Abstract: A system and method for playlist generation is configured to augment a playlist derived from selections from a user's collection with selections from beyond the user's collection. Both the user's collection and external sources are searched for entertainment items that conform to the user's preferences, and the resultant playlist includes a mix of material from both the user's collection and the external sources. The user is provided the option of specifying the proportion of material that is to be included in the playlist from the external sources. If the material from the external sources requires a purchase fee, the user is provided the option of purchasing the material, preferably, after being given the opportunity to view, listen to, or otherwise assess the material.

Abstract: A method of pre-processing gesture signals comprises the step of Filtering one or more signal segments by applying an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter both in a forward and in a backward temporal direction, so as to produce a band-limited gesture signal. The method may further comprise the step of matching the forward and backward initial conditions of the IIR filters to avoid any transients. Unevenly or sparsely sampled gesture signals may be subjected to the preliminary steps of interpolating the sampled signal, resampling the interpolated signal at a relatively high resampling frequency, filtering the resampled signal, and optionally downsampling the filtered signal, so as to produce a gesture signal having a well-defined sampling rate. An additional compression step may be carried out. The method may be utilized in conjunction with handwriting recognition methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for operating with different types of media content, the system being arranged to enable a user to use a first content of a first type. The system comprises identifying means (120) for identifying that the user concurrently uses a second content of a second type, said second content being unrelated with the first content, and associating means (210) for associating said second content with the first content. The invention also relates to the method of operating with the different types of media content.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating with content items, generating of a user preference profile, and introducing new content items in a community-based recommendation system. A virtual user terminal (115) determines a new user preference profile when detecting the availability of a new content item. The virtual user terminal (115) comprises an initialization processor (123) which sets a preference value in the user preference profile for the new content item. The virtual user terminal (115) further comprises a relation processor (125) which determines related content items, and a profile processor (127), which sets preference values in the user preference profile associated with the at least one related content item. Hence, an association is formed between the first content item and the related content items, thereby linking the new content item to existing content items, and thus increasing the probability that the new content item is recommended.

Abstract: The speech control unit (100) comprises: a microphone array, comprising multiple microphones (102, 104, 106, 108 and 110) for receiving respective audio signals (103, 105, 107, 109 and 111); abeam forming module (116) for extracting a clean, i.e. speech, signal (117) of a user (U1), from the audio signals; a keyword recognition system (120) for recognition of a predetermined keyword that is spoken by the user (U1) and which is represented by a particular audio signal (111) and being arranged to control the beam forming module, on basis of tie recognition; and a speech recognition unit (118) for creating an instruction for the apparatus (200) based on recognized speech items of the speech signal (117). As a consequence, the speech control unit (100) is more selective for those parts of the audio signals for speech recognition which correspond to speech items spoken by the user (U1).

Abstract: A mobile hand held device (1) comprises IR motion detectors (8,9). The motion detection enables to detect whether the someone is present, and take an action, e.g. to adapt the timing of presenting events to this detected presence. The motion detection system comprises two preferably 180 degrees infrared motion detection elements (8,9) placed opposite to each other to detect together movement (preferably in 360 degrees) around the device. Preferably the IR detectors are placed at the top (6) and bottom (7) surface of the device. This configuration leavesroom for other sensors, such as touch sensors (10), on the side(s) (4,5) of the device.

Abstract: An audio signal processing apparatus (1) comprises an audio input (3) for an entered audio signal, an audio output (5) for outputting an outgoing audio signal, and a processor (9) for performing a transformation (2) to improve the intelligibility of speech present in the entered audio signal. The transformation (2) transforms the entered audio signal into the outgoing audio signal, by modeling at least one aspect of the Lombard effect, based upon a noise level value (7). The Lombard effect is a specific way in which people change their speech, when speaking in noisy environments. The audio signal processing apparatus can be applied in a television receiver and a radio program receiver.