Abstract: An information processing apparatus in which a process communicating with an external apparatus operates is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information for identifying the process; a second acquisition unit configured to acquire port information indicating a characteristic of a communication port used by the process to communicate with the external apparatus; and a control unit configured to control a storage unit to store the port information and the identification information in correspondence with each other, wherein the second acquisition unit is further configured to acquire the port information by filtering an input or output of driver software used by the process to use the communication port, monitoring communication between the process and an application programming interface used to access the communication port, or a port monitoring interface.

Abstract: The light amount adjustment apparatus includes a base member formed with cam groove portions, light-blocking blades forming a variable light-passing aperture and being provided with a driving pin and a cam pin engaging with each cam groove portion, a driving ring disposed on an opposite side to a base member side with respect to the light-blocking blades and rotating with respect to the base member to transmit driving force to the driving pins so as to rotate the light-blocking blades. A base member side face of each light-blocking blade is supported by the base member. The driving ring is formed with first blade supporting portions protruding from a ring-shaped portion outward in a radial direction and including a driving hole portion with which the driving pin engages. Each first blade supporting portion supports an opposite side blade face to the base member side blade face of each light-blocking blade.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprises a conveying path formed between an upper and a lower units facing each other; a feed roller which feeds a sheet by a portion partially exposed from an upper surface of the lower unit to the conveying path; a separation member disposed to oppose the feed roller; a stopper which stops entrance of the sheet into the conveying path by abutting against a sheet end in a closed state in which the stopper is moved in a direction to intersect with an exposed surface of the feed roller; a driving unit which drives at least the feed roller and the stopper; and a control unit which controls the driving unit to rotate the feed roller through a predetermined angle in a sheet feeding direction and to then open the stopper when feeding of the sheet is started from the closed state of the stopper.

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: An image reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image reading unit arranged on a conveying path of a first medium and reading an image on the first medium, a conveying unit conveying the first medium and a second medium to the image reading unit, a width of the second medium being smaller than the first medium, and guide portions guiding the second medium introduced from a discharge port along the conveying path.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which is capable of performing accurate shading correction with simple arrangement while preventing a reference member from being scratched and preventing paper powder and the like dust from being deposited on the reference member. The image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit in which a contact glass guides an original on an image reading location. The contact glass is held by a glass holding member. A line image sensor reads the image on the original conveyed on the image reading location, through the contact glass. The image reading unit further includes a reference member whose image is readable by the image sensor, and a moving mechanism to move the image sensor so as to enable the image sensor to alternatively read the original and a reference surface of the reference member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of continually conveying a plurality of originals in a stable manner while cleaning a contact glass of an image sensor and reducing streaks occurring in read images. An image sensor reads an original image via a contact member which the conveyed original may contact. A cleaning member, being provided on a turning member which is able to rotate or swing and disposed at a position opposing the image sensor, cleans the contact member's surface which the original may contact. The turning member is turned by a driving unit. A controlling unit controls the driving unit to turn the turning member so that cleaning of the contact member is performed by the cleaning member after the original has passed an image reading position of the image sensor and before a subsequent original reaches the image reading position.

Abstract: A compression molding which is high in both dimensional accuracy and mechanical strength is difficult to manufacture by a powder molding process. Especially, a molding including a soft magnetic material with high soft magnetic properties is difficult to manufacture. A composite metal molding according to the present invention includes metal particles and the carbide of a resin intervening among the particles. It is manufactured by coating metal particles with a resin, molding the prepared molding material under pressure into a predetermined shape, and heating the prepared pressurized preform to calcine the resin and weld mutually the particles. The carbide of the resin has a weight ratio of 0.001 to 2% to the metal particles when the particles have their proportion expressed as 100. The particles have a weld ratio of 10 to 80%. The particles preferably contain a soft magnetic material and the resin is preferably a furan resin.

