Abstract: A printer includes a shaft-shaped member, a movable support portion, paired strain detection units, and a control unit. The shaft-shaped member that sets a path of an ink ribbon from a supplying shaft to a winding shaft is provided at least on a downstream side between an upstream side and the downstream side in a conveying direction at a position where a thermal head and a platen face each other with a recording medium interposed therebetween, and the ink ribbon is hung around the shaft-shaped member. The movable support portion movably supports at least one end portion of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a tension of the ink ribbon varies. The paired strain detection units are provided at both end portions of the shaft-shaped member, and an output thereof is varied according to a strain of the shaft-shaped member. The control unit controls movement of the shaft-shaped member in a direction in which a difference in output between the paired strain detection units becomes small.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a communication interface, an input device, and a processor are provided. The processor collects electronic receipt data containing a commodity code for identifying an already traded transaction target commodity from a plurality of data management apparatuses via the communication interface. The processor generates history data on the basis of the collected electronic receipt data, the history data indicating a transaction history of the commodity identified by the commodity code acquired via the input device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with an exposure device including a plurality of light emitting points, includes a photoconductor and a processor. The processor controls the light emission of each of the plurality of light emitting points of the exposure device based on the image to be formed. The processor calculates a fourth correction coefficient by changing a third correction coefficient, which is calculated based on a first correction coefficient for correcting a first physical quantity related to the exposure condition of the photoconductor by the light emitting point, and a second correction coefficient for correcting a second physical quantity related to the exposure condition of the photoconductor by the light emitting point, based on the light emission time set according to the gradation of the image to be formed, and corrects the light output of each of the plurality of light emitting points by the fourth correction coefficient.

Abstract: A point of sales (POS) system includes a server configured to store a list of commodities registered for purchase in association with identification information about a customer and a terminal comprising first and second scanners through which a commodity code is read. The terminal is configured to acquire identification information, upon reading of a commodity code through the first scanner, transmit first data including the commodity code and the identification information to the server, and upon reading of a commodity code through the second scanner, transmit second data including the commodity code and the identification information to the server. The server is configured to, upon receipt of the first data, register the commodity having the commodity code in the first data in the list, and upon receipt of the second data, delete the commodity having the commodity code in the second data from the list.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a heater including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a fixing belt having a surface to which a lubricant is applied and contacting the first surface through the lubricant, a heat conductor contacting the second surface, and a pressing roller capable of pressing and rotating the fixing belt, a power supply configured to supply electric power to the heater, a first thermometer configured to measure temperature of the heat conductor, and a controller configured to determine a first amount of electric power to be supplied to the heater based on the temperature of the heat conductor, and control the power supply to supply the determined first amount of electric power to the heater, before controlling the pressing roller to start rotation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a monitoring device for a terminal including a connection unit to which at least one device is able to be connected and mounted with a container file storing application software for controlling a business to be performed by using the device connected to the connection unit. The monitoring device includes a detection unit, an acquisition unit, and a processing unit. The detection unit detects an abnormality in the terminal. The acquisition unit acquires the container file mounted on the terminal in which the abnormality is detected. The processing unit installs the acquired container file on an alternative terminal.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus including a binding mechanism, a tray, a shift mechanism, and a control unit is provided. The binding mechanism is configured to apply binding to a sheet. The sheet applied with the binding is stacked on the tray. The shift mechanism is configured to perform a shift operation in which a side surface of the sheet is pushed and the sheet is deviated in a sheet width direction orthogonal to a discharge direction during discharge of the sheet to the tray. The control unit is configured to cause the shift operation to be performed by dividing the number of times for the shift operation into a plurality of times.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a paper feeding roller and a separation roller. The paper feeding roller and the separation roller are arranged in a parallel direction. The paper feeding roller and the separation roller interpose a sheet. The paper feeding device includes a paper feeding roller, a separation roller, a shaft, a holder, and a rotation stopping portion. The paper feeding roller is configured to convey the sheet in a conveyance direction. The separation roller is configured to be pressed against the paper feeding roller. The shaft is configured to rotatably support the separation roller via a torque limiter. The holder is configured to include a supporting portion. The supporting portion is provided with a first guide surface and a second guide surface facing each other and extending in the parallel direction. The rotation stopping portion is configured to be attached to the shaft.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses and an information terminal that communicates with the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The information terminal comprises a processor configured to: communicate with the image forming apparatus, and transmit first information relating to a job to the image forming apparatus, receive certification information corresponding to the first information from the image forming apparatus, output the received certification information, and instruct the image forming apparatus to execute the job in response to receiving, from the image forming apparatus, transmission start information associated with the job.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a failure prediction server includes an interface, a memory, and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with equipment including a component that deteriorates over time. The memory is configured to store measurement data acquired from the equipment. The processor is configured to set a monitoring start condition for failure prediction in the corresponding equipment based on the measurement data acquired as initial data from the equipment, accumulate the measurement data acquired from the equipment in the memory after the monitoring start condition is satisfied, and predict a failure of the component based on the measurement data accumulated in the memory.

