Abstract: An inner lining for the steel shell of a carbothermic reduction furnace for the production of alumina has a base layer of graphite and a coating layer of refractory material. The refractory material is corundum (Al2O3) bound by Sialon (Si.Al.O.N). The lining structure provides protection against the molten slag and it is not attacked by the CO-rich melt furnace atmosphere. Further, the lining does not contaminate the melt and it provides an effective heat dissipation system in case of a power shut-off.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to calibration of digital thermal sensors after manufacturing are described. In one embodiment, a temperature value sensed by a digital thermal sensor may be calibrated based on a temperature value sensed by a thermal diode. The thermal diode and the digital thermal sensor may be on the same integrated circuit chip. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: To calibrate a thermocouple, a calibrating thermocouple, made of the same thermocouple material as a detecting thermocouple, is used. An absolute thermoelectric power Ero, of the calibrating thermocouple is determined in advance, and the detecting thermocouple is assumed to have the same Ero. An internal resistance rs of the detecting thermocouple is obtained, and a short-circuit current Is is measured with a measured temperature difference ?Ts using an operational amplifier, and the temperature difference ?Ts is calculated. An offset of the operational amplifier is also calibrated. The thermocouples and switches are connected to an inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier, so that the sensors can be selected. Alternatively, these are connected to a non-inverting input terminal, allowing a plurality of the thermocouples to be switched, while a small resistor r is connected to the inverting terminal thereof, to provide an equivalent current detection type thermocouple.

Abstract: A fixed-point cell is provided which can provide a fixed-point in a wide temperature range by changing the fixed-point material. During the use of the fixed-point cell, the fixed-point material can be prevented from being contaminated, and the crucible of the cell can be prevented from being cracked. The fixed-point cell includes: the crucible composed of carbon; the fixed-point material enclosed in the crucible and composed of one of a metal, a eutectic of a metal and carbon, and a eutectic of a metal carbide and carbon; and a woven fabric of graphite fibers containing 10 ppm or lower of impurities and interposed between the crucible and the fixed-point material.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to determine water activity and weight of a sample. The apparatus may comprise a chamber configured to at least partially enclose a sample. The apparatus may also comprise a sensor configured to measure water activity of a sample in the chamber. Additionally, the apparatus may comprise a moisture content adjustment device connected to the chamber and configured to change moisture content in the chamber. An isotherm generation module is also disclosed. The isotherm generation module may be configured to receive water activity measurements from a sensor device and weight measurements from a weighing device, the isotherm generation module being configured to generate an isotherm for a sample based on the water activity measurements and the weight measurements.

Abstract: A method and system for determining thermal diffusivity and porosity of an article are provided. The method comprises heating a surface of the article, capturing image data corresponding to an evolution of lateral heat flow from the surface of the article, applying a thermal time of flight analysis on the image data and determining thermal diffusivity and porosity values of the article using the thermal time of flight analysis for the lateral heat flow.

Abstract: A method of determining the presence of scale on a water heating element (12), the method comprising comparing signals indicative of heating element temperature to determine whether the compared signals indicate a temperature decrease (44) greater than a predetermined value during a predetermined time interval and determining the presence of scale if the indicated temperature decrease is greater than said predetermined value.

Abstract: In general, a sensor for measuring a temperature of an air stream includes a sensing element for detecting temperature. The sensor also includes connection lines connected to the sensing element. The connection lines are configured to allow the air stream to circulate through the connection lines, capture heat of the air stream, and provide the heat to the sensing element.

Abstract: In a sensor arrangement for measuring the temperature of a surface with a temperature sensor provided on a circuit substrate, which is attached on a front side of a tongue-shaped projection of said circuit substrates and can be positioned in the direct proximity to said surface spaced apart from said circuit substrate, wherein a flexible heat conductive element surrounding said tongue-shaped projection in the region of said temperature sensor with a heat conductive cap or heat conductive foil is attached for the contacting of said surface.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a temperature vector analyzer, which comprises the following elements: a temperature detection device further comprising a plurality of infrared sensors; a temperature-vector display panel; a microprocessor receiving infrared-radiating heat source temperatures detected by the plurality of infrared sensors, calculating the vector components of the infrared-radiating heat source temperatures to attain a center-originating temperature vector, and presenting the temperature vector on the temperature-vector display panel; and a power source providing power for the temperature detection device, the temperature-vector display panel, and the microprocessor. The present invention can apply to detect a local heat origin or a local heat-dissipating point.

