Abstract: The present invention provides a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image comprising at least a core layer including at least a coloring agent and a first binder resin, and a shell layer for covering the core layer and including a second binder resin, wherein two local maximum values of the tangent loss (tan ?) of the dynamic visco-elasticity are present in a temperature range of 90° C. or less, with one of the local maximum values present in a range of less than 60° C., and the other local maximum value present in a range of 60° C. or more and 90° C. or less. Moreover, a production method for the toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image, using the toner, and an image forming method are provided.

Abstract: A sheet transport roller system and methods for reducing sheet skew using a sheet transport roller system are disclosed. A sheet transport roller system for use in a document processing device may include a plurality of idler rollers, a plurality of drive rollers and a load distribution mechanism. Each drive roller may correspond to a corresponding idler roller. The load distribution mechanism may be configured to support the plurality of idler rollers and to equalize normal forces applied by each idler roller towards the corresponding drive roller. The load distribution mechanism may include a center loading spring in contact with the document processing device.

Abstract: A method is provided that involves entering input data into a computer program including at least one of item number, manufacturing cost, material demand, supplier site, shipping frequency, transit time, and container cost, determining material management costs for a plurality of shipment options, and outputting from the computer program at least one of a first set of material management data based on the input shipping frequency and at least one of a second set of material management data based on an optimized shipping frequency of full inbound containers. A corresponding system is also disclosed. The method and system are useful for managing material movement and inventory.

Abstract: A thiophene-containing compound polymer represented by Y represents a bivalent hydrocarbon group; R5 represents a hydrogen atom; Z represents a bivalent hydrocarbon group; m represents 1; p represents an integer of 5 to 5,000; B and B? each represent OCH2CH2OH, and A represents a group represented by the following formula (X-III): Ar1 is a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent aromatic group; R1 to R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group; and n representing an integer of 1 to 5.

Abstract: Disclosed is a phase change ink composition comprising a phase change ink carrier and a colorant compound of the formula wherein Y is a hydrogen atom or a bromine atom, n is an integer of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, R1 is an alkylene group, an arylene group, an arylalkylene group, or an alkylarylene group, provided that no oxygen atom creates a linkage, X is —O— or —NR3— wherein R3 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, or an alkylaryl group, and R2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, or an alkylaryl group.

Abstract: What is provided are a novel system, method, and computer program product for estimating the amount of color in a document to be printed, with the capability to handle composite black. A color billing strategy can be dynamically determined based on the amount of color in the document. In one embodiment, a contone CMYK image is examined and the level of color is estimated based on information extracted from the four planes simultaneously. More specifically, it examines the pixel values from all the four planes to calculate the number of white, black, color, and gray or neutral pixel counts. Input CMYK values can be pre-adjusted via a look-up table to take into account neutral balance characteristics. The difference among the adjusted color values is compared against a threshold that is input level dependent. Color is further subdivided into fuzzy colors to handle highlights and neutral areas.

Abstract: An optical signal recording medium includes at least one signal recoding plane in which an optical signal is to be recorded, and a control information region which is a portion other than the signal recoding plane, and in which a diffraction grating is disposed.

Abstract: An optical switching element including at least a multi-layered optical switching layer that includes a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer wherein, the charge transport layer contains a charge transporting material represented by the following general formula (1). The optical switching element is applicable in a device, a photoaddressable display medium and a display device. The optical switching element may alternatively include a mono-layered optical switching layer that has a charge generating function and a charge transporting function, wherein the mono-layered optical switching layer contains the charge transporting material represented by the following general formula (1).

Abstract: This invention is a novel saddle that comes in two embodiments, a vertical saddle and a horizontal saddle. Each saddle is configured to hold a power harness (or assembly of wires) and a signal harness, also an assembly of clustered wires. The saddle eliminates or greatly reduces the occurrence of electrical cross talk between these two harnesses by electrically insulating them from each other while securing each in place by a spring holder. These saddles greatly reduce electrical interference while significantly reducing installation time of the assembly. While this invention is described as used in a xerographic system, the saddle can be used in any system containing large bundles of electrical wires or cables.

Abstract: A method for encryption of a digital watermark by intelligent halftoning includes receiving image data that define at least a portion of a document to be printed in terms of at least three halftone images corresponding respectively to three printing colorants, each of the three halftone images comprising a plurality of halftone cells. The image data are modified by phase-shifting some of the halftone cells of at least one of the halftone images relative to the other halftone images to encode a watermark within the portion of the document such that the at least one phase-shifted halftone image includes a phase-shifted region and a non-phase-shifted region. The modified image data are used to print the portion of the document on a substrate that will fluoresce when subjected to UV illumination. The printed portion of the document includes a first printed pattern resulting from the phase-shifted region and a second printed pattern resulting from the non-phase-shifted region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to make effective use of display space. In an embodiment of the invention, given a heterogeneous set of images along with metadata or nearby text, similar images are recursively clustered into a k-tree using the k-means algorithm. In an embodiment of the invention, the invention is particularly useful for showing image search results on small mobile devices.

