Abstract: There is provided an arrangement within an electrophotographic printer that helps reduce deformation in the media by ensuring that the media remains under a constant tension. The arrangement uses a first roller for moving the media through the electrophotographic printer at a given linear velocity. A second roller, placed after the first roller, also moves the media through the electrophotographic printer. However, the second roller has a variable linear velocity, where the variable linear velocity having a maximum linear velocity that is greater than the first roller's linear velocity. Power is applied to the second roller through a clutch. When the maximum amount of power is being applied to the second roller, the clutch limits the variable linear velocity to that of the first roller's linear velocity. Thus, the clutch limits the variable velocity when the media is under a known tension, wherein the known tension is constant in the media while the media moves through the electrophotographic printer.

Abstract: Because laser printers are capable of rendering only a maximum number of characters per unit time, pervious printer would pre-render the entire page prior to print the page. This pre-rendering process greatly increases the memory requirements. To overcome this problem, there is provided a method for reducing memory requirements in a laser printer when printing a page of characters. First, the page is divided into a series of strips. Next, the entire page is scanned strip by strip for any strips that contain an excess number of characters, where the excess number is that number of character that exceeds the maximum number the printer can render in the given time. Assuming a complex strip is found, any common characters in the complex strips are prerendered. If, after pre-rendering the common characters any strip is still complex, then the excess characters are pre-rendered.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for conveying the size of a media to a printing system. The apparatus is constructed from a tray that has several receiving positions, one position for each size of media. A plurality of conductive strips are attached to the top of the tray. Additionally, the conductive strips are arranged to be in contact with the printing system when the tray is inserted in the printing system. An insulating label is placed over the conductive strips. The insulating label has a unique pattern of holes for each of the receiving positions in the tray. Finally there is a back-stop attached to the tray in one of the receiving positions. The back-stop attaches over the label and has connections on the bottom of the back-stop arranged to make electrical contact through the unique pattern of holes with the conductive strips.

Abstract: This present invention takes advantage of the understanding that the voltage rating associated with resistive heating element can be ignored over the common line voltage range, provided the power dissipation is controlled. This is accomplished by applying a fractional amount of power to a heating element from the power source. The method consists basically of determining, or estimating, a ratio of the amount to be applied to the amount of power available. A control signal is generated with a duty cycle approximately equal to that ratio. A zero crossing switch, under control of the control signal switches half cycles to the heating element. Thus, by applying a portion of the available half cycles to the heating element, the average power dissipation by the heating element can be controlled.

Abstract: In the typical fuser, the pressure roller is end mounted to the fuser assembly. Such a mounting creates a higher pressure on the ends of the roller. By removing deformable material from the ends, the pressure across the pressure roller can be equalized. An improved fuser assembly allows for the removal of the deformable material from the ends of the compliant hard fusing pressure roller. The improved fuser consists of the standard components of a fuser, namely a heated fuser roller and one or more pressure rollers. The pressure roller is constructed with a shaft on which a deformable material such as silicone rubber is formed around. A hard outer shell is then placed around the deformable material. The hard outer shell is longer than the deformable material thereby allowing the overall durometer hardness of the pressure roller to vary along the axis.

Abstract: An "L" shaped element having horizontal and vertical sections, is submerged in the liquid toner concentrate such that the horizontal section is totally submerged while the vertical section is submerged proportionally to an amount of the liquid toner concentrate. A voltage source is connected to the "L" shaped element. A second element is placed in close proximity to the horizontal section of the "L" shaped element and is also totally submerged in the liquid toner concentrate. Next, a third element is placed in close proximity to the vertical section of the "L" shaped element. The current flowing from the horizontal section of the "L" shaped element through the liquid toner concentrate to the second element is proportional to the concentration of solid. By measuring the current flowing from the vertical section of the "L" shaped element through the liquid toner concentrate to the third element and dividing by the current in the second plate, the volume of the liquid toner concentrate can easily be calculated.

