Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for the sending, delivery and receiving of faxes according to particular protocols are disclosed. Certain embodiments may receive a fax from a sender and determine if the ability exists to send the fax over a computer based network according to a particular protocol. If there is no destination associated with the fax number for the protocol the fax may be sent according to the fax number. If, however, there is a destination for the protocol associated with the fax number an attempt is made to send the fax to the destination according to the protocol.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an discharge tray, a discharging roller pair, a main board, a wireless communication unit including a first wireless communication board. The housing includes a first part and a second part. The first part is arranged at a downstream side of a nip of the discharging roller pair, and an upper surface of a side wall of the first part is arranged at a lower position with respect to the nip. In the second part, the discharging roller pair is positioned. The second part is arranged at an upstream side of the first part. An upper surface of a side wall of the second part is arranged at a higher poison with respect to first part. At least part of the wireless communication unit is arranged at a higher poison with respect to the side wall of the first part.

Abstract: The multifunction peripheral of the present invention includes an ADF document crop function. According to this ADF document crop function, front side image shaping processing for cutting out a front side document image corresponding to the image on the front side of a document, from a front side read image of the document and for correcting the tilt of the front side document image is performed. Then, on the basis of shaping information in the front side image shaping processing, back side image shaping processing for cutting out a back side document image from a back side read image of the document and for correcting the tilt of the back side document image is performed.

Abstract: A printer has a lower module and upper module. The lower module has a paper feed unit and a printing unit. A back of the upper module is hinged to lower module. A paper handling part holds paper after printing by the printing unit. A discharge unit in the upper module moves the paper out of the upper module while maintaining a hold on a rear portion of the paper and to draw the paper back into the upper module after an elapse of time. A container includes a support member that rotates into contact with and moves away from a lower part of the upper module. The container configured to receive and store the paper that has been drawn back by the discharge unit. The paper is stored in a region between the support member and the lower part of the upper module.

Abstract: System, including methods and apparatus, for identifying and picking spectrally distinct colonies. In an exemplary method, a filter may be received in an optical path extending from a light source to a grayscale image detector. The filter may be configured to increase an intensity difference between a first type of colony and a spectrally distinct second type of colony. Colonies including both types may be received in the optical path. An image of the colonies may be obtained with the grayscale image detector. At least one of the types of colony may be identified in the image. One or more colonies of the at least one type may be picked robotically.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a double-sided synchronous scanning device. A scanning channel is formed between two scanning components; two backlight plates are respectively used to provide backlight for an opposite-side scanning component and fixed with the same-side scanning component; one side of each backlight plate facing the scanning channel is provided with a light guide groove corresponding to a light inlet of the corresponding scanning component; a backlight source is arranged in the light guide groove. When the two scanning components work synchronously, because the backlight plates always need to provide backlight for the opposite-side scanning component, and the reflected light generated by the backlight plates on a scanned sample enters the light inlet of the same-side scanning component, which will affect the image scanning effect.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading image information from a sheet includes a cover unit, a sheet feeding member, a conveying guide, and a reading unit including a transparent member and a reading portion. The cover unit is rotatable between a closed position where the cover unit forms a sheet conveying passage in cooperation with the conveying guide and an open position where the sheet conveying passage is open. In a state in which the cover unit is positioned in the closed position, the transparent member is exposed to an outside of the image reading apparatus by rotation of the conveying guide and the reading unit.

Abstract: A sheet aligning mechanism includes first and second conveyance mechanisms disposed on first and second sides of a sheet conveyance path, respectively. A nip is formed between the first and second conveyance mechanisms. The first conveyance mechanism includes a first roller, a second roller, and a first conveyance belt wound around the first and second rollers. The first and second rollers are configured to rotate in a first direction along a sheet conveying direction for sheet conveyance, and stop rotation or rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction for sheet alignment. The first conveyance belt includes an extended region between the first and second rollers in an extending direction inclined with respect to the sheet conveying direction, such that a width of the sheet conveyance path becomes narrower towards the nip in the sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image reading apparatus includes a light emitting unit, a first carriage, a first photoelectric conversion unit, a first lens, and a second carriage. The light emitting unit irradiates a reading object with light. The first carriage includes a first optical member for guiding reflected light from the reading object. The first carriage is movable in a sub-scanning direction along the reading object. The first photoelectric conversion unit receives the reflected light from the reading object guided through the first optical member and outputs an image signal. The first lens is disposed on an optical path of the reflected light between the first optical member and the first photoelectric conversion unit, and images the reflected light from the reading object on the first photoelectric conversion unit. The second carriage is movable in a main scanning direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction along the reading object with respect to the first carriage.

