Abstract: An optical structure is provided wherein a windowed demetallized hologram is hot stamped on to an optically variable foil and wherein the demetallized hologram optionally has a coating of optically variable ink thereon. In another embodiment a hologram is hot stamped to a banknote or document printed with a color-shifting ink.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a scheduling process and an availability process are provided in which both the scheduling process and the availability process reside in a service architecture. The scheduling process is configurable to invoke the availability process at a point in the scheduling process, and a user of the service architecture may configure the scheduling process.

Abstract: A television receiver for receiving digital and analog signals that reduces adjacent channel interference when receiving digital signals susceptible to interference caused by a lower adjacent NTSC signal. Upon receiving the digital signal, the receiver heterodynes the digital signal with a local oscillator (LO) signal to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. A microprocessor searches a memory unit for stored information regarding the digital broadcast channel and determines the presence or absence of a lower adjacent NTSC channel. In the case a lower adjacent NTSC channel is present, the microprocessor shifts the frequency of the LO signal causing the IF signal to shift towards the lower band edge of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter present in a digital signal processor further attenuating the lower adjacent NTSC channel.

Abstract: Channel acquisition in a digital television signal receiver is improved by determining the carrier tracking loop frequency offsets and the symbol timing recovery offsets for each channel in the television receiver. Offsets are stored in respective EEPROMs for each channel. When a channel is to be acquired in the TV receiver the tune command will be applied to the appropriate EEPROMs and the respective values are conveyed to the VSB demodulator to start acquisition of the channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically reassigning an order confirmation in response to an incoming order. In one implementation, a system is provided for automatically reassigning an order confirmation in response to an incoming order. The system comprises an inbound interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices, in at least one of which an incoming order is stored as data and a plurality of confirmed sales orders are stored, an execution memory operable to hold a software system, and a processor for coupling to the inbound interface and the execution memory, the processor being operable to execute the software system such that the software system operates to determine the eligibility of the incoming order to determine whether goods from at least one of the confirmed sales order may be reassigned to the incoming order and to reassign goods from the at least one of the plurality of confirmed sales order to the incoming order if the determination is positive.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically assigning an incoming quantity of goods in response to an event. In one implementation, a system is provided for automatically assigning an incoming quantity of goods in response to an event. The system comprises an inbound interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices in at least one of which the incoming quantity of goods are stored as data and a plurality of sales orders to be confirmed are stored; an execution memory operable to hold a software system, and a processor for coupling to the inbound interface and the execution memory, the processor being operable to execute the software system such that the software system operates to select a subset of sales orders from the plurality of sales to be confirmed according to one or more predetermined criteria and to assign to the subset of sales orders the incoming quantity of goods.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically selecting a plurality of specific order items from a plurality of order items, wherein the plurality of specific order items meet one or more predefined criteria. In one implementation, the system includes an inbound interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices, in at least one of which the plurality of order items are stored as data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically determining substitution chains that are valid during a rules-based ATP check for an order item. In one implementation, a system is provided that includes an interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices in at least one of which a plurality of stock items are stored as data. The system also includes an execution memory storing software and a buffer for temporarily storing data. A processor coupled to the interface and the execution memory may carry out an availability check in which a replacement chain describing replacements is stored in the buffer. The replacement chain may be determined by one or more of rules defining substitutions.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop suitable for mobile radio communications and a method for operating the same is disclosed. One embodiment of the phase-locked loop comprises an oscillator, a counter, a comparator, and a delay arrangement. The counter comprises a first input connected to the oscillator, a second input connected to a reference frequency terminal, and an output. An input of the comparator is connected to the output of the counter and an output of the comparator to the oscillator. The delay arrangement is connected between the oscillator and the first input of the counter or between the reference frequency terminal and the second input of the counter. The delay arrangement delays an input signal sent to an input of the delay arrangement, as a function of a sequence signal and makes a delayed signal available at an output of the delay arrangement.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide mechanisms to determine the availability of one or more order items within a supply chain environment. In one embodiment, the method may comprise defining a profile to be associated with an availability check, wherein the availability check consists of a filter process, a sort process, a prepare process, a check process, and an update process, electronically building one or more processing packages for the one or more order items based on the defined profile, and executing the availability check using the profile and one or more processing packages.

