Abstract: A service providing apparatus in which a learning control unit performs control as to whether or not to perform learning of a first estimation unit based on an output of an environment decision unit for outputting information about environment of a user and outputs of the first estimation unit and a second estimation unit for making stochastic decisions on service targeted for supply.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing hydroxyl group-containing polymer particles including causing cross-linked polymer particles containing a (meth)acrylate polymer to react in the presence of a metal-containing ester-exchange reaction catalyst with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound including at least two hydroxyl groups and a compound including at least one primary amino group and at least one hydroxyl group, the cross-linked polymer particles comprising the (meth)acrylate polymer represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 to R4 may be the same or different from each other, and each independently represents a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group or a substituted or non-substituted aryl group, any one of which has 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer of 1 or more.

Abstract: A toner process comprising heating a mixture of a latex and a colorant dispersion in the presence of an aggregating agent, and subsequently adding in an amount of at least about 4 weight percent alumina particles, and optionally which particles primarily function as a charge enhancing additive.

Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes a substrate, a first semiconductor multilayer reflector formed on the substrate, an active region formed on the first semiconductor multilayer reflector, a second semiconductor multilayer reflector formed on the active region, a current confinement layer interposed between the first and second semiconductor multilayer reflectors and partially including an oxide region, and an insulating layer formed on a coated surface provided by a semiconductor layer which is part of the first semiconductor multilayer reflector and is revealed after removal of a surface oxidation layer.

Abstract: Print control program, by its constituent portions in cooperation with a scanner apparatus, spools image data sent from the scanner apparatus and controls the print engine etc. of the printer apparatus to print out the spooled image data. The print control program prepares job attribute information used for obtaining the output rate of the printer apparatus, calculates an anticipatory spool amount based on the job attribute information of the printer apparatus thus prepared and job attribute information received from the scanner apparatus, and adjusts timing for printing out the spooled image data.

Abstract: There are provided a recording liquid that produces high-quality images having a very high image density and water resistance without blotting or permeating into recording paper, and excels in discharging properties; and a method for recording images by the use of such a solution. The recording liquid for ink printers according to the present invention contains a colorant, water, and a fine particle of non-photo-curable resin and a fine particle of photo-curable resin. The method for recording images on a recording medium has the step of discharging the droplets of the recording liquid from a recording head, wherein the above recording liquid is used as the recording liquid.

Abstract: A recycling method of a part for an image forming apparatus, the part being used in the image forming apparatus and provided with a thermoplastic resin member at least in a part thereof is provided which includes: recovering the part for the image forming apparatus; disassembling the recovered part for the image forming apparatus; retrieving the thermoplastic resin member from the disassembled part for the image forming apparatus; and performing heat processing to the retrieved thermoplastic resin member to recycle the member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high intensity blending apparatus, particularly for blending operations designed to cause additive materials to become affixed to the surface of base particles. The tool comprises a shank having riser members at each end, such risers being angled to the axis of the shank between 10 and 16 degrees and having regions toward the trailing edges that are thicker than regions near the leading edges.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a thin film magnetic transducer having a pair of yokes and generating a magnetic field in a magnetic gap between two magnetic poles at the ends of the pair of yokes, and a heater placed in the vicinity of the magnetic gap and generating heat with an electric current. A part of a magnetic recording medium in the vicinity of the magnetic gap is heated by the heater to reduce a magnetic-coercive of the part of the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic field generated by the thin film magnetic transducer is applied to the part of the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A method for forming a recording position adjusting pattern that is capable of correcting a recording position correctly, a method for adjusting the image recording position, and an image recording apparatus are provided. Corrected K color parallel bars are grouped into blocks each of which includes a certain number of bars and plural blocks are printed in block (180, 188), and the color parallel bars are printed between the K color parallel bars with tilt magnitude that is different for every block (182, 190). The optical detection unit detects the block having the highest density among the printed parallel bars (184, 192), the tilt magnitude of the detected block is set as the tilt magnitude of the color to thereby correct the tilt of the color (186, 194). The tilt of each color is corrected in the same manner.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a p-type semiconductor substance, and an n-type semiconductor substance. The p-type semiconductor substance and the n-type semiconductor substance form a pn junction or a pin junction, and the p-type semiconductor substance or the n-type semiconductor substance includes a structure film having a plurality of carbon nanotubes electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A print data compiling device has a first unit, a second unit and a compiling unit. The first unit specifies a size of an original arbitrarily. The second unit divides image generated based on image data. The image data is generated based on a size of paper on which the image is to be printed and the specified original size. The compiling unit compiles print data for printing the divided image on the paper, based on the size of paper, the image data, and the divided image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier, an exposure array, a reading sensor and a detecting unit. The image carrier carries a toner image. The exposure array forms a latent image. The reading sensor reads a pattern. The reading sensor is provided integrally with the exposure array. The detecting unit detects fluctuation based on the pattern read by the reading sensor.

