Abstract: A brew module for use with a refrigerator appliance is provided. The brew module includes a brewing body removably mounted to a dispensing assembly of the refrigerator appliance. The brewing body defines a brew chamber configured to receive a brew pod and a flow of heated water from the dispensing assembly to mix with contents of the brew pod to create a beverage. Electrical contacts positioned on the brew module electrically couple the brew module and the dispensing assembly, e.g., to power a user interface panel and/or communicate data such as pod type, a desired temperature and volume of water, etc.

Abstract: A semiconductor die includes at least one electronic component. an at least partially moisture permeable material disposed on or about the at least one electronic component, at least one opening defining at least one path for moisture to migrate from an environment external to the die into the at least partially moisture permeable material, and a moisture impermeable shield disposed between the at least one electronic component and the at least one opening.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

Abstract: A dishwashing appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber. An inlet is defined in the tub and provides air flow into the wash chamber. An air handler selectively urges air through the inlet in one of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction. The air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a first defined path when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the first direction, and the air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a second defined path when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the second direction.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a housing and a conveyance member. The conveyance member includes a conveyance shaft and a conveyance blade. The conveyance blade includes a first blade part, a second blade part and a third blade part. The first blade part is formed along a predetermined spiral direction. The second blade part is connected to the first blade part on a downstream side of the first blade part in a conveyance direction and extends along the conveyance direction. The third blade part is connected to the second blade part on a downstream side of the second blade part in the conveyance direction and formed along a spiral direction opposite to the spiral direction of the first blade part. A boundary between the first blade part and the second blade part is contained within a range of a toner discharge port in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A conveyor device includes a conveyance section, a detector, and a controller. The conveyance section includes a registration roller. The conveyance section conveys a sheet. The detector detects a physical quantity associated with a skew in the sheet. The controller controls the conveyance section. The controller determines, based on a result of detection by the detector, whether or not rotation of the registration roller is to be stopped to perform an operation to correct the skew in the sheet.

Abstract: A control device includes: a hardware processor; and a memory, wherein the hardware processor is configured to: control an image sensor configured to generate an image signal by performing imaging sequentially according to predetermined frames; detect a frequency of vocal cord vibration of a subject based on a voice signal; set a pulse width and a light emission cycle for when a light source emits light, based on the frequency and a preset duty cycle; control the light source to emit the pulse light using the pulse width and the light emission cycle in one field period or one frame period of the image sensor in synchronization with the frequency; calculate, based on the light emission cycle or the frequency, a gain amount by which the image signal is to be multiplied; and multiply the image signal by the gain amount.

Abstract: A camera head includes: a mount detachably connected to an eyepiece of an endoscope; an imager configured to capture a subject image emitted from the eyepiece; and a housing configured to house the imager, the housing including an interior portion including the imager thereinside, and an exterior portion arranged on an outer side of the interior portion, wherein the interior portion and the exterior portion are separated from each other in at least a part of an outer surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and device embodiments for tablet mode switching. In an embodiment, an electronic device enters a payment mode associated with a secure processor of the electronic device and suspends access by a primary processor of the electronic device to a component of the electronic device. Further, the electronic device determines that it is connected to a docking hub, permits the primary processor to access a peripheral device connected to the docking hub via a pair connection, and receives, by the primary processor, user input from the peripheral device connected to the docking hub via the pair connection.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of paper feed portions, an image forming portion, a storage portion that stores, for each of the paper feed portions, sheet delay information indicating an occurrence frequency of a sheet delay that is a phenomenon in which a time required for arrival of a front end of the sheet at a prescribed position from the start of feeding of the sheet is larger than a threshold time, and a control portion that, based on the sheet delay information on the each of the paper feed portions, recognizes the occurrence frequency of a sheet delay of each of the plurality of paper feed portions and preferentially sets, as a paper feed source, one of the paper feed portions whose value of the occurrence frequency of a sheet delay is equal to or less than a prescribed value.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes: an alignment member which aligns a sheet bundle on a stacking tray; and a stapler which performs binding processing on a rear end of the sheet bundle. The stapler includes: a first stapler which moves along the rear end of a first sheet bundle and performs the binding processing on a plurality of positions at the rear end of the first sheet bundle; and a second stapler which performs, at one part of an end portion of the rear end on one side, binding processing different from the first stapler. The alignment member includes: a first alignment member and a second alignment member which align the sheet bundle in a first stacking position; and a third alignment member which is fixed to a position corresponding to the second stapler and which aligns the sheet bundle in a second stacking position with the first alignment member.

