Abstract: A call system for performing a voice call by an Internet call function using a known telephone terminal. In a multifunction machine serving as the telephone terminal, the output destination and the input source of audio signals input/output from/to a transmitter/receiver may be switched to an audio I/F. In the switched state, audio based on audio signals input/output from/to an outside source through the audio I/F is output/input from the transmitter/receiver. Therefore, when the multifunction machine is connected to a PC having the Internet call function such that audio signals can be input/output through an audio cable, an indirect audio call by the Internet call function with the transmitter/receiver is available. When an incoming call from a telephone line network is received, reception of the incoming call is notified so that a user can confirm the reception of the incoming call during the voice call by the Internet call function.

Abstract: A medium position determining device includes a sensor, and a scanning carriage that is configured to move in a reciprocating manner in a scanning direction, in which the sensor is mounted to the scanning carriage. The device also includes a controller that is configured to move the scanning carriage and to determine a position of the scanning carriage with respect to the medium when the scanning carriage moves; in the scanning direction. Moreover, the controller moves the scanning carriage at a first speed in the scanning direction, and after the controller determines that the scanning carriage is in a first position with respect to the medium, the controller moves the scanning carriage in the scanning direction at a second speed that is greater than the first speed.

Abstract: An internet terminal is capable of transmitting and receiving voice signals to and from a telephone terminal having a handset. If the internet terminal receives an incoming call when disconnected from the telephone terminal, then the internet terminal stores a voice message from a calling party and issues a notification to the telephone terminal regarding the stored voice message when the telephone terminal is subsequently connected to the internet terminal.

Abstract: A method for feeding a recording medium includes the steps of: feeding the recording medium along a sheet-feeding path by a unit feeding amount, detecting an entrance of a rear end of the recording medium into a jumping alarm area, dividing the unit feeding amount into minute divisional feeding amounts such that the recording medium is fed by each minute divisional feeding amount when the rear end of the recording medium enters the jumping alarm area, detecting a jumping amount of the recording medium corresponding to a rotation of a driving roller when a jumping phenomenon occurs in the recording medium, and adjusting the minute divisional feeding amount to cancel the jumping amount.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an acquiring section, a recording section, and a width setting section. The acquiring section acquires print data indicative of an image having a size including a recording surface of a recording medium. The recording section records a borderless image on the recording medium based on the print data while the recording medium is conveyed in a conveying direction. The recording medium has an upstream side and a downstream side with respect to the conveying direction. The width setting section sets width of the image in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The width of the image increases from the downstream side toward the upstream side in the conveying direction.

Abstract: An image-recording device includes a conveying portion, a carriage, a recording head, a sensor, and an edge-detecting portion. The carriage reciprocates along a scanning direction. The recording head is supported on the carriage. The sensor is supported on the carriage at a position shifted from the recording head in the scanning direction and upstream of the recording head in the conveying direction, the sensor being capable of detecting presence of the recording medium. The edge-detecting portion controls the sensor to detect at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of a recording medium.

Abstract: In order to adjust a position of a cut sheet when the cut sheet begins to be sent to a printing positions a leading edge of the cut sheet is fed towards a pair of sending rollers for sending the cut sheet to a printing position, wherein the sending rollers are held at rest or rotated in reverse. If a predetermined condition is satisfied, a feeding speed of the cut sheet decreases when the leading edge of the cut sheet reaches a position that is a predetermined distance upstream of the sending rollers. If the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the feeding speed of the cut sheet does not decrease before the leading edge of the cut sheet contacts the sending roller. A decline in printing quality and an unnecessary delay in printing time can be prevented. With the sending rollers, an effect to prevent the leading edge of the cut sheet from being fed in a slanted position is also maintained.

Abstract: A sheet feeder including: (a) a pair of feed rollers operable to have a plurality of successive rotational motions, so as to be rotated by a predetermined amount in each one of the successive rotational motions, for thereby causing a sheet nipped between the pair of feed rollers, to be fed along a feed path by a desired distance as a result of the each one of the successive rotational motions; (b) a back-tension applier disposed in the feed path, and configured to apply a back tension to the sheet that is fed along the feed path; and (c) a motion controller configured to control the successive rotational motions of the feed rollers, and to command the feed rollers to be rotated by a compensated amount that includes a supplementary amount in addition to the predetermined amount, in each of at least one of the successive rotational motions. Also disclosed is a process of feeding a sheet, by using the sheet feeder.

Abstract: A print head and a detector are mounted on a carriage of a serial printer. An information acquiring portion acquires information for determining whether to detect a print medium. An existence-detection determining portion determines whether to detect existence of the print medium based on the information acquired by the information acquiring portion. An existence-detection controlling portion controls, when the existence-detection determining portion determines that detection should be performed, the carriage to move to a position at which the detector confronts a print-medium conveying path and controls the detector to detect the existence of the print medium prior to printing. A print controlling portion controls the print head and the carriage to print the image based on the print data. The print controlling portion prohibits the print head and the carriage from printing the image based on the print data when the detector detects no print medium.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus having an inkjet type printer is configured to prevent ink from being wastefully consumed through a purge processing. Before next purge processing is executed, test printing is carried out. The user looks at the result of the test printing and inputs instruction indicating whether or not the next purge processing is to be executed. If the inputted instruction indicates that immediate purge processing is unnecessary, execution of the purge processing is prolonged. In this manner, a purge processing is not automatically executed but executed only when the test printing indicates that an ejection condition of ink is no good.

