Abstract: The present invention is an electric vehicle wherein the vehicle is powered by an internal generator rather than the traditional method of plugging in to charge the electric battery. The internal generator is made up of an alternator and a regulator which control the flow of electricity to the battery of the car. The battery of the car will only need to be charged once at the beginning of use or first time use of the vehicle and then will obtain power from the internal generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a real, commercially viable alternative to known heat transfer fluids which exhibits essentially the same or improved viscosity profiles and avoids the corrosion problems. The present invention relates to a heat transfer fluid composition comprising between 10 to 80% by weight of a corrosion inhibitor and freeze point depressant dual function agent, and a viscosity reducing agent. Also disclosed are aqueous based heat transfer fluid products and their use in various heating and/or cooling systems.

Abstract: The present invention provides a real, commercially viable alternative to known heat transfer fluids which exhibits essentially the same or improved viscosity profiles and avoids the corrosion problems. The present invention relates to a heat transfer fluid composition comprising between 10 to 80% by weight of a corrosion inhibitor and freeze point depressant dual function agent, and a viscosity reducing agent. Also disclosed are aqueous based heat transfer fluid products and their use in various heating and/or cooling systems.

Abstract: Non-intrusive speech-quality assessment uses vocal-tract models, in particular for testing telecommunications systems and equipment. This process requires reduction of the speech stream under assessment into a set of parameters that are sensitive to the types of distortion to be assessed. Once parameterized, the data is used to generate a set of physiologically-based rules for error identification, using a parametric modeling of the shape of the vocal tract itself, by comparison between derived parameters and the output of models of physiologically realistic forms for the vocal tract, and the application of physical constraints on how these can change over time.

Abstract: The degree of degradation imposed on signals transmitted over a communications link from a transmitter to a receiver is tested. A predetermined test signal is transmitted using spare capacity detected by a voice activity detector when no speech is to be transmitted over the communications link. The test signal received by the receiver is compared with the reference signal, and a measure of the degradation of signals caused by the communications link is generated therefrom.

Abstract: A non-intrusive speech quality assessment system. A method and apparatus for training a quality assessment tool in which a database comprising a plurality of samples, each with an associated mean opinion score, is divided into a plurality of distortion sets of samples according to a distortion criterion; and a distortion specific assessment handler for each distortion set is trained, such that a fit between a distortion specific quality measure generated from a distortion specific plurality of parameters for a sample and the mean opinion score associated with said sample is optimised. A method and apparatus for assessing speech quality in a telecommunications network in which a dominant distortion type is determined for a sample; a distortion specific plurality of parameters are combined to provide a distortion specific quality measure for each sample; and a quality measure is generated in dependence upon the distortion specific quality measure.

Abstract: The perceptual quality of voice signals used for Voice over IP (VoIP) systems is assessed. The content of the voice data packets may be altered in order to increase the perceived quality of the VoIP system.

Abstract: Non-intrusive speech-quality assessment uses vocal-tract models, in particular for testing telecommunications systems and equipment. This process requires reduction of the speech stream under assessment into a set of parameters that are sensitive to the types of distortion to be assessed. Once parameterized, the data is used to generate a set of physiologically-based rules for error identification, using a parametric modeling of the shape of the vocal tract itself, by comparison between derived parameters and the output of models of physiologically realistic forms for the vocal tract, and the application of physical constraints on how these can change over time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test method which can determine whether a user terminal is capable of supporting a real time connection, such as a computer telephony link, with a network terminal while simultaneously supporting a connection with a WWW server.

Abstract: The perceptibility of degradations caused to signals transmitted over a transmission medium is measured by generating one or more predetermined transmission degradation conditions (et) and subjecting a test signal (St) to the transmission degradation conditions (et) in a network simulation device. The degree M(e) to which the or each transmission degradation condition (et) is perceptible to the human perceptual system is measured and a data set is generated and stored for converting one or more transmission degradation conditions (et) to respective values of perceptibility M(e). The data set may be a look-up table or an empirically determined formula. The data set may then be used on live traffic (S?), by identifying objectively measured transmission degradation conditions (e) in the received signal (S?) and retrieving from the data set in the data storage means (7) a value of perceptibility (M) associated with the transmission degradation conditions (e) so identified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test method which can determine whether a user terminal is capable of supporting a real time connection, such as a computer telephony link, with a network terminal whilst simultaneously supporting a connection with a WWW server.

Abstract: This invention relates to a non-intrusive speech quality assessment system. The invention provides a method and apparatus for training a quality assessment tool in which a database comprising a plurality of samples, each with an associated mean opinion score, is divided into a plurality of distortion sets of samples according to a distortion criterion; and a distortion specific assessment handler for each distortion set is trained, such that a fit between a distortion specific quality measure generated from a distortion specific plurality of parameters for a sample and the mean opinion score associated with said sample is optimised.

Abstract: The perceptibility of degradations caused to signals transmitted over a transmission medium is measured by generating one or more predetermined transmission degradation conditions (et) and subjecting a test signal (St) to the transmission degradation conditions (et) in a network simulation device (3). The degree M(e) to which the or each transmission degradation condition (et) imperceptible to the human perceptual system is measured and a data set is generated and stored to converting one or more transmission degradation conditions (et) to respective values of perceptibility M(e). The data set may be a look-up table or an empirically determined formula. The data set may then be used on live traffic (S′), by identifying objectively measured transmission degradation conditions (e) in the received signal (S′) and retrieving from the data set in the data storages means (7) a value of perceptibility (M) associated with the transmission degradation conditions (e) so identified.

Abstract: The invention provides a method whereby the perceptual quality of voice signals used for Voice over IP (VoIP) systems is assessed. The content of the voice data packets may be altered in order to increase the perceived quality of the VoIP system.

Abstract: A method of testing the degree of degradation imposed on signals transmitted over a communications link from a transmitter to a receiver, comprises the steps of transmitting a predetermined test signal using spare capacity detected by a voice activity detector when no speech is to be transmitted over the communications link, comparing the test signal received by the receiver with the reference signal, and generating therefrom a measure of the degradation of signals caused by the communications link. Typically the test signal is longer than the speech gaps, so a part of the test signal in each such gap, the receiver assembling a complete version of the degraded test signal for comparison with the reference signal.

Abstract: Training apparatus and method for establishing the network definition function of a trainable processing apparatus for analyzing a signal, includes providing a training sequence having a first signal and a distorted version of the first signal, receiving the training sequence and generating a distortion perception measure for indicating the extent to which the distortion would be perceptible to a human observer, and applying the distortion perception measure to the trainable processing apparatus to determine the network definition function.

Abstract: A speech signal is subjected imperfect to vocal tract analysis model and the output therefrom is analyzed by a neural network. The output from the neural network is compared with the parameters stored in the network definition function, to derive measurement of the quality of the speech signal supplied to the source. The network definition function is determined by applying to the trainable processing apparatus a distortion perception measure indicative of the extent to which a distortion would be perceptible to a human listener.

Abstract: A training apparatus for establishing the network definition function of a trainable processing apparatus, such as, for example, a neural network, is disclosed. The training apparatus analyzes a signal and includes means for providing a training sequence, the training sequence including a first signal and a distorted version of the first signal. The training sequence is transmitted to an analysis means which generates a distortion perception measure that indicates the extent to which the distortion would be perceptible to a human observer. The network definition function is determined by applying the distortion perception measure to the trainable processing apparatus.