Abstract: Embodiments herein place a product and a programmable device within a shipping package, seal the shipping package, and program the programmable device by transmitting wireless signals to the programmable device, without opening the shipping package. Then, after the device is programmed, the shipping package can be shipped to the end user (consumer). The programmable device is adapted to be connected to the product after the product and the programmable device are removed from the shipping package by the end user to enable different features of the product, depending upon the wireless signals that were transmitted to the programmable device.

Abstract: A finishing assembly suited to use in a printing system includes a plurality of finishing modules, each of which performs a finishing function. The plurality of finishing modules includes a compiler module which compiles sheets into a set of sheets and at least one stacker module, downstream of the compiler module, which is configured for receiving compiled sets of sheets compiled by the compiler module and stacking a plurality of the sets of sheets into a stack. Optionally, at least one sheet processing module is intermediate the compiler module and the stacker module and receives a compiled set of sheets compiled by the compiler module and processes the compiled set of sheets.

Abstract: A method (200) and apparatus (100) control feed commitments based on feedable capacity. The apparatus may include a source (122) of feedable media sheets and a feeder module (120) coupled to the source of feedable media sheets, the feeder module configured to control the source of feedable media sheets. The apparatus may include a marking engine (132) coupled to the source of feedable media sheets, the marking engine configured to mark images on media sheets fed by the source of feedable media sheets. The apparatus may include a marker module (130) coupled to the marking engine, the marker module configured to control the marking engine. The apparatus may include a scheduler module (110) coupled to the feeder module and the marker module, the scheduler module configured to schedule feed commitments for the feeder module and mark commitments for the marker module.

Abstract: A drip bib for use with a printhead of an imaging device includes a plate having an upper surface having an upper edge, an intermediate surface angled with respect to the upper surface, and a lower edge. The intermediate surface includes a plurality of fastener openings. The lower edge includes a drip point projecting from the lower edge with remaining portions of the lower edge being upturned and angled downwardly from at least one end of the lower edge toward the drip point. A plurality of protrusions protrudes from a back side of the upper surface. The protrusions in the plurality of protrusions are spaced from each other and proximate the upper edge.

Abstract: An optical module includes a mounted member, a surface optical device and a positioning portion. The mounted member includes an inserted portion. The surface optical device includes a substrate, an optical axis, and an insertion portion. The optical axis is provided in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The insertion portion has a step surface that is inserted into the inserted portion of the mounted member in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis so as to position the optical axis. The positioning portion is provided in the mounted member and positions an optical transmission member so that the optical transmission member is optically coupled to the surface optical device.

Abstract: A system and method for copying formatting information between group editable Web pages is provided. The system includes a web server and devices, such as computers, which can communicate via a network. Users at the computers can access one or more of the Web pages and request that the accessed page's formatting information be copied over to one or more specified target Web pages. The Web server is configured to extract a first set of formatting information, such as HTML formatting templates, from a source web page displayed on one or more computers in the network. Further, the Web server replaces a corresponding second set of formatting information in the target Web page(s) with the first set of extracted formatting information.

Abstract: A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component, and where the photogenerating layer contains an ammonium salt, an imidazolium salt, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention discloses a liquid crystal display element including: a pair of display substrates each having a support and an electrode provided on one surface of the support; and a display layer provided between the electrodes of the pair of display substrates, wherein the display layer contains gelatin and liquid crystal drops or microcapsules; and the liquid crystal drops or microcapsules are densely arrayed in a monolayer, and a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display element, including: applying to a surface of one of the display substrates which surface has the electrode, a coating solution in which liquid crystal drops or microcapsules are dispersed in a solution containing gelatin and a solvent, thereby forming a coating layer; and evaporating the solvent in the coating layer at a temperature not less than the freezing point of the gelatin to provide a display layer between the electrodes of the display substrates.

Abstract: A failure analysis system includes an obtaining portion that obtains read-in image information that is image information obtained by reading an output image, a memory that stores fundamental image reduction information that is information in which an information amount of fundamental image information is reduced, the fundamental image information serving as a fundamental of the output image, a calculating portion that calculates a characteristic value of a projecting waveform by use of differential information between read-in image reduction information and the fundamental image reduction information, the read-in image reduction information being information in which the information amount of the read-in image information obtained by the obtaining portion is reduced, the fundamental image reduction information being stored in the memory; and a determining portion that determines a defect type group that is a group of defect types of elements included in the output image by use of a clustering process.