Abstract: A film mirror for reflecting sunlight includes a polymer film substrate, a reflective layer including silver coating, and a protective coating layer in sequence from the incident side of sunlight. The reflective layer is formed by coating and calcining (firing) a coating liquid containing a silver complex compound.

Abstract: A radiation image capturing system which includes a radiation image capturing apparatus including a detection part, a scan activation unit, switch units, a reading circuit, a control unit and a communication unit, a radiation generation apparatus and a console wherein the radiation image capturing apparatus switches an image capturing method between a cooperation method in which radiation image capturing is performed in cooperation with the radiation generation apparatus and a non-cooperation method in which radiation image capturing is performed without cooperation with the radiation generation apparatus, and the console switches standby time which is a time period after the radiation image capturing apparatus becomes able to perform radiation image capturing until the radiation source is allowed to emit radiation onto the radiation image capturing apparatus between the cooperation method and the non-cooperation method.

Abstract: A method for image processing a two-dimensional (2D) code, including: obtaining an image by scanning a screen displaying the 2D code using a plurality of pixels, where the image includes multiple hard edges corresponding multiple spaces on the screen between the multiple pixels; identifying a pixel pitch of the screen; reducing the multiple hard edges by applying a filter based on the pixel pitch to the image; and generating, after reducing the multiple hard edges, a binary image including the 2D code by applying a threshold function to the image.

Abstract: A method and system for managing print job through a process carried out by an online web-store server. The process includes the steps of receiving a print job order by a web-store server, and checking a remote cache via a network to determine whether a PDF file is stored therein. If the matching PDF file does not exist, then the server generates a new PDF file containing the sequence of articles and transmits the new PDF file to the print server, and saves the new PDF file in the remote cache. If the matching PDF exists, then the stored PDF is retrieved from the remote cache, and the print server uses the retrieved PDF file to print the print job without the web-store server creating the new PDF file or transmitting the new PDF file to the print server.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an image of an actively lit medium (ALM) using a capture device and an illumination source, including: calibrating the capture device for dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU); determining a final exposure value and a final gain value by executing at least one scan of the ALM using the capture device with the illumination source extinguished; and generating the image by scanning, with the illumination source extinguished, the ALM using the capture device set to the final exposure value and the final gain value.

Abstract: A cooperation system includes an image forming apparatus and a mobile information device. The image forming apparatus includes a storage portion which stores source data, and an image forming portion which forms an image of the source data on a sheet of paper. The mobile information device includes an image pickup portion, an image pickup control portion which acquires a picked-up image that the image pickup portion outputs by picking up an image of the image formed on the sheet by the image forming apparatus, a source data acquiring portion which acquires the source data corresponding to the picked-up image from the image forming apparatus, a process target determining portion which determines, on the basis of the picked-up image, a process target part to be processed within the acquired source data, and a process executing portion which executes processing on the determined process target part within the source data.

Abstract: A method of aligning a capacitive wireless power transmission system, the method comprises: providing a transmitter device having a capacitive conductor; positioning a receiver device having a capacitive conductor in proximity to the capacitive conductor of the transmitter device; and aligning the capacitive conductors of the transmitter device and the receiver device with one another using a display panel on the receiver device to optimize a transfer of power between the capacitive conductors.

Abstract: A method for printing an electronic document (ED) using a multifunction printer (MFP), including: obtaining, by the MFP, an image by scanning a screen of a mobile device displaying a graphical code having a unique identifier (UID) of a print job associated with the ED; extracting, by the MFP, the UID of the print job from the image; sending, by the MFP, the UID of the print job to a print server over a first network operatively connecting the MFP and the print server; receiving, by the MFP and in response to sending the UID, the print job associated with the ED over the first network; and printing, by the MFP, a hardcopy of the ED after receiving the print job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording sheet by transporting the recording sheet through a fixing nip formed by a heating rotating body and a pressing rotating body that press against each other. The image forming apparatus includes an idle rotation unit that causes idle rotation of the heating rotating body and the pressing rotating body during a standby state of the image forming apparatus, a cumulative amount recording unit that measures an amount of the idle rotation and record a cumulative amount of the idle rotation, and a prohibiting unit that prohibits the idle rotation unit from causing the idle rotation when the cumulative amount reaches a predetermined allowable value.

Abstract: Object is that an output sound pressure at transmission or an output voltage at reception of a predetermined higher resonance component becomes higher than those of the primary resonance component. The piezoelectric material layer 24 has an electrode on the surface of the piezoelectric material of between the layer and both ends, and outputs and inputs an electrical signal with this electrode. The piezoelectric material 24 has a remanent polarization in a thickness direction, the relationship of the (4P+1)th layer piezoelectric material from fixed end side is used as the basic relationship, piezoelectric materials are periodically arranged so that piezoelectric materials of (4p+2)th and (4p+3)th layer each has an opposite relationship, and (4p+4)th layer has the same relationship as the basic relationship.

