Abstract: The invention proposes a device for decaffeinating a liquid. The device comprises at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode which are spaced apart and which are immersed in the liquid; a power supply coupled to the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode and configured to apply power thereto, wherein the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode are configured to generate an electric field in the liquid upon application of the power to attract caffeine molecules in the liquid to the at least one cathode electrode; wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material configured to absorb at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides an extensible disc player that is upgradeable to play new content types. The player's capability can be extended by downloading an appropriate decoder from a web server via the Internet. In this way, the player can play back contents that it does not originally support. If the content type is unknown, the player will check whether the disc contains a URL for linking to a web site containing an appropriate decoder. If the disc contains the URL, the player will access the web site to download the appropriate decoder. In a similar manner, the capability of a recorder can also be expanded by downloading appropriate encoders from the Internet.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a sequence of video data signals on a record carrier has been proposed. The apparatus comprises input means (1) for receiving video data signals, generating means (100) for generating characteristic point information signals, processing means (100) for processing the characteristic point information signals for a plurality of characteristic points into a sequence of characteristic points information signals (CPI) and writing means (102) for writing the sequence of video data signals and the sequence of characteristic points information signals on the record carrier. The characteristic point information signals identify a characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals. Various measures are proposed in relation to the CPI aiming at improving quality of trickplay and random access playback operations.

Abstract: A controller for a display device includes a processor configured to receive an indication of the orientation of a user of the display device; receive an indication of the orientation of the display device; and generate a graphical representation of a user of the display device using the received indications, such that the orientation of the graphical representation of the user is adapted based on the orientation of the display device.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording a sequence of video data signals on a record carrier has been proposed. The apparatus comprises input means (1) for receiving video data signals, generating means (100) for generating characteristic point information signals, processing means (100) for processing the characteristic point information signals for a plurality of characteristic points into a sequence of characteristic points information signals (CPI) and writing means (102) for writing the sequence of video data signals and the sequence of characteristic points information signals on the record carrier. The characteristic point information signals identify a characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals. Various measures are proposed in relation to the CPI aiming at improving quality of trickplay and random access playback operations.

Abstract: A scanning display apparatus includes a display operable to receive driver signals and generate corresponding visual information for presentation on the display, to sense radiation received at the display and generating corresponding sensing signals corresponding to a region proximate to the display. The apparatus also includes computer hardware coupled to the display for generating driver signals for the display and for receiving the sensing signals from the display. The computer hardware is operable to provide an interactive user interface at the display.

Abstract: An apparatus which configures a mobile healthcare network for monitoring a being includes a sender for sending the composition of the mobile healthcare network to a home healthcare network for monitoring the being and a receiver for receiving a configuration recommendation. The configuration recommendation corresponds to the composition of the mobile healthcare monitoring network and a medical history database of the home healthcare monitoring network An arranger arranges parameters of the mobile healthcare network according to the configuration recommendation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for brewing ingredients in a solvent, said apparatus comprising: a container for containing said ingredients; a sensor for measuring a characteristic of said solvent; a lighting system (6) for generating a light beam (LB) that travels towards said container, said lighting system comprising a circuit for changing, based on the measured characteristic, a lighting property of said light beam. With such an invention, the visual indication is directly based on characteristics of the beverage being prepared, thereby providing the user with more accurate visual information on the state of preparation, and also greatly improving user-experience of a person using the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method and apparatus for producing tofu. The apparatus comprises a first unit (100) for obtaining the electric conductivity of the water; a generator (102) for generating soymilk from soybeans and water; a first detector (104) for detecting the electric conductivity of the soymilk; a calculator (106) for calculating the amount of coagulant to be added to the soymilk, in dependence on the obtained electric conductivity of the water and the detected electric conductivity of the soymilk; and a second unit (108) for adding coagulant to the soymilk in dependence on the calculated amount. The obtained electric conductivity of the water and the detected electric conductivity of the soymilk can reflect the soymilk concentration. Thus, for each tofu-making process, the invention flexibly calculates a suitable amount of the coagulant, even if the soymilk concentration varies. The taste as well as the texture of tofu can be consistent irrespective of the soymilk concentration.

Abstract: The characteristic playback domain of an AV stream is to be reproduced simply and reliably without complicating the management. As marks representing characteristic points of an AV stream, a mark of the type indicating a point and a mark of the type indicating a section (duration) are provided. The mark of the type indicating a point designates a point with a time stamp corresponding to a preset playback timing of the AV stream. The mark of the type indicating a section specifies the domain based on the time stamp of the playback start point of the preset playback domain of the AV stream and on the duration as from the playback start point until the playback end point.

