Abstract: A radio receiver, in particular a vehicle radio receiver, is proposed, which is able to display or output acoustically, traffic news which is contained in digital signals. At least the data memory for the decoding of the digital traffic news and of the display or the output in the correct language is contained on a chip card, which can be inserted into the radio receiver. This makes it possible that, on the one hand, a linguistically adapted output of traffic news is possible, and, on the other hand, in the event of changes in the road network, a simple adaptation without modification of the radio receiver is made possible. Finally, it facilitates the use of the radio receiver worldwide, since the chip card allows regionally specific or country specific local codes to be taken into account.

Abstract: A method is proposed that is used for terrestrial transmission of at least one digital signal, in particular a digital radio and/or TV broadcasting signal. In this method, the at least one digital signal, reduced in its data quantity by coding, is modulated, preferably by the OFDM method, and converted into the frequency position of at least one channel, adjacent to at least one occupied or unoccupied channel (30, 32) for transmitting an analog TV broadcasting signal, and is broadcast in this frequency position. The dynamic scope and the amplitude of the spectrum (41) of the at least one digital signal must undershoot a respectively predetermined value that is markedly less than the dynamic scope or amplitude of the video carrier of the spectrum (35, 36) of the analog TV broadcasting signal, so that there will be only slight intermodulation and cross modulation with other digital signals or with analog signals of other channels.

Abstract: A method is described that is used for common transmission of digital- and analog-modulated radio and/or television signals, in particular over a broad band cable system (30). The method includes transmitting at least one digital radio and/or television signal along with an analog television signal in one and the same channel, in which the frequency spectrum of the at least one digital radio and/or television signal is limited to a frequency range that is less than the width of the at least one channel. To lessen the influence of the at least one digital radio and/or television signal on the analog television signal, the at least one digital radio and/or television signal must fall below a predetermined signal level, and the peak level of the analog television signal must exceed a predetermined value, which is markedly higher than the predetermined signal level of the at least one digital radio and/or television signal.

Abstract: A radio receiver, in particular a vehicle radio receiver, is proposed, which is able to display or output acoustically, traffic news which is contained in digital signals. At least the data memory for the decoding of the digital traffic news and of the display or the output in the correct language is contained on a chip card, which can be inserted into the radio receiver. This makes it possible that, on the one hand, a linguistically adapted output of traffic news is possible, and, on the other hand, in the event of changes in the road network, a simple adaptation without modification of the radio receiver is made possible. Finally, it facilitates the use of the radio receiver worldwide, since the chip card allows regionally specific or country specific local codes to be taken into account.

Abstract: A method is proposed that is used to input directional information into a radio unit or into a navigation unit with a calculation apparatus, by means of a numerical keypad. With the method, cardinal points are allocated to the externally located keys of the numerical keypad. Directional information is input by actuating the corresponding keys.

Abstract: A vehicle and destination guidance system is proposed wherein a destination can be input by entering the destination and the street in clear language into a vehicle device. The vehicle device is in communication with a beacon device in which, in addition to the various destinations, street names and the associated coordinates are stored. On demand by the vehicle device, the beacon device selects the associated destination coordinates and transmits them to the vehicle device. Additional data can be transmitted in the transmitted telegram which, for example, contain traffic information or street maps. The system is also usable for automatic toll deductions.

Abstract: A method is proposed for entering alphanumeric information in an electronic apparatus, in which the entry is effected via an ordinary numerical keyboard. Based on the numbers entered, in which connection not more than three letters are associated with each number, corresponding letter-number combinations are sought in a memory and the information found is displayed. By means of the invention, it is possible also to enter alphanumeric information into an apparatus by means of a numerical keyboard.

Abstract: Identification of a program being transmitted is encoded digitally on a sub-carrier modulated on the sound carrier of a television signal with each elementary code group occupying a television field interval, the information being transmitted in cycles of several television fields. The sub-carrier frequency is chosen so as to minimize interference with the picture or sound.A receiver is programmed to be in a standby state during a period during which the coded identification of desired programs are compared with detected program identifications. The receiver is shifted from channel to channel so long as the program desired for the particular time is not found. When it is found, the display circuits are turned on and the channel-shifting device is disabled, so long as the identification of the desired program continues to be detected.

Abstract: A magnetic field, such as produced by a surrounding coil, lowers the breakdown voltage of a gas discharge device in series with a spark plug so that the ignition voltage will preferentially go to that spark plug rather than to others in series with gas discharge devices having no magnetic field. The switching of the field-producing coils of the gas discharge devices in accordance with the firing cycle of an engine may be produced by a transistor switching circuit excited by a simple rotary electric timing device that also times the spark pulses. A gas discharge device for this system is shown having an elongated cup-shaped anode and rodlike cathode, which can also be made to serve as the sealing tube, centered within the anode. Gas discharge devices for this system are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,144 to the same assignee.

Abstract: Separator shields are provided between the substrates subject to sputtering and the boundaries between cathodes or between portions of the cathodes exposing different materials to be sputtered by a glow discharge. The shields extend to a few millimeters' spacing from the cathode and are at a potential at or near ground potential within .+-. 50 volts of the potential of the substrates. A common rear and side shield and a common electrical feed-through connection is provided for the cathode structure or cathodes. The substrates may be passed repeatedly through the sputtering zone or, in a circular configuration, can be moved in a circular path, so as to facilitate alloy-type coatings by producing very thin layers in alternation. The shielding reduces masking of one material by another on the cathode by cross-sputtering, thereby maintaining close to constancy the sputtering rates of the different materials for up to several hundred hours of operation.

Abstract: A pre-ignition gap for coil ignition systems consists of a pair of electrodes which extend into a closed compartment. Each electrode has a free end within the compartment and the free ends of the electrodes are juxtaposed with and spaced from one another. A body of inert gas in the compartment surrounds the free ends of the electrodes. In the region of sparking, the electrodes are composed, at least in part, of a substance selected from the group consisting of aluminum and the transition metals of the fourth, fifth and sixth groups of the periodic system.

Abstract: Auxiliary spark gaps with magnetically or electromagnetically controllable gap spacing and gas-filled envelopes are used for distributing ignition pulses to the sparkplugs of a multicylinder internal combustion engine. A moving permanent magnet sequentially reduces the gap width in the firing order in a magnetically operated system. In an electromagnetically operated system, each gap device has a control and a switching circuit operating at low voltage and energizing the coils in turn.

Abstract: Copper is sputtered onto a substrate to make a solder-fast contact layer by carrying out the sputtering in a discharge of a monatomic gas containing 0.5 to 16% of air, nitrogen or oxygen which reduces the conductivity of the copper layer, but makes it resistant to alloying with a solution in solder, to an extent comparable with the results obtained by the provision of intermediate diffusion barrier layers. Best results are obtained in an argon discharge in the presence of an admixture of nitrogen or air between 2 and 4% by volume. The solder-wetting properties are not impaired.