Abstract: A system is described for facilitating purchase of copyrighted works, in particular, works that may be offered for variable prices depending on the purchaser's characteristics. A server interacts with multiple digital content repositories as well as users. The server stores user characteristics information in user accounts, and uses such information to obtain best prices for users for the contents they request. If additional user characteristics information is request by some repositories before offering a price, the server interacts with the user to obtain such information. The server automatically selects the best price among those offered by the repositories, and completes the purchase transaction.

Abstract: A method and system that facilitates power management over an IPv6 network connection is described. A first host having an application creates a power management option for managing power management settings of one or more second hosts, which is in network communication with the first host. A neighbor solicitation request is sent with the power management option to the one or more second hosts, wherein the power management option requests the power management settings of the one or more second hosts. A table of the power management settings for each of the one or more second hosts is generated from the responses received from the neighbor solicitation request, and the power management settings are applied to the one or more second hosts.

Abstract: A cleaning device and an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing staying of toner in a brush and reducing stress on a brush by discharge products are provided. A cleaning device includes upstream and downstream cleaning brushes and a cleaning roller, which respectively contact the surface of a secondary transfer belt, and first to third bias applying sections. The first bias applying section applies a bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the normal toner to the upstream cleaning brush. The second bias applying section applies a bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the normal toner and set to be not less than the absolute value of the bias voltage applied to the upstream cleaning brush, to the downstream cleaning brush. The third bias applying section applies a bias voltage having the same polarity as that of the normal toner to the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A catheter guidance system and method for guiding a catheter through the bloodstream of the patient's cardiovascular system in a medical procedure. The catheter has a front tip with a heating element for slightly heating a media surrounding the front tip in a blood vessel of the patient's cardiovascular system, and two temperature measuring elements located adjacent to and in front and behind the heating element respectively for measuring temperatures in the media at their respective locations. A guidance device is coupled to the catheter for converting the heating power and temperature measurement signals to digital signals, processing the digital signals, and displaying guidance information indicative of the location of the front tip of the catheter relative to the blood vessel wall of the patient's cardiovascular system. The guidance information may be shown by an intuitive traffic light type display.

Abstract: A method and system for managing print job through a process that includes the steps of receiving a print job order for printing a multiplicity of articles, processing the multiplicity of articles to create an identification (ID) for each article, and determining whether an article ID stored in a database matches any of the new IDs of the multiplicity articles. If a matching article ID does not exist, then keeping the article and storing the ID of the kept article in the database. If a matching article ID exists, then removing the article from the print job, and repeating the above steps until all of the multiplicity of articles are processed accordingly. When printing the job, only the remaining articles are printed.

Abstract: A method for physically securing a first host device upon a detection of a change in an external environment. The method includes initializing the first host device, the first host device having an application, which performs the following steps: creates a neighbor cache table for monitoring a network connection between the first host device and one or more second host devices; monitors the external network connections between the first host device and the one or more second host devices; and upon determining a change in an external environment between the host device and the one or more second host devices, securing the host device from processing jobs and/or requests from the one or more second host devices.

Abstract: Provided is an image input device capable of generating a luminance signal having a high ratio of S/N of an image, and further capable of providing the image with a little uncomfortable feeling even in the night time when the amount of photons is few, wherein, when a visible light luminance signal is relatively low, and an infrared component is predominant in an original image component, for example, correcting color-difference signals with added luminance prevents the color-difference signals with the added luminance from being too high, thereby it becomes possible to perform more natural color reproduction, which is close to original visible light, and gives a little uncomfortable feeling.

Abstract: In a workflow execution system, work control information for executing a work assigned to one of a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network; workflow execution information indicating which works of a workflow have been executed; and information indicating an image processing apparatus on the next tier, are stored in a portable recording medium. When the work is executed by a proxy image processing apparatus, it is judged from the information stored in the portable recording medium whether or not the work can be executed by the proxy image processing apparatus, and if it can be executed, the work is executed based on the information stored in the portable recording medium. When proxy execution of the work is completed, workflow execution information including the execution result and image information are stored in the portable recording medium and transmitted to the image processing apparatus on the next tier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member that moves at a specified speed; a toner pattern forming section for forming toner patterns of a specified type on the image bearing member under specified image forming conditions; a toner pattern detection member for detecting the toner patterns formed on the image bearing member; a toner amount varying section for varying a target amount of toner to adhere to the toner patterns; and a control section that calculates a toner adherence amount and a toner adherence position from detection results outputted from the toner pattern detection member and that performs image stabilization control to adjust the image forming conditions based on the calculation results. In the image stabilization control, the control section uses detection results of the same toner patterns both to calculate the toner adherence amount and to calculate the toner adherence position.

Abstract: There is provided a device for manufacturing a molded glass body, including a fall-prevention means for preventing the glass molded body which has stuck on the upper mold from falling down on the lower mold. Thus, the molded glass body does not damage the lower mold, even if the molded glass body which has stuck on the upper mold falls down from the upper mold, during a period from an end of the pressure molding to releasing and withdrawing the molded glass body obtained by the pressure molding from the any one of the upper mold and the lower mold.