Abstract: A system and method for generating an audible sound in an imaging device is provided, the device having an electronic motor controllable by a first operation sequence to perform a first function. When a condition is detected for which an audible sound is to be generated as notification of the condition, a motor is rotated according to a second operation sequence so as to create the audible sound as notification of the condition, wherein the second operation sequence causes the motor to rotate in a manner, other than the motor rotation resulting from the first operation sequence, so as to cause the motor to perform only the notification function.

Abstract: A method of preventing printing artifacts by detecting a distance between the print head and the recording medium as the print head and the recording medium and utilizes the detected distance in determining an adjusted ink ejection frequency. The adjusted ejection frequency for each print head scan position may be stored in a look up table.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus which performs printing by using a print head. The print head has at least a predetermined number of nozzles to eject ink. The apparatus includes first prefiring means for causing the print head to perform a prefiring operation to eject ink from nozzles of the print head for maintaining printing quality after a first time interval during a printing operation. The apparatus also includes driving means for driving nozzles of the print head based on data to be printed, and second prefiring means for causing the print head to perform the prefiring operation in a case where a number of the nozzles to be driven is changed. Preferably, the apparatus further includes shifting means for causing the driving means to drive the nozzles of the print head based on the first time interval during the printing operation so as to enhance a power of ejecting ink and continue the printing operation after the first time interval without performing the prefiring operation.

Abstract: Control of an ink ejection frequency to compensate for recording medium unevenness in printing by inducing a predetermined unevenness pattern into the recording medium, determining an adjusted ink ejection frequency for each of a plurality of print head scan positions for a scan of the print head across the recording medium, the adjusted ink ejection frequency being determined at least in part based on the induced unevenness pattern, adjusting a base ink ejection frequency for each scan position of the print head based on the determined adjusted ejection frequency, and controlling ink ejection by the print head based on the adjusted ink ejection frequency. The determined adjusted ink ejection frequency may be stored in a recording medium in a look-up table with the adjusted ink ejection frequency being obtained from the look-up table.

Abstract: A system and method for generating an audible sound in an imaging device is provided, the device having an electronic motor controllable by a first operation sequence to perform a first function. When a condition is detected for which an audible sound is to be generated as notification of the condition, a motor is rotating according to a second operation sequence so as to create the audible sound as notification of the condition, wherein the second operation sequence causes the motor to rotate in a manner, other than the motor rotation resulting from the first operation sequence, so as to cause the motor to perform only the notification function.

Abstract: Feeding a plurality of successive sheets of a recording medium by calculating an expected time for a page end detection of a current sheet, and feeding a next sheet of the successive sheets in accordance with the calculated time, but prior to detection of the page end of the current sheet. Calculating the expected time may be detecting the page end for the current sheet, and mathematically filtering the page end detection of the current sheet with a current estimate of expected time for page end detection of the next sheet. The current estimate may be initialized after a first sheet of the successive sheets with a page end detection of the first sheet. The feeding of the next sheet may be controlled by controlling a time between the current sheet and the next sheet based on a time between the page end detection of the current sheet and a detection of the next sheet so as to obtain and maintain the time within a target range.

Abstract: Printing on a recording medium by lateral scans of a print head in accordance with print data. Content of print data is determined. Then, the print data is printed either with a first lateral scan process using a critical zone at edges in a lateral scan of the print head for printing, or with a second lateral scan process that does not use the critical zone for printing. The first or second lateral scan process is selected based on the print data. Preferably, the critical zone is sized in correspondence with ramp up non-uniformities of a print carriage on which the print head is mounted, so as to accommodate a distance between a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are noticeable to a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are no longer noticeable. The second lateral scan process preferably is a process in which a predetermined margin is inserted into the first lateral scan process.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic equipment system consisting of an electronic equipment and an expander detachably attached thereto and provided with a power source circuit and a power source control circuit in each of the electronic equipment and the expander, the system comprising attachment detecting means for detecting that the expander is attached to electronic equipment, power supply control means for controlling permission or inhibition of power supply to the power source circuit of the other side, other power source control circuit activating means for activating the power source control circuit of the other side by initiating the power supply from the power source circuit of the other side to the power source control circuit of the other side, and informing means for informing the operation status of the power source control circuit of the self side to the power source control circuit of the other side, wherein, in case the attachment detecting means detects the attachment of the expander to the elec

Abstract: Disclosed is a portable information processing apparatus that can detect a remaining battery charge level quickly and comparatively accurately while it eliminates the influence of noise that can be caused when a remaining battery charge is to be detected, that can prevent a battery pack from being mistakenly identified as abnormal by delaying the timing for detecting the unbalanced state of the voltages at each voltage row, which can occur temporarily during the charging of a secondary battery pack when a plurality of cells are connected in series and parallel, that changes power control procedures for each different suspend mode so that it can control with no problem the supply of power to a unit, such as a printer unit, that consumes a large current, even when a remaining battery charge is comparatively low and that can match the phases of the individual units to ensure rebooting is actually performed when a power supply SW is turned on or off at an arbitrary time.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by scanning a recording head, includes a scan unit for scanning the recording head by changing the scan speed of the recording head, and a control unit for controlling the scan unit to change the scan speed of the recording head according to the resolution of image data to be recorded by the recording head so as to perform recording. A recording controller for controlling the recording apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image reading apparatus having a sensor in which a plurality of photo-reception elements are arranged, a displacement mechanism for changing a relative position between the sensor and an original in an arranging direction of the photo-reception elements or a direction different from the arranging direction, a detecting unit for detecting an image interval on the original which was read by the sensor, and a control unit for controlling a relative displacement direction or displacement amount between the sensor and the original due to the displacement mechanism in accordance with the image interval detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to the present invention stores suspension data in a non-volatile storage and performs a 0 V suspension process by which are turned off all power sources of the apparatus. An active suspension process is performed, by which are turned off power sources of the apparatus, excluding a power source that supplies power to the volatile storage. The 0 V suspension process is performed when a power supply voltage level is lower than a predetermined value, while the active suspension process is performed when that voltage level is higher than the predetermined level. The apparatus also predicts a processing time for a transfer unit and a power characteristic for a second storage unit. In addition, remaining power is detected using a reference value that is set at a first predetermined value in accordance with results obtained from the two predictions.