Abstract: Foreground segmentation in real world dynamic scenes, including under various lighting and shadow conditions, is disclosed. It may be used with one or multiple cameras for various automated tasks, such as classification of moving object, tracking moving objects, and event detection in various indoor or outdoor environments. Pixel to pixel subtraction is performed on each frame, followed by a feature-level based foreground segmentation to properly validate the foreground pixels. In this step, for each pixel in the image, a neighborhood of pixels is selected, and the aggregate change in the neighborhood image is used to classify foreground and background pixels. Normalized cross correlation is then applied to the neighborhood of each pixel that was confirmed to be foreground pixel.

Abstract: Tag attaching portions at cartridge parts which are loaded into different cartridge loading portions have common structures and configurations. A position of a wireless communication tag at the cartridge part is easily adjusted to a position suited for communication with a main body antenna. In a laser printer, accommodating chambers and accommodating portions are provided at plural regions of toner cartridges. The wireless communication tag is selectively inserted and fit into one of the accommodating chambers and accommodating portions, in accordance with a position of the cartridge loading portion in which the toner cartridge is loaded. In this way, in a state in which the toner cartridges are respectively loaded in the cartridge loading portions, the wireless communication tags are substantially parallel to and sufficiently close to the main body antennas of antenna units.

Abstract: An image information acquisition unit obtains first print image information that is binarized with the use of a first threshold matrix. A threshold matrix information acquisition unit obtains information representing the first threshold matrix. A determining unit divides the first print image information obtained by the image information acquisition unit into a plurality of portions, and determines whether each of the divided portions includes contour information, based on the first threshold matrix obtained by the threshold matrix information acquisition unit. A generating unit generates second print image information by performing a re-binarizing operation for each of the divided portions of the first print image information with the use of a second threshold matrix that is different from the first threshold matrix, based on the determination result of the determining unit.

Abstract: An electric part including a matrix-shaped nonconductive base member, and a carbon nanotube group that is sealed within the nonconductive base member and includes at least one of a carbon nanotube and a plurality carbon nanotubes that are electrically connected to each other. Substantially only an end portion of the carbon nanotube or at least carbon nanotube contained in the plurality of carbon nanotubes may be exposed from one surface of the nonconductive base member, and an electrode may be connected to a side surface of at least one carbon nanotube included in the carbon nanotube group.

Abstract: A charge roll includes a roll member that contacts an image carrier and rotates, the roll member including a conductive material that charges the surface of the image carrier, and the roll member having particles on the outer circumferential surface of the roll member to have a surface roughness within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A process of preparing spherical nano-sized core/shell silica particles, including providing a latex polymer dispersion comprising particles of a liquid dispersible starting polymer in a dispersion liquid, adding at least one functionalized monomer to the latex polymer dispersion and polymerizing the at least one functionalized monomer on the particles, and growing an outer silicate shell on the particles through addition and reaction of at least one silane monomer.

Abstract: An image processing device includes; an image segmentation unit that divides an image information set into a plurality of image areas, the image information set forming a plurality of lines each constituted of colored pixels arrayed in a first direction, and the image information set expressing gradations forming an image as a number of the colored pixels existing in a predetermined image area; an image area shift unit that shifts the predetermined image area among the plurality of image areas in a second direction different from the first direction, relative to an image area substantially contiguous to the predetermined image area; and a pixel replacement unit that replaces the colored pixels forming part of each of the lines and existing within a predetermined distance range from the boundary, with at least one of the colored pixels intervening between the lines.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium within a predetermined width for image formation, a deviation amount obtaining unit that obtains an amount of a deviation formed on a recording sheet by the image forming unit, a correcting unit that corrects image data of an image to be formed by the image forming unit, on the basis of the obtained amount of a deviation, a deficiency amount calculating unit that calculates an amount of a deficiency of an image which occurs in an area beyond the predetermined width for image formation as a result of the correction by the correcting unit, and the correcting unit is further configured to correct image data of an image to be formed by the image forming unit, on the basis of the calculated amount of a deficiency.

Abstract: A crease forming apparatus includes a crease forming member, an insertion groove and a drive unit. The crease forming member extends along a given line of a recording member for forming the crease in the given line. The insertion groove is formed in a portion disposed opposed to the crease forming member and that allows insertion of the crease forming member thereinto. The drive unit drives the crease forming member in such a manner that the crease forming member advances and retreats between a wait position and a crease forming position, and that inserts the crease forming member situated at the wait position into the insertion groove up to the crease forming position against a holding force to the recording member in such a manner that a peripheral portion of the given line of the recording member is set along the crease forming member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-contact measurement of a media stack in an image production device is disclosed that may include detecting the position of an unfluffed media stack, setting a desired media stack height by changing a media elevator position using a media elevator control unit based on the detected unfluffed media stack position, determining if printing and fluffing has started, wherein if it is determined that printing and fluffing has started, detecting the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack using the one or more sensors, determining if the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack is below a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack is below the predetermined threshold, setting the desired media stack height by changing the media elevator position based on the detected position of the tr

