Abstract: A system, a feeding device, and a method enable a terminal device of a pet owner to directly and/or indirectly communicate with the feeding device. The feeding device can monitor and/or feed the pet. For example, components of the feeding device, along with a sensor worn by the pet and in communication with the feeding device, can monitor the pet. A cloud database may compile and may perform an analysis of health and wellness information and food consumption data sent from the feeding device and may communicate with the terminal device of the pet owner bidirectionally. The analysis can use data from a consumer-club of pets to provide best service. The feeding device can also communicate with the terminal device of the pet owner bidirectionally, either directly using one or more wireless connections or indirectly using the cloud database.

Abstract: A system, a feeding device, and a method enable a terminal device of a pet owner to directly and/or indirectly communicate with the feeding device. The feeding device can monitor and/or feed the pet. For example, components of the feeding device, along with a sensor worn by the pet and in communication with the feeding device, can monitor the pet. A cloud database may compile and may perform an analysis of health and wellness information and food consumption data sent from the feeding device and may communicate with the terminal device of the pet owner bidirectionally. The analysis can use data from a consumer-club of pets to provide best service. The feeding device can also communicate with the terminal device of the pet owner bidirectionally, either directly using one or more wireless connections or indirectly using the cloud database.

Abstract: The invention concerns An instant solid beverage in form of granules, each granule (1) comprising: ?0.1 to 30% by weight of a beverage concentrate (2), and ?60 to 95% by weight of a carbohydrate (3), wherein particles of the carbohydrate (3) construct a meshwork structure of the granule (1), and wherein debris or drops of the beverage concentrate (2) inset dispersedly among the carbohydrate particles meshwork structure (3) or debris or drops of the beverage concentrate (2) act as linkage bridges between particles of the carbohydrate (3), and wherein pores (4) are dispersed within the meshwork structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aerated chocolate-based coatings for frozen confectioneries. In particular, it relates to a composite frozen confection fully coated with a chocolate-based composition having a density comprised between 0.13 and 1.29 g/cm3.

Abstract: The invention relates to highly acetalized, coarse-grained polyvinyl acetals with a degree of acetalization of >80 mol % and an average grain size of ?100 ?m obtainable by acetalization of partially or fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl esters with a degree of hydrolysis of ?70 mol % with acetaldehyde, characterized by the fact that the acetalization is started at a temperature T1 of 0° C.?T1?+20° C. and is then continued at a temperature T2 of >+40° C., wherein the temperature T2 is held for a time period of 0.05 to 4 hours and the acetalization is performed in a closed reactor.

Abstract: Nutritional formulas and methods for producing same are provided. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a nutritional composition produced in a process requiring a heating step, the composition comprising a reduced amount of undesirable reaction products formed from chemical reactions between proteins and carbohydrates during exposure to heat. For example, the composition can have a reduced amount of AGEs compared to similar products made by conventional heat treatment processes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing enhanced consumer access to information sources and controllable entities. An Access device can be a stand alone device such as a DVD player in which the DVD disk contains the back-end information network. Other Access devices obtain the back-end information network from remote sources. By way of a specific example, the consumer can then view a game and interactively select every television camera located at the game venue.

Abstract: Dispersion powders stabilized include a protective colloid. The protective colloid includes at least one polyvinyl alcohol having a Höppler viscosity ?1 of not more than 3 mPas and at least one polyvinyl alcohol having a Höppler viscosity ?2 of from 4 mPas to 25 mPas. The weighted Höppler viscosity ?w of the protective colloid is not more than 6 mPas.

Abstract: The invention relates to highly acetalized, coarse-grained polyvinyl acetals with a degree of acetalization of >80 mol % and an average grain size of ?100 ?m obtainable by acetalization of partially or fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl esters with a degree of hydrolysis of ?70 mol % with acetaldehyde, characterized by the fact that the acetalization is started at a temperature T1 of 0° C.?T1?+20° C. and is then continued at a temperature T2 of >+40° C., wherein the temperature T2 is held for a time period of 0.05 to 4 hours and the acetalization is performed in a closed reactor.

Abstract: Nutritional formulas and methods for producing same are provided. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a nutritional composition produced in a process requiring a heating step, the composition comprising a reduced amount of undesirable reaction products formed from chemical reactions between proteins and carbohydrates during exposure to heat. For example, the composition can have a reduced amount of AGEs compared to similar products made by conventional heat treatment processes.

