Abstract: A conveying path for a document (D) includes a first conveying path (R1) that turns back midway, and a second conveying path (R2) that does not turn back midway. When the first conveying path (R1) is used, a first side is read and the document (D) is discharged with the first side facing downward. When the second conveying path (R2) is used, a second side is read and the document (D) is discharged with the second side facing downward. When the second conveying path (R2) is used, a warning message (MS1) is displayed.

Abstract: A drying device that dries a medium having an image formed thereon while conveying the medium, includes a conveyance belt having through holes formed in an entire surface thereof and supporting and conveying the medium in a predetermined conveyance direction, a heating section that applies warm air to the medium to dry the image and presses the medium onto the conveyance belt by the warm air, and a suction section that attracts the medium onto the conveyance belt by sucking air through the through holes. At least one of a force with which the heating section presses the sheet against the conveyance belt and a force with which the suction section attracts the medium to the conveyance belt is greater on a downstream side than on an upstream side in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A mediation device that mediates an image forming apparatus and a device management system that generates an F/W update task serving as a task for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus periodically transmits a request for an F/W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the mediation device itself to the device management system and executes the F/W update task transmitted from the device management system.

Abstract: A control unit of an image forming apparatus calculates an actual linear pressure of a cleaning blade by taking into account, with respect to an initial linear pressure of the cleaning blade measured in advance, a linear pressure reduction based on cumulative rotation time of an image carrier, a linear pressure reduction based on cumulative non-rotation time of the image carrier, and a linear pressure reduction based on an external temperature detected by a temperature detection unit, and the control unit outputs information for urging replacement of the cleaning blade to an output unit when a linear pressure difference between the actual linear pressure of the cleaning blade and a lower-limit linear pressure of the cleaning blade calculated in advance from an abrasion amount of the cleaning blade with respect to the cumulative number of rotations of the image carrier reaches a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An operation input device accepts non-contact operation on an operation image with a pointer. The operation input device includes a display panel and a sensing portion. The sensing portion outputs a first output value and a second output value. If a first operation image, which is an operation image corresponding to the second output value observed when the first output value is equal to a first reference value, and a second operation image, which is an operation image corresponding to the second output value observed when the first output value is equal to a second reference, differ, the display panel displays the first and second operation images with highlighting.

Abstract: A document management system includes a facsimile device or a multi-peripheral (MFP) device having facsimile and scanning components. A cloud based server stores a policy that is used to manage documents received at the facsimile device or scanning component. When a document is received at the facsimile device or scanning component, a parameter is used to determine an action to be taken according to the policy. Such actions include forwarding the received document to the cloud based server or sending it as an attachment in an email. When received at the cloud based server, the policy is used to categorize the document according to an attribute to make the document available within a document management service.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a vertical conveyance portion, a horizontal conveyance portion, a conveyance member, and a loosening member. The vertical conveyance portion conveys a toner or a developer containing the toner conveyed therein through an entry port connected to a main-body-side conveyance path by causing the toner or the developer to fall vertically. The horizontal conveyance portion is connected to a lower end of the vertical conveyance portion and conveys the toner or the developer in a horizontal direction by using the conveyance member arranged in the horizontal conveyance portion. The loosening member is arranged so as to be movable between a first position below a connection portion between the main-body-side conveyance path and the entry port and a second position protruding upward beyond the connection portion and reciprocates in a vertical direction at each of the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A method of evolving web pages or forms to better accord with usability metrics involves generating a heat map encoding of user interaction with a web page or electronic form, transforming the heat map with a machine neural network or other machine learning algorithm into at least one visual element placement prioritization for the web page or electronic form, and applying the visual element placement prioritization to modify a layout of the web page or electronic form.

Abstract: A head unit includes a plurality of recording heads and a liquid supply unit. The liquid supply unit includes a body housing, an external connection port, and a head connection port. A body housing is positioned above the nozzles of the plurality of recording heads and has thereinside a common flow path through which the liquid passes. An external connection port is provided in the body housing, communicates with one end of the common flow path, is connected to an external liquid supply source, and through which the liquid passes. A head connection port is provided in the body housing and communicates with the other end side of the common flow path, is connected to each of the plurality of recording heads, and through which the liquid passes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance portion, a printing portion, a delay storage portion, a control portion, an input portion, and a display portion. The delay storage portion can store delay information. The control portion performs a measurement mode. The input portion receives instructions to start and end the measurement mode. When an instruction to perform the measurement mode is entered, the control portion deletes the delay information stored in the delay storage portion and stores the delay information generated thereafter during printing in the delay storage portion. When an instruction to end the measurement mode is entered, the control portion displays on the display portion delay information on predetermined irregular delay factors that occur irregularly during printing, out of the delay information stored in the delay storage portion.

