Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a metal material. The method comprises a temperature increasing step of increasing the temperature of a silver material having undergone final plastic working to 700° C. or more and less than a melting point of the silver material in a vacuum or a helium gas atmosphere, a heating step of maintaining the silver material at 700° C. or more and less than the melting point, and a cooling step of cooling the silver material to room temperature in a vacuum or a helium gas atmosphere. For a part of the period of the heating step, the silver material is heated in a mixed atmosphere in which hydrogen gas is mixed with helium gas.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus enabling a user to place originals on any of sheet feed trays without confirming requested orientation of the originals, either front facing or back facing. Image data of an original fed from a first sheet feed tray and read by a first reading unit is processed handling as image data of a front surface of the original, and image data of an original fed from the first sheet feed tray and read by a second reading unit is processed handling as image data of a back surface thereof. Image data of an original fed from a second sheet feed tray and read by the first reading unit is processed handling as image data of the back surface of the original, and image data of an original fed from the second sheet feed tray and read by the second reading unit is processed handling as image data of the front surface thereof.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus and a control method therefor, which can suppress the influence of external light, and obtain an appropriate read image. To accomplish this, the image reading apparatus executes a Light-on reading processing for turning on an LED and causing a sensor to read an original document on a original platen at the first resolution, and a Light-off reading processing for turning off a light source and causing the sensor to read the original document on the original platen at the second resolution. In accordance with the influence of external light in an Light-off mode image read by the Light-off reading processing, the image reading apparatus removes the influence of external light in a Light-on mode image read by the Light-on reading processing.

Abstract: A network scanning system has a control apparatus connected to a connection device via a network and includes a scanning application for remotely controlling a scanner, where the scanning application receives a command from the connection device and automatically transmits to a display unit of the connection device via the network without a user operation of the scanning application, a selection screen information, the connection device displays a selection menu and transmits, to the scanning application in the control apparatus, a selection item information specifying an item selected by a user of the display unit, and the scanning application automatically transmits, to the connection device without a user operation of the scanning application in the control apparatus, a control signal based on the selection item, and the scanning application in the control apparatus automatically controls the scanner remotely in accordance with the control signal via the network.

Abstract: The light-quantity control apparatus includes a base member having an opening allowing light to pass therethrough, a first aperture blade movable in a direction orthogonal to a light passing direction, a second aperture blade rotatable in a surface orthogonal to the light passing direction, and a driving lever to be rotated by a driver to drive the first and second aperture blades. The base member has a protruding portion engaging with a groove portion provided in the first aperture blade, the second aperture blade has a driving cam groove portion with which a driving pin provided in the driving lever slidably engages and a rotation center hole portion with which the protruding portion engages. The second aperture blade is rotated about the protruding portion by sliding of the driving pin with respect to the driving cam groove portion with rotation of the driving lever.

Abstract: An information reading system comprising an information processing apparatus, a first information reading apparatus which is connected to the information processing apparatus and reads information on a sheet and a second information reading apparatus which is connectable to one of the information processing apparatus and the first information reading apparatus, and reads information on a sheet. The information processing apparatus comprises a control program including a first driver required to control the first information reading apparatus, and a second driver required to control the second information reading apparatus. Control information from the information processing apparatus to the second information reading apparatus is transmitted via the first driver and the second driver.

Abstract: A network scanning system has a control apparatus connected to a connection device via a network and includes a scanning application for remotely controlling a scanner, where the scanning application receives a command from the connection device and automatically transmits to a display unit of the connection device via the network without a user operation of the scanning application, a selection screen information, the connection device displays a selection menu and transmits, to the scanning application in the control apparatus, a selection item information specifying an item selected by a user of the display unit, and the scanning application automatically transmits, to the connection device without a user operation of the scanning application in the control apparatus, a control signal based on the selection item, and the scanning application in the control apparatus automatically controls the scanner remotely in accordance with the control signal via the network.

Abstract: A management server which is connected to a plurality of client terminals via a network, includes a storage unit adapted to store a management policy including usage-permitted time periods of the plurality of client terminals, and an application unit adapted to read out from the storage unit the management policy including the usage-permitted time period of the client terminal to be managed, output the readout management policy to the client terminal, and apply the usage-permitted time period to the client terminal, and extends the usage-permitted time period of the client terminal in accordance with a state of the client terminal.

Abstract: The storage unit of a peripheral device has a first storage area and a second storage area. The first storage area stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types. The second storage area is a storage area which is recognized by an information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area. The information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage recognized by it as the external storage device, and executes the program. The information processing apparatus thus controls the peripheral device.

Abstract: An original processing apparatus capable of enhancing original processing ability even in the case of continuously processing a plurality of originals. In a first processing unit of the original processing apparatus, MICR characters on an original conveyed along a conveying path are read and an image of a front side of the original is read. The original is then conveyed to a position short of a second processing unit, and the next original is fed to the conveying path. When control information including print information is created based on a result of the processing by the first processing unit, the original positioned short of the second processing unit is conveyed to the second processing unit where print information is printed on the original and an image of a back side of the original is read.