Abstract: An input roller pushes the media through the electrophotographic device at a given linear velocity. An output roller pulls the media through the electrophotographic device after the media leaves the input roller. The output roller has a linear velocity greater then the input roller's linear velocity. In-between the input and output rollers is a variable media path having an arcuate shape. A compressible media guide is placed along the concave side of the variable media path. As the media is pulled faster by the output roller, the variable media path decreases. The compressible media guide begins to compress thereby creating a constant tension in the media as it passes through the electrophotographic device. By keeping the media under a constant pressure, the likelihood of deformations is greatly reduced.

Abstract: The present invention receives the output of a polygon clipper process and determines which lines are extraneous. This determination is accomplished by keeping a list of all potential extraneous lines. When a new line is generated, it is compared to all lines in the list. If the new line overlaps any of the lines in the list, both lines are shortened to remove the overlap. After the new line has been checked and any necessary modifications made, any lines remaining are placed into the list to be compared to future lines. After the polygon clipper and extraneous line eliminator have completed processing the polygon, the output of the clipper and the list are combined to complete the description of the clipped polygon.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic printer, an apparatus for supplying a liquid toner that has a solids concentration within a predefined range. A concentrated solids material and a carrier liquid is contained within a reservoir. The concentrated solids has a solids concentration higher than the predefined range and has settled out from the carrier liquid. A tube has its orifice submerged in the concentrated solids material A second tube has its orifice submerged in the carrier liquid. To insure that the second tube remains above the concentrated solids material and simultaneously below the upper surface, a float is formed around the tube. Finally, a mixer is connected to the two tubes and mixes the concentrated solids with carrier liquid to create the liquid toner. The solids concentration range is directly related to the rations of the two orifices.

Abstract: A compliant hard fusing pressure roller for reducing media curl and wave in electrophotographic printers as part of an improved fuser apparatus. The improved fuser consists of the standard components of a fuser, namely of a heated fuser roller and one or more pressure rollers. The pressure roller is constructed with a central rotation shaft with a cylindrical deformable material such as silicone rubber is formed around the central rotation shaft. However, a cylindrical hard outer shell is formed around the deformable material. The compliant hard pressure roller exerts a tangential force toward the fuser roller. Because the outer hard shell of the compliant hard pressure roller is formed from a malleable type material, it provides some compliance and therefor deforms slightly from roundness for small, sharp errors in the fuser roller or media.

Abstract: A quick cooling air conditioning system that uses a pressurized reservoir to preserve refrigerant in liquid form after the shutdown of air conditioning compressor. The quick air cooling is achieved by the vaporization of liquid refrigerant, supplied by refrigerant reservoir, at the startup of the conditioning system.

Abstract: A method of bit rate adaption between a user data rate and an adapter data rate using the ECMA 102 protocol. The user data is received from a user terminal at a user data rate, the rate adapted data is transmitted at an adapted data rate, and the adapted data rate is greater than the user data rate. The user data is either in a asynchronous or a synchronous format and contains a start element and at least one stop element. The method involves the steps of: (1) converting the user data into an intermediate data; (2) storing the intermediate data in a receive buffer; (3) only if the user data is in an asynchronous data format, adding stop elements to the intermediate data; (4) transferring the intermediate data in the receive buffer to an intermediate buffer; (5) constructing a frame using data from the intermediate buffer; (6) storing the frame in a transmit buffer, and; (7) transmitting the frame where the step of transmitting changes the frame into the rate adapted data.

Abstract: A central processing unit arrangement for detecting a fault in a central processing unit system that includes a master processor and a slave processor. Master and slave processors are resynchronized at every bus cycle by conditioning the processors' READY signal with the ADS (address status) signals from each processor (ADS indicates that an access cycle has begun and a valid address is present on the address bus). This method of synchronization was selected over the more traditional method of lock-step, which was deemed impractical to implement given the timing constraints of a high speed bus. Also, the dual processors may not always begin their respective bus cycles on the same clock. In addition, it is necessary to synchronize processors for the first instruction fetch following a reset, because the time of completion of an internal self-test may not be deterministic.