Abstract: A technique that is usable with a well includes changing the temperature of a local environment of a distributed temperature sensor, which is deployed in a region of the well and using the sensor to acquire measurements of a temperature versus depth profile. The region contains at least two different well fluid layers, and the technique includes determining the depth of a boundary of at least one of the well fluid layers based at least in part on a response of the temperature versus depth profile to the changing of the temperature.

Abstract: A disposable thermometer probe sheath includes a bottom piece and a plastic cover film sealed onto the bottom piece. The plastic cover film comprising an upper plastic sheet film and a lower plastic sheet film, each of which has a front edge provided with an opening, a rear edge provided with a tip, and a sealed peripheral edge except for the opening, so as to receive a thermometer probe. The plastic cover film is made of a flexible and deformable material, while the plastic cover film is provided with two notches respectively formed on two side edges adjacent to the tip. The upper plastic sheet film is provided with a first flap attached to the opening thereof, while the lower plastic sheet film is provided with a second flap attached to the opening. When the thermometer probe is inserted into the plastic cover film, the notches are tightly engaged with the thermometer probe.

Abstract: A temperature sensor comprises a pulse signal generating unit for generating a first pulse signal having an enable section, a width of which is adjusted according to a reference voltage having a temperature characteristic, an oscillator for generating a second pulse signal of a predetermined period in the enable section of the first pulse signal, and a counter for performing a counting operation in response to the second pulse signal and generating at least one temperature signal.

Abstract: A low power radio device, operable in a first radio system, comprising: a detector for detecting the polarization of an antenna of a further radio device, operating in a further radio system, different to the first radio system; and a transmitter for controlling the polarization of a transmitted radio signal in dependence on the detected polarization. The polarization of the transmitted signal may be controlled to be substantially orthogonal to the polarization of the antenna of the further radio device.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for determining a carrier-to-noise power density ratio (CN0) of a spread spectrum signal. The apparatus includes a signal power calculation unit and a conversion unit. The signal power calculation unit determines a signal power indicator indicative of a signal to noise ratio of the spread spectrum signal. The conversion unit is coupled to the signal power calculation unit and stores a lookup table representing a relationship between the signal power indicator and the carrier-to-noise power density ratio. The conversion unit is operable for converting the signal power indicator to the carrier-to-noise power density ratio according to the lookup table.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for real-time characterization of frequency-hopping networks, in which the signal to be characterized is converted into a digital signal and the frequency characteristics of the signal are determined. A frequency hop is sought for synchronization with the start of the transmission. The frequency is tracked and the central frequency Fc of the required transmission channel is sought. A delay is applied to the digitized samples during the tracking phase. The samples corresponding to the signal step are determined on the basis of the delayed samples and the identified central frequency.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting lock status of a spread spectrum signal, having a first accumulator, a first calculation unit, a second calculation unit, a second accumulator, a multiplier and a comparator. The first accumulator accumulates an in-phase integration result and a quadrature integration result over a time period. The first calculation unit determines a first evaluation value based on the accumulated in-phase integration result and the accumulated quadrature integration result. The second calculation unit processes the in-phase integration result and the quadrature integration result. The second accumulator accumulates the output of the second calculation unit over the time period. The multiplier determines a second evaluation value by multiplying the accumulated result from the second accumulator with a predetermined value. The comparator compares the first and second evaluation results wherein the comparison result is an indicator of the lock status.

