Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes; a chart data forming unit that forms density correcting chart data to be printed, in which reference density patterns and adjusting density patterns are arranged so that a connection angle, and the adjusting density patterns have different densities in the respective patterns; a printing unit that prints a density correcting chart in which the reference density patterns and the adjusting density patterns are arranged adjacent to each other in respective patters; a receiving unit that receives an input of a density adjusting value of a desired pattern, on the basis of comparison of density between the reference density patterns and the adjusting density patterns which has been obtained from visual observation of a user on the printed density correcting chart; and a tone correcting unit that conducts tone correction of the desired pattern.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a print stream are provided. The methodology includes generating at least one copy of the print stream and transmitting a first copy of the at least one copy of the print stream to a sub-system of said computer system. The methodology further includes transmitting a second copy of the at least one copy of the print stream to a print driver and processing the second copy of the printer stream by the designated print driver. The methodology further includes transmitting the processed second copy to the at least one printer for generating a printout corresponding to the print stream.

Abstract: A program obfuscation method includes: detecting a loop from an obfuscation target program; adding a conditional expression to the obfuscation target program at a preceding stage of the loop, wherein the conditional expression is neither permanently invalid nor permanently valid and adding a flow in which (a) when a logical value of the conditional expression is false, processing of the obfuscation target program proceeds to a start of the loop, and (b) when the logical value of the conditional expression is true, the processing executes a set of executable statements equivalent to a set of executable statements which are ones from the first executable statement to a middle executable statement among a plurality of executable statements in the loop, and then the processing proceeds to an executable statement subsequent to the middle executable statement in the loop.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for performing ray-based compression mapping in a color management system. The present method compresses a color point located at or near a boundary surface of a color gamut to a point beneath the gamut surface in order to eliminate artifacts which are likely to arise from a color marking device trying to reproduce colors which are on a boundary of the device's printable gamut. The present method is directly applicable to a variety of gamut mapping strategies employed in color management systems.

Abstract: A method of forming a printing master on a flexographic plate by melting a radiation-curable phase change ink including at least one curable monomer, at least one phase change agent, at least one photoinitiator and an optional colorant. Multiple layers of the melted phase change ink are then deposited on the flexographic plate to form a raised pattern. Each of the deposited layers of ink are gelled before the deposition of a subsequent layer on the deposited layer. After a printing master with sufficient thickness is formed on the flexographic plate, the ink on the flexographic plate is cured.

Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member having a conductive layer, and fixing toner onto a recording medium by heat generation of the conductive layer through electromagnetic induction; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field crossing the conductive layer; a magnetic path forming member arranged so as to face the magnetic field generating member through the fixing member, forming a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field within a temperature range not greater than a permeability change start temperature where permeability starts to decrease, and causing the alternate-current magnetic field to go through the magnetic path forming member within a temperature range exceeding the permeability change start temperature; and a heat radiation member in contact with the magnetic path forming member to radiate heat generated in the magnetic path forming member toward a direction opposite to the fixing member with reference to the magnetic path forming member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device including: plural image formation sections, a second exposure section, a transfer body, a reading section and an identification section. Each image formation section includes a control section that controls a first exposure section to form an identification image of a color represented by color information in accordance with an image formation instruction. The second exposure section performs exposure onto a charged image-bearing body and forms an electrostatic latent image. An image is formed at the transfer body. The reading section reads an image. The identification section outputs to the plurality of image formation sections an image formation instruction and, on the basis of a duration from the output until the identification image is read by the reading section, identifies a position of the image formation section forming the image of the color instructed by the image formation instruction.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and interactive method for selecting finishing options for a print job are disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job which includes a document to be printed and associated job ticket information. Printers capable of executing the print job are identified and a user selection of one of the capable printers is received. Finishing options available on the selected printer are displayed and a user-selected one or more of the displayed finishing options are received. A three-dimensional visualization of the document as it would be rendered on the user-selected printer with a user selected finishing option(s) is generated. The print job ticket information can then be updated, based on any user-selected printer and finishing options.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention is a recording medium transport device including: a rotating body pair including a pair of rotating bodies disposed on a transport path of a recording medium; a pressing mechanism pressing the rotating bodies in a direction to approach each other; elastically deformable first-large-diameter-portions provided at both axial direction outer-sides of a region where the recording medium passes of at least one of the rotating bodies, the first-large-portions having a larger diameter than the outer diameter at the region; and second-large-diameter-portions provided at both axial direction outer-sides of the region of at least one of the rotating bodies, the second-large-diameter-portions having a larger diameter than the outer diameter at the region and having a smaller diameter than the first-large-diameter-portions, and the second-large-diameter-portions forming a gap between peripheral faces of the rotating bodies at the region in a state where the first-large-diameter-portions are elas

Abstract: A method generates and evaluates a fiducial pattern for an imaging system. The method includes generating a fiducial pattern for an image substrate, and measuring a difference between a structure of the fiducial pattern and at least one of a structure of a printing system and a structure of a measurement pattern to determine whether the structure of the fiducial pattern is distinguishable from at least one of the structure of the printing system and the structure of the measurement pattern.