Abstract: A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section onto which a medium to be fed is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium mounted on the medium mounting section; and a supporting member that supports an end in a width direction of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and that supports the medium at a higher position than the medium mounting section in a direction of loading of the medium, the width direction being a direction crossing a feed direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs recording on a medium; a medium discharging section that discharges the medium on which recording has been performed; a medium receiving section that receives the medium discharged by the medium discharging section; a face-down discharge path that guides, to the medium discharge section, the recorded medium with a recorded side thereof facing downward; a document movement path that is provided at an upper part of a housing constituting an outer casing of the recording apparatus and along which a document moves; and a reading unit provided in the document movement path to read the document. The medium receiving section also serves as a support tray that supports the document to be inserted into the document movement path or the document exiting from the document movement path.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus includes a sheet loading unit, a pickup roller, a first conveying roller, a detecting unit, a first stepping motor, a second conveying roller, a second stepping motor, a scanning unit, and a control unit that starts driving of the second stepping motor after performing phase matching of the second stepping motor. The control unit starts driving of the first stepping motor without performing phase matching of the first stepping motor. When an instruction to start scanning is input, the control unit starts the phase matching of the second stepping motor. When the detecting unit detects the document, the control unit starts driving of the first stepping motor after completion of the phase matching of the second stepping motor. When the detecting unit detects no document, the control unit starts driving of the first stepping motor before completion of the phase matching of the second stepping motor.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a supporting portion, a feeding portion, a curved conveyance path, a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a driving source, an output pulley, an input pulley, a first pulley, a second pulley, a driving belt, and a transmission belt. The image reading unit is configured to read an image on a first surface at a location between the first driving roller and the second driving roller in a sheet conveyance direction. The output pulley is fixed to an output shaft of the driving source. The input pulley is fixed to the second driving roller. The first pulley is fixed to the first driving roller. The second pulley is fixed to the second driving roller. The driving belt is wound around the output pulley and the input pulley. The transmission belt is wound around the first pulley and the second pulley.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a housing that includes a transport path along which a document is transported, an opening and closing member that is attached to the housing in such a manner as to be openable and closable, a reading unit that is disposed in such a manner as to be positioned between the transport path and the opening and closing member and that reads an image from the document, which is transported along the transport path, and an opposing member that is disposed in such a manner as to be opposed to the reading unit with the transport path interposed between the opposing member and the reading unit and that is moved away from the reading unit in conjunction with an opening operation of the opening and closing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a human presence sensor that detects a user who uses the image forming apparatus; a first covering provided in front of the human presence sensor; and a second covering provided in front of the first covering, the second covering being configured not to interfere with detection of a detection target by the human presence sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an image reading unit disposed on the image forming unit, a first control circuit board mounted on the image reading unit, a second control circuit board mounted on the image forming unit, a flexible flat cable, a slit, and a regulating member. The flexible flat cable transfers image data from the first control circuit board to the second control circuit board and has one end connected to the first control circuit board and another end connected to the second control circuit board. The slit is formed in the image forming unit such that the flexible flat cable passes through. The regulating member regulates a length of the flexible flat cable between the slit and the second connector, is attached at a predetermined position of the flexible flat cable, and abuts against the image forming unit.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for determining whether to perform processing of lifting up a document tray upon detection of a document depending on an active application. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus includes lifting up a document tray upon placement of a document on the document tray, conveying the document placed on the document tray lifted up in the lifting, reading the document conveyed in the conveying, and registering, for an application, whether to lift up the document tray upon the placement of the document on the document tray.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a stacking unit, a conveyance unit to convey stacked sheets, a reading unit, a white reference plate provided in a second position, and a processor. The reading unit is movable and, at a first position, reads a conveyed sheet image to obtain image data and, at the second position, reads the white reference plate. The processor generates, based on a plate reading result, a shading correction value and corrects the image data using the shading correction value. Based on whether the number of times in which reading the white reference plate has been performed is less than a predetermined number of times, the reading unit changes a time interval in a reading period that is from a first timing to a second timing. The processor generates, each time the white reference plate is read, the shading correction value based on the plate reading results.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding tray, a sheet discharge tray, and a conveyance mechanism. The conveyance mechanism includes a guide part, a first turning shaft, a second turning shaft, a coupling member and a drive part. The guide part has a sheet discharge port. The first turning shaft supports the guide part so as to be turned around an axis along a width direction crossing to the conveyance direction. The second turning shaft is provided on the downstream side of the first turning shaft and below the guide part. The coupling member has one end portion supported by the second turning shaft in a turnable manner and the other end portion provided so as to be slidable with respect to the guide part. The drive part turns the coupling member around the second turning shaft to change a height of the sheet discharge port.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprises a first reading unit configured to output an analog signal by reading an original, a second reading unit different from the first reading unit, a conversion unit configured to convert analog signals outputted from the first reading unit and the second reading unit to digital signals, a wire connection control unit configured to control wire connection between the first reading unit and the second reading unit, and the conversion unit, and an output control unit configured to control an output of an analog signal from the first reading unit.