Abstract: When a through hole is formed in a primary conductor, a measurement target current partially becomes a bypass current that flows around the through hole. Only a magnetic field component in the X-axis direction is generated from the current that flows through a portion without the influence of the through hole. However, the bypass current generates a magnetic field component in the Y-axis direction at the tilt portion. A magnetic detection element having a magnetic field detection sensitivity only in the Y-axis direction is installed near the through hole such that the magnetic field detection direction is set in the Y-axis direction, thereby detecting the magnetic field component and measuring the current amount without the influence of a neighboring current.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus including a shading correction mechanism that can be formed by fewer component parts than conventional ones, and is increased in the degree of freedom of design, thereby enabling reduction of the size and weight thereof. A contact glass guides an original to an image reading position. A glass holding member holds the glass. A line image sensor reads an image on the original conveyed to the image reading location, through the contact glass. A reference member is disposed at a location different from the image reading location on the contact glass. A moving mechanism relatively moves the line image sensor and the reference member so that the line image sensor can alternatively read the original conveyed to the image reading location and the reference member. A drive section externally drives the moving mechanism to move the line image sensor and/or the reference member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus capable of obtaining a sufficient conveying force for pulling back double-fed overlapping sheets to a stacking tray side. A sheet feeding member feeds sheets incoming from a stacking tray which stacks the sheets into a conveying pass. A separating member separates the sheets fed to the conveying pass by the sheet feeding member one by one. A double feed detection sensor generates an output for detecting double feed of sheets fed to the conveying pass. A rotatable member contacts the fed sheet. A driving unit rotationally drives at least the rotatable member in a rotational direction for reverse feeding of sheets. A control unit controls the driving unit when the double feed of sheets is detected based on the output of the double feed detection sensor, such that the rotatable member is rotationally driven in the rotational direction for reverse feeding of sheets.

Abstract: An image scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus can be used on a network at a low cost, and further, the firmware of hardware for this purpose can be a maintenance-free firmware, thus user's convenience can be improved. A scanner/network connection apparatus 100 to connect a scanner 200 to a network 300 has an LCD server to drive a LCD as a display unit, a touch panel task to transmit a touch position on a touch panel, and a SCSI server to connect the scanner 200 to the network. A PC 500 to control the scanner has a virtual LCD driver, a virtual touch panel driver, and a virtual SCSI driver, operating to provide an environment as if the LCD, the touch panel and the image scanner of the scanner/network connection apparatus 100 are connected to the PC 500. The virtual LCD driver draws a screen image as a user interface for various operations, and the result of drawing is displayed on the LCD of the scanner/network connection apparatus 100.

Abstract: The storage unit of a peripheral device has a first storage area and a second storage area. The first storage area stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types. The second storage area is a storage area which is recognized by an information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area. The information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage recognized by it as the external storage device, and executes the program. The information processing apparatus thus controls the peripheral device.

Abstract: A work hardening treatment which decreases the Young's modulus, and an age hardening treatment which recovers or increases the Young's modulus decreased by the work hardening treatment are performed to form a vibrating portion, thereby attaining a vibrating element (30) advantageous in downsizing while ensuring desired fatigue characteristics and vibration characteristics. This downsizes, for example, an actuator device (1), an optical scanning device, a video projection apparatus, and an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A peripheral device is selectively connected to an information processing apparatus including a first operating system and an information processing apparatus including a second operating system whose execution file is incompatible with that of the first operating system. The storage unit of the peripheral device stores a control program to be executed by the information processing apparatus. The control program includes a first control program to be executed on the first operating system and a second control program to be executed on the second operating system. After the peripheral device transmits the control program to the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus writes instruction information in the storage unit of the peripheral device in accordance with the control program. The peripheral device operates based on the instruction information.

Abstract: There is provided a self-excited switching power supply circuit which shifts to continuous oscillating operation immediately after the self-excited switching power supply circuit is connected to an AC power supply and started and which does not cause start-up failure while using a start-up resistor of a high resistance value to maintain standby power consumption at a low level. A bypass charging circuit connected in series to a start-up resistor is connected between a high-voltage side terminal of a DC input power supply and the gate of an oscillation field effect transistor. A charging current flowing in the start-up resistor, and additionally, a charging current to charge a start-up capacitor through the bypass charging circuit flow in a transitional period during which the voltage of the DC input power supply increases.

Abstract: There is provided a self-excited switching power supply circuit. A cycle control capacitor is charged with a flyback voltage generated in a feedback winding of a transformer during OFF operation period in which an exciting current does not flow in a primary winding of the transformer. An OFF control capacitor the charging speed of which changes ON operation period is charged with the charging voltage of the cycle control capacitor during the ON operation period in which an exciting current flows in the primary winding. The charging voltage of the cycle control capacitor is changed with a periodic cycle Tc sufficiently longer than an oscillation cycle To to make the oscillation cycle To of continuous oscillating operation variable based on the periodic cycle Tc. As a result, the frequency of a harmonic is distributed.