Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a binarization section, a determination section and an area setting section. The binarization section binarizes a given image. The determination section determines whether or not a pixel to be determined is effective in accordance with the number of pixels of one value of a binary value in each of determination areas. Each of the determination areas are placed so as not to contain the pixel to be determined in the binarized image and so as not to overlap in a predetermined direction of the pixel to be determined. The area setting section sets an area including the pixel determined effective in the determination section.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer on a conductive substrate, an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor including a cured film of a composition which includes at least one charge transporting compound (a) having a charge transporting skeleton and at least two structural units represented by R—O—CO—CR??CH—R? in the same molecule, and at least one polycarbonate resin; a ratio (IA/IC) of an absorption peak intensity (IA) resulting from stretching vibration of a carbonyl group originating from the structural unit represented by R—O—CO—CR??CH—R? of the charge transporting compound (a) to an absorption peak intensity (IC) resulting from stretching vibration of a carbonyl group originating from the polycarbonate resin in an IR absorption spectrum of the outermost layer being from about 0.5 to about 10, and a width at half maximum of the absorption peak of the absorption peak intensity (IA) being about 25 cm?1 or more.

Abstract: A scratch-off document may include a substrate bearing a toner image and a scratch-off layer covering the printed content. The scratch-off layer may include a mass of a first solid ink and a mass of a second solid ink printed over the first solid ink in a distraction pattern. The toner image is formed of a toner that adheres to the substrate, while the scratch-off layer is made of a wax-based or other solid ink that may be removed from the substrate by scratching without removing the toner image. The distraction pattern includes varying pile heights that distract a viewer from any pile height variations that may exist in the toner image.

Abstract: A system renders print jobs via a marking engine. A raster image processor receives the job from the input module and renders it to one or more raster images. One or more contone image processors receive the one or more raster images to perform cross-channel image processing to render the raster images into a form compatible with the marking engine, wherein the output is partially sub-partitioned by color separation. An image refactoring and distribution network completes the sub-partitioning by separation of the rendered contone raster images by color separation and distributes each color sub-partition to a marker channel module specific to each color sub-partition. A marking engine receives the color sub-partitioned image data, marks the image onto a substrate and outputs a hardcopy of the image.

Abstract: A processing system and a method are provided for tracking progress through a curriculum having a plurality of topics by analyzing at least one digital assessment. Each digital assessment was administered to an assessment-taker and has at least one problem that assesses the assessment-taker's understanding of at least one of the topics. The system includes at least one tangible processor and a memory with instructions to be executed by the at least one tangible processor for processing the at least one digital assessment and determining which topics of the curriculum have been taught based on which topics are associated with the respective problems included in the at least one processed digital assessment. Furthermore, the instructions may be executed by the at least one tangible processor for accessing and comparing the results of determinations for a first and second groups of assessment-takers of which topics of the curriculum have been taught.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and hardcopy document are provided. The method provides for separating and categorizing documents and includes receiving a scanned batch of documents. The batch includes a plurality of scanned documents to which document separator stamps have been applied before scanning. Each document separator stamp includes first and second machine recognizable patterns applied on a same page of a document, the first and second patterns being spaced by a designated field for receiving a user-applied category code. The scanned batch of documents is processed to identify pages that contain a document separator, the processing including identifying at least one of the first and second spaced patterns. For each of a plurality of document pages for which a document separator is identified, the method includes locating the corresponding designated field and identifying the category code associated with the designated field.

Abstract: A data transfer apparatus includes a transmitting unit, a transmission controlling unit, and a generating unit. The transmitting unit transmits transmit data over a transmission channel having a plurality of lines, such that the transmit data are assigned to the plurality of lines by information unit of the transmit data, the information unit. The transmission controlling unit appends control data to transfer data to be transferred to a receiving side to compose the transmit data, the control data being for controlling transmission and reception of the transfer data. The generating unit obtains information about the number of the lines. The generating unit determines, based on the number of the lines and the number of information units of the control data, the number of information units of the transfer data that makes the number of information units of the transmit data integral multiple of the number of the lines.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an obtaining unit, an image forming section, and a controller. The obtaining unit obtains color signals containing color components the number of which is n, n being a natural number. The image forming section forms an image on a medium, the image being based on the color signals obtained by the obtaining unit. The controller performs control so that colors in a color gamut that is not reproduced if area coverage modulation, not density modulation, is used for expression are included in the image by expressing densities of the n color components contained in the color signals obtained by the obtaining unit by using density modulation and area coverage modulation.