Abstract: According to methods and apparatus taught herein, a parametric model of received signal impairment correlations includes a parametric model term that accounts for a dominant receiver but does not result in any significant increase in parametric modeling complexity. In more detail, the parametric model models the dominant interferer as a spatial interferer, which is hypothesized as a point source of interference emanating along single-path channels to each of two or more receiver antennas. The dominant interferer thus is represented in terms of its spatial correlation across receiver antennas. The dominant interferer model term may be included in an overall model fitting process, or it may be fitted separately. Regardless, the spatial modeling approach taught herein may be used for WCDMA and other systems, and may be embodied in essentially any type of linear equalizer receiver structure.

Abstract: A transmitter site transmits a plurality of different data signals at a chip rate over a shared spectrum in a code division multiple access communication system. Each transmitted data signal experiences a similar channel response. A combined signal of the transmitted data signals is received. The combined signal is sampled at a multiple of the chip rate. The channel response for the combined signal is determined. A spread data vector is determined using the combined signal samples and the estimated channel response. The data of the different data signals is determined using the spread data vector.

Abstract: A signal for relay is received from a first node. From a local memory that stores K transform matrices (K being an integer greater than one) is selected a transform matrix that is associated with a relay rank order. The matrices define an optimal tradeoff of diversity gain versus spatial multiplexing. The received signal is transformed using the selected transform matrix, and the transformed signal is relayed over a wireless channel to a second node. In a particular embodiment the received signal is an input symbol vector of N consecutive symbols (N being an integer at least equal to two) and the transform linearly combines the N symbols of the input vector according to the relay rank order. In various embodiments the first node may give the rank order, it may be mutually agreed via signaling among the various relay nodes, or it may be based on an intrinsically generated random number.

Abstract: A low-current transceiver, powered by two small low-voltage batteries, for use in wireless headset/phoneset applications, such as hands-free headsets used with cellular telephones. Re-use of current from at least one circuit to provide power to at least one other power-consuming element of the transceiver, along with interrupt-driven control of the current made available to transmit and receive circuits, enables extended battery life (e.g., 120 hours). The headset/phoneset circuits incorporate a technique that draws an extremely low supply current from two low-voltage batteries while providing clear two-way communication over a range of about 3 meters.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a first microcontroller unit for executing instructions in accordance with a first clock frequency. The microcontroller located on a first die and includes a first processing core for providing a parallel stream of data in accordance with the first clock frequency. A second microcontroller unit executes instructions in accordance with the first clock frequency. The second microcontroller is located on a second die and includes a second processing core for receiving the parallel stream of data in accordance with the first clock frequency. Capacitive isolation circuitry connected with the first microcontroller unit and the second microcontroller unit provides a high voltage isolation link between the first and the second microcontroller units.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention discloses a method for selecting an operating mode including the steps: a first station transmits downlink handshake signals to a second station; the second station acquires the information of the downlink handshake signals and transmits the acquired information to the first station; the first station selects an operating mode according to the received information. The downlink handshake signal includes the border tones in each mode and supported by both the first station and the second station. The present invention reduces the time of selecting an operating mode and further ensures that the xDSL network operating mode according with the requirements of practical services can be selected.

Abstract: An information processing terminal system includes an information processing terminal (6); and a transmitting and receiving unit (5) which is attached to the information processing terminal. The transmitting and receiving unit (5) converts a reception wave signal from a network into a reception analog baseband signal. The transmitting and receiving unit (5) converts the reception analog baseband signal into a reception digital baseband signal in synchronization with a clock. The information processing terminal (6) converts the reception digital baseband signal into a reception data in synchronization with a clock, and a transmission data into a transmission digital baseband signal in synchronization with the clock. The transmitting and receiving unit (5) converts the transmission digital baseband signal into a transmission analog baseband signal in synchronization with the clock.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention processes a signal of interest through an optional reference channel, combines the resulting signal with white noise, and then processes the noisy signal through a reference receiver. Two metrics are calculated from the results of that processing: Non-Compensable Data-Dependent Jitter (NC-DDJ) and Enhanced Transmitter and Waveform Dispersion Penalty (Enhanced TWDP). Within the reference receiver, a variable delay module sweeps the eye opening defined by the noise-free samples of the signal of interest and determines the transition points (i.e., edges) of the eye opening. Those transition points are compared to the Unit Interval to yield NC-DDJ. Further, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the noisy samples of the signal of interest is compared to the SNR of an ideal receiver (i.e., matched filter) driven by an ideal transmitter via an ideal channel with additive white Gaussian noise n(t) to yield Enhanced TWDP.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for reliable multicarrier communication in the presence of timing phase error is disclosed. Phase noise due to a sampling-time phase mismatch between a transmitter device and a receiver device is measured in a signal. A Gaussian noise power level in the signal is determined, and a gain factor associated with the phase noise is calculated. The gain factor is applied to the Gaussian noise power level to calculate an equivalent noise power. In one aspect, the equivalent noise power is used to determine a signal-to-noise ratio. In another aspect, the signal is a multicarrier signal including a plurality of sub-carriers.

