Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquiring section, a storing section, a total-calculating section, a determining section, and an image forming section. The acquiring section acquires, from each of one or more pre-designated target persons, a printing requirement notification indicating whether or not the target person requires printing, and further indicating a number of required copies when the target person requires printing. The storing section stores output target data. The total-calculating section calculates, based on one or more printing requirement notifications acquired by the acquiring section, a total number of required copies indicated by the printing requirement notifications. The determining section determines a final number of copies to be printed based on a calculation result of the total-calculating section. The image forming section prints an image based on the output target data in accordance with the final number of copies determined by the determining section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to multi-arm star macromolecules which are used as thickening agents or rheology modifiers, including use in hydraulic fracturing fluid compositions. In one aspect of the invention, a star macromolecule is capable of thickening via a dual mechanism comprising (1) self-assembly of the hydrophobic polymerized segments of the star macromolecules via hydrophobic interactions or associations, and (2) association, reaction, or combination of the hydroxyl-containing polymerized segments of one or more of the star macromolecules.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a control circuit configured to perform a block erase operation including a block erase cycle and an erase verify cycle on a block of memory cells. The control circuit is configured to perform the erase verify cycle by storing a last verify address for each sector of the block of memory cells, verifying each memory cell in a sector starting from the last verify address for the sector until a memory cell has failed erase verification in that sector, storing the memory cell address of the failed memory cell as the last verify address for that sector, skipping the erase verification for the remaining memory cells in that sector, and continuing the erase verify cycle at a last verify address for the next sector.

Abstract: The use history recording unit records a history of use of a memory area of a user as a state of use whenever the user stores data. The use frequency calculation unit calculates a use frequency of the memory area for every user based on the state of use of the memory area of the user. The remained capacity allocation unit allocates the remained memory capacity in proportion to the use frequency.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes a memory for data storage. The data storage apparatus further includes a data storing section, an access detecting section, and a data deleting section. The data storing section attaches storage-purpose information to data when storing the data in the memory. The storage-purpose information is setting information indicating a purpose for which the image data is stored. The access detecting section attaches access information to the data stored in the memory upon the data being accessed when the data is used. The access information is setting information indicating a purpose for which the image data is used. The data deleting section deletes the data from the memory at a specific timing when the storage-purpose information and the access information attached to the data match.

Abstract: A set top box includes an interface to a video on demand system, the interface adapted to receive communications from one or more modulators of a modulator group of the video on demand system. The set top further includes a decoder configured to extract a modulator group identifier periodically inserted into communications directed the set top box from the one or more modulators, the modulator group identifier unique to a physical transmission path from a headend of the video on demand system to the one or more modulators. The set top includes a video-on-demand request interface to the video on demand system, the video on demand request interface configured to output a request for video on demand data including the modulator group identifier.

Abstract: A shield structure for an electronic apparatus includes a frame member and a shield box. The frame member is a conductive frame to which the wiring substrate is attached and covering a back surface of the wiring substrate. The shield box is formed on a front surface of the wiring substrate having an electronic component mounted thereon, to cover an area of a portion of the front surface. The wiring substrate includes a plurality of connecting portions formed thereon that ground the front surface and the back surface to the frame member. On a side on which the wiring substrate protrudes from the shield box, the shield box includes a shield wall member forming a wall surface substantially perpendicular to the wiring substrate. The shield wall member is grounded to at least one location of the connecting portions of the wiring substrate in the vicinity of the wall surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a developing device and a controller. The developing device includes a stirring member, rotatable at a first speed or at a second speed lower than the first speed, which varies, according to its speed, the amount of developer discharged out of the developing device. The controller drives the stirring member to rotate at the second speed, then switches the rotation speed of the stirring member to a third speed higher than the second speed but lower than the first speed, and then drives the stirring member to rotate at the third speed for a first period. The third speed is set higher the lower the fluidity of the developer.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a primary winding, a fixing portion, a secondary winding, and a magnetic core body. The primary winding is configured to receive a supply of AC current from an AC power source. The fixing portion includes a heat source that generates heat when an electric current is supplied to the heat source, the fixing portion being configured to execute a fixing process onto a sheet with a toner image formed on the sheet, at a predetermined fixing temperature by using the heat from the heat source. The secondary winding is electrically connected to the heat source. The primary winding and the secondary winding are wound around the magnetic core body. The magnetic core body is made of a predetermined material whose permeability is lowered when a temperature thereof becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined fixing temperature upon receiving the heat from the heat source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is connected to an information processing device and at least one external image forming apparatus through a communication circuit. The image forming apparatus includes a communication section, an image forming section, an image processing section, and an assignment control section. The image processing section performs image processing on print data received from the information processing device. The assignment control section determines a print destination for processed print data subjected to image processing by the image processing section from the image forming apparatus of its own and the at least one external image forming apparatus.

