Abstract: An original image is sharpened by obtaining a first frequency-domain representation of the original image, selecting one or more elements from this first representation based on one more criteria such as element magnitude and frequency, scaling the selected elements according to one or more scale factors, and forming a second frequency-domain representation by combining the scaled selected elements with the unselected elements of the first representation. A sharpened reproduction of the original image may be generated by applying an inverse transform to the second frequency-domain representation. A technique for deriving the value of the one or more scale factors is also discussed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving color matching between original color images and reproductions thereof. Incorporated into the improved color matching technique is an improved out-of-gamut mapping strategy which does not affect in-gamut colors but which ensures that colors outside of the input device gamut will be mapped to the boundary of the output device gamut while preserving hue and minimizing the combined chrominance-luminance error.

Abstract: A microlens array manufacturing method has a first step for forming a master having a plurality of curved surfaces; a second step for forming a duplicate master having a plurality of curved surfaces transferred from the curved surfaces on the master; and a third step for forming a light transmitting layer having a plurality of lenses transferred from the curved surfaces on the duplicate master. The frequency of producing high cost masters is thus reduced, enabling microlens arrays to be manufactured at low cost.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing an electrostatic actuator that comprises electrode members having opposing surfaces with a gap disposed therebetween. In an ink jet head, a bottom surface of a diaphragm may be one of the electrodes (common electrode) of an eletrostatic actuator, the diaphragm forming a wall of an ink chamber in the ink jet head that is displaced relatively by an electrostatic force. A hydrophobic film, preferably hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), is formed on at least one of the opposing electrode surfaces to improve the durability of the electrostatic actuator so that electrostatic attraction between opposing electrode members does not decrease and the opposing electrode members do not stick together. HMDS molecules are smaller than PFDA molecules, and a uniform, variation-free hydrophobic film can therefore be formed even when the gap between opposing electrodes is narrow. Durability and film stability of a HMDS hydrophobic film are also high.

Abstract: A technique for calibrating non-reference printers to a reference printer in a network system by determining a set of four 1-D look-up tables for each non-reference printer. Each set of four 1-D look-up tables is constructed from a corresponding set of transfer functions, where each transfer function in a given set is a composite of a 1-D characteristic function for a particular primary color of the reference printer and a 1-D inverse characteristic function for that particular primary color of the corresponding non-reference printer. The characteristic functions are determined by performing a specific color space transformation analysis on each non-reference printer and on the reference printer.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording apparatus, when the time since a last head maintenance process was executed exceeds a second period of time but is less than a first period of time, the printing status of the apparatus is monitored. During this time frame, a non-print period is measured and if that period exceeds a third period of time, a head maintenance drive controller causes another head maintenance process to be executed. However, when the time since the last head maintenance process was executed exceeds the first period of time, the head maintenance process is executed without regard to the printing status. Alternatively, the execution of the head maintenance process can be based on a print amount, such as the number of lines printed, since the last head maintenance process was executed. In this case, when the number of lines printed since the last head maintenance process was performed exceeds a second number of lines but is less than a first number of lines, the printing status is monitored.

Abstract: A gap h between a rotor inertia disk 12c and stators 123 and 133 is set so that the load torque between the components due to air viscosity resistance is equal to or less than 1/10 of the maximum output torque at a rotor. Since the load torque is thereby sufficiently reduced, it is possible to limit energy loss of a mainspring, and to extend the period of operation of a timepiece.

Abstract: Pattern detection methods, which may be embodied in copiers or scanners/printers, examine documents to be copied or printed to determine whether the documents contain one or more targeted patterns. The pattern detection methods include algorithms that look for certain features and geometric relationships between the features in determining whether one or more of the targeted patterns are present.

Abstract: In a time measurement device (1000) having, at least, both a function of measuring standard time and a function of measuring any elapsed time, when a predetermined amount of time passes from a temporary suspension of a watch hand in position in the middle of the measurement of the elapsed time, the suspension of the watch hand is automatically released and the watch hand is driven to a watch hand position indicating the elapsed time. Provided thereby is the time measurement device which automatically releases the temporary suspension state in time measurement after the predetermined amount of time, thereby shortening the temporary suspension time and reducing power consumed to drive the watch hand to an originally expected watch hand position at the release of the temporary suspension.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a printing apparatus based on printing apparatus status information that is stored to memory in response to an externally generated reset signal. Based on the stored information, a cleaning process appropriate to the printer status is selected and performed, thereby minimizing ink consumption. In particular, when a CPU of the printing apparatus detects an external reset signal, which is based on the reset signal received from a host computer 65, the CPU writes the cleaning time, reset time, and other printing apparatus status information to a non-volatile RAM. The CPU is then forcibly reset by an internal reset signal. After being reset, the CPU reads the status information from the non-volatile RAM, and selects and implements a cleaning process appropriate to the stored status information. Ink consumption by the printing apparatus can thus be minimized, and reliable cleaning and printing can be maintained.

Abstract: In an electronic unit having a plurality of motors, a reduction in power-supply voltage is suppressed even if the plurality of motors are driven, and a difference in hand moving timing is allowed to be made inconspicuous. An electronic timepiece having a seconds motor for driving a seconds hand and an hour-and-minute motor for driving hour and minute hands, which serves as an electronic unit, moves the seconds hand and the hour and minute hands such that, when a seconds auxiliary pulse signal is output to the seconds motor at the hand moving timing of the seconds hand, control is applied in a way in which neither magnetic-field detection around the hour-and-minute motor nor the rotation detection of the hour-and-minute motor is performed at the hand moving timing of the hour and minute hands, and an hour-and-minute auxiliary pulse signal is output to the hour-and-minute motor.