Abstract: This application is concerned with a non-intrusive video quality measurement method, in particular where the video signal having: an original form; encoded form in which video signal has been encoded using a compression algorithm utilising a variable quantiser step size such that the encoded signal includes a quantiser step size parameter; and, a decoded form in which the encoded video signal has been at least in part reconverted to the original form. The method comprises the steps of: a) generating a first quality measure which is a function of said quantiser step size parameter; b) generating a second quality measure which is a function of the spatial complexity of the frames represented by the video signal in the decoded form; and, c) combining the first and second measures in order to obtain an estimate for the subjective visual quality of the decoded video.

Abstract: A bidirectional equalizer and an equalization method using the bidirectional equalizer.

Abstract: A reconfigurable digital signal processing system includes a serial to parallel converter having at least one delay block and at least one decimation block arranged to convert a first serial signal with a first sampling rate to a multiplicity of parallel subband signals with a second sampling rate. The second sampling rate is less than or equal to the first sampling rate. Processing blocks are arranged to process the subband signals to produce processed signals. A configuration controller is arranged to modify the decimation factor of each decimation block and to load a configuration into the memory of a processing block. A parallel to serial converter comprising at least one expansion block, the parallel to serial converter is arranged to recover from the processed signals a second serial signal with a sampling rate substantially equal to the first sampling rate.

Abstract: An algorithm calculates spectral compression/expansion filter coefficients using a value proportional to a reciprocal of a feedback/feedforward signal and stores the coefficients to a lookup table. The lookup table is indexed by a pre selected set of coefficient bits to generate a filter coefficient function. A first portion of the lookup table stores a plurality of discrete values at index points of a line segment corresponding to a filter coefficient function approximation, so as to generate an initial discrete value corresponding to the filter coefficient function at a value of the high order bits and a second portion stores a plurality of slope values, which indicates a slope of the filter coefficient function. A linear circuit interpolates/decimates an approximation of the compression/expansion filter coefficient function based on the slope value, the initial discrete value and a preselected set of low order bits of the reciprocal value.

Abstract: A video encoding method for assigning a plurality of images to a plurality of GOPs and encoding images belonging to the GOPs as a video image. The method includes determining whether each image belonging to each GOP is to be encoded; encoding GOP encoding/non-encoding data for indicating whether encoded data of the image belonging to the relevant GOP is output; and encoding the image belonging to the relevant GOP when the encoded data of the image is output. Typically, it is determined whether an image generated by using one or more other GOPs without decoding the encoded data of the relevant GOP is closer to an original image of the relevant image in comparison with an image obtained by decoding the encoded data, so as to determine whether the image belonging to the relevant GOP is to be encoded.

Abstract: A system, medium, and method compressing and/or restoring images. Such a data compression method may include selecting a mode from among a plurality of modes for compressing current data, according to predetermined criteria, and calculating a difference between the current data and reference data, according to the selected mode, and compressing the current data, or truncating a part of the current data and compressing the current data. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly lower the complexity of an image encoder/decoder system and exactly meet a picture-based CBR required by LCD DCC devices/systems.