Abstract: A definition file included in the present invention includes a plurality of parallel descriptions that respectively define a plurality of parallel processes performed independently. The plurality of parallel descriptions include a first parallel description showing a first parallel process with a plurality of data inputs including at least one data input into which output data of another parallel process is inputted, with data with the same latency from input in a parallel processing system are inputted into the plurality of data inputs.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a reliability determination unit that determines reliability required for processing a processing target based on the processing target; a processing determination unit that makes a comparison between the reliability determined by the reliability determination unit and reliability of a processing main body and determines whether or not the processing main body can be caused to process the processing target; a processing target change unit that changes the processing target so as to change the reliability of the processing target if the processing determination unit determines that the processing main body cannot be caused to process the processing target; and a processing request unit that requests the processing main body to process the processing target changed by the processing target change unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate distributing a raster image processing task for an input file (e.g., an electronic document) across a plurality of nodes (e.g., computers) in a network. The input file is received at a first node, which becomes the controlling node and splits the pages of the input file into interleaved chunks such that adjacent pages are allocated to different chunks (i.e., no chunk contains adjacent pages in the document). Chunks are then assigned to different nodes for concurrent raster image processing. Once complete, the processed pages are returned to the controller node, which logically orders the pages into their original sequential order, and outputs the logically ordered, raster image processed pages to a printer, where they are printed.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a printing system for positioning at least one printed image, the printing system includes a first image bearing surface, the method includes: a) forming a background pattern and at least three fiducials on the first image bearing surface, wherein the background pattern is larger than a first printed image and the at least three fiducials are within an area formed by the first printed image; b) transferring a portion of the first printed image to a second image bearing surface; c) measuring a first residual image on the first image bearing surface, wherein the first residual image is a portion of the background pattern and the at least three fiducials remaining on the first image bearing surface after the step of transferring; and, d) calculating at least one calibration parameter for the printing system based on the measuring of the first residual image.

Abstract: A process for making a latex emulsion suitable for use in a toner composition includes contacting at least one amorphous polyester resin with a viscosity reducing additive in the absence of an organic solvent to form a resin mixture either via an extruder or batch process, and adding a surfactant, neutralizing agent, and deionized water to the resin mixture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes toner image forming units that are arranged in a line at two end portions and at an intermediate portion of the line, each of the toner image forming units forming a toner image; an image transfer body to which the toner images formed by the toner image forming units are transferred; pressing members that are linearly arranged so that each of the pressing members faces a corresponding one of the toner image forming units with the image transfer body therebetween, each of the pressing members applying a pressing force to the image transfer body; and a fixing unit that fixes the toner images on a recording member. The pressing forces applied by the pressing members that are disposed at the two end portions are smaller than the pressing force applied by the pressing member that is disposed in the intermediate portion.

Abstract: A method for tamping media during transportation is disclosed. Multiple parallel beltsets lie between an inlet station(s) and a delivery station(s). The multiple parallel beltsets have one or more parallel belts, a motor connected to drive the beltsets, and multiple pushers attached to the belts of the beltset with the pushers of one beltset placed between the pushers of the adjacent beltset. A control module coupled to the motors accepts a set of instructions and controls tamping of the media stack during transportation. The control module varies the velocity of one of the beltsets relative to the adjacent beltset and adjusts the distance between successive pushers on the beltsets to accept media or to tamp media during transportation.

Abstract: A gloss-imparting method that includes (a) applying heat and pressure to one side of a recording material having an image of toner formed on both sides, and fixing the image to the one side of the recording material; (b) cooling the one side of the recording material; (c) applying heat and pressure to the other side of the recording material, and fixing the image to the other side of the recording material; and (d) cooling the other side of the recording material, in the step (a), the fixing being performed such that a value of exp(?T·tan ?0) will be approximately 0.85 or less, where tan ?0 is a loss tangent of the toner when measured by dynamic viscoelastic measurement at a frequency of approximately 1 rad/sec at approximately the same temperature as a fixing temperature of the step (a), and T is a fixing time in the step (a).

Abstract: A recording medium supply apparatus includes: a conveyance member that conveys a recording medium; a retard member, in contact with the conveyance member, that forms a contact portion between the conveyance member and the retard member and retards the recording medium by holding the recording medium in the contact portion; and a buckling prevention unit, configured to contact with the recording medium on the upstream side of the contact portion between the conveyance member and the retard member in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, that prevents buckling of the recording medium in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: Optical measurement system and method for determining a wear level of printer components such as fuser rolls. Papers can be treated with optical brighteners, which act as distinct tag/trace molecules with fluorescent properties. A fluorescence pattern on the fuser roll can be changed in accordance with the edge density distribution in the print engine, when paper edges are accumulated on the fuser roll surface. A photo detector can capture a two-dimensional, digital image of the fluorescence pattern on the fuser roll surface to be measured, after illuminating the fuser roll, with intensity near ultraviolet range, by a light source. An image processor with a parameterized model can measure changes in the fluorescence pattern by analyzing the digital image of the fuser roll surface in order to determine the level of edge wear on the fuser rolls.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording apparatus comprising: an intermediate transfer body; a supplying unit supplying a curable solution containing a resin that is curable by external stimulation on the intermediate transfer body; an ejecting unit containing a recording material onto a layer to be cured formed by the curable solution supplied on the intermediate transfer body; a transferring unit transferring the layer to be cured on which the ink has been ejected to a recording medium from the intermediate transfer body; and a stimulation supplying unit supplying stimulation that cures the layer to be cured that has been transferred onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring a substrate edge signal for image sensor phasing. An intermediate transfer substrate edge signal can be effectively mapped by a substrate edge sensor and recorded for at least one complete revolution. A substrate edge signal from an inter-document zone sampled from any region of a substrate in runtime by a process sensor can also be recorded. A comparison or cross-correlation can be applied between the bare intermediate transfer substrate edge signal and the substrate edge signal sensed in the inter-document zone. A cross-correlation algorithm returns a maximum peak value when the two signals are registered in-phase with one another. This information can then be used to register the bare belt process sensor signal and the process sensor signal over the region of interest in-phase with one another. A flat-fielding algorithm can also be applied to the phase-aligned process sensor data to remove artifacts and compensate for substrate (e.g., belt) induced non-uniformities.