Abstract: The invention includes a phase locked loop which has a voltage-controlled oscillator, a phase comparator and a charge pump. The charge pump is coupled to a setting input of the voltage-controlled oscillator via a loop filter. A feedback input of the phase comparator is connected to the output of the voltage-controlled oscillator via a frequency divider, and the phase comparator is designed to output an actuating signal to the charge pump. The loop filter has a first charge store and at least one tunable element that alters a filter characteristic of the loop filter. In addition, there is a trimming circuit which is coupled to the at least one further element in order to alter the filter characteristic of the loop filter and which is designed to compare a time period for a charging operation in a loop filter with a reference time period.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to an ignitor turn-off switch for ballasts for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps to prevent damage to ballasts by disconnecting the ignitor if a lamp has failed or is missing. The ignitor turn-off switch circuit comprises an AC power source, a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit, a voltage regulator circuit, a first solid state integrated circuit as a timer circuit, and a second solid state integrated circuit as a switch circuit. The second solid state integrated circuit comprises an optically-coupled triac and light emitting diode wherein the optically-coupled triac is driven by a beam generated by the light emitting diode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for isolating a noise intolerant device, e.g., a phase-lock loop of a tuner within a television receiver, from source of noise. In one embodiment, the apparatus isolates a phase-lock loop integrated circuit (IC) from the bus, by providing an isolation buffer that allows the receiver to only pass data to the tuner's phase-lock loop IC when a tune command is issued by a processor. When not being tuned, the IIC lines to the tuner are held HIGH by a buffer until needed again to perform the tuning function. This allows the demodulation circuitry to use a setting for a carrier tracking-loop that optimizes bit error rate performance.

Abstract: A digital phase locked loop includes a digital phase detector, a downstream digital filter and an oscillator. In addition, a frequency divider resides in a feedback path and has an actuating input for setting a divider ratio, the input of which is connected to the oscillator and the phase detector. The phase locked loop comprises a sigma-delta modulator having a data input for supplying a data word and having an actuating output for supplying a frequency setting word to the actuating input of the frequency divider. The data word is configured such that the sigma-delta modulator generates jitter in the frequency setting word, with the result that the signal which is applied to the feedback input of the phase detector is not constant over a relatively long period of time.

Abstract: A C-plate compensator is disclosed for compensating the residual A-plate and C-plate retardance of a reflective liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display or a transmissive liquid crystal (LC) display in a projection display system. The C-plate incorporates a form-birefringent coating, whose retardance magnitude can be adjusted by tilting with respect to the display panel (X-Y) plane. The tilted plate is rotated about the Z-axis by a prescribed amount from the slow axis of the display panel. Criteria are described for choosing the tilt and rotation angles such that the contrast of the display system produced by the compensated panel is optimized.

Abstract: A multipath signal strength indicator is included in a communications receiver which is responsive to a communications channel subject to a multipath signal. The multipath signal strength indicator includes circuitry for estimating the characteristics of the communications channel and circuitry for storing nominal characteristics of a communications channel free of the multipath signal. Further circuitry calculates the difference between the nominal characteristic and the estimated channel characteristic as the multipath signal strength.

Abstract: An anti-moisture and soil-repellent coating and a method of preparing the same includes a fluorinated alkyl ether polymer having a functionalized silane that is applied to a non-oxide surface. Advantageously, the instant invention provides a durable anti-moisture and soil-repellant coating for relatively inert surfaces, such as MgF2, without the need for a primer layer.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver provides an AGC function by using multiple feedback sources which provide both narrow band and wide band AGC signals in an adaptive manner. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a tuner operative to generate first and second IF signals. A first demodulator is operative to generate a first AGC signal responsive to the first IF signal. A second demodulator is operative to generate a second AGC signal responsive to the second IF signal. A wide band AGC detector is operative to generate a third AGC signal responsive to at least one of the first and second IF signals. A switch is operative to selectively provide one of the first, second and third AGC signals to the tuner responsive to a predetermined condition.

Abstract: A vacuum valve comprises a conical sealing surface arranged at a valve body, a valve disk at which a conical sealing surface is arranged, and a sealing ring having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface. The valve disk, the valve body and the sealing ring are made of metal at least in the areas of the sealing surfaces. The valve disk is constructed so as to be curved or angled considered in axial section through the center and encloses an angle of less than 90° with the closing direction in the unloaded state at least in a radial outer portion adjoining the sealing surface. The valve disk has an elasticity such that a displacement of the radial outer edge of the valve disk relative to a point in the center of the valve disk of at least 0.1% of the diameter of the valve disk in direction of the center axis of the valve disk is bought about in the closed position of the valve disk relative to the open position of the valve disk by an elastic deformation of the valve disk.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for printing using paste like inks such as those used in intaglio printing, wherein the inks include specialty flakes such as thin film optically variable flakes, or diffractive flakes. The invention discloses an apparatus having an energy source such as a heat source for temporarily lessening the viscosity of the ink during alignment of the flakes within the ink.