Abstract: A commodity management system includes a cart including a wireless tag reader/writer configured to read first information from first wireless tags attached to commodities displayed in a store and second information from second wireless tags each disposed in a different display area in the store, and a commodity management apparatus configured to acquire the first and second information read by the wireless tag reader/writer, determine a display area in the store using the acquired second information, and specify a quantity of a commodity displayed in the determined display area based on the acquired first information.

Abstract: A security management apparatus includes a receiver, a printer, and a notifier. The receiver acquires, at an entrance of a facility, information about a visitor to a visiting destination of the facility. The information includes a stay permitted time at the visiting destination and at least one of an attribute, relation information, or a visiting purpose. The printer generates a portable medium that includes the information and the stay permitted time and records an image allowing distinguishing of content of the information. The notifier is configured to receive the stay permitted time from one or more readers disposed at the facility and is configured to read the stay permitted time from the portable medium in a noncontact manner. The notifier, in response to the stay permitted time being elapsed, warns the visitor who passes a disposition position of the one or more readers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a reading device includes a communication interface for communication with a commodity registration device. A commodity reader of the reading device reads commodity information from a commodity and the commodity information can be used for identifying the commodity. An output device signals that the commodity reader has read commodity information. A controller causes the communication interface to transmit the commodity information read by commodity reader, initialize the communication interface when it is determined that transmission of the commodity information has failed, and signal a communication failure when transmission of the commodity information has failed.

Abstract: A printer in one example includes a thermal printhead with resistive heating elements. A motor is provided in the printer for conveying paper to the thermal printhead. A power supply is provided to supply power to the thermal printhead and the motor. A processor is configured to cause the supply of power to the motor to be paused after the supply of power to the thermal printhead exceeds a power threshold value and then to resume the supply of power to the motor after a predetermined period of time elapses after the pause of the supply of power to the motor.

Abstract: A wireless tag reader includes a casing, an antenna in the casing and through which a radio wave is transmitted to and received from a wireless tag on an article, a control device in the casing and configured to read tag information stored in the wireless tag based on a radio wave received by the antenna, and an elastic member between the casing and the antenna so as to permit the antenna to be movable with respect to the casing.

Abstract: A reading apparatus includes a communication unit, a scanner, and a processor. The communication unit communicates with a wireless tag provided on paper. The scanner scans the paper. The processor acquires data from the wireless tag through the communication unit, acquires an image from the paper by using the scanner, and generates a file in which the data is embedded in the image as hidden characters.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a film-shaped cylindrical body, a heating body unit, a first member, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The cylindrical body has a sheet-passing region coming into contact with the sheet to fix the image to the sheet moving in a first direction. The cylindrical body is broader than the sheet-passing region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The heating body unit includes a heating body and comes into contact with a first surface inside the cylindrical body. The first member is disposed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the heating body. The first member has an outer end disposed outside an outer end of the sheet-passing region in the second direction. The control unit allows the heating body to generate heat inside the outer end of the sheet-passing region in the second region.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus operated by a sales clerk includes a display, a camera configured to capture an image of a code displayed on a screen of a portable registration apparatus operated by a customer in a store, the code corresponding to one or more commodities to be purchased and check data indicating whether each of said one or more commodities needs to be checked by the sales clerk before being checked out, and a processor configured to, when the image of the code is captured by the camera, acquire information indicating said one or more commodities to be purchased and the check data using the code, and control the display to display a screen showing one or more commodities that need to be checked by the sales clerk based on the acquired information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a wireless tag communication device configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to a sheet, a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on the sheet, and a processor configured to: upon receipt of a print job, control the communication device to read from the wireless tag a first fixing temperature that has previously been used to fix a toner image on the sheet, determine a second fixing temperature to be used by the fixing device based on the first fixing temperature, and execute the print job by controlling the fixing device to fix a toner image on the sheet at the second fixing temperature.

Abstract: According to one embodiment a shopping cart includes an imaging unit configured to acquire images of a surface at a location of the shopping cart and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a boundary pattern in images acquired by the imaging unit. The boundary pattern is painted or drawn on the surface at a boundary between a first area and a second area. Based on the detected boundary pattern the controller determines whether the shopping cart has been moved from the first area to the second area or from the second area to the first area. The controller then controls mobility of the shopping cart based on whether the shopping cart has been moved from the first area to the second area or from the second area to the first area.