Abstract: An ink jet printer with intelligent components includes an ink jet cartridge and a roll of print media, each of which incorporate memory elements. Environmental sensors such as temperature and humidity sensors may also be provided. Data from the memory elements and environmental sensors is used to optimize printer operations, and to provide additional information to printer operators.

Abstract: A wiping device for an ink jet head is provided, which can simultaneously achieve two objects, i.e. extended service life of the ink jet head and effective removal of viscosity-increased and adhered ink with a single wiping device. A wiping device (2) has a predetermined level difference between an upper end level of a first side surface (6a) and an upper end level of a second side surface (6b) on a wiper blade holder (6) clamping a wiper blade (4). The upper end of the first side surface (6a) of the wiper blade holder (6) is set to such a predetermined level that can provide a normal, weak wiping effect. That is, a free length (La) of the first side surface (4a) of the wiper blade (4) is set to have such a predetermined length that can provide the normal, weak wiping effect. The upper end of the second side surface (6b) of the wiper blade holder (6) is set to such a predetermined level that can provide an abnormal, strong wiping effect.

Abstract: In an ink jet head that reduces failure or abnormality in ink ejection, electric charge/discharge is applied between opposed electrodes and diaphragms to eject ink droplets from ink nozzles. Each of the opposed electrodes includes a main electrode and a sub-electrode formed on the nozzle side and in common with sub-electrodes for the other diaphragms. Auxiliary electric charge is applied between the sub- electrode and the diaphragms so that the menisci or ink in the ink nozzles vibrate without ejecting unnecessary ink droplets and to shorten the time for tail portions of ejected ink columns to leave the ink nozzles. Ink in ink channels is diffused so that the ink viscosity does not increase due to evaporation of ink solvent. Also, the menisci in the nozzles are drawn into the ink chambers so that unnecessary ink droplets are not ejected immediately after printing ink droplets are ejected.

Abstract: An ink jet nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber having an inlet to receive ink from a reservoir and a nozzle through which the ink can be ejected. The chamber includes a fixed portion and a movable portion configured such that relative movement in an ejection phase reduces an effective volume of the chamber, and alternate relative movement in a refill phase enlarges the effective volume of the chamber. An actuator connected with the movable portion of the chamber periodically effects the relative movement. The nozzle is formed in the movable portion and the inlet is positioned and dimensioned relative to the nozzle such that ink is ejected preferentially from the chamber through the nozzle in droplet form in the ejection phase, and ink is alternately drawn preferentially into the chamber from the reservoir through the inlet in the refill phase.

Abstract: An ink-jet head device using a stack of piezoelectric bodies, including a nozzle plate having a nozzle, a manifold portion having a restrictor plate that has a restrictor, piezoelectric bodies stacked in multiple layers and interposed between the nozzle plate and the manifold portion to form a chamber for containing ink, each of the piezoelectric bodies having a cavity at the center, common electrodes and driving electrodes alternately interposed one by one between adjacent piezoelectric bodies, a common lead line and a driving line electrically connected to the common electrodes and driving electrodes, respectively, for supplying a voltage to piezoelectric bodies to cause deformation thereof, and a medium interposed at least between the restrictor plate and a piezoelectric body adjacent to the restrictor plate, and between the nozzle plate and a piezoelectric body adjacent to the nozzle plate, the medium deformed corresponding to deformation of the piezoelectric bodies.

Abstract: A fiber body which exhibits sufficient ink supplying characteristics for keeping up with the trend toward diversification of ink and high printing speed while ensuring an easy and simple ink injection operation and a liquid container having the same. The ink tank has a PP fiber body (crosshatched area of the figures), as a negative pressure generating member for an ink jet head which ejects liquid to perform recording, arranged almost all over the interior thereof, so as to allow the fiber body to hold a liquid to be supplied to an ink jet head. On the top of the tank casing, provided is an atmosphere communication port. And as a PP fiber body, used is an assembly of intertwined PP fibers of which surface has been subjected to surface treatment of giving hydrophilic nature thereto.