Abstract: The method of transmission of a datastream representing a sequence of images over a network in which the quantity of information that may be sent per unit of time varies substantially cyclically, said transmission extending over a plurality of cycles, comprises: a step (805 to 807, 809, 810) of determining times for which the quantity of information that may be sent per unit of time over the network is greater, and respectively less, than its average, on the basis of the substantially cyclical past variation in said quantity of information and a step (801 to 805, 812 to 816) of sending over said network, at said times, images corresponding to a greater, and respectively smaller, quantity of information than the average of the images. During the determining step, a period of cyclical variation of the quantity of information that may be sent over the network is determined.

Abstract: A device for transport stream processing is provided. The device includes a plurality of data inputs and a transport stream re-multiplexer for receiving a plurality of data streams from the plurality of data stream inputs and multiplexing the data streams into a transport stream. A transport stream processor receives the transport stream, de-multiplexes the transport stream to process one or more of the data streams, and provides the processed data stream to the transport stream re-multiplexer as one of the plurality of data streams.

Abstract: An audio-video (AV) playback chain and rendering peripheral device 300 for generating two or more interrupts 306, 308 with a programmable delay 304 between them. Such are configured to prevent two processors 310, 314 from racing to access the same system resources in their respective interrupt service routines.

Abstract: Methods and systems for MPEG2 progressive/interlace type detection are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include determining whether video data may comprise interlaced or progressive video data type, and use appropriate DCT coefficients scanning method for that video data type. Video data type may be determined by determining a number of interlaced macroblocks (IMs), for example, in a 60 frame macrocluster. This may comprise comparing field and frame variances for each macroblock in the original unencoded frame. The number of IMs may then be processed to generate a number of IMs in the macrocluster. The number of IMs in the macrocluster may be processed to determine the video data type. If, for example, three consecutive macroclusters are considered to be interlaced, then an appropriate pixel scanning method may be used for encoding. Similarly, if three consecutive macroclusters are considered to be progressive, then another appropriate pixel scanning method may be used for encoding.

Abstract: Rate control methods and devices for use in a video encoding device supporting at least one core are provided. First, a sequence of frames is received. A plurality of threads are created according to the number of the at least one core. The threads are employed to encode at least one frame of the received frames, simultaneously. The frames in the sequence are then encoded according to the encoding results corresponding to the at least one frame.

Abstract: A video MP3 system including an audio/video (AV) decoder which further comprises a video decoder for restoring a moving picture signal in a MP3 player for restoring an audio signal, an apparatus and method for generating reduced video data which are appropriate for use in the video MP3 system, and an apparatus and method for restoring the reduced video data are provided. In the apparatus for generating reduced video data operated by a method for generating reduced video data, a video stream compressed according to rules of a MPEG is divided into a motion vector, a discrete cosine transform (DCT) DC coefficient, a DCT AC coefficient, and reduced video data, which are appropriate for use in the video MP3 system, are generated by using the motion vector, the discrete cosine transform (DCT) DC coefficient, and the DCT AC coefficient.

Abstract: A system and method for still object detection in digital video data based on normalized cross correlation are disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes providing video data including a sequence of frames. A pair of consecutive frames are selected from the sequence of frames. A pair of groups of pixels are selected from the pair of consecutive frames. The groups are at corresponding positions on the pair of consecutive frames. The video data includes pixel data for each of the pixels. A normalized cross correlation (NCC) operation is conducted on the pixel data of the selected pair of groups of pixels, thereby generating an NCC value. It is determined whether the NCC value is within a predetermined range, thereby providing whether the groups of pixels displays at least a portion of a still object.

Abstract: A multi-view video coding (MVC) system, a decoding system, and a bitstream extraction system are provided for decoding a base view and supporting a view random access. The MVC system includes: a coding unit that codes the video signal to a base view and a multi-view; and a base view identifier adding unit that adds a base view identifier of the base view to a parameter set.

Abstract: A conventional coding method has a problem that for frame-by-frame reverse playback, data must be once decoded in a forward direction and thus a larger volume of data must be processed and a larger volume of memory is required. By recoding a forward predicted picture and a backward predicted picture for a frame in a bit stream, the bit stream can be played back reversely frame by frame easily. By the use of this method for multi-viewpoint video coding, a device that can play back pictures while varying the viewpoint in real time is realized.

