Abstract: A font recognition section recognizes a font of characters depicted by character image data included in image data upon first character data corresponding to the character image data being acquired through character recognition. A font character recognition section compares the character image data to font character image data depicting characters in the recognized font and acquires second character data corresponding to font character image data when the font character image data matches the character image data. A recognized character determination section determines whether or not the first character data matches the second character data, and when determining that the first character data does not match the second character data, adopts the second character data, instead of the first character data, as recognized character data for the character image data.

Abstract: This invention provides high unit density arrays of microparticles and methods of assembling such arrays. The microparticles in the arrays may be functionalized with chemical or biological entities specific to a given target analyte. The high unit density arrays of this invention are formed on chips which may be combined to form multichip arrays according to the methods described herein. The chips and/or multichip arrays of this invention are useful for chemical and biological assays.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting appliance pump cavitation or dry state are provided. An exemplary appliance can include a current measurement circuit configured to provide a feedback signal that describes an inverter current drawn by an inverter providing three-phase power to the pump motor. A control unit of an appliance can detect pump cavitation and dry state by monitoring the feedback signal. Another exemplary appliance can include a motor speed detection circuit configured to provide a motor speed signal describing the speed of the pump motor. The control unit of the appliance can monitor variance in pump motor speed to detect pump dry state or cavitation. An exemplary method includes monitoring either an inverter current used by an inverter to drive a motor or a variance in a rotational speed of the motor.

Abstract: APs are made by binary condensation via base-to-acid or acid-to-base routes. In the base-to-acid route, an aluminum hydroxide slurry is added to phosphoric acid that reacts to produce an aluminum phosphate condensate. In the acid-to-base route, phosphoric acid is added to an aluminum hydroxide slurry that reacts to produce an aluminum phosphate condensate. In an alternative base-to-acid route, an acidic aluminum phosphate is first made by adding phosphoric acid to a first amount of aluminum hydroxide slurry, and such acidic aluminum phosphate is added to a remaining amount of aluminum hydroxide slurry to react and produce an aluminum phosphate condensate. The reactions can be controlled to form an in-situ layered aluminum phosphate. So-formed APs can be amorphous, crystalline, or a combination thereof, and have low oil absorption and surface area, making them particularly useful in such end-use applications as extender pigments in coating compositions, replacing up to 70 wt % of TiO2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a controller to control not only cellular radio connections in a cell of a cellular communication system but also direct device-to-device communication links established between terminal devices within the cell. Particularly, the controller selects portion of the terminal devices to function as relay terminals for the other terminals to enable relayed communication links between the terminal devices and the base station through the relay terminals. The relay terminals link device-to-device connections to the cellular radio connections between the relay terminals and the base station.

Abstract: A guardrail crash absorbing assembly including two relatively slidable rail panels, each having top and bottom edge portions, and a braking structure attached to one of the rail panels engaging and deforming an edge portion of the other rail panel to dissipate kinetic energy and absorb impact forces.

Abstract: A base portion includes a cam surface formed around a support pin. A turning portion includes: a slide member provided movably in directions toward and away from the support pin; and a coil spring urging the slide member. The slide member is designed to slide on the cam surface while turning, together with an openable body, about the support pin. The cam surface includes a first sliding surface, a second sliding surface, and a third sliding surface. The first sliding surface presses the slide member back in a direction of closing of the openable body. The second sliding surface presses the slide member back in a direction of opening of the openable body. The third sliding surface presses the slide member back in the direction of closing of the openable body.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided including a system controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with a compressor and a condensing unit with a condenser fan. The system controller monitors and controls operation of the refrigeration or HVAC system. A rack controller monitors and controls operation of the compressor rack. The system controller determines a flood-back discharge temperature corresponding to a flood-back condition, receives an actual discharge temperature associated with the compressor rack, compares the actual discharge temperature with the flood-back discharge temperature, and generates a notification to the rack controller based on the comparison.

Abstract: Systems and methods to selectively control plurality of dosing modules may include receiving data indicative of an exhaust flow rate. An amount of reductant to be dosed may be determined based, at least in part, on the data indicative of the exhaust flow rate. A decomposition delay time may also be determined and a first dosing module and a second dosing module may be selectively activated. The first dosing module may be selectively activated at a first time and the second dosing module is selectively activated at a second time. The second time is based on the first time and the determined decomposition delay time.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of transfer rollers, a pair of sidewalls, and a plurality of leg portions. The plurality of the leg portions abut on a predetermined installation surface when the intermediate transfer unit is detached from an apparatus main body. At least three of the leg portions are located at a lower end portion of the pair of the sidewalls. At least one sidewall of the pair of the sidewalls includes a shaft portion protruding in a first direction. At least one leg portion among the plurality of the leg portions is a movable leg turnable about the shaft portion. The movable leg has a changeable posture between a first posture and a second posture. The first posture supports the intermediate transfer unit detached from the apparatus main body. The second posture is turned about the shaft portion from the first posture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an economy mode color conversion section that converts, in printing execution in the economy mode by the image forming apparatus, colors of the image based on an economy mode color conversion table; and the economy mode color correction section that corrects at least one of the two colors in the image the colors of which have not yet been converted by the economy mode color conversion section. When Voronoi regions respectively corresponding to the two colors in an economy mode Voronoi diagram are the same regions under condition that Voronoi regions respectively corresponding to the two colors in a normal mode Voronoi diagram are different regions, the economy mode color correction section corrects the at least one of the two colors in a manner such that the Voronoi regions respectively corresponding to the two colors in the economy mode Voronoi diagram become different regions.

