Abstract: A toner concentration control system for maintaining image quality in a developer structure, the toner concentration control system including: a transfer efficiency estimator for measuring a transfer efficiency estimate associated with a developed image on an imaging surface before and after transfer; and a toner dispenser, responsive to the transfer efficiency estimator, for adjusting a toner dispense rate.

Abstract: An imaging member having a substrate, a charge transport layer having a polymer and a first charge transport material dispersed therein, and wherein the charge transport layer has a glass transition temperature of from about 10 to about 45° C.; and an overcoat layer on the charge transport layer, wherein the overcoat layer includes a second polymer and a second charge transport material dispersed therein.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a toner having improved relative humidity sensitivity is described. The process comprises forming polyester toner particles by emulsion/aggratation, fluidizing the toner particles with a stream of inert gas while spraying the toner particles with a solution containing an additive affecting relative humidity sensitivity, and wherein the additive contacts a surface of the toner particles and the additive remains on the surface of the toner particles.

Abstract: A system and method to control imaging devices in a single-pass multi-color electrophotographic printing machine that includes a photoconductive member having a timing aperture, the photoconductive member moving along a path in the printing machine, and a plurality of imaging devices, each one of the plurality of imaging devices writing a latent image on the photoconductive member. The system further includes a sensor, located adjacent the photoconductive member, to sense the aperture in the photoconductive member as it passes the sensor and generate a signal indicative thereof and a control device and method that provides a timing signal for each of the plurality of imaging devices based on the signal generated by the sensor and a clock signal that is synchronous for all of the imaging devices.

Abstract: An improved waveguide shuttle optical switch design which provides the function of a variable optical attenuator (VOA). A small degree of intentional misalignment of the waveguide will create different levels of optical attenuation. By finely controlling the misalignment of a selected switched position, a single device may be realized that will provide the functions of both switching and attenuating or just attenuation alone. The optical MEMS device utilizes a latching mechanism in association with a thermal drive actuator for aligning a waveguide shuttle platform. The integration of the switching function and the VOA function reduce the optical loss which is otherwise unavoidable when the inevitable alternative of a separate switch and a separate VOA must necessarily be employed. The resultant improved device can also be applied for correcting the difference in optical intensity created by the manufacturing tolerances inherent in the fabrication of array waveguide gratings.

Abstract: The present invention provides employees and/or associates the opportunity to share corporate knowledge via the storage of electronic message (email) with user awareness and consent features. In various embodiments of the invention, awareness and consent over email sharing is provided via automated message modification and message generation. In one embodiment of the invention, the granted sharing permissions are communicated to all original message recipients and authors to enhance awareness of sharing decisions made by individual employees. All employees who are allowed to access the shared content according to the sharing privileges can subsequently find or discover content via full-text searches or other means, such as content-based recommendations.

Abstract: There is provided an information terminal device in an electronic conference system, including a reception unit that receives information on a state of attendance of participants in a conference, who are present in a plurality of conference holding spaces; a disadvantageous degree calculation processor that calculates a disadvantageous degree indicating a degree of disadvantage which each participant has when participating in the conference, based on the received information; and a disadvantageous degree output processor that outputs the calculated disadvantageous degree.

Abstract: The teachings as provided herein relate to a watermark embedded in an image that has the property of being relatively indecipherable under normal light, and yet decipherable under UV light. This fluorescent mark comprises a substrate containing optical brightening agents, and a first colorant mixture pattern printed as an image upon the substrate. The colorant mixture pattern layer has as characteristics a property of strongly suppressing substrate fluorescence, as well as a property of low contrast under normal illumination against the substrate or a second colorant mixture pattern printed in close spatial proximity to the first colorant mixture pattern. The second colorant mixture pattern having a property of providing a differing level of substrate fluorescence suppression from the first such that the resultant image rendered substrate suitably exposed to an ultra-violet light source, will yield a discernable image evident as a fluorescent mark.

Abstract: An electronic conference support device has a cut screen information management section that stores information related to a cut screen object which forms a portion of a screen image displayed on a presenter-side display unit; a screen image generation processor that generates a screen image based on stored information related to a cut screen object designated from among cut screen objects contained in a screen image displayed on a participant-side display unit, by incorporating the designated cut screen object into image data to be newly displayed on the participant-side display unit; and an edit screen information storage unit that stores, in association with each other, information related to the generated screen image and information related to the cut screen object incorporated into the screen image.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprising: a unit which is mountable and removable at an electronic apparatus main body; a locking component; a mounted component which is mounted at the unit; a stopper member which is mounted at the unit and impedes removal of the mounted component from the unit; a first engaged portion which is provided at one of the unit and the stopper member; and a first engaging portion which is provided at the other of the unit and the stopper member, the first engaging portion engaging with the first engaged portion when the stopper member is mounted at the unit and impeding removal of the stopper member from the unit, being operable for releasing the engagement with the first engaged portion, and being inoperable in a state in which the unit is mounted at the electronic apparatus main body, is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: process cartridges removably provided at an apparatus-main-body; a conveyance belt facing the process cartridges; a cover member provided at the apparatus-main-body capable of opening/closing to the apparatus-main-body; identified parts respectively provided at the process cartridges, at least one of shapes and placements thereof being different from each other for respective colors corresponding to the process cartridges; identification parts provided at the apparatus-main-body to correspond to the respective identified parts, that show, when the process cartridges are attached at the apparatus-main-body, whether or not the process cartridges are attached at respective proper-setting-positions by interfering or not interfering with the respective identified parts; and a conveyance belt refuge member that allows the conveyance belt to move toward the cover member when the cover member is closed in a state where at least one of the process ca