Abstract: Provided is an ink jet fluid composition which comprises a liquid carrier medium and at least one transition metal complex reactive component. Upon ink jet printing and subsequent exposure to an energy source, a durable and water-insoluble layer is formed. Such an ink jet fluid composition and printing process can be advantageously used to produce durable and water-insoluble imaging elements.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet printing cloth suitable for use in printing with inks each containing a dye having an ionicity, wherein a substance not having the same ionicity as that of the dye and having a molecular weight lower than 1,000, and a polymeric substance having an ionicity opposite to that of the dye and a molecular weight higher than 2,000 are applied to the cloth.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording sheet includes a support and three thermosensitive coloring layers overlaid on the support. A print is produced by image recording to the recording sheet. A colorless gloss indicia is recorded by thermal recording, and discernible according to a glossiness difference. In a preferred embodiment, an image reading device comprises an image reader for reading an image from an original. A glossmeter unit measures glossiness of respectively unit areas in the original. An arithmetic operation unit obtains an average glossiness of the glossiness of respectively the unit areas. An indicia discriminator checks existence of a gloss indicia according to a glossiness difference between the glossiness of respectively the unit areas and the average glossiness. A controller allows the image reader to operate if the gloss indicia lacks, and generates an alarm signal if the gloss indicia exists.

Abstract: Rotation of a polygon serves to generate a scanning laser beam in a scanning beam generating unit. The polygon is fixed on the drive shaft of a motor drive. The motor drive is located at a position spaced apart from a base frame. The base frame is designed to interrupt heat radiated toward the motor drive. As compared with the case where a motor drive is mounted directly upon a base frame, the motor drive is prevented from receiving heat through the base frame. It is possible to avoid an increase in the temperature of the motor drive to the utmost. In particular, rise in temperature can be prevented in the bearing supporting the drive shaft in the motor drive, so that a deterioration can be avoided in the bearing. At the same time, a deficiency in rotation, such as a jitter, can reliably be avoided in the motor drive.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope selector that is used in an electronic endoscope system which shares peripheral devices, such as a TV monitor, VCR etc., among a plurality of electronic endoscopes. The electronic endoscope selector comprises switching circuits for switching and selecting video signals and synchronization signals fed from one of the plurality of electronic endoscopes. The selector also comprises amplifiers, gamma correction circuits, a system control circuit and memory. The amplifiers and gamma correction circuits are for adjusting gains and gamma correction of RGB video signals fed from the selected electronic endoscope. Parameters for appropriate gains and gamma correction corresponding to each endoscope are stored in the memory. The system control circuit controls the amplifiers and gamma correction circuits in accordance with the parameters that correspond to the selected electronic endoscope.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a position sensor which detects a position of the camera body relative to the direction of gravity, an acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration acted upon the camera body, a memory in which image data of a captured image is recorded, and a controller. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is smaller than a predetermined value, the controller records the image data in the memory together with positional data of the camera body that is detected by the position sensor. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the controller deems the data on the position of the camera body as invalid data and records only the image data in the memory.

Abstract: A white balance adjustment device operates by measuring the intensity of the main colours of illuminating light 40 by using LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) as integrated colour filters and photo sensors. LEDs have typically a narrow reception band enabling measurement of light intensity on such narrow colour bands that are required in the white balancing. The intensity of each main colour in the illuminating light is measured by dedicated LEDs having corresponding colour measurement bands. The measurement of individual intensities is used in adjusting the proportional strengths of corresponding signals originating from the camera's detector, for example a CCD-array (Charge Coupled Device), in order to produce an image with a more natural colour rendition.

Abstract: A method for controlling a sensor to reduce reset noise is disclosed. The method including the steps of providing a reset command including a RESET signal and a first SAMPLE signal. The method also includes the steps of providing a read command including a first ADDRESS signal, a second SAMPLE signal, and a second ADDRESS signal. An apparatus including a system controller and a sensor controlled by the system controller is also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus is provided for a sensor in a sensor array that is read-out in a pipelined fashion.

Abstract: A lens moving mechanism for controlling and monitoring movement of an imaging lens, which includes a detection part, a state indication part having arranged in order thereof first, second and third areas, the first area for indicating a first state to the detection part, the second area for indicating a second state to the detection part, and the third area for indicating the first state to the detection part, a drive part for moving the detection part, relative to the state indication part, in a direction thereof, and an identification part for identifying a position of the lens based upon a sequence of indication of the first state and the second state by the state indication part to the detection part.