Abstract: A method for minimizing cross-process non-uniformities in solid and heavy shadow regions of printed documents is provided. The method includes marking with a marking engine an image on an image bearing surface moving in a process direction; generating profile data of the image by sensing an optical characteristic of the image in a cross-process direction; adjusting at least one control actuator of the marking engine so as to shift the characteristic of a subsequent marked image in the cross-process direction to at least a target value; and generating a spatially varying tone reproduction curve to smooth the characteristic of the subsequent marked image towards the target value.

Abstract: A system and methods for performing UCR/GCR (Undercolor Removal/Gray Color Replacement) in a digital printer is provided. The system and method includes maximizing the linearity of a color mapping function mapping a device independent color to a device dependent color through linear filtering and performing color projection to ensure color accuracy. The system and methods reduces graininess of printed color images having flesh-tones by also including a K reduction step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting nip width based on a scanned nip print image on ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive media in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving a signal to generate a nip print, automatically inserting a sheet of UV-sensitive media into a fuser nip in the image production device, pausing the sheet of UV-sensitive media in the fuser nip for a predetermined time period, illuminating the UV-sensitive media with ultraviolet light to generate a nip print, scanning the generated nip print, determining if a nip width adjustment is required based on the scanned nip print, and if it is determined that a nip width adjustment is required based on the scanned nip print, adjusting the nip width using a nip width adjustment device.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is a protective sheet including: a protective portion that can be inserted between a charging member which is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a latent image carrier and the latent image carrier, and that can cover an image forming area formed on the outer peripheral surface of the latent image carrier; and a high friction portion that is connected to an end portion of the protective portion, that can be inserted between a pressing portion for being pressed against a background area formed on the outer peripheral surface of the latent image carrier and the background area of the latent image carrier, and whose dynamic frictional force when pulled out from the latent image carrier is higher than that of the protective portion.

Abstract: What is provided are a system, method, and computer program product for protecting information displayed on a fax confirmation page. Several embodiments are provided. In one embodiment, for example, a Gaussian kernel is used to blur the digitized image to be printed on the confirmation page. In one method, a large enough blur kernel is selected so that text of a certain size will be rendered illegible. A method is also provided wherein a copy of the first page of the faxed document used to provide the content to be displayed on the confirmation page of the faxed document is stored on a storage device. A character sequence which references the stored original content on the storage media is printed on the confirmation page. A new confirmation page can be reconstructed and printed if it is desirable to have the altered content made visibly legible. Various other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for mapping an out-of-gamut spot color to a surface boundary of a target color gamut of a color marking device in a color management system. The present method accurately detects the intersection of a point at the boundary surface of a ray traced between the out-of-gamut color and color point along a neutral axis of the target gamut. The ability to map an out-of-gamut color accurately to the gamut surface provides many advantages as one skilled in the art would appreciate. Various embodiments are provided.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading device including: a light source; an image forming unit including plural optical members that receive reflection light reflected from the document and form an image from the received light; plural light receiving units that receive the light formed into an image by the image forming unit and convert the light to an electric signal; a storing unit that stores plural kinds of correction data; a detecting unit that detects an amount of relative positional shift between a light receiving unit and the image forming unit for each light receiving unit; and a correcting unit that selects correction data suitable for each light receiving unit from the plural kinds of correction data stored in the storing unit based on the detected amount of relative positional shift, and corrects the electric signal converted by each light receiving unit based on the correction data.

Abstract: A method of forming an enclosed fluid path in a print head includes providing a die member and a truncated nozzle plate spaced from the upper surface of the die member. The die and nozzle plate are formed on a print head substrate having an aperture formed therein. A sacrificial material is seated over the aperture of the print head substrate and joins a terminal end of the truncated nozzle plate. The sacrificial material is encapsulated from the terminal end of the nozzle plate to a surface of the print head substrate. Removal of the sacrificial material defines the fluid path from the aperture of the print head substrate to the nozzle plate.

Abstract: A transparent toner for electrostatic latent image developing, including a binder resin and a release agent, the difference between Tm and Tc being from about 30° C. to about 50° C., wherein Tm is an endothermic peak temperature of the release agent determined in a temperature rising process and Tc is an exothermic peak temperature of the release agent determined in a temperature decreasing process, in a measurement by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) according an ASTM method, and the toner having a weight average molecular weight of from about 35,000 to about 70,000.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image holding member and a charging unit. In a case in which an AC current, while being increased, is supplied to the charging unit in a state in which a DC voltage value and an AC voltage value applied to the charging unit are maintained, or a case in which a DC voltage, while being increased, is supplied to the charging unit in a state in which the AC voltage value applied to the charging unit is maintained, a current detection unit detects DC current values. An inflection point derivation unit derives an inflection point of a correlation line representing an correlation between the detected DC current values and the supply amounts. An execution unit executes pre-specified processing when a characteristic value of the derived inflection point reaches a pre-specified value.