Abstract: A method for feeding a recording medium includes the steps of: feeding the recording medium along a sheet-feeding path by a unit feeding amount, detecting an entrance of a rear end of the recording medium into a jumping alarm area, dividing the unit feeding amount into minute divisional feeding amounts such that the recording medium is fed by each minute divisional feeding amount when the rear end of the recording medium enters the jumping alarm area, detecting a jumping amount of the recording medium corresponding to a rotation of a driving roller when a jumping phenomenon occurs in the recording medium, and adjusting the minute divisional feeding amount to cancel the jumping amount.

Abstract: A technique is provided which sufficiently inhibits deformation of printing paper resulting from drying of ink on the paper. When the amount of ink ejected during which the front end of the printing paper is moved, after entered into a counter area facing a print head, to a determination point exceeds the ink amount “enough to cause deformation” of the printing paper, the front end of the printing paper is moved from the determination point to a hold position located downstream thereof and left there for a predetermined time. Thus, the shape of the front portion of the printing paper is maintained, and the deformation of the printing paper due to the drying of ink is prevented.

Abstract: A medium position determining device includes a sensor, and a scanning carriage that is configured to move in a reciprocating manner in a scanning direction, in which the sensor is mounted to the scanning carriage. The device also includes a controller that is configured to move the scanning carriage and to determine a position of the scanning carriage with respect to the medium when the scanning carriage moves; in the scanning direction. Moreover, the controller moves the scanning carriage at a first speed in the scanning direction, and after the controller determines that the scanning carriage is in a first position with respect to the medium, the controller moves the scanning carriage in the scanning direction at a second speed that is greater than the first speed.

Abstract: An image-recording device includes a conveying portion, a carriage, a recording head, a sensor, and an edge-detecting portion. The carriage reciprocates along a scanning direction. The recording head is supported on the carriage. The sensor is supported on the carriage at a position shifted from the recording head in the scanning direction and upstream of the recording head in the conveying direction, the sensor being capable of detecting presence of the recording medium. The edge-detecting portion controls the sensor to detect at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of a recording medium.

Abstract: An IP telephone apparatus for executing a telephone call through a computer network. The IP telephone apparatus includes: a main unit; a telephone line connection unit connected to a telephone network; an external telephone connection unit connectable to an external telephone; a dialing start command detection unit configured to detect an IP telephone dialing start command; an audio signal input/output unit that inputs/outputs an audio signal; a handset validation unit configured to selectively validate one of a handset of the main unit and a handset of the external telephone; an audio signal path switching unit that switches a connection target of the validated handset from the telephone line connection unit to the audio signal input/output unit when the IP telephone dialing start command is detected so that the audio signal input/output unit can be transmitted to the network terminal through the computer network.

Abstract: Angles of inclination of the left and right end edges of recording paper as a recording medium are detected. In the case where it is determined an image having a size extended from an image recording region of the recording paper is recordable over the image recording region or even in the case where it is determined that the image represented by the image data is not recordable over the image recording region of the recording paper, when an input operation is performed indicating the user's intention to continue recording, an image data conversion process is performed for converting a color of a portion of the image data, which is not to be recorded in the image recording region of the recording paper, into a color of which ink is not to be ejected. Thereby, ink is ejected only to the image recording region of the recording paper.

Abstract: In order to adjust a position of a cut sheet when the cut sheet begins to be sent to a printing positions a leading edge of the cut sheet is fed towards a pair of sending rollers for sending the cut sheet to a printing position, wherein the sending rollers are held at rest or rotated in reverse. If a predetermined condition is satisfied, a feeding speed of the cut sheet decreases when the leading edge of the cut sheet reaches a position that is a predetermined distance upstream of the sending rollers If the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the feeding speed of the cut sheet does not decrease before the leading edge of the cut sheet contacts the sending roller. A decline in printing quality and an unnecessary delay in printing time can be prevented. With the sending rollers, an effect to prevent the leading edge of the cut sheet from being fed in a slanted position is also maintained.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus capable of performing a non-margin recording operation without a margin on a recording medium and providing a waiting time between a moment of termination of a movement of a carriage in one of opposite directions and a moment of initiation of a subsequent movement of the carriage in the other direction, if the non-margin recording operation is performed during the movement of the carriage in the above-indicated one direction, and wherein the carriage is moved in the other direction (returned) at a speed lower than that of the movement in the above-indicated one direction, so that the back surface of an edge portion (e.g., leading end portion) of the recording medium is protected from contamination with an ink mist produced from the ink droplets.

Abstract: A print head and a detector are mounted on a carriage of a serial printer. An information acquiring portion acquires information for determining whether to detect a print medium. An existence-detection determining portion determines whether to detect existence of the print medium based on the information acquired by the information acquiring portion. An existence-detection controlling portion controls, when the existence-detection determining portion determines that detection should be performed, the carriage to move to a position at which the detector confronts a print-medium conveying path and controls the detector to detect the existence of the print medium prior to printing. A print controlling portion controls the print head and the carriage to print the image based on the print data. The print controlling portion prohibits the print head and the carriage from printing the image based on the print data when the detector detects no print medium.

Abstract: A facsimile machine provided with a remote operation mode enabling a caller from a remote device to access and retrieve data from the facsimile machine and including a memory for storing the data to be accessed and retrieved by a caller during the remote operation mode; a switch for turning on and off the remote operation mode; facsimile reception determination unit for determining which of a facsimile reception possible condition and a facsimile reception impossible condition that the facsimile machine is in; and reception process unit for performing, when the facsimile reception determination unit determines that the facsimile machine is in a facsimile reception possible condition, reception of an incoming call regardless of whether the switch has turned the remote operation mode on or off and for performing reception of the incoming call when both the facsimile reception determination unit determines that the facsimile machine is in a facsimile reception impossible condition and the switch has turned the r