Abstract: In an imaging method and apparatus for generating an enhanced optical image of a scene, input optical image signals are generated by sensing an optical image input of the scene at a single exposure, the optical image input having a wide input dynamic range with a plurality of dynamic range portions. The input optical image signals are subsequently processed to obtain a plurality of optical image data during the single exposure, wherein the optical image data have dynamic ranges that correspond respectively to the dynamic range portions. Thereafter, the optical image data are combined to result in optical image output data corresponding to the enhanced optical image of the scene.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for displaying and demonstrating an electronic imaging device such as a camcorder. The apparatus includes a holder for receiving and holding the imaging device and a display monitor for demonstrating the performance of the imaging device. Additionally, the apparatus includes a detector for detecting displacement of an imaging device from a holder and a controller for operatively connecting the imaging device to the display monitor upon detecting displacement of the imaging device. The method for displaying and demonstrating an imaging device includes the steps of providing a holder for each imaging device on display, detecting displacement of any imaging device from any holder and connecting any imaging device displaced from any holder to a monitor in order to demonstrate the imaging device.

Abstract: An image pickup device which is comprised of a transparent cover plate, an optical low-pass filter, a solid state imaging device and a ceramic rectangular casing. The casing has a rectangular recessed portion with an opening. The solid state imaging device is provided at the base of the recessed portion. The cover plate, which is comprised of lithium niobate, is fitted into the peripheral part of the opening so that the casing is hermetically sealed. The optical filter, such as crystal or lithium niobate, is adhered to the inner surface of the cover plate. The outer surface of the cover plate is coated with an infrared cut-off layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a synchronizing signal in a digital TV receiver which adopts a VSB mode is disclosed. The apparatus includes a correlation unit for obtaining a correlation value between a received signal for each unit of symbols and a preset reference field synchronizing signal, a maximum value detector for detecting a location of the symbol having a maximum correlation value while performing counting operation for a unit of a variable constant added to the number of symbols corresponding to one field, a synchronizing lock signal generator for generating a synchronizing lock signal by testing reliability of the symbol location detected by the maximum value detector, and a synchronizing location controller for calculating a relative location of the symbol location having a maximum value to generate a corresponding synchronizing signal if the synchronizing lock signal is generated by the synchronizing lock signal generator.

Abstract: A video format converting apparatus which optionally converts the sizes of input and output videos includes a mode generator for generating a control signal of required data flow and a clock required for format conversion by determining a format conversion structure after receiving format data of input and output videos, a format converter of which input/output data path is controlled to a corresponding operation mode by the control signal, for independently format converting the input video synchronized with the clock in vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of multiplexers for providing proper video to the format converter in accordance with the signal of the mode generator. When various kinds of input videos are format converted to various kinds of output videos, it is possible to reduce the capacity of required hardware and the capacity of the memory. Thus, a minimum memory band width is required.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for eliminating noise of a received image and compensating its sharpness is provided. A common circuit is used in a structure for eliminating noise based on a double smoothing method and a structure for making the outline sharp based on an unsharp masking method. Noise elimination and sharpness enhancement are processed for a difference signal between an original signal of the image and its low pass filtered signal, thereby compensating the original signal. Thus, an image having an improved picture quality can be provided in a product which transmits/receives or displays image data, and high competitiveness of the product can be obtained by simplifying the user interface.

Abstract: A partial fractionally spaced equalizer for a digital television includes, a feedforward filter unit for receiving an input signal sampled at a predetermined frequency, which is divided a first region having a symbol spaced tap and a second region having fractional spaced taps narrower than the symbol spaced tap, a feedback filter unit having symbol spaced taps, a equalizer signal generator for processing feedforward tap signals outputted from the feedforward filter unit and the feedback tap signals outputted from the feedback filter unit and generating equalizer signals, a slicer for slicing the equalizer signals to generate a decision data and outputting the decision data to the feedback filter unit, and an error generator for generating a compensating error signal by subtracting the equalizer signal from the decision data. When a sampled input signal (Si) of 21.

Abstract: A digital television (TV) receiver using a vestigial sideband (VSB) system, and timing recovering apparatus and method for the digital TV receiver are disclosed. The timing error can be compensated for by rapidly and accurately searching the position of the segment sync signal using the Hilbert filter even if the strong 2-symbol-delayed ghost is applied. Also, the tracking performance for the timing error and the zitter performance can be improved by extracting the timing error information even from the signal having passed through the Hilbert filter.