Abstract: An inkjet ink contains pigment particles, resin particles, wax particles, water, and an ?, ?-alkanediol having a carbon number of at least 3 and no greater than 5. The resin particles contain a resin including a styrene unit. A ratio of the styrene unit to all repeating units included in the resin is at least 27% by mass and no greater than 75% by mass. The wax particles contain a polyethylene resin. The wax particles have a volume median diameter of at least 20 nm and no greater than 100 nm.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a stacking tray, an aligning mechanism, a pair of alignment members, and a pair of height detectors. The pair of alignment members can move independently in a sheet width direction and in an up and down direction, and contact side edges in the sheet width direction of sheets stacked on the stacking tray, from both sides in the sheet width direction, so as to align the sheets in the sheet width direction. The pair of height detectors allow the pair of alignment members to contact an upper surface of the sheets near side edges of the sheets, so that sheet heights on both sides in the sheet width direction are detected. The sheet stacking device can individually correct heights of the pair of alignment members when aligning the sheets, based on the sheet heights detected by the pair of height detectors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a duct, a filter provided inside the duct, a first fan provided on an upstream side of the filter in an exhaust direction and a second fan provided on a downstream side of the filter in the exhaust direction. A first mode operation containing a first operation in which the first fan sends air to the filter and a second operation in which the second fan sends air to the filter after the first operation is performed at least once, and then a second mode in which the first fan sends air in the exhaust direction is performed.

Abstract: A thin film structure including a reflector layer; and a hybrid layer including an organic colored material and at least one of an organic filler and an inorganic filler; wherein a concentration of the at least one of an organic filler or an inorganic filler is in a range of from about 3 wt. % to about 30 wt. %. A method of making a thin film structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and testing methods for performing testing operations over multiple types of links and through multiple potential points of failure to segment sources of problems, which may relate to reported or actual instances of service disruption in a network communication environment. The apparatus may perform service layer testing directly via an optical link, in addition to via Ethernet service layer testing. The apparatus may further conduct tests on other layers as well, including the physical layer, the network layer, and the link layer. To facilitate efficient testing, the apparatus may integrate programmable workflow profiles that specify tests to be conducted, and may interface with a cloud platform for sharing results of the tests, providing end-to-end testing of various components and types of links (whether optical or electrical, including wired and wireless links). Results of the tests may provide guidance to resolve detected problems.

Abstract: An inkjet ink contains pigment particles, a glycol ether, a sugar alcohol, and water. The sugar alcohol has a melting point of 25° C. or higher. A content percentage of the glycol ether is at least 6.0% by mass and no greater than 40.0% by mass. A content percentage of the sugar alcohol is at least 2.0% by mass and no greater than 10.0% by mass. The content percentage of the glycol ether is greater than the content percentage of the sugar alcohol.

Abstract: An information processing system includes an authentication server, a proxy authentication terminal, and an information processing device. The authentication server is connected to a wide-area line located outside a prescribed area, has an authentication privilege, and issues an authentication code. The proxy authentication terminal is connected to the authentication server through the wide-area line, has a proxy authentication privilege which serves as a proxy for the authentication privilege, and issues a proxy authentication code. The information processing device is connected to the proxy authentication terminal through a local-area line located within the prescribed area, receives the proxy authentication code from the proxy authentication terminal, and instructs processing of a job.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a projection optical system that projects an image displayed on an image display surface of an image display element in an enlarged manner on a projection receiving surface as a projection image, the projection optical system comprising: a refractive optical system and a refractive/reflective optical element arranged in sequence from near the image display surface toward the projection receiving surface, wherein the refractive optical system includes a plurality of lenses, wherein the refractive/reflective optical element includes an optical element unit that includes a reflection surface member including a reflection surface, and a refractive medium portion that is in tight contact with the reflection surface, the refractive medium portion includes an incidence surface and an emergence surface, and the reflection surface is a curved surface having refractive power, and wherein an image-forming light beam emerging from the refractive optical system is caused to enter the

Abstract: An optical device, such as a diffuser, can include a substrate; and a diffuser surface, in which the diffuser surface has an index of refraction greater than about 1.8. A method of making and using the optical device is also disclosed.