Abstract: A driver assistance system is provided for coupling a trailer coupling mounted on a vehicle to a counterpiece mounted on a trailer. A control unit is provided in the vehicle, where, when a predefined first condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is lowered and/or, when a predefined second condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is raised.

Abstract: Hot melt adhesives with good flow characteristics, resistance to gelling at elevated temperature, strong adhesion, and yet which can be easily removed from substrates with water, are formulated with one or more partially saponified vinyl ester homo- or copolymers having a molecular weight below 70,000 Da, a degree of hydrolysis of from 62 to 86 mol %, the adhesives being free of mannitol and anionic surfactants.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymeric compositions containing modified polyvinyl alcohols embodied in the form of the aqueous dispersion thereof or water-redispersible powders based on homo or mixed polymerisates of one or several monomers of a group comprising linear or branched alkylcarboxylic acid vinyl esters containing from 1 to 15 C atoms, methacrylic acid esters and alcohol acrylic acid esters containing from 1 to 15 C atoms, vinyl aromatics, olefins, dienes and vinyl halogenides. The inventive compositions are characterised in that the modified polyvinyl alcohols contained therein exhibit a latent carboxylic acid function and/or comprise phosphorus-containing comonomer units.

Abstract: Dispersion powders stabilized include a protective colloid. The protective colloid includes at least one polyvinyl alcohol having a Höppler viscosity ?1 of not more than 3 mPas and at least one polyvinyl alcohol having a Höppler viscosity ?2 of from 4 mPas to 25 mPas. The weighted Höppler viscosity ?w of the protective colloid is not more than 6 mPas.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing enhanced consumer access to information sources and controllable entities. An Access device can be a stand alone device such as a DVD player in which the DVD disk contains the back-end information network. Other Access devices obtain the back-end information network from remote sources. By way of a specific example, the consumer can then view a game and interactively select every television camera located at the game venue.

Abstract: A driver assistance system is provided for coupling a trailer coupling mounted on a vehicle to a counterpiece mounted on a trailer. A control unit is provided in the vehicle, where, when a predefined first condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is lowered and/or, when a predefined second condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is raised.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for die-cutting a stack of sheet-like materials, particularly labels, whereby the stack is pressed into the die-cutter blade by a relative movement of a punching ram and a hollow cylindrical die-cutter blade. For a device such as this, it is proposed that the die-cutter blade 18 is adjustably held in a frame 16, and the frame 16 is accommodated by a receiving apparatus 13 which is mounted in a punch platen 12 and is adjustable relative to it, whereby the frame 16 can be slid in a plane parallel to the punch platen 12, in particular is adjustable in the direction of two major axes that are essentially arranged perpendicular to one another, and can also be tilted out of the plane. Such a device allows for precise orientation of the die-cutter blade relative to the stack to be punched.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting time-critical data packets in digital wireless transmission systems. Time-critical data packets are used e.g., in the transmission of MPEG-coded signals, since information about the temporal positions of the data packets in relation to each other must be known in the MPEG decoder. The aim of the invention is to enable data packets of this type to be transmitted via a propagation time-constrained transmission link. To this end, time information relating to the temporal position of a particular data packet is tagged onto said data packet at the sender end. This time information is then used at the receiver end to re-establish the original temporal positions of the individual data packets in relation to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for die cutting a stack consisting of sheet-type materials, in particular labels. According to said method, a movement of a stack to be cut in relation to a hollow cylindrical be pushed into said die-cutter blade. This type of device is characterized in that the die-cutter blade (18) is adjustably mounted in a frame (16), which can be inserted in a holding device (13) perpendicularly to the relative displacement direction (K) of the stacks to be cut (7) and die-cutter blades (18), and can be fixed in a central position. The holding device (13) is mounted in a die-cutter head plate (12), in such a way that it can be adjusted in relation to the latter. A die-cutter device of this type has an extremely compact construction, as a result of the positioning and mounting of the die-cutter blade in the direction of the relative movement of the stack to be cut and the die-cutter blade.

Abstract: Low molecular weight polyvinyl acetals have a solution viscosity of from 2 to 12 mPas and a degree of polymerization Pw less than 200, and are obtained by hydrolyzing a vinyl ester polymer having a solution viscosity of from 1.0 to 1.6 mPas until the content of vinyl alcohol units is ?50 mol %, to produce a polyvinyl alcohol whose solution viscosity is from 1.0 to 2.0 mPas, and then acetalizing the resultant polyvinyl alcohol. The products may be used as binders and films of increased adhesion to substrates.