Abstract: An intermediate frequency input circuit is coupled between output nodes of a frequency mixing circuit and input nodes of an intermediate frequency amplifier circuit. The intermediate frequency input circuit includes a pair of input nodes; a pair of output nodes; and resonance circuits, which are coupled between the pair of input nodes and resonate with an intermediate frequency of a selector channel. A series circuit is coupled between one of the pair of input nodes and one of the pair of output nodes. The series circuit includes a first trap circuit for trapping an intermediate frequency component of an upper adjacent channel coupled to first resistor. The intermediate frequency input circuit further includes a second series circuit, which is coupled between the other of the pair of input nodes and the other of the pair of output nodes. The second series circuit includes a second trap circuit for trapping an intermediate frequency component of a lower adjacent channel coupled to a second resistor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a channel switching apparatus of a digital television and a method thereof. The present invention comprises a signal processing unit for receiving a broadcast signal, performing a digital signal processing, and outputting it, a CPU for searching a pertinent icon by accessing a storing unit storing a channel icon corresponding to a channel of the digital broadcast signal outputted from the signal processing unit, an icon display unit for displaying the channel icon searched from the CPU on a screen, and the storing unit for storing each designated channel icon corresponding to each received broadcast channel. Accordingly, the present invention is capable of making identification of a channel easier when a user searches a channel of a digital television up/down by displaying a set channel icon through an OSD for the time required in order to display a broadcast signal corresponding to a select channel by using preset channel icons about each channel of the digital television.

Abstract: A Circuit for convergence setting in a projection television display, having a display screen with a photosensor for detecting impingement of a marker contained in a projected picture. The photosensor generates an output signal having a specific time characteristic. The circuit comprises an integrating element coupled to receive the output signal from the sensor when impinged by a blue marker. The integrating element is dimensioned in such a way that the time characteristic of the output signal of the sensor when impinged by the blue marker is approximately equal to the time characteristic of output signals from the sensor when impinged by a red or green marker.

Abstract: A videocassette has a display portion for displaying recorded contents. The display portion is formed with a display device. The display device has a conductive layer, a PDLC (polymer-dispersed liquid crystal) film, and a protective layer. The display device can repeatedly record and erase visible information.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel, a support means for supporting the display panel, and a housing for accommodating the display panel and the support means. The support means includes a first member to which the display panel is attached, a second member attached to the housing, and an elastic member disposed between the first and second members. The first and second members are integrally thermally bonded to each other via the elastic member through a process including a step of disposing the first member and the second member at prescribed positions within a mold, and an injection molding step of forming the elastic member between the first and second members by injection molding.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus, in which a backlight unit is mounted on one surface side thereof, and in which a liquid crystal is sealed between a pair of transparent substrates, includes a conductive film made of a high-resistance conductive agent and formed on an outer surface of a polarizing plate adhered to an outer surface of one of the pair of transparent substrates which is mounted on the side of the backlight unit so as to secure a surface resistance of from 1×109 ohm to 1×1012 ohm for the polarizing plate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate with pixel electrodes, and a second substrate with a common electrode facing the first substrate. The common electrode has depression patterns corresponding to the pixel electrodes. The side wall of each depression pattern is at an angle of 30-120° with respect to the first substrate. The depression patterns of the common electrode are formed through making depression patterns at color filters. In this structure, the liquid crystal display bears wide viewing angle and good picture quality.

Abstract: A color filter used in a color display device for displaying a color image by irradiating a color layer of the color filter with light includes a titanium dioxide layer having ultraviolet light shielding function formed in direct contact with the surface of the color layer at the upper side of the color layer in case that only the light incident on the color layer from the upper side of the color layer is prevented or an upper and lower titanium dioxide layers formed on and below the color layer in order to make the advantage being free from fading perfect. In the latter case, it is possible to restrict transmission of light having wavelength in the wavelength range of ultraviolet light to the color layer to thereby restrict direct decomposition of pigment molecules and obtain the advantage being free from fading, by directly covering the color filter with titanium dioxide at the upper side of the color layer and providing the lower titanium dioxide layer below the color layer.

