Abstract: An image-processing system having an image processor which performs image input or output processing, and a management communication apparatus connected to the image processor and connected via a communication line to a management center, the image processing system having: a retaining unit, provided in a nontarget apparatus which is not subjected to firmware rewriting, that retains firmware-identifying information for identifying a firmware program used before rewriting in a target apparatus which is subjected to firmware rewriting; and a controller that, in the event of failure of the firmware rewriting in the target apparatus, obtains from the management center the firmware program identified by the firmware-identifying information retained in the retaining unit and performs firmware rewriting in the target apparatus using the obtained firmware program.

Abstract: A voltage regulation device adapted for connection to a varying electrical supply and to regulate the voltage supplied to certain selected circuits whose loads benefit from voltage regulation. The device comprises a PWM or phase angle switched autotransformer which is sufficiently compact and lightweight to be incorporated into a standard electrical consumer unit which has separated circuits, ie, those whose loads benefit from voltage regulation and those whose loads do not, such that the former may be controlled by the device to operate at a constant and reduced voltage thus ensuring a reduction in energy consumption and the life enhancement of the appliances connected to the device. The operating temperature of the autotransformer is controlled by temporarily increasing the output voltage of the autotransformer in the event of overheating.

Abstract: A scanned-document management system includes a first user identification information reading unit that acquires identification information of a user who operates a document reading unit. An attribute information generating unit acquires information of a user identified by the user identification information and generates attribute information based on the acquired information of the user. A document registration unit registers the document data and the attribute data in a document management unit. A second user identification information reading unit acquires identification information of the user. A request information generating unit acquires information of a user identified by the user identification information acquired by the second user identification information reading unit and generates document acquisition request information. A corresponding document selection unit selects document data related to the user based on document acquisition request information and the attribute information.

Abstract: A memory device includes a plurality of cells comprising CMOS structures. A non-strobed regenerative sense-amplifier (NSR-SA) is coupled to the cells and employs offset compensation and avoids strobe timing uncertainty to increase read-access speeds.

Abstract: A mooring connector or pipeline recovery tool comprising a mandrel (10) around which is concentrically disposed a ball cage (11) having balls (12) protruding therefrom so that relative longitudinal movement of the mandrel (10) and ball cage (11) causes the balls to ascend ramped surfaces of the mandrel (10) thus to protrude outwardly through the ball cage (11). The conventional arrangement of balls in regular rows and columns is replaced by helical rows or random arrays of the balls thus to avoid excessive grooving and deformation of the wall of a receptor into which the connector is inserted.

Abstract: A Josephson junction (JJ) device includes a buffered substrate comprising a first buffer layer formed on a substrate. A second buffer layer is formed on the first buffer layer. The second buffer layer includes a hexagonal compound structure. A trilayer structure is formed on the buffered substrate comprising at least two layers of a superconducting material. A thin tunnel barrier layer is positioned between the at least two layers. The buffered substrate is used to minimize lattice mismatch and interdiffusion in the trilayer structure so as to allow the JJ device to operate above 20 K.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a quick joint coupling for liquid tight joining of lines under high pressure and comprising a sleeve shaped female part and a male part being introducible into the female part. A male part related to the female part comprises a cylindrical part being introducible into the female part of an envelope surface of which presents a first groove having a certain width. The first groove receives a ring being axially displaceable between the two walls of the groove, which the ring has substantially the same thickness as the depth of the first groove, and which the female part comprises a cylindrical space for receiving the cylindrical part of the male part. The envelope surface of the space is provided with at least a second groove for receiving elastically movable locking means out off and into the cylindrical part.

Abstract: A sample-data analog circuit includes a level-crossing detector. The level-crossing detector controls sampling switches to provide a precise sample of the output voltage when the level-crossing detector senses the predetermined level crossing of the input signal. A multiple segment ramp waveform generator is used in the sample-data analog circuits. The ramp waveform generator includes an amplifier, a variable current source, and a voltage detection circuit coupled to the current source to control the change in the amplitude of the current. The ramp generator produces constant slope within each segment regardless of the load condition. The sample-data analog circuit also utilizes variable bandwidths and thresholds.