Abstract: Catalyst diagnostic limit parts and methods for making catalyst diagnostic limit parts are disclosed. An exemplary catalyst diagnostic limit part includes a substrate and a washcoat coating the substrate. The washcoat includes an active catalyst and an inactive catalyst at a predetermined ratio of active catalyst to inactive catalyst so as to control the performance of the catalyst diagnostic limit part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a document feed section; a document reading section; a discharged document sensor detecting the discharged document already read by the document reading section; an image storage section storing a document image obtained through the reading by the document reading section; an image formation section performing an image formation operation in which a toner image of the document image is formed on paper; a fixing section performing fixing processing of heating and pressurizing the paper on which the image has been formed to fix the toner image on the paper; and a control section, upon judgment, with reference to a signal of the discharged document sensor before image formation of a predefined number of pages of document images stored in the image storage section, that the discharged document exists, stopping the image formation of the predefined number of pages of document images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing portion, a receiving portion, an image reading portion for reading one surface and another surface connected to the one surface of a material to be housed, so as to generate individual image data of the one surface and the another surface, and a controlling portion configured to recognize a size of the material to be housed based on the individual image data, to generate paper bag image data that is image data of a development of the paper bag in which the entire of the material to be housed can fit, the development being with tabs for sticking for assembly, and to control the printing portion to print the development with tabs for sticking based on the paper bag image data.

Abstract: A drive transmission mechanism of the present disclosure is provided with a two-stage gear, an upstream-side gear, and first and second downstream-side gears. The two-stage gear includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The upstream-side gear transmits a rotational drive force to the large diameter portion. To each of the first and second downstream-side gears, a rotational drive force is transmitted from the small diameter portion. The small diameter portion has a first engagement region that engages with the first downstream-side gear and a second engagement region that engages with the second downstream-side gear. In an extending direction of a rotation axis of the two-stage gear, the first engagement region and the second engagement region are disposed so as not to overlap each other.

Abstract: A ratchet mechanism of the present disclosure includes a first ratchet gear, a second ratchet gear and a compression coil spring. The compression coil spring applies a force acting toward the first ratchet gear to the second ratchet gear. In the second ratchet gear, a cylindrical boss is formed. The center of gravity of the compression coil spring is arranged on the side of one end portion with respect to the center of the compression coil spring in a longitudinal direction. The compression coil spring is inserted into a boss from the side of the one end portion, and thus the center of gravity of the compression coil spring is arranged on the side of the first ratchet gear with respect to the tip end of the boss.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus preventing lowering of continuous printing performance; including plural paper feeding stages in main body; a residual paper quantity detection sensor; a printer part printing on paper; a paper feeding stage searching part functioning every time paper feeding is made; a paper feeding stage selection part determining existence of paper feeding capable stage, on result by paper feeding stage searching part, and selecting a paper feeding stage; a system control part performing stage changeover according to selection result by paper feeding stage selection part; when there exists no paper feeding capable stage, paper feeding stage selection part notifying system control part of it, and when there exists paper feeding capable stage, paper feeding stage selection part altering priority levels in stage searching on detection result by residual paper quantity detection sensor, and number of sheets required for printing, selecting paper feeding stage.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning surfaces is disclosed. The system includes an elongated blade configured to remove at least one of dirt, dust, debris and film from a smooth surface. A drive system is provided for causing the blade to contact the entire smooth surface, thereby removing at least a portion of at least one of dirt, dust, debris, and film. A cleaning device automatically cleans the blade before and after the blade is cleaning the smooth surface. In one example, system is part of a heliostat system for use in a solar collection field as part of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating body heated by a heat source, a pressuring body, a conversion temperature detecting part, a substrate temperature detecting part, a lens temperature detecting part, a conversion temperature correcting part and a controller. The conversion temperature detecting part has an infrared ray detecting element mounted to a substrate detecting an infrared ray from the heating body and a lens optically focusing the infrared ray onto the infrared ray detecting element. The conversion temperature detecting part detects conversion temperature of surface temperature of the heating body with detection result of the infrared ray detecting element. The substrate temperature detecting part detects substrate temperature. The lens temperature detecting part detects lens temperature. The conversion temperature correcting part corrects the conversion temperature with the substrate temperature and the lens temperature.

Abstract: Monitoring behavior of a rodent within a cage includes applying a vibration stimulus to a component of the cage and after applying the vibration stimulus, sensing a signal from a piezoelectric sensor within the cage, the sensed signal indicative of a behavioral response of the rodent. A plurality of attributes of the signal can be determined and the attributes can then be stored in a manner that associates the behavioral response of the rodent with the vibration stimulus.