Abstract: A reflection-transmission double type liquid-crystal display device has a transmission type liquid-crystal display panel including a liquid-crystal cell, at least one illuminator disposed on at least one side surface of the liquid-crystal display panel, an optical path changing sheet which has a refractive index exhibiting a refractive index difference of not higher than 0.15 from a refractive index of a nearest liquid-crystal cell substrate and is bonded onto a back side of the liquid-crystal display panel through an adhesive layer having a refractive index exhibiting a refractive index difference of not higher than 0.20 from the refractive index of the nearest liquid-crystal cell substrate, and a reflection layer disposed on a back side of the optical path changing sheet. The optical path changing sheet includes optical path changing slopes and flat surfaces.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate. A second substrate is facing the first substrate. A liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first and second substrates. At least one pixel area is defined by a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of drain lines arranged in a matrix over the first substrate, wherein the plurality of gate lines are extending in a first direction, and the plurality of drain lines are extending in a second direction. A first electrode is assigned to the pixel area, wherein the first electrode is provided over the first substrate. A second electrode is assigned to the pixel area and is facing the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is provided over the first substrate and is transparent. The second electrode has a solid portion and a hollow portion. The hollow portion is superposed to at least a portion of the first electrode. An insulating layer is provided between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A simple method for preventing oxidization of an aluminum surface of terminal electrode, increase of pressure contact resistance, unstability and reduction of connection reliability is provided. In a terminal electrode part on a reactive matrix substrate, for being connected to an external drive circuit, connecting electrodes are formed by using aluminum or an aluminum alloy, at least their surfaces connected to TCP are covered with an insulating film of aluminum oxide or consisting of a laminate film of aluminum oxide aluminum hydroxide, and the insulating film is selectively removed in a step subsequent to the final step in a cell formation process. In this way, adverse effects of the heat treatment processes such as the annealing in the array formation process and the orientation film sintering of the cell formation process and the oxidization of the connecting electrode surface in the washing.

Abstract: A glasses with bridges and temples which are fixed to lens frames, without depending upon deposition. Bridges and temples of this glasses can be changed easily according to one's taste because they are not deposited to lens frames but are fixed to lens frames through the medium of sleeves and other means.

Abstract: A rimless eyeglass frame and rimless eyeglasses are disclosed, which are not affected by a face width of a wearer of eyeglasses or deformation during use, and does not require adjusting operation or even required, adjustment operation can be simple. The rimless eyeglasses have left and right lenses, a wire form frame member having opposite ends and extending toward left and right, and a pair of lens holding portions arranged at center portion of the frame member and holding the left and right lenses at positions in the vicinity of inner edge portions thereof. The frame member is in non-contact with upper edge portions of the left and right lenses.

Abstract: An opthalmic apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating an eye of a patient, the illumination optical system including a plurality of LEDs which are illumination light sources for emitting beams of light of wavelengths in different regions and a composing optical system for composing optical paths of the beams of light emitted from the LEDs, an observation optical system for observing the patient's eye, and a light quantity control section capable of controlling an illumination light quantity of each of the LEDs to produce substantially white illumination light.

Abstract: An imaging method for imaging a fine pattern having linear features extending along orthogonal first and second directions, is disclosed which method is characterized by: providing a light source having decreased intensity portions at a center thereof and on first and second axes defined to intersect with each other at the center and defined along the first and second directions, respectively; and illuminating the pattern with light from the light source.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring light transmitted from a sample. The apparatus may include a stage, a light source, and a detector. The stage may be configured to hold a microplate having a plurality of sample wells. The apparatus may be configured to take measurements of one or more of absorbance, scattering, reflectance and luminescence. The apparatus may permit simultaneous measurements of two or more of these properties.

Abstract: A measuring cell is formed of base plates joined together. A passage groove is formed on a joining surface of one base plate. Through-holes for introducing and discharging a fluid sample are formed on the other base plate, and the joining surface is provided with an optically opaque Si film as slits. Further, the joining surfaces of the base plates and the inner surface of the passage groove are covered with SiO2 films. Thus, a measuring cell having a sufficiently small passage sectional area, a high air-tightness, a chemically stable measuring chamber, and a high measuring sensitivity can be obtained.

Abstract: The semiconductor wafer inspection machine, which can measure the alignment marks positioned at different focal points in a short time with a high precision, without deteriorating the throughput, is disclosed. The semiconductor wafer inspection machine forms an optical image of the semiconductor wafer surface, on which the first layer having the first alignment mark and the second layer having the second alignment mark are formed, and is equipped with the confocal optical system, in which the focal point differs depending on the wavelength and an optical image of the semiconductor surface is formed, and the light source of the confocal optical system has a wide range of wavelengths. In the confocal optical system, only the image at the focal point is projected clearly and other images at points out of focus are excluded.