Abstract: In an image formation device, a driven gear is coupled to a far end portion in a unit inserting and withdrawing direction of a rotary fixing member or a rotary pressure member of a fixing unit. A driving gear is provided in a far end portion of a fixing unit housing part and engages with the driven gear when the fixing unit is housed in the fixing unit housing part. The driving gear and the driven gear are formed so that a transmission force transmitted from the driving gear to the driven gear in a mutual engagement position has a component so directed as to horizontally press the fixing unit against columns making a pair. The fixing unit as housed in the fixing unit housing part is pressed by the transmission force against the columns and positioned in a direction orthogonal to the unit inserting and withdrawing direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first fixing member, a second fixing member, a charging portion, and a control portion. The first fixing member makes contact with a toner image on a sheet conveyed along a conveying passage. The second fixing member forms a nip. The charging portion generates an application current. The control portion can perform an application mode, in which the application current is generated, and a standby mode, in which no application current is generated. The control portion performs the application mode during a first period after initial start-up until the passage of a predetermined period and performs the standby mode during a second period after the passage of the first period until the passage of a predetermined period.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: a transmission terminal; a reception terminal; and an image forming apparatus. The transmission terminal i) selects the reception terminal transmitting image data and outputs selection information, ii) receives terminal position information of the reception terminal and apparatus position information of the image forming apparatus, iii) acquires the terminal position information and the apparatus position information, vi) authenticates the reception terminal and the image forming apparatus based on the terminal position information and the apparatus position information, and outputs authentication information, and v) transmits job data based on the authentication information. The reception terminal i) acquires terminal position information based on the selection information, and ii) transmits the terminal position information. The image forming apparatus forms an image of the job data on a sheet.

Abstract: A document management system includes a facsimile device or a multi-peripheral (MFP) device having facsimile and scanning components. A cloud based server stores a policy that is used to manage documents received at the facsimile device or scanning component. When a document is received at the facsimile device or scanning component, a parameter is used to determine an action to be taken according to the policy. Such actions include forwarding the received document to the cloud based server or sending it as an attachment in an email. When received at the cloud based server, the policy is used to categorize the document according to an attribute to make the document available within a document management service.

Abstract: A speaker unit is provided with a speaker attached to an opening of a unit housing, a wire spring extending from one side of the opening to the other side and holding the speaker, a first support section for supporting one side of the wire spring in the unit housing, and a second support section for supporting the other side of the wire spring in the unit housing, and the wire spring is formed with a curved portion that is stretchable in the extending direction from one side to the other side.

Abstract: A belt examination system includes a defect candidate detecting processor that detects a candidate for a belt defect that is an abnormal portion of an intermediate transfer belt of an image forming apparatus from a belt image that is an image of the intermediate transfer belt, the defect candidate detecting processor executes a background pattern reduction step to reduce a texture-pattern like background noise present in the belt image and detects the candidate based on the belt image generated during the background pattern reduction step, and the background pattern reduction step is to replace, in the belt image, a color value within a specific range of color values not including a lowest color value of the belt defect with a specific color value within the specific range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a signature verification unit, an execution propriety determination unit, an image forming unit, and a control unit. The signature verification unit decrypts encrypted data with a preset public key in accordance with acquisition of the encrypted data, and uses the decrypted data to verify a digital signature representing authenticity and integrity of a program contained in the decrypted data; the execution propriety determination unit permits execution of a program registered in a preset permission list and the program in which digital signature is verified; the image forming unit forms an image on an image forming medium; and the control unit controls the image forming unit by executing the program permitted to be executed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an extensible, format-independent middleware message interpreter is disclosed in which a host machine is configured with a universal message service (UMS). The UMS communicates with local and cloud servers and destination devices. The UMS is configured with a plug-in service that can accommodate plug-in libraries of plug-in modules. The UMS receives formatted messages from the local and cloud server applications and destination devices, parses the messages, and identifies a command message type. Based on the command message type, the UMS performs actions including executing the local command on the host machine, relaying the embedded-sub-message data to the at least one destination device as indicated by the destination identification, and relaying the embedded-sub-message data to the plug-in service.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus 1 (a) displays a visible code in which network identification information of the image forming apparatus 1 is encoded and a function code corresponding to a function of the image forming apparatus 1, (b) transmits function designation screen data to the portable terminal device 2 connected by using the network identification information, (c) receives a function code input to a function designation screen based on the function designation screen data from the portable terminal device 2 via a network, (d) determines whether the received function code matches the displayed function code or not, (e1) transmits operation screen data corresponding to the function code to the portable terminal device 2 via the network when both match, and (e2) does not transmit operation screen data to the portable terminal device 2 when both do not match.