Abstract: An optical disc playing system, comprises a selecting apparatus for receiving a command from a user, which requires to play a part of content of a program in the optical disc; a sending apparatus for sending a request which requires to provide the related information of said part of content; a receiving apparatus for receiving the related information; and a reading-out apparatus for reading out the received related information and said part of content. An optical disc playing method using said system comprises the steps of: receiving a command from a user, which requires to play a part of content of a program in the optical disc; sending a request which requires to provide the related information of said part of content; receiving the related information; and playing the disc in coordination with said part of content using the received related information.

Abstract: The invention is for player/recording systems for AN content such as DVD+RW, HDD, Blu-ray RE that record content from broadcast. To navigate through the content the player provides menus allowing the user can select content to watch. Passive content is replaced with active agents so that each piece of content will also contain a program part. The action by a user selecting a piece of content to play results in the program part being executed instead of the content being played. This program part displays menus that allow the user to navigate this particular piece of content, or alternatively, the program part may just start playing the AN content. Playing the ctual content is under the control of the application. At the end of the content, the application decides the next action, such as displaying another menu. The application chooses when to exit the content (based on user action or end of content) and returns to the player menus.

Abstract: A method of enhancing multimedia data contained on an information carrier includes reading the carrier and communicating with a remote unit via a network. The information carrier contains additional data. The method includes reading from the information carrier a user file containing user data defining user's previous actions in a storage unit of a recording and/or reproducing device, providing the additional data as a function of the user data, and updating the user data to reflect the user's latest actions.

Abstract: A method and device for storing an interactive television program for playback at a later point in time, wherein said interactive television program comprises at least one interactive television application. The applications are transmitted inside modules (11, 12) through a data carousel (2) within a transport stream (20). The method comprises receiving the transport stream, parsing the stream for application modules and storing them as a storage stream on a storage medium (31). The storage stream is stored separate from said transport stream (20). The data or object carousel is recorded outside the Transport Stream and recorded like a stream, preferably as a single file. This file is a sequence of modules with some header information preceding the modules making playback faster as the information needed to obtain the objects from a module is located directly in the header of that module. Furthermore, the solution according to the invention solution is platform independent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an extensible disc player that is upgradeable to play new content types. The player's capability can be extended by downloading an appropriate decoder from a web server via the Internet. In this way, the player can play back contents that it does not originally support. If the content type is unknown, the player will check whether the disc contains a URL for linking to a web site containing an appropriate decoder. If the disc contains the URL, the player will access the web site to download the appropriate decoder. In a similar manner, the capability of a recorder can also be expanded by downloading appropriate encoders from the Internet.

Abstract: A method (1) of transmitting interactive television, whereby interactive television applications are transmitted inside application-modules. These modules are transmitted in a broadcast stream. Recording systems cannot decide which modules are to be recorded. Therefore storage related information of said modules is signalled in the broadcast stream. Module identification information related is implemented in the Application Information Table (AIT) and/or in the Download Information Indication (DII) message. Thus information is included in the broadcast stream concerning categories stating whether application modules are mandatory, optional or forbidden to record. Alternatively properties of a module are chosen from Code/Data/Both and/or Fixed/Variable. Recording systems use this information do decide if application modules are to be recorded or disregarded. Alternatively, application module identification information is transmitted in said broadcast stream.

Abstract: Instead of using events stored in the datastream itself applications can retrieve event information from the playlist on a record carrier such as DVD and blu-disc. By retrieving the event information from the playlist changes in the event information do not require reprocessing of the data stream. In addition the application knows before the start of the playback of the data stream where the events are located and what functionality in terms of resources is required. A better scheduling of resources is thus possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides an extensible disc player that is upgradeable to play new content types. The player's capability can be extended by downloading an appropriate decoder from a web server via the Internet. In this way, the player can play back contents that it does not originally support. If the content type is unknown, the player will check whether the disc contains a URL for linking to a web site containing an appropriate decoder. If the disc contains the URL, the player will access the web site to download the appropriate decoder. In a similar manner, the capability of a recorder can also be expanded by downloading appropriate encoders from the Internet.

Abstract: Method to enable a local system time clock counter (STC) of a receiving recording device to lock to program clock reference (PCR) information comprised in a received real time sequence of information signal packets, such as MPEG2 Transport Stream packets. The method comprising determining the number of cycles between arrival of the first information signal packet and the arrival of the information signal packet comprising the first Program Clock Reference (PCR) information. This information is stored as an attribute of the stored sequence.

Abstract: Instead of using events stored in the datastream itself, applications can retrieve event information from the playlist on a record carrier such as DVD and blu-disc. By retrieving the event information from the playlist changes in the event information do not require reprocessing of the data stream. In addition the application knows before the start of the playback of the data stream where the events are located and what functionality in terms of resources is required. A better scheduling of resources is thus possible.