Abstract: The printer includes a CPU, a bridge image processing unit, a RAM, a ROM, a supply power control unit, a printing unit, a communication I/F, and physical layer I/Fs. When the Ethernet is connected to the communication I/F, if the DMA transfer request signal is not outputted from the DMAC for more than a specific time, the supply power control unit shifts into the sleep mode that halts the supplies of clock to the CPU, etc.; and if data is received from the host computer group, the supply power control unit releases the sleep mode. Further, in case that equipment conforming to the USB standard or the IEEE 1284 is connected to the communication I/F, if the DMA transfer request signal is not outputted from the DMAC for more than the specific time, the supply power control unit shifts into the power halt mode that halts the supply of power to the CPU, etc. Thus, the invention provides a printer capable of effectively reducing the power consumption.

Abstract: A material processing method has a process of reading image data of a material. The material has answer fields and information items on points distributed to the answer fields. The method also has extracting the distributed point information items based on the image data, associating the distributed point information items with answer fields to recognize the points distributed to each answer field, storing a result recognized the points distributed to each answer field as answer/distributed point correspondence information, recognizing correct/incorrect answer determining contents from the image data, and performing point totaling on the correct/incorrect answer determining contents based on the answer/distributed point correspondence information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an access privilege transferring method for safely transmitting privilege information about each object between subjects (users) over an object space in which service objects are scattered. User information and secret information of clients are shared between the clients and servers. A client that transfers privilege information generates privilege information weakened in its own contents of privilege. Further, the client applies a one-way function or an encryption function to a bit string obtained by joining the generated privilege information and the secret information to each other, thereby generating protected privilege information with which a third party who does not know the secret information is not capable of tampering. Utilizing the protected privilege information makes it possible to safely transfer access privileges.

Abstract: An image formation device has an image formation section, a pattern image detection section and a registration correction section. The image formation section forms an image to be outputted and a pattern image on an image-bearing body, the pattern image is formed at a non-image creation region outside an image creation region at which the outputted image is formed. The pattern image detection section detects a position of the pattern image for detecting positional offset of the image. The registration correction section corrects the positional offset based on the detected position of the pattern image.

Abstract: A magnetic material sensing device which senses a magnetic material by detecting a signal which the magnetic material emits when an alternating magnetic field is applied, the magnetic material sensing device includes: an exciting coil which applies the alternating magnetic field; a receiving coil which receives a first signal which is generated due to the alternating magnetic field; a noise signal removing part that removes, from the first signal, a noise signal of an object which reflects the alternating magnetic field; and a detecting part that detects, from the noise signal-removed signal, the signal emitted from the magnetic material.

Abstract: A light emitting element driving circuit includes: plural AC-coupling capacitors which are connected together in series; and a bias generating circuit which generates a bias current, wherein a light emitting element is driven by superposing a modulating current to the bias current via the plural AC-coupling capacitors.