Abstract: On-screen display techniques and configurations for audiovisual content input selection and indications in a television, monitor, receiver, or other electronic display device are described herein. An on-screen user interface of a display device may be enhanced with on-screen indications that indicate the position of the respective audiovisual content. For example, a user interface may provide an arrow in the lower-left portion of the screen to correspond to audiovisual input obtained from a device connected to the lower-left portion of the display device housing. A listing of input sources arranged by position relative to the display device and appropriate previews of the audiovisual content from the sources may also be incorporated into the user interface. In further examples, determined labels and human-readable identifiers for the respective input sources may be coordinated with the listing of input sources arranged by position.

Abstract: A differential transformer type magnetic sensor includes a drive coil, a reference coil, and a detection coil. These coils are formed by repeating a linear pattern that is formed on the first surface, penetrates the board, is formed on the second surface, penetrates the board, and returns to the first surface. The reference coil is disposed at a side of one end of the drive coil, and the detection coil is disposed at a side of the other end of the drive coil. Induced current flows to each of the reference coil and the detection coil due to magnetic flux generated as drive current flows to the drive coil. The reference coil and the detection coil are electrically connected so that a direction of the induced current flowing along the reference coil and a direction of the induced current flowing along the detection coil are opposite to each other.

Abstract: A developing device according to the present disclosure is provided with a developing container, a first stirring conveyance member and a second stirring conveyance member that stir and convey a developer within the developing container, and a developer carrying member that carries the developer. The developing container includes a discharge passage where a developer discharge port for discharging surplus developer within the developing container is formed. In the discharge passage, a discharge screw having a rotation shaft and a spiral blade is disposed. Within the discharge passage, at a portion on an upstream side of the developer discharge port in a developer discharge direction, there is provided a discharge regulating member that regulates discharge of the developer.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and process (400) for the treatment of wastewater and biological nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. The process uses substantially vertically downwardly presented inlet jets for delivering the incoming wastewater and recycled activated sludge into the body of liquid in a reactor, in a vertically downward direction and at a location just below the surface of the body of liquid. An effective circulating flow pattern of liquid is thereby established, along with optional concomitant entraining, dispersion or dissolving a fluid throughout the volume of the liquid body, facilitating a universal apparatus for mixing of anaerobic, anoxic, aerobic and oxic reactors or accommodating alternating said process conditions in one reactor. When an oxygen containing gas is entrained for aerobic fermentation, optimum gas bubble size is generated for efficient reaction with the digestion bacteria throughout the volume of the liquid body.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a sector pass/fail indicator circuit configured to store a pass/fail indicator for each sector in a first block of memory cells. The pass/fail indicator has a first value indicating the respective sector has failed erase verification and has a second value indicating the respective sector has passed erase verification. The sector pass/fail indicator circuit set the respective pass/fail indicators to the second value for one or more sectors in the first block after the respective sectors pass erase verification following a previous block erase operation of the first block. The first block is subjected to subsequent block erase operation where only word lines associated with the sectors having a pass/fail indicator having the first value are biased to the first bias voltage level.

Abstract: A method for computing includes running a desktop sharing program on a local computer so as to permit a remote user to view, on a remote computer, which is connected to communicate with the local computer via a network, an image of an entire area of a display screen of the local computer and to operate the local computer by remote input via the remote computer. A local window is defined within the display screen of the local computer for running an application under control of a local user. Local inputs made via a local input device of the local computer by the local user are intercepted so that the local inputs do not interfere with operation of the local computer by the remote user. The intercepted inputs are directed to the local window so as to permit the local user to interact with the application independently of the operation of the local computer by the remote user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the condition of a rechargeable battery determines a dynamic impedance of the battery while discharging the battery, and determines a battery condition category based on the dynamic impedance. The battery can be discharged in a manner that recovers the stored energy being discharged from the battery.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for using a digital power amplifier controller (DPAC) having forward-loop correction and feedback-loop correction. In an embodiment, the DPAC receives, via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital power-measurement signal from a power sensor coupled to an output of a power amplifier. The DPAC adjusts (e.g., linearizes) the digital power-measurement signal using a measurement-correction function for the sensor, and uses the adjusted digital power-measurement signal to generate a digital feedback signal, which the DPAC uses to generate a digital power-control signal that reflects a desired power level at the output of the power amplifier. The DPAC adjusts (e.g., linearizes) the digital power-control signal using a control-correction function for the power amplifier, and outputs the adjusted digital power-control signal via a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to a power-control node of the power amplifier.

Abstract: An exposure portion scans, in an axial direction, light which is emitted from a light source based on image data of a document sheet, and applies the light to surfaces of image carriers, to form an electrostatic latent image on each image carrier. The cleaning member is disposed so as to contact with each image carrier and removes residual toner on each image carrier, to perform cleaning. The driving mechanism causes each image carrier to shuttle in the axial direction with a predetermined amplitude while the image carrier is driven to rotate. The detecting member detects positional information representing a position, in the axial direction, obtained when each image carrier shuttles. The control portion controls, based on a result of detection by the detecting member, a time when scanning on each of the image carriers by the exposure portion is to be started.