Abstract: A collapsible high chair for children comprises a frame, a seat portion, a backrest and an adjusting mechanism, all of which are sequentially connected with. The adjusting mechanism further comprises a pivotal member and a first engaging unit for connecting the seat portion with the frame at a first portion and a second portion of the pivotal member. Two actuating pieces of the first engaging unit respectively cooperate with two rods and make the rods be removed from the pivotal member at the first portion so as to allow the seat portion being pivotally rotated about the second portion. Also, the backrest can be rotated relative to the seat portion, so that the volume of the collapsed high chair is very small. Besides, the seat portion includes at least a movable piece with a bump for be engaged into the slits with different height at the arm of the seat portion to adjust the tray in height.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a SOI substrate. A core structure is formed on the SOI substrate comprising a plurality of multilayers having alternating or aperiodically distributed thin layers of either Si-rich oxide (SRO), Si-rich nitride (SRN) or Si-rich oxynitride (SRON). The multilayers are doped with a rare earth material so as to extend the emission range of the waveguide structure to the near infrared region. A low index cladding includes conductive oxides to act as electrodes.

Abstract: User identification information which is acquired from an originating portable terminal and identifies the originating portable terminal and a destination portable terminal after a wireless communication session is carried out between these portable terminals is registered in a print job database in correlation with print image data to be subjected to image formation. Further, print image data correlated to user identification information corresponding to user confirmation information which is acquired from the destination portable terminal and identifies the originating and destination portable terminals of the wireless communication session carried out between these portable terminals is extracted while referring to the print job database.

Abstract: A storage architecture is disclosed for maintaining data in the event of data storage failure. The storage architecture includes a plurality of disks in a redundant disk array, a time-recovery disk, and an encoder system. Each of the plurality of disks in the redundant disk array includes a parity output bit that provides an indication of the parity of the data in each respective disk. The time-recovery disk is in communication with at least one of the redundant disk arrays. The encoder system is coupled to the parity output bit of the at least one of the disks and is coupled to the time-recovery disk for providing encoding data regarding whether a block of data in the at least one disk has been changed.

Abstract: A phototransistor includes an emitter and a base that comprises Ge. A collector comprises Si. The base, emitter, and collector form at least one Si/Ge heterojunction allowing the unpinning of Fermi energy level (EF) of the phototransistor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to selectably operate a pixel circuit within an active pixel image sensor in a source follower mode or a common source amplifier mode.

Abstract: A computer processing system is disclosed that includes a cache that includes cache blocks of data. The system includes a marking sub-system, an ordering sub-system, and a replacement sub-system. The marking sub-system identifies and marks cache blocks that were provided to the cache via a wrong path with marking data. The ordering sub-system provides an order in which the cache blocks of data will be replaced in the cache, and the ordering sub-system is responsive to the marking data. The replacement sub-system replaces cache blocks in the cache in accordance with the ordering sub-system as required.

Abstract: A device for coupling multimode pump light and a laser signal into or out of a cladding-pumped fibre laser is disclosed, comprising an output optical fibre, a substantially un-tapered feed-through optical fibre, an annular waveguide having a tapered section, and a plurality of multimode pump fibres such that: the signal feed-through fibre is located within the annular waveguide; the signal feed-through fibre is fused into the annular waveguide in the tapered section so that the annular waveguide becomes an additional cladding layer of the feed-through fibre; the end of the feed-through fibre that is fused into the annular waveguide is optically coupled to the output optical fibre; the multimode pump fibres are optically coupled to the annular waveguide in the un-tapered section. Methods of forming the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A lithography system is disclosed that provides an array of areas of imaging electromagnetic energy that are directed toward a recording medium. The reversible contrast-enhancement material is disposed between the recording medium and the array of areas of imaging electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of detecting an output signal that is representative of an alternating electrical signal from a subject. The method includes the steps of: providing a monitoring sensor on the subject, wherein the monitoring sensor includes a conductive element and a composite material that includes a polar material that is substantially dispersed within a polymeric material; receiving the alternating electrical signal from the subject such that the composite changes its dielectric constant responsive to alternately ascending and collapsing voltages of the alternating electric signal from the subject; and providing an output signal via the conductive element responsive to changes in the dielectric constant of the composite that are representative of the alternating electric signal from the subject.

Abstract: A lithography system is disclosed that provides an array of areas of imaging electromagnetic energy that are directed toward a recording medium. The reversible contrast-enhancement material is disposed between the recording medium and the array of areas of imaging electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A process for the fractionation of valuable fractions from cereal brans (e.g. wheat, barley and oat brans, and rice polish) is described. In particular, this invention describes a two step process, in which the said bran is first subjected to a combination of enzymatic treatment and wet milling, followed by sequential centrifugation and ultrafiltration, which aims at physically separating the main bran factions, i.e. insoluble phase (pericarp and aleurone layer), germ-rich fraction, residual endosperm fraction and soluble sugars. A second step consists of fractionating cereal brans substantially free of soluble compounds, hence insoluble phase from the above-mentioned first step, by enzymatic treatment with xylanases and/or beta-glucanase and wet milling, followed by sequential centrifugation and ultrafiltration, which aims at physically separating the main fractions, i.e.