Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; plural developing devices that store respective developers of different colors and visualize the electrostatic latent image with the developers; a developing device switching mechanism that switches among the developing devices; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image visualized by the one of the developing devices to a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the developer image transferred by the transfer unit onto the recording medium; a first transporter that transports in a first direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon; a second transporter that transports in a second direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon; and a transporter switching mechanism that switches between the first transporter and the second transporter in conjunction with an operation of the developing device switching mechanism for switching among the developing devices.

Abstract: A method and system are proposed in which a moving window based operator is applied to a page of a PDL document that has been decomposed, and the objects within the page flattened and rasterized. The window moves along the raster scan line, and processes rasterized data within the window, detecting any color-to-white or white-to-color interface (edge). The white rasterized portion is then dilated outward across the interface into the color portion, the dilated amount being based on a size of a reverse fine line and/or small text font character to be reproduced. A size of the fine line and/or small text font object is determined and if below a threshold, object dilation may be given effect. A dilation amount may increase as the object size decreases until the size reaches a lower threshold at and beyond which a maximum dilation amount may be applied.

Abstract: An approach for detecting and correcting printing system print quality defects is disclosed that allows defects to be corrected based on an analysis of image data collected over time, across many separate images, under a wide variety of system status and environmental conditions to allow detection of print quality defects that would otherwise be undetectable. The approach supports the detection and correction of defects related to colorant appearance effects that are correlated to colorant interactions. Techniques are described by which allow image data to be efficiently collected and stored to support a wide range of defect processing techniques. Defect processing may be performed in parallel with print job operations using spare processor CPU cycles and/or may be performed off-line by either the printing system processor or a separate defect processing system. Detected print quality defects may be corrected for using one or more interpolation techniques.

Abstract: Blades, printing apparatuses, replaceable cartridges and methods of treating substances on surfaces are disclosed. An embodiment of a blade for treating a substance on a surface of a component includes a body having a free end portion with a surface, and which is comprised of an elastomeric material. A bi-material spring is adapted to apply a load to the body such that the surface of the body treats the substance on the surface of the component.

Abstract: A system facilitates printing of microtext. A processing component allows a user to create one or more microtext characters, wherein the characters are output as a data packet. An SRE code store receives and associates one or more SRE codes with the data packet, each SRE code is representative of a bit pattern, wherein the bit pattern is a grid of bits that are filled to create a particular pattern. A font bank receives the one or more SRE codes from the SRE code store and defines such codes via a font. A raster image processor receives the font from the font bank, decodes the font and outputs instructions to print the microtext.

Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member including a conductive layer and fixing toner onto a recording medium with the conductive layer self-heated by electromagnetic induction; a drive unit rotationally driving the fixing member; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer; a magnetic path forming member being in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing member, forming a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field, and transmitting heat to the fixing member by being self-heated by electromagnetic induction; an induction member that is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the magnetic path forming member, that induces magnetic field lines and that diffuses heat; and an elastic member having force in a direction to press the magnetic path forming member and the induction member against the inner peripheral surface of the fixing member.

Abstract: A machine, such as a phase change or solid ink printing apparatus, includes at least one ink stick and a coupler external to the ink stick. The ink stick has an electronically-readable memory device attached thereto, with the memory device having stored therein electronic data associated with the ink stick. The coupler is configured to read the electronic data from the memory device. The data in the memory device may include identification data, anti-arbitrage variables, usage data, maximum use values, and performance data related to the ink stick, and the coupler and memory device may employ various means for communicating this data. Also, communication between the coupler and memory device facilitates a method for determining a quantity of marking material in the machine.

Abstract: The invention provides a display method for displaying an image by deposition of metal fine particles. The display method includes at least depositing metal fine particles, from an electrolytic solution that has at least a metal ion of the metal particles and that is provided between a pair of substrates having at least one translucent substrate, onto a surface of any one of the pair of substrates by imparting one stimulus. A concentration of the metal ion of the metal fine particles in the electrolytic solution after imparting the stimulus is about 200 mmol/l or less. The invention further provides a display device which uses the display method.

Abstract: A method and system detects a halftone frequency. A digitized image is received. An autocorrelation function is performed upon the digitized image to generate an autocorrelation function value for each halftone frequency of a predetermined set of possible halftone frequencies. A demerit term for each possible halftone frequency, based upon the autocorrelation function value, is calculated. A halftone frequency from a predetermined set of possible halftone frequencies, based upon the calculated demerit terms, is selected.

Abstract: A defect once around signal time period of a defect source inherent in a marking device is determined, the defect source having one or more banding frequencies. A reference scanline time delay, which is a time between a page sync signal and a writing of a reference scanline, is determined. A test target is written, sensed and analyzed. A reference scanline phase offset of each banding frequency relative to the reference scanline is determined. A banding phase of each banding frequency is determined based at least on the defect once around signal time period, reference scanline time delay and reference scanline phase offset.