Abstract: A check processing system that prints a payment amount on a personal check comprising a POS terminal installed at the shop where the check is tendered, and a symbol reading/MIC printing apparatus installed only at a processing facility. At the shop, the payment amount is input to the POS terminal where this amount is encoded and printed on the check with a two-dimensional symbol. The check is then sent to the processing facility after it is signed by the customer. Checks are processed all together at the processing facility. The symbol reading/MIC printing apparatus reads the payment amount from the two-dimensional symbol and prints that amount on the check with magnetic ink characters.

Abstract: A control system built around plural common objects is provided with greater flexibility and easy customizability, and a programming method for the control system is provided. An interface object (15) capable of two-way communications is created and used when first OCX (10), a common object, creates and controls second OCX (11). This interface object (15) is able to return events generated by second OCX (11) to first OCX (10), and first OCX (10) is able to completely control the operation of second OCX (11).

Abstract: An image delivery and display system embodying a technique for displaying on a client computer of a client-server network a portion of an image stored on the server. Upon receiving a request from the client computer specifying particular x, y coordinates, the server decompresses the image to extract the area of interest, partitions the image area into tiles and extracts the tile containing the x, y coordinates and a certain number of surrounding tiles, recompresses those tiles and transmits those tiles to the client computer. The tile containing the x, y coordinates is extracted, recompressed and transmitted first followed by the surrounding tiles in spiral order. The client computer then decompresses and displays the tiles in that same order.

Abstract: A stepping motor control unit is capable of driving a stepping motor fast through feedback control. Slits bored in a disk fixed to a rotor of a stepping motor are located at positions that precede magnetically stable positions of the rotor in a direction of rotation of the rotor. Light passing through the slits is detected by an optical sensor, and a signal t is output thereby. The signal t is delayed by a predetermined time according to the rotating speed of the rotor and then transmitted to a control unit. The control unit receives a position detection signal earlier according to the rotating speed of the rotor. Therefore, the wait time required for switching phases can be shortened. Moreover, when the signal t is generated twice or more during a signal t detection time during which a signal t indicating a certain phase is detected, the second and subsequent signals t are ignored. Thus, incorrect detection can be avoided.

Abstract: A printer and control method therefor for printing to a specific location on an inserted form whether the form is loaded automatically or manually in the printer. When a specific command is received from a host, the printer selects the insertion operation used for the printing form. If automatic loading is selected, the leading edge of the form is set to a specific position in the printer by a form transportation mechanism, and printing then begins. If manually positioned form insertion is selected, printing begins directly with the printing form as inserted and positioned by the user.

Abstract: A technique that reduces the size of an existing JPEG file or set of DCT coefficients to satisfy a certain bit budget by setting to zero coefficients whose magnitude is below a certain threshold and which occur after a certain ordinal number in the zig-zag scan. The cutoff ordinal number is chosen using a clever savings calculation strategy. This strategy is implemented by filling appropriate savings values in an array of savings values, Savings[1], . . . , Savings[63]. The value Savings[n] is exactly the number of bits saved by reducing the thresholding cutoff ordinal number from n +1 to n. When a non-zero coefficient is set to zero, bits are saved because two runs of zeros (the one preceding it and the one following it) get combined into a single, longer run of zeros. The exact number of bits saved can be calculated by adding the bits needed to code the previous and next runs, and subtracting the bits needed to code the combined run.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting pulse waves and motion intensity of a living body in motion is disclosed. The apparatus has photosensors of the photo-coupler type for wavelengths of 660 nm and 940 nm, respectively. The sensors are attached to a person under examination, and provide output signals which include a blood pulse signal as well as body motion components superimposed on the blood pulse signal. These signals are subjected to the Fourier transformation in a fast Fourier transformation circuit, and then applied to a comparator which in turn compares amplitudes of major frequency components (components associated with pulse waves and body motion) to one another. According to the comparison result, a decision circuit discriminates the pulse wave from the body motion. A display unit displays the pulse rate corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the detected pulse wave. The display unit also displays the change in motion intensity detected by the decision circuit.

Abstract: The invention provides an electromagnetic transducer which can improve conversion efficiency by reducing the weight of a rotor and thinning a rotor shaft to reduce both size and weight. An electromagnetic transducer includes a rotor comprising a plurality of magnets with N and S poles arrayed alternately in the direction of rotation of the rotor, and a back yoke for supporting the plurality of magnets. The back yoke is formed with reduced volume regions corresponding to the center of each magnet as viewed in plan based on distribution of magnetic force lines generated inside the back yoke between the N and S poles of the adjacent magnets. With such a reduction of the back yoke, the weight of the back yoke and hence the overall weight of the rotor can be reduced while the magnetic force lines flowing into the magnet are prevented from being saturated.

Abstract: When emitted light from LED 31 is incident on photodiodes 32 and 33 with luminance Pa and Pb, currents ia and ib are generated according to luminance Pa and Pb. When outside light is incident through the finger tissues on photodiodes 32 and 33 with luminance Pc, current ic is produced. The current i1 (=ia+ic) generated by photodiode 32, and the current i2 (=−ib−ic) generated by photodiode 33, are added at node X, and the current ic corresponding to outside light is thus cancelled. In addition, photodiodes 32 and 33 are disposed at different distances from LED 31. As a result, the current flowing to opamp 34 is current ia corresponding to luminance Pa because luminance Pb is extremely low. The opamp 34 then applies a current voltage conversion to generate pulse wave signal Vm.