Abstract: The invention relates to a system for supporting a plurality of activities which includes a plurality of terminals for interacting with said activities. The system allows the user to relocate activities from one terminal to another. The relocation can be simplified by means of a physical token representing the activity to be relocated. Terminals are coupled to receptacles for receiving the physical tokens. If a token is removed from a receptacle, the activity is associated with the token. If the token is inserted into another receptacle, the activity is resumed at the terminal coupled to the other receptacle.

Abstract: A television receiver with an electronic program guide (EPG) is disclosed, which allows a user to navigate through an overview of scheduled television programs each belonging to one of a plurality of program categories. Upon highlighting a program item in the guide, or upon highlighting a pictogram representing an available program category, the receiver produces (14) an auditive signal (AUD) which is characteristic of the relevant program category. This provides an additional feedback to the user which eases the process of navigating through on-screen EPG menus. In embodiments of the receiver, the respective auditive signal is also produced as an alert signal (reminder) that a desired program is about to start. A sequence of such reminders may be given at different instants of time before the program starts. By manipulating (15) a parameter, which is characteristic of a perceived distance from user to receiver (e.g.

Abstract: A device is provided, which, ancillary to functionality means (used in normal operation) comprises message reproduction means. The message reproduction means as they are used for example in providing on line help information or in rendering annotations to visually displayed information render in speech form a message which elaborates an aspect current in the functionality means. In order to reduce the time needed to locate a desired passage in the message, the device allows the user selectively to activate the message reproduction means for rendering said message in speech form at least either according to a first standard velocity or to a second, time saving velocity.

Abstract: A user-adaptive audio and/or video presentation system contains a background sub-system for presenting audio and/or video items, control for the background subsystem as regarding an actual selection sequence amongst the items according to a user preference pattern, and output means for physically presenting selected items to a user. Each item has a uniformly structured first set of static attribute data and associated second set of weight value data, and a third set of dynamic behaviour data. The dynamic behaviour of the items is collectively governed by behavioral and interactivity prescriptions, so that each respective item represents an autonomous agent. The control includes processing for under influence of the first and second sets of data and as governed by the prescriptions, updating weight and dynamic behaviour parameter data of each item versus other items for subsequently influencing the controlling.

Abstract: In a consumer player or recorder operating with a linear medium such as a tape or disc there is a time analog display of a representation of various identifiable discrete information items such as sector, record, track. The display is length-proportional and for each item may signal an activity level, an activity state, or a past/future state with respect to a pick-up element position.

Abstract: A consumer apparatus has an executing mode and a specifying mode. In the latter an array of formalized specifying proposals is displayed. The device has a cursor for stepping through the array for so selectively highlighting one of the array elements. Thereupon, for that actualized element a list of prestored proposals can be cycled through, while they are selectable displayed as collocated with the associated array element.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manipulating an input signal (e.g., an audio equivalent signal) having a specific length to form an output signal having a different length. A chain of successive overlapping time windows is positioned with respect to the input signal; segment signals are derived from the input signal and the segment signals; and the output signal is synthesized by chained superposition of a sequence of the segment signals. Each of the windows (except for the first window in the chain) is positioned by incrementing a position of the window from a corresponding position of a preceding window in the chain by a time interval. That time interval is substantially equal to a principal period of periodicity of a portion of the input signal with respect to which the window will be positioned. The sequence of segment signals is derived from the segment signals by performing at least one of repeating and suppressing one or more of the segment signals.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for manipulating an input signal (e.g. an audio (equivalent) signal) to obtain an output signal having a different pitch and/or duration. The method includes (a) positioning a chain of successive overlapping time windows with respect to the input signal; (b) deriving segments signals from the input signal and the windows; and (c) synthesizing the output signal by chained superposition of the segments signals. Each of the windows (except for the first window in the chain) is positioned by incrementing a position of the window from a corresponding position of a preceding window in the chain by a time interval. The time interval is substantially equal to a local pitch period for a portion of the input signal with respect to which the window is positioned. Accordingly, each of the windows of the chain (except for the first window) is positioned so that it begins at a predetermined time interval from a preceding window in the chain.