Abstract: A magnetic driver comprises a rotor magnet; a coil bobbin around which a coil is wound, and which has a through hole in a central portion; a yoke including a straight portion to be inserted into the through hole, and an arcuate portion connected to a distal end of the straight portion; a support member which rotatably supports the rotor magnet; and a thrust receiving member which includes an engaging portion to be engaged with the support member, has one surface which regulates one end of the rotor magnet in a thrust direction, and the other surface on which the coil bobbin is placed, and is held between the coil bobbin and the arcuate portion of the yoke, wherein the yoke is assembled as an integrated yoke by inserting the straight portion into the through hole, and fixing the straight portion to the arcuate portion as another member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which is capable of performing accurate shading correction with simple arrangement while preventing a reference member from being scratched and paper powder and the like dust from being deposited on the reference member. The image reading apparatus comprises an image reading unit. In the image reading unit, a contact glass guides an original on an image reading location. The contact glass is held by a glass holding member. A line image sensor reads the image on the original conveyed on the image reading location, through the contact glass. The image reading unit further comprises a reference member whose image is readable by the image sensor, and a moving mechanism to move the image sensor so as to enable the image sensor to alternatively read the original and a reference surface of the reference member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which is capable of appropriately performing show-through reduction processing and foundation color reduction processing in accordance with an operation for changing the color of a background member to another one having different color that is read along with an original. An image reading unit reads an image of a conveyed original. A background member has a white-colored member and a black-colored member and is disposed in such a manner that it opposed to the image reading unit. A moving unit moves the background member. A CPU determines a degree of image processing to be applied to read image data depending on the color of an opposing portion of the background member, which is opposed to the image reading unit that is reading an original.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus in which the position of the boundary between an image of an original and a background image, as well as a skew and the size of the image of the original, can be accurately detected even with dust on a line image sensor or on an opposing member opposite to the line image sensor. An image formed on an original is read by a reading unit, and an opposing member is arranged at a position opposite to the reading unit. A plate glass distances the original from the opposing member. Shadow portions of the read image is detected from changes in a sub-scanning direction of pixel data of a read image generated based on output from the reading unit, and boundary coordinate data of the image of the original is obtained.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of preventing the occurrence of a streak and reading a quality image from the leading edge to the trailing edge of a original. An original is conveyed along a convey pass. The original being conveyed is guided by a guide member, at least part of the guide member being transparent. An image of the original being conveyed is read by an image sensor through the guide member. Airflow is generated, the airflow being blown into the convey pass from a location upstream in a conveying direction compared to a location of the image sensor. The guide member has a convex portion disposed at a location upstream in the conveying direction compared to the location of the image sensor.

Abstract: A control program for using a peripheral apparatus is loaded from the peripheral apparatus to the memory of an information processing apparatus. A management program manages the display form of a control object based on execution of the control program. The control object displayed on the information processing apparatus can be switched between the non-display state and the display state. For example, the management program causes the information processing apparatus to execute return from the non-display state to the display state in synchronism with the user manipulation of the peripheral apparatus.

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: 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 image processing apparatus which can be readily used by an authenticated user without laborsome setting even if the user uses the image processing apparatus for the first time through an authentication server. A user is authenticated with an authentication server connected to an image processing apparatus via a network. User unique setting information for the authenticated user is set, and the user unique setting information for each user is stored in user information storing areas. Initial setting information of initial setting of the image processing apparatus is stored in an initial setting information storing area. When the authenticated user uses the image processing apparatus for the first time, duplicate copy of the initial setting information stored in the initial setting information storing area is stored as the user unique setting information in the user information storing areas.

Abstract: To provide a sheet material identifying apparatus for identifying the kind of a sheet material, including an adjusting assembly for dehumidifying or humidifying a predetermined region of the sheet material and adjusting the moisture content of the predetermined region, external force applying means for applying an external force to the predetermined region of the sheet material whose moisture content is adjusted and detecting means for detecting an external force propagated through the sheet while the external force is applied by the external force applying means; wherein an external force is applied to the predetermined region whose moisture content is adjusted through the adjusting assembly by the external force applying means and the kind of a sheet material is identified in accordance with the external force propagated through the sheet detected by the detecting means.

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: An image reading apparatus for reading the image surface of a sheet material brought into close contact with the image reading surface of an image reading unit while passing the sheet material through an image reading gap formed between the sheet conveying surface of a sheet conveying guide and the image reading surface, including a holding member for holding the image reading unit for movement in a direction to change the width of the image reading gap, an upstream roller pair having a first roller member displaceable in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material, and for nipping and conveying the sheet material into the image reading gap, and a downstream roller pair having a second roller member displaceable in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material, and for nipping and conveying the sheet material out of the image reading gap, wherein the image reading unit changes the width of the image reading gap on the basis of the displacement of at least one of the first roller member and the s