Abstract: An ink jet apparatus comprising a nozzle arranged to eject ink droplets and an edge detector arranged to detect droplets having a first range of trajectories and arranged not to detect droplets having a second range of trajectories, the nozzle being arranged to eject one or more first droplets from each of a plurality of positions known relative to the edge detector, the positions being arranged such that the number of first droplets detected by the edge detector varies in dependence upon the magnitude of a component of the ejection direction of the nozzle, the apparatus being arranged to substantially determine a component of the ejection direction of the nozzle in dependence upon the detection by the edge detector.

Abstract: A micro-mover system includes an information storage unit having multiple pairs of parallel plates closely spaced from each other to enable the exchange of information. A micro electromechanical system (MEMS) motor is associated with each pair of plates to move one of each pair of parallel plates in a plane parallel to the other plate in each pair to facilitate the exchange of information between each pair of plates. One pair of parallel plates is oriented to move in a direction opposite to another pair of parallel plates. Control circuitry is associated with each MEMS motors to coordinate the plate pair movements associated with that motor, so that the motion of one plate in one set of parallel plates occurs at the same time and in a direction opposite to the movement of the one plate of another set of parallel plates, thereby canceling a substantial level of total momentum arising from movement within the micro-mover system.

Abstract: A method of ejecting fluid from an ejection device is described. This method includes adding fluid to a firing chamber, and passing a first amount of charge through a heating element of the firing chamber. The first amount of charge causes the heating element to emit a first quantity of thermal energy, thereby forming a vapor bubble in fluid adjacent the heating element to eject fluid from the firing chamber. A second amount of charge is passed through the heating element to cause the heating element to emit a second amount of thermal energy that is insufficient to eject fluid from the firing chamber.

Abstract: A swath printing system such as multi-color inkjet printing which uses lower resolution printheads of at least 300 dpi nozzle spacing to achieve high resolution output of at least 600 dpi addressability in both the X (media advance) and Y (carriage scan) axes. Synchronized depletion masks for area fills and edge enhancement is provided which is plot independent and prevents drop overlap. It is especially suited for multi-pass print modes since each row has a balanced number of pixels, and there are no rows which have no “on” pixels. The depletion includes separate depletion masks and rules for edge enhancement as compared to area fills. Each color plane is depleted separately, but subject to the same depletion rules and masks. A separate depletion step provides for narrowing the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the figure to be printed.

Abstract: A system for presenting a multi-modal picture includes picture presentation equipment for displaying an image of the picture and for enabling a user to interact with the picture by selecting a particular picture feature and asking a specific query relating to the feature. A voice browser system controlled according to dialog scripts associated with the picture, determines an appropriate response having regard to the spoken user query and the selected picture feature. Each picture can have multiple narrators associated with it and the can choose which narrator is currently active. Picture authoring apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: Method and system for migrating a logical volumes in a distributed file system having multiple partitions servers. Each partition server owns one or more volumes, and each volume including a subset of logically related objects of the file system. In response to a migration request that requests migration of a selected logical volume from a source partition server to the target partition server, an ownership map is updated to indicate the selected logical volume is owned by the target partition server. At the source partition server, forwarding information is stored to reference the target partition server. When the source partition server receives a request for access to the object, the forwarding information is transmitted to the requester.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for assigning policies which are rules that govern the use of or access to network services. Each rule defines conditions that when evaluated true trigger actions to allow or deny the service. Techniques are disclosed which provide for explicit, flexible, and centralized assignment of policy to targets which are specified network services. These techniques include explicitly associating a policy with a network resource or process, grouping policy related processes, grouping related targets, associating groups of targets with groups of policies, mapping a user name contained in a policy to an associated network address such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and providing dynamically mapped policy identified user and host names with associated network addresses, such as IP addresses, to client processes.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for updating references to a migrated object in a distributed file system. A migrated object is an object has moved from a source partition server to a target partition server. Each object has an associated parent object and each partition server owns a subset of objects of the file system. A set of forward pointers that reference one or more child objects of the parent object is maintained in each parent object. In the migrated object a set of back pointers is maintained that reference one or more parent objects having forward pointers to the migrated object. To each partition server that owns a parent object of the migrated object, an update request is transmitted. The forward pointers in each parent object are updated in response to the update request.

Abstract: A card cage having a series of circuit board slots may be modified using various components of a circuit board adapter. The card cage has a series of slots, each slot having common dimensions and including card guides adapted to house a full height circuit board card by holding a top end and a bottom end of the full height circuit board card. Each modified slot also includes a set of cooperating vertical support member guides located within the slot which cooperate to house the vertical support member within the slot by holding the top end and the bottom end thereof. The vertical support member supports an intermediate card guide which cooperates with at least one of the card guides to house a smaller circuit board within the slot by holding a top end and a bottom end therebetween. Thus, when the intermediate card guide is removed from the slot, a full vertical height circuit board card may be inserted within the slot.

Abstract: Two motors are used to provide motion control in a transport drive system. A primary motor, or a primary and secondary motor, provides primary power for accelerated motion. PWM signals are used to drive the motors according to predetermined fixed functions related to acceleration, deceleration and hold of a load. Alternatively, during onset of large or high speed moves, the primary and secondary motors are on in tandem. During deceleration of a move, the torque provided by the secondary motor is reversed, providing active braking and ensuring the drive train remains loaded wherein backlash is eliminated. During a driver hold phase, the primary and secondary motor push against each other to actively control positioning.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dynamic adjustment for black ink volume to print a black object whose height is greater than one swath of the inkjet printer. The black ink volume is increased by using a greater number of nozzles compared to the number of nozzles used to print color or a second fluid for underprinting the black ink.