Abstract: There are provided methods and apparatus for parallel implementations of 4:4:4 coding. A video encoder for encoding video signal data for an image block includes an encoder (100) for encoding all color components of the image block by selecting a common block partition and a common spatial prediction mode. The common block partition and the common spatial prediction mode are selected by concurrently evaluating all of the color components in parallel.

Abstract: A system and method for processing video data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first video frame and a second video frame, where the video frames comprise a plurality of blocks of pixels. The method further includes obtaining motion vector information identifying positions of a plurality of matching blocks between the first frame and the second frame, and calculating a measure related to an angle between a first motion vector for a first block in the first frame and a second motion vector for a second block in the first frame, where the second block is located at a frame position in the first frame within a neighborhood of the frame position in the second frame identified by the first motion vector.

Abstract: A system and method for more efficiently determining motion vectors of uncovering areas adjacent the edge of frames when the frame image is moving in the direction of the frame boundary. Backwards motion estimation is used to determine a block of video data which is, in one implementation, the block of video data adjacent the frame edge having a reliable motion vector known from the first frame. Once the block is identified, the blocks of video data in the uncovering area between the identified block and the frame boundary can then be assigned the motion vector data of the identified block.

Abstract: A method for detecting a pattern in an image includes defining a set of pixel values in an image using a window and calculating a Fourier transform of the pixel values. In one embodiment, the Fourier transform of the pixel values forms a spectrum. The method further comprises analyzing the spectrum of the Fourier transform to find a peak and analyzing the peak to determine whether the peak is indicative of the presence of a pattern in the image.

Abstract: In an image converting apparatus, when a count value of a time period counter is equal to “1”, a motion vector rate converting unit reads out a first coefficient “KAn” from a motion vector conversion table. While the read first coefficient “KAn” is employed, the motion vector rate converting unit performs a calculating process operation (MVx=MVn×KAn) for converting rates with respect to a motion vector “MVn” of 50 Hz detected by a motion vector detecting unit in a previous step so as to acquire a motion vector “MVx” of 60 Hz. When the motion vector “MVx” is outputted from the motion vector rate converting unit, an image correcting unit performs an image correcting process operation in accordance with a predetermined algorithm by employing the motion vector “MVx” with respect to a picture signal of 60 Hz outputted from an image rate converting unit.

Abstract: An adaptive motion estimation/compensation device and a method thereof for MB-based illumination change are disclosed. If a macro block mode is determined as a newly designed P_L0_16×16_Mean by calculating the sum of an absolute difference, the motion estimation device CABAC-codes the absolute difference between the pixel mean of a current frame and the pixel mean of a candidate pattern block and transmits the CABAC-coded absolute difference to a pertinent decoder. With the present invention, the transmission amount of the bit stream transmitted to the decoder for decoding can be minimized by maximizing corresponding compressing rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for fast variable block-size motion estimation based on merging and splitting procedures for AVC video encoding are disclosed. The methods take advantage of the correlation of the Motion Vectors (MVs) of the different block-size modes to achieve a good computation reduction. Considering that the smaller the block-size difference between two block-sizes is, the more correlations between their MVs can be expected, the methods use a 8*8 block as an initial processing block to calculate prediction MVs. The prediction MVs are then used in predicting MVs for other block-sizes.

Abstract: An MPEG video decoding method and an MPEG video decoder are provided. The method includes determining whether to perform motion compensation on motion-vector-decoded data or not depending on a value of a decoded motion vector, determining whether to perform inverse discrete cosine transformation (IDCT) on motion-compensated data or not depending on values of decoded DCT coefficients, and generating a decoded image based on the results of the two determinations.

Abstract: A low-complexity method for prevention of H.264 start code emulation by bit-handling routines with additional functionality. The low-complexity is achieved by employing a start code pre-determination scheme, which saves bitstream handling complexity by about 50% and 30% on the encoder and decoder sides, respectively. The start code emulation prevention has been embedded into the low-level bitstream handling routines. By doing so it avoids the use of the second bitstream buffer, maintains the decoder ability of using a circular bitstream buffer, and satisfies the BURST-aligned SDRAM access requirement.