Abstract: According to an ink replacement method in an ink-jet recording apparatus that includes a recording head having an ink ejection face in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink onto a recording medium are arranged, a sub-tank that temporarily stores the ink fed from an ink container, and an ink flow passage through which the ink circulates from the sub-tank via the recording head to the sub-tank, gas is inserted between first ink present in the ink flow passage and second ink newly supplied to the recording head via the ink flow passage to form a gas-liquid interface between the first and second ink and gas, and then the first ink is replaced with the second ink.

Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a sheet loading unit, a folding processing unit, and an ejection roller. The folding processing unit includes a folding roller pair. A sheet alignment part and a sheet moving part are provided. A sheet loading tray includes an upstream-side loading part and a downstream-side loading part. The sheet alignment part includes an upstream-side alignment part and a downstream-side alignment part. The downstream-side alignment part includes a side plate, a fixed guide plate, and a movable guide plate supported on the side plate in such a manner as to be swingable between a retreat position and a regulation position.

Abstract: A job processing unit of an image forming apparatus notifies a management server of a first file selected from a file list by a user, a file supply unit of the management server acquires the first file from first cloud storage and transmits the acquired first file to the image forming apparatus, the job processing unit of the image forming apparatus executes a job using the first file and transmits a job log including a job counter value and identification information of the first cloud storage to the management server, and a job log aggregation unit of the management server is configured to aggregate a job counter value for identification information of each piece of cloud storage and counts up the job counter value included in the job log.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a flow channel member, a pressurization part, a plurality of discharge holes, a flexible substrate, a cover member, and a heater. The flow channel member includes a first surface and a second surface that is positioned on an opposite side of the first surface. The pressurization part is positioned on the first surface. The plurality of discharge holes are positioned on the second surface. For the flexible substrate, a one-end part thereof that is positioned on the pressurization part is electrically connected to the pressurization part. The cover member covers the one-end part of the flexible substrate. The heater is positioned on the cover member.

Abstract: An image recognition method includes a feature amount extracting step of generating, from an input image, a base feature map group including a plurality of base feature maps; an inferring step of deriving a plurality of inference results using each of a plurality of machine-learned inference devices for a plurality of inference inputs based on the base feature map group; and an integrating step of integrating the plurality of inference results by a specific manner to derive a final inference result, where each of the plurality of inference inputs has some or all base feature maps of the plurality of base feature maps, and each of the plurality of inference inputs has the some or all base feature maps that are different in part or whole from the some or all base feature maps of another inference input in the plurality of inference inputs.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a chatbot module which receives an image sent from a terminal apparatus to a chat system, and a message indicating that the image is to be edited; a message determination module which extracts a key value from the message; a database which registers a plurality of different key values, and a plurality of different parameter sets corresponding to each of the key values; and an image editing module which reads, from the database, a plurality of different parameter sets corresponding to the key value extracted from the message, and edits the image in accordance with each of the plurality of different parameter sets, thereby generating a plurality of different edited images. The chatbot module sends the plurality of different edited images to the chat system, and determines the edited image selected on the chat system by the terminal apparatus.

Abstract: A learning dataset generation system: divides a plurality of labeled images into a plurality of clusters by performing clustering on the basis of a feature amount of the labeled images; selects training data for each of the clusters; generates a labeled image classification inference model by learning the training data of all of the clusters; obtains a degree of certainty by performing inference of a labeled image using the labeled image classification inference model, confirms a form in which the degree of certainty with respect to the labeled image is greater than or equal to a specified value as the form of the labeled image, and provides a UI that causes labeled images having the same form as each other to be assigned the same label.

Abstract: The history record unit, in the non-volatile storage device, records recovery history information showing a history of the recovery process. The suspension control unit, when the recovery process' frequency specified based on the recovery history information exceeds a first reference frequency, restricts execution of the specific suspension process which is in response to a satisfaction of the suspension condition. Further, the suspension control unit, when the recovery process' frequency specified based on the recovery history information is lower than a second reference frequency, which is lower than the first reference frequency, under a situation where the specific suspension process' execution is restricted, cancels the restricting of the specific suspension process' execution.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a conveyance portion, a recording head, a detection portion, and a control portion. The recording head is disposed opposite the conveyance portion, and includes a plurality of nozzles which eject ink to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance portion. The detection portion detects the thickness of the recording medium. The control portion controls the ink ejection speed from the recording head based on the thickness of the recording medium detected by the detection portion.

Abstract: In a case where a template associated with a format of an invoice associated with an invoice image is managed in a template database, an information generation system generates information from the invoice image by using the template, and in a case where information is generated from an invoice image by a general-purpose information generation unit, the information generation system generates a template associated with a format of an invoice associated with the invoice image, based on the invoice image, the information, and a template managed in the template database.