Abstract: An automatic contrast enhancement method improves the quality of an image by increasing the dynamic range of the tone levels in an image without causing an undesirable hue shift. An overall stretch factor that stretches the dynamic range of all the colors is generated based on the standard deviation of the tone levels for the overall luminance of the image. A color weighting factor is used to individually control the amount that each color is stretched. The color weighting factor is based on the difference between the standard deviation of the tone levels for the overall luminance of the image and the standard deviation of the tone levels for each color. An anchor factor is used to preserve the mean tone level for each color while the tone levels far from the mean tone level are changed more dramatically than the tone levels close to the mean tone level, which minimizes hue shifts while maximizing contrast enhancement.

Abstract: A process for bonding two distinct substrates that integrate microsystems, including the steps of forming micro-integrated devices in at least one of two substrates using micro-electronic processing techniques and bonding the substrates. Bonding is performed by forming on a first substrate bonding regions of deformable material and pressing the substrates one against another so as to deform the bonding regions and to cause them to react chemically with the second substrate. The bonding regions are preferably formed by a thick layer of a material chosen from among aluminum, copper and nickel, covered by a thin layer of a material chosen from between palladium and platinum. Spacing regions ensure exact spacing between the two wafers.

Abstract: A printer carriage has a bushing liner arranged to slide on a rod, the liner including a metal body with plastic inserts having, on their inside surfaces, ribs, which constitute the bearings of the bushing liner. The inserts are located in grooves of the metallic body by means of an injection moulding process. The external surface of the bushing liner comprises a plurality of flat and curved sections arranged asymmetrically to permit firm and accurate location in an aperture of the carriage.

Abstract: This present invention is embodied in a printing system and protocol for providing efficient control of energy characteristics of an inkjet printhead. The printing system includes a controller, a power supply and a printhead assembly having a memory device and a distributive processor integrated with an ink driver. The distributive processor maintains energy characteristics of the printhead assembly within preprogrammed acceptable boundaries.

Abstract: An electrical interconnect cleaning system cleans an electrically conductive ink residue from a portion of an inkjet cartridge upon removal from an inkjet printing mechanism to prevent short circuiting of the interconnect conductors across the ink residue. In a passive carriage-based version of the system, a spring-biased wiper arm extends from a carriage which holds the cartridge and pushes a wiper head into wiping contact with the interconnect when the cartridge is removed from the carriage. In an active service station-based version of the system, an L-shaped wiper is brought into wiping contact with the electrical interconnect through motion of the service station platform, which also supports appliances for servicing a printhead portion of the cartridge. A method of cleaning this ink residue from the cartridge, and an inkjet printing mechanism having such an electrical interconnect cleaning system are also provided.

Abstract: A method, a computer readable medium and an apparatus for reducing the impact of slew decap on image quality in a printing system is disclosed. In one respect, the invention pertains to a method for reducing the impact of slew decap on image quality in a printing system includes a printhead. The printhead includes a nozzle and the nozzle is configured to fire ink on a print medium. The ink is operable to produce a pixel on the print medium. The method includes producing a pixel with the nozzle. The pixel is produced by multi-dotting. Multi-dotting includes firing ink multiple times in succession from the nozzle at a pixel location corresponding to the pixel. In another respect, the invention pertains to a computer readable medium on which is embedded computer software comprising a set of instructions for performing the above method. In yet another respect, the invention utilizes an apparatus configured perform the above method.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array having a substrate, an array of memory cells disposed over the substrate, row conductors coupled to the memory cells, and column conductors coupled to the memory cells. The memory device also includes current sources that generate variable write currents in response to temperature changes in the memory array. The variable write currents are generated to accommodate the change in coercivities of the memory cells as the temperature of the array changes. A current source can include a temperature sensor that provides a continuous, immediate output to the current sensor to ensure accurate adjustment of a write current generated by the current source. There is no need to halt operation of the memory device to calibrate the current source. In addition, the current source provides an accurate adjustment to the write current because the temperature used by the temperature sensor to generate the output may be taken contemporaneously with generation of the write current.

Abstract: A display system for performing a multi-media work that includes image data and sound data associated with the image data. The system includes a display for displaying an image derived from said image data, an audio playback system for combining and playing first and second audio tracks, and a pointing system for selecting a region of the image on the display in response to commands from a user of the display system. The system also includes a playback processor for altering the combination of the first and second audio tracks played by the audio playback system in response to the pointing system selecting a new region. The playback processor also alters the display such that the portion of the image selected by the pointing system is centered in the display.

Abstract: A printer has a media transport with a rigid, air-transmissive platen. A movable air-transmissive flexible web overlays the platen. A suction device communicates with the platen to draw air through the web and through the platen such that a sheet of media carried on the web is biased toward the platen. A valve sheet overlays or underlies the platen, and includes a plurality of shut-off elements, each movable in response to temperature changes between a closed position in which the element contacts a portion of the platen to prevent air flow through that portion of the platen, and an open position, in which the element is spaced apart from the platen to admit air to the platen portion. The shut off elements may include resistive heaters and bimetallic strips, so that application of electricity generates heat to flex the strip to an open position.