for SFFO, BluRay standards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical record carrier (55) recording apparatus (5) such as a small form factor optical drive and to a portable device (1), such as a mobile phone or a palmtop computer, comprising such an optical record carrier (55) recording apparatus (5). To enable different accessing modes having different data rates depending on the power mode of the recording apparatus an appropriate switching means (53) is provided in the recording apparatus for switching accessing means (54) for accessing an optical record carrier (55) for reading data from or recording data to said optical record carrier (55) between said accessing modes. A first accessing mode has a low data rate and is used in a low power mode while a second accessing mode has a high data rate and is used or allowed to be used in a high power mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical record carrier recording apparatus and a corresponding method comprising a device for generating a timing signal having an increased timing resolution with respect to an inputted recording signal.