Abstract: A color printing system manages ICC profiles by controlling ink use without performing the ICC profile creation operations. To obtain an ink limit for an ICC profile, a table associated with the ICC profile is parsed to determine the ink limit. The ink limit is decreased or increased. For an ink limit decrease, a color over the decreased ink limit is adjusted to meet the new ink limit. The ICC profile is updated accordingly. For an ink limit increase, the combination of primary colors are boosted by a percentage amount. Checks are made with regard to the volume-based ink limit and an quality check operation to accepted the boosted amount. The ICC profile is updated accordingly.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for calculating similarity rates between electronic documents. The similarity rate is calculated based on a count of matching phrases between the electronic documents and distances between subsequent matching phrases in each of the electronic documents. A system is also disclosed for comparing the electronic documents to obtain their similarity rates. A computing device determines at least one first proximity parameter based on the number of matched words in a matching phrase and at least one second proximity parameter based on distances between the subsequent matching phrases in each of the electronic documents. The similarity rate is determined based on the first and second proximity parameters.

Abstract: A printing system implements a peer to peer network to manage resources between printing devices, such as configuration settings, software programs, or multifunctional printer (MFP) applications. When a printing device is added to the peer to peer network, it queries an existing printing device for information about its resources. Such information includes versions of the software programs. The information is used to compare the resources at the added printing device to those within the peer to peer network, using the existing printing device. Any differences are resolved by upgrading the resources at the added printing device by retrieving them within the peer to peer network.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming portions, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary transfer member, a secondary transfer roller, a counter roller, and a charge eliminating device. The counter roller is pressed against the secondary transfer roller via an intermediate transfer belt to thereby form a secondary transfer nip portion. The charge eliminating device includes a charge eliminating needle that is disposed with an end part thereof pointing to a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, and that is grounded, and a charge eliminating needle protection cover that has a guide surface that is opposed to the recording medium having passed through the secondary transfer nip portion. The guide surface is formed of a conductive material having a resistance value of 106? or lower, and is in a floating state.

Abstract: A system wherein a cloud server assigns a customer site as a tenant with an organization number of the customer site and notifies a customer administrator of the organization number; an MFP notifies the cloud server of the organization number entered by the customer administrator and queries the cloud server about a subdirectory name of the customer site; the cloud server notifies the MFP of the subdirectory name associated with the notified organization number; the MFP notifies the customer site accessed using the notified subdirectory name of a serial number of the MFP; and the customer site manages the notified serial number.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out a scattered-toner recovery mode in which, while image formation is prevented from being performed, scattered toner that has dropped from a filter and adhered to an outer peripheral surface of a developer carrying member is recovered by a cleaning unit through intermediation of an image bearing member. A fixed magnet of the developer carrying member has a first pole that faces the image bearing member, a second pole that faces the filter, and an intermediate pole between the first pole and the second pole.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, an ink reservoir portion, an ink amount sensor, a dot counter, and a control portion. The ink reservoir portion stores ink to he ted to the recording head. The ink amount sensor senses the amount of ink in the ink reservoir portion. The dot counter for measures in a cumulative manner the number of dots in the ink ejected from the recording head. The control portion changes the amount of ink ejected from the recording head based on the difference between a calculated value of the amount of consumed ink as calculated based on the cumulative number of dots measured by the dot counter and a measured value of the amount of consumed ink as determined based on the amount of ink in the ink reservoir portion as sensed by the ink amount sensor.

Abstract: A toner supply device includes a supply pipe, a first conveying pipe, a second conveying pipe, a first conveying member, a second conveying member, and a loosening member. The loosening member is arranged in the supply pipe reciprocatably in the extending direction of the supply pipe. The first and second conveying pipes are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting their extending directions so as to join together at a confluence portion to which the supply pipe is connected. The loosening member is coupled with each of the first and second conveying members at the confluence portion and extends inward of the supply pipe.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light scanning device, a developing portion, a control portion and a storage portion. An evaluation chart includes a first evaluation pattern and a second evaluation pattern. The first evaluation pattern includes a first patch row. The first patch row is formed by arranging a plurality of first evaluation patches. The first evaluation patch includes a first dot row and a second dot row. The second evaluation pattern includes a second patch row. The second patch row is formed by arranging a plurality of second evaluation patches.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light scanning device, a developing portion, a control portion and a storage portion. The storage portion stores an evaluation chart. The evaluation chart includes a first evaluation pattern and a second evaluation pattern. The first evaluation pattern includes a first patch row. The first patch row is formed by arranging a plurality of first evaluation patches. The first evaluation patch includes a first dot row, a second dot row and an auxiliary dot row. The second evaluation pattern includes a second patch row. The second patch row is formed by arranging a plurality of second evaluation patches.