Abstract: A method of bit rate de-adaption between an adapted data rate and a user data rate using the ECMA 102 protocol. The user data is transmitted from a data adapter to a user terminal at a first data rate, the adapted data is received by the data adapter at a second data rate, and the second data rate is greater than the first data rate. The adapted data contains a start element and a plurality of data elements while the user data contains a start element and at least one stop element.

Abstract: A message arrangement and method for interfacing a digital telephone Digital system including a Digital Facility Line Card (DFLC) that connects a user operated Telephone Instrument (DTI) to a stored program operated digital Central Office (CO) system. The message arrangement comprises, a DFLC message processor that generates and transmits to the DTI control messages in response to report messages transmitted by the DTI, following a user activated DTI event. The control messages provide the user with visual and aural DTI operating information. The DFLC message processor further generates and transmits to a CO system central controller, device report messages requesting access to, and network services from the CO system, responsive to call processing report messages from the DTI. The CO system central controller sends device control messages to the DFLC which operates in accordance with the received device control messages to generate and transmit to the DTI, DTI control messages.

Abstract: A data adapter for simultaneously providing a low speed channel, a first high speed data channel, and a second high speed channel over a two wire connection; the two wire connection connects the data adapter to a telephone system. The data adapter includes a line transceiver connected to the two-wire connection, the line interface provides a full duplex transmission link with the telephone system over the two-wire connection. A telephone interface converts data between the first high speed channel and a telephone instrument. A rate adapter converts data between the second high speed channel and a data processing equipment. A protocol controller performs a packet protocol on the low speed channel, and routes the first high speed channel to the telephone interface and the second high speed channel to the rate adapter.

Abstract: A tool for extracting a cable connector from a cable shroud. The cable and cable connector are connected to a cable shroud. The extraction tool must disengage the shroud locking tabs before the cable connector can be removed. The alignment members mate with the cable connector and, when fully inserted, disengage the shroud locking tabs. To remove the cable connector, the extraction tool must be firmly attached to the cable connector. This is accomplished by forcing the engagement pins into the engagement holes. The engagement pins are forced into the engagement holes by moving the actuator plate from the open position to the closed position causing the locking apparatus to force the engagement pins into the engagement holes.

Abstract: A digital test card for testing the quality of a digital system in a central office system is disclosed. Where the digital system consists of a digital line card connected to a customer premise equipment by a two-wire connection. The digital test card comprises a line interface which provides a full duplex transmission link. When the digital test card is testing the customer premises equipment the line interface operates as a master; when testing the digital line card the line interface operates as a slave. There is also a relay for connecting the line interface to the customer premise equipment or the digital line card. Connected between the line interface and the central office system is a buffer. A protocol controller connected to the line interface performs a packet protocol. And finally there is a processor. Under the direction of the central office system, the processor controls the operation of the digital line card and determines the quality of the digital system.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for distributing operating program data stored in a common memory area of a digital telephone system, to a plurality of digital telephone system controllers. The method includes transmitting the operating program data from the common memory via a control/data bus to remotely located digital facility test card. The digital facility test card receives and stores a load image of the operating program in random access memory (RAM). A PCM network connection is established from the digital facility test card to each of the plurality of digital telephone controllers through the digital telephone system. The stored load image from the digital facility test card RAM is then transmitted to each of the digital telephone system controllers via the PCM network connection.

Abstract: The process of the present invention allows interconnecting one conductive layer to another in a Multichip Module. The process uses bumps formed by wire bonding, or any other means of forming bumps of 0.002"-0.004" height with comparable diameter. These bumps create an opening through dielectric insulating layers, thereby allowing one conductive layer to be electrically connected to the next conductive layer.