Abstract: Document fragments are managed by the use of fragment objects. Fragment objects contain a reference to a portion of a source document. Referencing documents contain a reference to a fragment object which delivers the content of the fragment of the source document to the referencing document. The source document can be directly updated through updating the fragment of the source document contained in the referencing document via the use of the fragment object. Source document deletion is controlled by storing the references to the source document by fragment objects so that no fragment object has a reference to a nonexistent source document.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for diffusing pixel error in a halftoning process in a color management system. The present method divides a modified CMYK input into a real and imaginary portions. The real portion is the coverage achieved by a physically realizable positive dot. The imaginary portion comprises a an imaginary negative dot and an imaginary excess dot. Each of these dots are processed separately, on a per-pixel basis, in a novel CMYK to CMYKKpRGB conversion discussed in detail herein. Hierarchical thresholding is preformed on the conversion output to produce a high-quality halftone result. A cumulative pixel error sum is derived therefrom and combined with the input CMYK coverages of a next pixel. All pixels are processed. The halftone output generated hereby has the pixel error compensated. Other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: A recording member cutting device for cutting a continuous recording material along a side of a plurality of cutting areas defined in the continuous recording material includes a nick cutting mechanism, and an area cutting mechanism. The nick cutting mechanism includes a first cutting unit configured to form a hole-shaped nick for each cutting area. Each nick is located outside the plurality of the cutting areas, on a downstream side of the corresponding cutting area in the conveying direction and on a line extending along one side of the corresponding cutting area. The one side is along the conveying direction. The area cutting mechanism includes a second cutting unit configured to insert into the nick. The second cutting unit cuts, when the nick has been formed, the continuous recording material along the one side from a position of the nick.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier that holds an image; an endless transfer belt that is rotated while sandwiching a recording medium therebetween, and transfers the image on the image carrier to the recording medium; a first roll member that holds the transfer belt and brings that into contact with the image carrier; a second and third roll members that hold the transfer belt together with the first roll member; and a moving member that makes the second roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and second roll members on one end side of the transfer belt larger than one on the other end side, and makes the third roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and third roll members on the one end side smaller than one on the other end side.

Abstract: A medium evaluation method for evaluating a commodity information provision medium that commodity consumers expect to use as an acquisition unit of commodity information provided by a commodity provider at each step of a purchase process wherein: expectation information is associated with kinds of commodity information provision media that commodity consumers expect to use at each step of the purchase process, and access information is used to access the consumers from whom the expectation information is acquired, the method includes: in response to specifying a certain commodity information provision medium at a certain step of the purchase process in the expectation information, specifying access information of a consumer who expects to use the specified commodity information provision medium at the specified step of the purchase process from the access information.

Abstract: This application relates to systems and methods for determining the lateral component of skew for a sheet of media. First, the skew angle of a sheet of media is determined. Then, the lateral component of the skew is determined. During a lateral registration operation, the lateral component of the skew is accounted and compensated for. In one implementation, the slope of the angle of the skew may be determined by taking the regression of the function characterizing the edge of the sheet as it passes an edge detection sensor.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for minimizing visual artifacts, such as ROS skew and laserbeam bow, in a brick-layer halftone structure. The present method involves determining a line pattern from ROS skew and laserbeam bow profiles which traverses through successive halftone cells displacing pixels along scanlines in the process direction. The amount of displacement is varied as a function of the cross-process location as determined by the line pattern. Pixels along scanlines are shifted in a direction defined by the error profiles. In each halftone cell within which the line pattern traverses, extra pixels (empty pixel spaces created in the halftone cell by the shifting operation) are filled with lost pixels (pixels bumped from the halftone cell during the shifting operation) such that overall density of the halftone cell is maintained. The lost pixels are buffered such that lost pixels are preserved.

Abstract: A server component includes a network interface and an analysis component. The server component is at least partially implemented by an operative set of processor executable instructions configured for execution by at least one processor. The network interface is in operative communication with a network and is configured to communicate with at least two nodes of different node types. The network interface is also in operative communication with a local RFID tag attached to a corresponding module. A node of the at least two nodes is a printer-based node associated with a printing machine. The analysis component is configured to utilize the network interface to communicate with the node associated with the printing machine such that the analysis component is in operative communication with the local RFID tag attached to the corresponding module.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a printing unit that prints image information containing two or more colors with a plurality of color information corresponding to a plurality of specified colors; and a changing unit that changes, when a total toner amount is larger than a threshold value, at least one of the plurality of color information corresponding to one of the plurality of specified colors so that the total toner amount to be used for printing the image information is smaller than the threshold value.

Abstract: A transfer device includes: a transfer roll that transfers a toner image formed on an image holding body to a transfer subject medium; a first holding member that holds the transfer roll rotatably; a pressure contact member that brings, via the first holding member, the transfer roll into pressure contact with the image holding body; a second holding member that holds the first holding member swingably and movably; and a pressing member that produces a pressing force for bringing the pressure contact member into pressure contact with the first holding member and the second holding member in a state that the first holding member is inclined from the second holding member.