Abstract: A conveying system for multiple product units conveyed on two parallel conveyors past a sensing section. The sensing section includes multiple line scan sensors which each receive input from both conveyors and a calibration standard object in a thin line scan across the conveyors. Optics include an objective lens and a 1×relay lens divided in two and including a prism between halves. The exit pupil of the objective lens is imaged onto the entrance pupil of the 1×relay lens where a slit is positioned to define an image of the thin portion of the product unit in the sensing area. The optics spread the spectrum perpendicularly to the spatial direction to define a grid received by a CCD camera. The CCD camera and associated CPU operate on the data to bin attenuated pixels, train for filtering by spectral range and employ that training to subsequently train for the establishment of algorithms which sense differences in the filter data between product units of different attributes.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for nondestructively detecting the orientation of anisotropic molecules in thin films and in molecular layers in general. The present invention is based on a single measurement of the nonpolarized photoluminescence spectrum, in order to determine whether the molecules are orientated at right angles or parallel to the surface of the molecular layer, fabricated with any technique. The method is fast and noninvasive and can also allow to observe noninterferingly in real time during growth the orientation of the molecules in the film. The result of this real-time observation can be used to optimize the growth conditions of the film in order to achieve the intended molecular orientation.

Abstract: An integrated wavelength monitor and a method for obtaining such a device are disclosed. The device suitable for integration into a laser semiconductor laser module for fiber optic communication can be made in the following way: An interference filter is created directly onto a position sensitive photo detector by depositing a number of layers of different optical transparent materials forming an optical filter. The interference filter may also be created separately and subsequently mounted directly on top of the detector. The integrated position sensitive device (13) is mounted with an angle behind a laser in the same position as a normal power monitor detector. The electrically derived lateral position of light hitting the Position Sensitive Device provided with the interference filter will be dependent of the wavelength of the incident light and this derived position is used for the wavelength monitoring.

Abstract: In an interferometer optical system comprising a reference standard having an entrance surface on which a luminous flux from a light source is incident and a reference plane on which the luminous flux entering from the entrance surface is obliquely incident, an angle within the range of 10° to 30° is formed between the entrance surface and reference plane of the reference standard.

Abstract: Before a newly loaded roll of recording paper is fed out from the paper magazine, a recording paper roll is put in a paper magazine, a pre-cut detection lever (53) pushes an actuation strip of a pre-cut detection switch (58) to turn on the pre-cut detection switch. As the recording paper is first fed out from the paper magazine, the pre-cut detection lever is pushed by a leading end of the recording paper, to rotate to an erected position, thereby turning off the pre-cut detection switch. Thereafter, a pre-cutting process is effected on the recording paper. A holding lever (55) holds the pre-cut detection lever at the erected position, so the pre-cut detection switch is maintained off, once the recording paper is fed out from the paper magazine, even if the recording paper is rewound into the paper magazine. So long as the pre-cut detection switch is off, the printer does not execute the pre-cutting process again.

Abstract: In a printing system for printing image data based on an order from a client, a character and/or a simple image desired by a user can be printed on a print. The user describes the content of the order in order information and transfers the order information to a laboratory when he/she orders printing of the image data. At this time, the character and/or the simple image to be printed on the print is described as character image information in the order information. The laboratory prints the image data based on the order information and prints the character and/or the simple image on the back of the print or on a white fringe or the like, based on the character image information described in the order information.

Abstract: A color-simulating apparatus is provided, which can be applied to change the color of an article to various colors. The color-simulating device first analyzes a color to be simulated and then produces a light having the color according to the analysis result. Lastly, the color light is used to provide the color of an article.

Abstract: The invention is directed toward realizing an optical transmitter, a wavelength division multiplex optical transmitter, a time division multiplex optical transmitter, an optical receiver, a wavelength division multiplex optical receiver, a time division multiplex optical receiver, and an optical transmission system using these devices, in which the signal-to-noise ratio of a signal beam is improved. Each transmitter and receiver is provided with a saturable absorbing optical element having a saturable absorbing region that receives and outputs a signal beam.

Abstract: A photocatalytic panel or pane and a method for activating the same are disclosed. The photocatalytic panel includes a transparent substrate having major surfaces parallel with and opposed to each other and an edge surface; a photocatalytic film formed on at least one of the major surfaces and a light source for exciting the photocatalytic film. Light from the light source enters the substrate from a vicinity of the edge surface (or a peripheral portion of the substrate) and then is reflected totally within a laminate of the substrate and the photocatalytic film. The method includes the steps: preparing the photocatalytic panel, entering light from the light source into the substrate from a vicinity of the edge surface (or the peripheral portion and reflecting the light within the laminate in accordance with total internal reflection, thereby the photocatalytic film is excited.