Abstract: A video system includes first and second sensors generating respective primary and secondary video sequences of images of a scene. The first sensor is responsive to thermal infrared (IR) energy, and the second sensor is responsive to shorter-wavelength optical energy in a range from visible to near-IR wavelengths. The sensors are temporally and spatially registered. A motion estimation module generates an estimated motion vector field from the secondary video sequence, and a motion-based image processor applies one or more image-enhancement operations to the primary video sequence based on the estimated motion vector field.

Abstract: An imaging device has a thermal sensor to remotely measure respective temperatures of regions within an imaging field and to generate temperature information signals. A motion tracking system tracks motion of the thermal sensor and generates position information signals representing positions of the thermal sensor during the temperature measurements. An image construction processor uses the position and temperature information signals to generate a two-dimensional image representative of the imaging field including respective temperature indications at different locations within the two-dimensional image, and stores the two-dimensional image within a memory. The two-dimensional image may be used as an output image for display to a user.

Abstract: A thermal imaging device including: a substrate; and an array of thermally tunable pixel elements for generating a thermal image, each thermally tunable pixel element including: a plurality of thermally tunable filter islands, each of which has a thermally tunable optical filter, wherein each of the plurality of tunable filter islands within that pixel element is thermally isolated from the other tunable filter islands within that tunable pixel element; an absorption structure for absorbing incident optical thermal energy; and a mechanical structure supporting the plurality of tunable filter islands and the absorption structure on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention aims at avoiding fragmentation during transmission of a structured document (10). This is achieved by a method of progressive transmission for a structured document (10), the structured document (10) comprising sub-documents (12, 14, 16, . . . ) with related relevance weightings. In particular, a fragmentation measure is determined according to the transmission sequence in an automatic manner using a formal expression of fragmentation. After comparison the fragmentation measure with a predetermined threshold value the transmission sequence is modified to reduce fragmentation when the fragmentation measure exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: A thermo-optic system, which may be used for example in thermal imaging, includes an array of optical elements each having a thermally responsive optical property, the optical elements including signal elements and reference elements configured to provide (1) a common-mode response of the optical property to ambient temperature and (2) a differential-mode response of the optical property to a thermal signal appearing across the array of optical elements. The system also includes an optical readout subsystem configured to (1) illuminate the array of optical elements with optical energy at a readout wavelength corresponding to the optical property so as to generate a composite optical signal having common-mode and differential-mode signal components corresponding to the common-mode and differential-mode responses respectively of the signal and reference elements, and (2) filter the composite optical signal to generate a filtered optical signal being substantially the differential-mode image component.

Abstract: A thin-film interference filter structure has a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.

Abstract: A magnetic rotational angle transducer has at least one Hall sensor (14) rotatable in a magnetic field of a given configuration relative to and offset from the rotational axis (16). To enable linearization of the output signal without additional signal processing over a large range of rotational angles, it is proposed that the Hall sensor is aligned radially and axially to the rotational axis (16) and lies in a central position parallel to the field lines of the magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field is created by at least one permanent magnet (18) in circular segment form around the rotation axis and the Hall sensor (14) is offset from the rotational axis (16) towards the permanent magnet (18) in circular segment form.

Abstract: A coordination compound of an element of the boron group, the production of the compound and methods of using the compound as an additive, stabilizer, catalyst, co-catalyst, activator for catalyst systems, conductivity improver, and electrolyte.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a synthetic fuel, especially diesel fuel and in addition gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas and heating gas from a gas mixture comprising an oxygenate wherein the oxygenate is methanol and/or dimethyl ether and/or another oxygenate, through a series of steps, including olefin-formation, oligomerization of the olefins, and several separation steps and recycling steps, in particular the recycling of a stream of saturated hydrocarbons following the oligomerization of olefins back to the olefin-forming stage, to obtain the diesel fuel and the other synthetic fuels in high yield.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data carrier (100) with a chip (10) which stores energy (13) as well as information for contact-bound or contactless inductive communication, and with a plurality of excitable chip sensors (11) integrated in the chip (10), which, after excitation (12), pass on a signal (18) to a CPU (19) of the chip (10), in which the signal (18) is processed. The invention is characterized in that, independently of storing energy (13) as well as information by the chip (10), the excitation (12) is specifically adjustable by the chip (10) for the purpose of additionally storing information and is adaptable to the requirements of processing the signal (18) in the CPU (19).

Abstract: A thin-film interference filter structure has a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the production of synthetic fuels, wherein, in a first step, a gas mixture consisting of methanol and/or dimethyl ether and/or another oxygenate and water vapor is reacted at temperatures of 300-600° C. in order to form olefins with, preferably, 268 carbon atoms. In a second step, the olefin mixture thus obtained is oligomerized at an elevated pressure to form higher olefins with predominantly more than 5, preferably 10-20 carbon atoms. According to said method, a) the production of olefins in the first step is carried out in the presence of a gas flow which essentially consists of saturated hydrocarbons which are separated from the product flow of the second step and returned to the first step, and (b) the production of olefins is carried out in the second step in the presence of a flow of water vapor which is separated from the product flow of the first step and returned to the first step.

Abstract: A thermal imaging device including: a substrate; and an array of thermally tunable pixel elements for generating a thermal image, each thermally tunable pixel element including: a plurality of thermally tunable filter islands, each of which has a thermally tunable optical filter, wherein each of the plurality of tunable filter islands within that pixel element is thermally isolated from the other tunable filter islands within that tunable pixel element; an absorption structure for absorbing incident optical thermal energy; and a mechanical structure supporting the plurality of tunable filter islands and the absorption structure on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a FIR filter process (1?) and to a respective FIR filter arrangement (1) wherein at least one multiplex mode is given which is characterized in that in the respective summation stage (30?) or summation block (30) partial summations are carried out and controlled in conformity with a multiplexed structure underlying a multiplexed input signal (MS) in order to obtain partial sums (?pk-1) as accordingly filtered single signals.

Abstract: An operator control system for a vehicle includes a visual display unit for displaying at least one operator control function; and at least one central manual operating device is associated with the visual display unit, for operator control of the at least one displayed operator control function. In addition, at least one further manual operating means, as well as at least one sensor which detects when an object approaches the at least one further operating means. The visual display unit displays an operator control function associated with the further manual operating means when such an approach is sensed.

Abstract: A thermally tunable pixel element includes a substrate; a thermally tunable filter island; a thermal absorption structure in direct thermal contact with and extending beyond the thermally tunable filter island; and a thermal isolation structure providing a thermally isolating path between the thermal absorption structure and the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.

Abstract: A thermo-optic system, which may be used for example in thermal imaging, includes an array of optical elements each having a thermally responsive optical property, the optical elements including signal elements and reference elements configured to provide (1) a common-mode response of the optical property to ambient temperature and (2) a differential-mode response of the optical property to a thermal signal appearing across the array of optical elements. The system also includes an optical readout subsystem configured to (1) illuminate the array of optical elements with optical energy at a readout wavelength corresponding to the optical property so as to generate a composite optical signal having common-mode and differential-mode signal components corresponding to the common-mode and differential-mode responses respectively of the signal and reference elements, and (2) filter the composite optical signal to generate a filtered optical signal being substantially the differential-mode image component.

Abstract: An operator control system for a vehicle includes a visual display unit for displaying at least one operator control function; and at least one central manual operating device is associated with the visual display unit, for operator control of the at least one displayed operator control function. In addition, at least one further manual operating means, as well as at least one sensor which detects when an object approaches the at least one further operating means. The visual display unit displays an operator control function associated with the further manual operating means when such an approach is sensed.