Pilkington Micro-electronics Limited

Other

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Inview Technology Corporation

4tv Limited

Advanced Electronic Products Limited

Kenneth Austin

Yukihiro Saeki

Tomohisa Shigematsu

Gordon S Work

Hiroki Muroga

Yasuo Kawahara

Toshio Hibi

Richard G Cliff

Darren M Wedgwood

Kazunao Maru

A method for facilitating the generation of recommendations of audiovisual content for a first user. The method comprises receiving data from a plurality of second users, the received data indicating audiovisual content of interest to the second users. The method further comprises processing the received data to automatically identify a plurality of relationships between interests of one or more of the second users in respective items of audiovisual content in the audiovisual content represented by the received data and generate a recommendation engine. The recommendation engine is adapted to take as input indications of audiovisual content of interest to the first user and to generate recommendations of further audiovisual content of interest to the first user based upon a subset of the plurality of relationships.

Audiovisual content recommendation method and device

A method of generating data for identifying a video storage media comprising the steps of (1) generating from the contents of the media a data sequence representing the picture and/or the audio and/or data content of the video medium, (2) combining said data sequence with position information and/or picture and/or text and/or data or other information. It also provides a system for controlling a video recorder or other media device for selective enabling and disabling of associated functions. A graphical user interface is adapted to display information relating to television program content and/or data content from other sources such as the Internet and video recorder or other media device content and to display information relating to one or more video tapes or other media contents.

Identification of video storage media

A programmable logic device comprises a semiconductor with configurable circuitry, an input circuit for encrypted data to determine the configuration of the circuitry, decrypting circuitry responsive to a key value held in a non-volatile data store, and volatile storage circuitry for holding decrypted configuration data. Encrypting circuitry uses the same key value to encrypt configuration data and stores the encrypted configuration data for use in the programmable logic device.

Data security arrangements for semiconductor programmable devices

A programmable logic unit circuit comprising a data memory circuit, a combinational logic circuit supplied with at least two input signals, two input select circuits for, based on the stored data in the data memory circuit, selecting the two input signals supplied to the combinational logic circuit from more than two input signals, a clock-synchronized circuit for supplying the output signal from the combinational logic circuit in synchronization with a clock signal, and a 3-state-output type output select circuit for selecting either the output signal of the combinational logic circuit or the output signal of the clock-synchronized circuit, depending on the stored data in the data memory circuit.

Configurable logic element with independently clocked outputs and node

This invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits which find utility in analogue systems. An integrated circuit of the invention comprises an array of configurable analogue cells each of which is capable of interconnection with other cells in the array by means of an interconnection network. Each of the cells can be selectively and individually selected by means of select signals and emanating from shift registers. When selected the cell may be configured with configuration data which both sets the cell to take up a particular electrical configuration by means of digital data and sets various programmable resistors and capacitors in the cells to particular values by means of analogue signals. The configuration data is held in a random access memory. Some of this data is converted to analogue form by means of a digital-to-analogue converter. The circuit is controlled by a central control and is capable of being configured to implement particular analogue functional applications from a plurality of possible analogue functional applications. Provision in the circuitry is made to automatically compensate for manufacturing component tolerances.

Integrated circuit for analogue system

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a configurable logic circuit array which may be programmed to configure a plurality of NAND-gates in the array to preform various and different logic functions. An additional logic circuit is provided at each discrete site or cell, and is controllable to cause the additional logic circuit and the logic circuit to implement either a simple NAND logic function or a simple LATCH logic function.

Configurable logic array

Configurable semiconductor integrated circuits as-made each have a plurality of logic circuits formed at discrete sites. For each logic circuit, direct selectably conducting/non-conducting connection paths extend from its output to input of a first set of other logic circuits and to its inputs from outputs of a second set of other logic circuits. All of the sets for all of the logic circuits are each different. Other direct connection paths are selectably connectable to inputs and outputs of the logic circuits. Selection can be irreversible or reversible and involves coincident signal addressing of the sites and coded configuring of the paths at that site. Reversible selection can be via field effect transistors or bipolar transistors and can be at or near normal logic signal levels and speeds. Versatile configurable input/output arrangements are described also reconfigurable data processing systems using the reversible transistor provisions.

Semi-conductor integrated circuits/systems

A gated binary signal transmission circuit in a field effect semiconductor chip comprises a single signal-pass transistor connected between a bit signal input to one of its electrodes and a bit signal output from another of its electrodes. Its control electrode is connected for temporary energizations by switching circuitry operative only at prescribed intervals, the single signal-pass transistor being operative to pass signals between such energizations of its control electrode. Conduction of the single-pass transistor between energizations will persist, though with some decay, due to inherent capacitance and the control electrode being left 'floating' between energizations.

Gated transmission circuit (on-chip)

Selectable signal connection provisions are made for passing signals relative to logic circuitry of digital bipolar semiconductor integrated circuits. Each such provision has formed on the chip for each selectable signal connection, an active circuit element whose conduction state relative to signals concerned is controlled by applied circuit conditions. The conditions are selected by operative control circuitry responsive to a configuring or selection signal applied temporarily thereto for switching between stable states and thus determining the conduction state of the active circuit element.

Semiconductor integrated bipolar switching circuit for controlling

A communications scrambler operates on a digital basis in which digital or digitized incoming and outgoing signals are merged (60) into a single bit stream for application to a binary bit store (12) and retrieval therefrom for separation (62) of those signals. Multi-bit segments of each signal represent unintelligibly fragments of those signals and are stored and read-out under control of store addressing counters (36, 38, 76) whose outputs are selectively modified (48, 50) to achieve time-dispersion encryption/decryption for outgoing/incoming signals in multi-plexed writing and reading of the store (12). Digitization (52, 54) and reconstitution (64, 66) of analogue incoming and outgoing signals is provided using inherently digital on-chip circuitry and one-bit per sample at a high rate for easy interfacing in telephone/radio systems. The whole control system can be put onto a simple semiconductor chip of ULA type.

Communications system

In an overhead electric and optical transmission system in which at least one of the overhead electric conductors incorporates an optical guide, the overhead electric conductor is mechanically secured to a tower or other rigid support structure by a mechanical connection in which an end of the overhead electric conductor is mechanically secured to and is electrically insulated from the tower or other rigid support structure by an elongate tension insulator having at least one throughbore, the optical guide of the conductor passes from the conductor through the throughbore of the tension insulator to an optical guide joint remote from the insulator, and the electric conductor is electrically connected to another electric conductor. The tension insulator may be a shedded body of porcelain or glass having a central throughbore or it may be a rod or tube of resin bonded glass fibre surrounded by a shedded sleeve of plastics material having at least one throughbore extending throughout the length of the wall of the sleeve.

Overhead electric and optical transmission systems

A lift-producing arrangement suitable for driving a boat by the Magnus effect comprises an elongate tubular envelope mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. A drive is provided to rotate the envelope. The envelope is of flexible material, e.g., canvas, to achieve improved performance. Preferably, the envelope is held erect by inflation. The arrangement may be used in addition to a conventional screw-propulsion system for increased fuel economy.

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Northwich, United Kingdom

Kenneth Austin