Abstract: A method for identifying an electrical device connected to a mains grid is provided, the method comprising measuring at least one electrical characteristic on the mains grid with a sensor connected to a socket of the mains grid; comparing the at least one electrical characteristic with a plurality of stored candidate electrical characteristics each corresponding to one of a plurality of candidate electrical devices; and identifying the electrical device based on the stored candidate electrical characteristic that is closest to the at least one electrical characteristic. A corresponding system and a corresponding sensor are provided as well.

Abstract: A device for in-ear sound generation comprises a sound determining unit adapted to determine a first sound signal, a sound collecting unit exposed to the ear canal and adapted to collect a second sound signal, a sound correction determining unit adapted to determine a third sound signal, and a loudspeaker exposed to an ear canal and adapted to emit the third sound signal The third sound signal includes the first sound signal and a correction component, the correction component essentially corresponding to a weighted and phase-inverted signal. The phase-inverted signal is obtained by phase inversion from a difference signal essentially corresponding to a difference between the second sound signal and the first sound signal.

Abstract: A television system, comprising: a television set including a display and an input adapted to receive a television signal and a video conferencing signal, wherein the display is configured to display a television picture corresponding to the television signal and further configured to display a video conferencing picture of a video conference, the television set further including a first speaker adapted to output a audio signal of the video conference and a television sound signal included in said television signal, the television set further including a first microphone adapted to be used for said video conference; a remote control adapted to control the television set and including a second speaker and a second microphone; wherein the first speaker is adapted to output said audio signal and/or said television sound signal depending on a video conferencing mode; and wherein the second speaker is adapted to be switched on or off depending on said video conferencing mode; and wherein the first and second micro

Abstract: A device for in-ear sound generation comprises a sound determining unit adapted to determine a first sound signal, a sound collecting unit exposed to the ear canal and adapted to collect a second sound signal, a sound correction determining unit adapted to determine a third sound signal, and a loudspeaker exposed to an ear canal and adapted to emit the third sound signal The third sound signal includes the first sound signal and a correction component, the correction component essentially corresponding to a weighted and phase-inverted signal. The phase-inverted signal is obtained by phase inversion from a difference signal essentially corresponding to a difference between the second sound signal and the first sound signal.

Abstract: A television system, comprising: a television set including a display and an input adapted to receive a television signal and a video conferencing signal, wherein the display is configured to display a television picture corresponding to the television signal and further configured to display a video conferencing picture of a video conference, the television set further including a first speaker adapted to output a audio signal of the video conference and a television sound signal included in said television signal, the television set further including a first microphone adapted to be used for said video conference; a remote control adapted to control the television set and including a second speaker and a second microphone; wherein the first speaker is adapted to output said audio signal and/or said television sound signal depending on a video conferencing mode; and wherein the second speaker is adapted to be switched on or off depending on said video conferencing mode; and wherein the first and second micro

Abstract: A method for identifying an electrical device connected to a mains grid is provided, the method comprising measuring at least one electrical characteristic on the mains grid with a sensor connected to a socket of the mains grid; comparing the at least one electrical characteristic with a plurality of stored candidate electrical characteristics each corresponding to one of a plurality of candidate electrical devices; and identifying the electrical device based on the stored candidate electrical characteristic that is closest to the at least one electrical characteristic. A corresponding system and a corresponding sensor are provided as well.

Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.

Abstract: In an automatic gain control unit, the gain of a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) (25) is regulated with a closed-loop control circuit. The time constant of the control circuit is varied dependent on the magnitude (31) of the VCA output signal. As long as the magnitude (31) of the VCA output signal is small, the gain is slowly adjusted. In case the magnitude (31) of the VCA becomes so large that saturation of the analog-digital converter (28) might occur, the time constant of the control circuit is decreased, in order to allow for a quick adjustment of the amplifier's gain.

Abstract: In digital broadcast systems, it is common to broadcast besides main services additional services like news services. Typically, these additional services are regularly updated and broadcasted by a service provider (3) several times a day. In order to keep service data transmitted by the additional services up to date in a receiving device (1) receiving the services, a method of accessing services is given according to which a respective service information about the services provided by service providers (3) is extracted from a service presently received by the receiving device (1), and then at least one of the services about which service information was extracted according to the respective extracted service information might be accessed. Thus, the service data can automatically be updated by the receiving device (1) itself, even if transmission conditions of an additional service like update rates change over the time.

Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.

Abstract: An AM receiver with at least one IF filter with a fixed IF bandwidth comprises at least one downconversion stage (3, 4, 5) to shift the signal input thereto into an IF range (IF1) having a variable oscillation frequency (fLO1) which is adjustable to detune a wanted center frequency (fC1) of a wanted signal part (30) from a center frequency (fIF1) of the at least one IF filter so that an unwanted signal part (31b) adjacent to the wanted signal part (30) lies outside the fixed IF bandwidth.

Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.

Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.

Abstract: In an automatic gain control unit, the gain of a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) (25) is regulated with a closed-loop control circuit. The time constant of the control circuit is varied dependent on the magnitude (31) of the VCA output signal. As long as the magnitude (31) of the VCA output signal is small, the gain is slowly adjusted. In case the magnitude (31) of the VCA becomes so large that saturation of the analog-digital converter (28) might occur, the time constant of the control circuit is decreased, in order to allow for a quick adjustment of the amplifier's gain.

Abstract: An alternative frequency of e. g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked whether or not the same service is transmitted before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed. The inventive method to perform such a checking is characterized by a respective correlation of at least two sets of samples taken from the signal transmitted on the alternative frequency having a predetermined time relationship (&Dgr;tcorr) and a comparison of said respective correlation results, i.e. comparison of the time (t1) of occurance of a correlation peak included in a first correlation result with the time (t2) of occurance of a correlation peak included in a respective further correlation result, to verify that both services are the same when the time relationship (|t2 l -t1|) between said correlation peaks is the same as said predetermined time relationship (&Dgr;tcorr) of the at least two sets of samples.

Abstract: In digital broadcast systems, it is common to broadcast besides main services additional services like news services. Typically, these additional services are regularly updated and broadcasted by a service provider (3) several times a day. In order to keep service data transmitted by the additional services up to date in a receiving device (1) receiving the services, a method of accessing services is given according to which a respective service information about the services provided by service providers (3) is extracted from a service presently received by the receiving device (1), and then at least one of the services about which service information was extracted according to the respective extracted service information might be accessed. Thus, the service data can automatically be updated by the receiving device (1) itself, even if transmission conditions of an additional service like update rates change over the time.

Abstract: An AM receiver with at least one IF filter with a fixed IF bandwidth comprises at least one downconversion stage (3, 4, 5) to shift the signal input thereto into an IF range (IF1) having a variable oszillation frequency (fLO1) which is adjustable to detune a wanted center frequency (fC1) of a wanted signal part (30) from a center frequency (fIF1) of said at least one IF filter so that an unwanted signal part (31b) adjacent to said wanted signal part (30) lies outside said fixed IF bandwidth.