Abstract: The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to image forming mediums useful for reimageable and transient documents. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an image forming medium comprising photochromic materials comprising unsymmetrical dithienylethene (DTE) photochromes which provide longer image lifetimes and “erase-on-demand” capability.

Abstract: A system includes a first device and one or more second devices that each provides a user with usage information for using target information, based on control information, wherein the first device has a memory that stores the control information which contains device information and condition information, so as to be associated with the target information, a receiving unit that receives from a requester a request, an inquiry unit that inquires of the second device, when the requester is not managed by its own device, about whether the requester is managed by the device, and a providing unit that provides the requester, when, based on a response to the inquiry and the memory, the requester is managed by the second device designated by the device information, with the usage information, based on the condition information, and the second device has a response unit that sends the response to the inquiry.

Abstract: This is a system for maximizing the use of colors in cartridges of a color marking system. By controlling the amounts of each color dispensed where the least abundant color is conserved, the life of the cartridge is extended. A sensor tells the system what amounts of each colors remain in the system, and a dispenser controller uses and dispenses the most abundant colors first, preserving the least abundant color necessary to achieve a desired colored marking. GCR (gray component replacement) is used as the fundamental scheme to control the colorants. GCR-like scheme is used for interchanging a particular non-traditional colorant and multiple conventional colorants that make such color.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive label may be affixed to a temperature sensitive item. The temperature sensitive label conveys when the item has reached a tripping temperature. The tripping temperature may be a temperature at which the item is compromised. To convey this, the label changes properties and functions with a message to convey that the item has been exposed to the tripping temperature. For example, the label may reveal, block, or alter a message that conveys whether the item has been exposed to the tripping temperature. The message may be part of the label or separate from the label.

Abstract: System and methods for heating and transporting liquefied solid ink in an imaging device. The system includes an electroconductive tube that not only melts the solid ink, but also permits a control system to sense the ink temperature due to the tube's inherent properties. A controller operatively coupled to the electroconductive tube provides power to the tube, which in turn enables current flow. The flow of current resistively heats the electroconductive tube, thereby heating and melting the ink. Further, the controller is configured to control the current flowing through the tube.

Abstract: A temporary use license issuing apparatus includes a communicating unit, an instruction receiving unit, and an issuing unit. The communicating unit communicates with a document use managing apparatus storing pieces of management information prescribing scopes of operation authority of respective users over documents and manages users' operations on documents according to the pieces of management information. The instruction receiving unit receives, from a user, an instruction to issue a temporary use license for a document. The issuing unit issues the temporary use license containing document identification information of the document to which the issuance instruction is directed, and operation authority information indicating a scope of operation authority over the document, the operation authority indicated by the operation authority information being within a scope of the operation authority of the user over the document which is prescribed by the management information.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a brush that has numerous bristles rotating and contacting to the surface of an image carrier, a removing member disposed so as to contact to the numerous bristles and removes a developer adhering to the numerous bristles by elastically deforming the numerous bristles and further returning the numerous deformed bristles back to normal, and a transport member disposed lower than the removing member in the gravitational direction and transports the developer removed with the removing member by rotating on an axis, wherein at least a part of the developer removed from the numerous bristles falls to a farther position than the axis of the transport member from the brush in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: An image formation device includes an image carrier that holds developed images, a transfer body that transfers the developed images held by the image carrier to a recording medium, a cleaning unit that cleans developer on the transfer body, a developer container in which the developer removed by the cleaning unit is deposited, and a sucking unit that sucks the developer leaking from the developer container, the transfer body having at least a rotating member of which both ends are rotatably supported, and the sucking unit having a suction hole opening at least at one end of the rotating member.

Abstract: In response to an instruction to copy data from a first electronic document to a second electronic document, a protected document generating section of a document processing apparatus newly generates a third electronic document as a copying result. A combining requesting section requests combining of pieces of manipulation authority information (policies) to be applied to the first and second electronic documents, respectively. In response to the request, a policy combining section of a policy managing apparatus combines the two pieces of manipulation authority information together into third manipulation authority information. A protected document registering section registers the third electronic document and the third manipulation authority information in a document DB.

Abstract: A medium clamping device includes a device main unit that includes: a first circularly moving body that has a surface circularly moving and harder than a recording medium; a second circularly moving body that has a surface moving circularly and harder than the recording medium passing between the both surfaces of the two circularly moving bodies; and a load applying section that applies a load to at least one of the first circularly moving body and the second circularly moving body, to sandwich the recording medium by the load with two moving bodies. The medium clamping device further includes: a support section that supports the device main unit and is secured to a fixed body; and an alleviating system that alleviates transmission of a shock from the device main unit to the fixed body and is incorporated in the support section.