Abstract: A content use management system includes a content-providing system and content-using device. The content-providing system includes a providing unit that provides, to the content-using device, digital content having content identification information corresponding to user-side-specific information specific to the content-using device or a user of the content-using device and a primary distribution destination field.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes two tension rollers; a conveyor belt movably supported at the two tension rollers; a plurality of transfer parts that are arranged on the back surface side of the conveyor belt and between the two tension rollers, that contact one surface of the back surface of the conveyor belt, and that form a predetermined clearance with an opposite portion of the back surface of the conveyor belt; and a cleaning blade for removing residual toner remaining on the conveyor belt. The cleaning blade has the front end contacting the conveyor belt at a predetermined pressure. The cleaning blade is arranged at a position where the back surface of the conveyor belt distorted by the front end does not contact the tension roller.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic mail creation device that includes an acceptance unit that accepts a specification of a plurality of destinations including a secret destination and a public destination; a broadcast mail creation unit that creates a broadcast electronic mail by performing encryption processing for sending data not by means of a public key certificate of the secret destination but by means of a public key certificate of the public destination and not by setting the secret destination in a “To:” destination box and a “Cc:” destination box but by setting the public destination in the “To:” destination box and the “Cc:” destination box; and a secret mail creation unit that creates a secret destination electronic mail by performing encryption processing for the sending data by means of at least the public key certificate of the secret destination and not by setting the public destination in any destination box but by setting the secret destination in one of the destination boxes.

Abstract: There is provided a document use tracking system including a use history recording unit that records, for each document stored in a document storage unit, a use history record for each user about each element in the document, a search condition reception unit that receives an input of a search condition, an element score calculation unit that calculates, for each element of each document, an element score indicating closeness of fit of the element for the search condition, an importance score calculation unit that calculates, for each combination of an element and a user who has performed an operation, an importance score based on the element score of the element and the use history record of the user for the element, and a monitored object information presentation unit that presents the importance score calculated by the importance score calculation unit and the user corresponding to the importance score.

Abstract: A print record management device includes a comparison unit that compares print image data produced on the basis of stored document data with the stored document data, and a determination unit that determines, from a result of the comparison, which of the print image data and association data showing association with the stored document data is to be stored as record data for enabling reproduction of printing processing in relation to the print image data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paperless billing process for enabling expedited and simplified payments of print volume bills by customers of printing systems. A method of performing a billing process for the copies or prints produced by customer of a printing system is provided where the printing system comprises a memory that stores product usage data indicating a measurement of the actual use of the printing system. The printing system first accesses the memory to retrieve the product usage data. Then, the printing system calculates billing data using the retrieved product usage data. A bill is presented to the customer based on billing data, and the printing system receives user input from the customer indicating whether the customer authorizes the billing data. If so, a message is sent from the printing system to a billing service, wherein the message includes information indicating the authorized billing data.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electronic apparatus includes: displaying, on a desktop screen, a function setting region in which an instruction to execute a plurality of processes sequentially is set; specifying graphical relevance between the function setting region and at least one file, on the desktop screen; and executing the plurality of processes set in the function setting region on the file relevant to the function setting region.

Abstract: A remote instruction system comprising an annotation forming portion that: overlay-displays an image of a target taken by an image taking portion, in a display area of application software; displays an edited image in the display area by use of the application software; extracts the edited image displayed according to a difference between displayed images prior to and subsequent to a generation of the edited image; and forms an annotation image from the edited image extracted to project the annotation image onto an image-taken area of the image taking portion by a projecting portion according to an instruction given on the basis of a taken image.

Abstract: The teachings as provided herein relate to a watermark embedded in an image that has the property of being relatively indecipherable under normal light, and yet decipherable under UV light. This fluorescent mark comprises a substrate containing optical brightening agents, and a first colorant mixture printed as an image upon the substrate. The colorant mixture layer has as characteristics a property of strongly suppressing substrate fluorescence, as well as a property of low contrast under normal illumination against the substrate or a second colorant mixture printed in close spatial proximity to the first colorant mixture, such that the resultant image rendered substrate suitably exposed to an ultra-violet light source, will yield a discernable image evident as a fluorescent mark.