Abstract: An electrophotographic developer is provided for realizing high-quality images and superior reproducibility of laser dots in a low coverage region and reduced unevenness of color in halftone solid images. The electrophotographic developer includes a toner and a carrier. The toner has a shape factor of 140 or less and a volume average particle size distribution GSDv of 1.3 or less. The carrier has a coat resin layer on a core material, the coat resin layer containing a conductive powder. The core material has a dynamic electric resistivity of 1 ?·cm or less under an electric field of 104 V/cm in a form of a magnetic brush. The conductive powder has an electric resistivity of 101 ?·cm or greater and 106 ?·cm or less. The carrier has an electric resistivity in a range between 10 and 1×108 ?·cm. An image forming method is also provided wherein the electrophotographic developer is used for development in a developing stage.

Abstract: A method of correcting output image squareness in a laser printer system having a Raster Output Scanning (ROS) device with a pivotal mounting. The method includes printing a test pattern that includes a plurality of markers printed in a predetermined geometric arrangement and calculating a skew angle based on the measured distances, preferably using the Law of Cosines. The ROS device is then automatically rotated by an amount sufficient to correct the skew angle. The ROS rotation is performed automatically by an adjustment system connected to the ROS. The method optionally includes a scanner for scanning the test pattern image and making the measurements automatically via a program configured to analyze the scanned image.

Abstract: An image reader reads an image on a sheet document while feeding the sheet document by an automatic document feeder (ADF). A CCD sensor includes first pixel rows and a second pixel row. The first pixel rows read R, G, B color components of a document image while scanning the document in a main scanning direction. The second pixel row is disposed at a predetermined distance in a sub-scanning direction from the first pixel rows. The second pixel row reads one color component of the document image. The image reader uses the CCD sensor to detect noise component on image data read by the first pixel rows or the second pixel row based on each of image data read by the first and second pixel rows and to eliminate the detected noise component.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-crosslinked polymer particle having in a side chain thereof a succinimidoxycarbonyl group represented by the following structural formula (1): the method comprising the step of using an initiator to polymerize a polymerizable monomer (A) containing a succinimidoxycarbonyl group represented by the above structural formula (1) and a polymerizable monomer (B) containing one polymerizable moiety in the monomer in a non-aqueous solvent in the presence of a macromolecular dispersion stabilizer. In this process the non-aqueous solvent is a solvent in which the polymerizable monomer (A) and the polymerizable monomer (B) are soluble and the non-crosslinked polymer particle is insoluble.

Abstract: A photoconductive imaging member containing a supporting substrate, and thereover a single layer comprised of a photogenerator component, a charge transport component, an electron transport component, and a polymer binder.

Abstract: A pure rendering intent is used to render text and line art in color imaging systems. A CMY image goes through a one hundred percent under color removal process creating a CMYK image. The CMYK image is processed by a set of clamping tone reproduction curves. The clamping tone reproduction curves shift nearly saturated colors to total saturation. The result is a rendering of text and line art that has improved clarity and legibility.

Abstract: A finite-state network that supports substring-number mapping is compiled from a grammar that includes a plurality of classes of substrings. Each of the plurality of classes of substrings has a finite number of substrings. In applying the network to an input string, substrings are identified in the input string. Some or all of the substrings identified in the input string are mapped to a unique index within their class. This unique index is labeled with an identifier that identifies its class to define a labeled index. The string is encoded by forming a set of labeled indices using the labeled index of each substring of the input string.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for erasing incomplete and/or pending jobs from a marking device's non-volatile memory after a power loss. A threshold power loss duration can be selected, as can type of job(s) to be erased and whether users should be notified of erasure.

Abstract: An improved process for producing ceramic thick film array elements is provided. In this regard, ceramic elements are formed on a temporary, or printing, substrate by screen printing or other forming methods. The temporary, or printing, substrate is advantageously provided with a release layer. This makes it possible to release the printed and soft-baked ceramic elements from the temporary substrate and transfer the ceramic elements to the sintering substrate. The contemplated release technique takes advantage of the phase transition of a liquid, e.g. water, to transfer the elements to a sintering substrate. After sintering and electrode deposition, the ceramic element array is bonded to a target substrate. Then, the sintering substrate is removed to make the array available for implementation in a variety of suitable environments.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrophotographic laminated film and a method for producing the electrophotographic laminated film. The electrophotographic laminated film comprises a substrate and at least one of a coating layer and a function control means provided on a surface of the substrate. The uppermost layer of the coating layer has a surface resistance in a range of 1.0×108 to 1.0×1013 ?/?. The surface of the substrate preferably comprises at least one of a polycarbonate resin and a polyallylate resin. At least one of the coating layer and the function control means is preferably formed by providing a coating liquid. Further, a solvent contained in the coating liquid is preferably permits at least one of the coating layer and function control means to be formed while dissolving the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A photoconductive imaging member comprised of an optional supporting substrate, a hole blocking layer thereover, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer, and wherein the hole blocking layer is comprised of at least one copolymer of an aminoalkyltrialkoxysilane and a silane.

Abstract: An image transfer mechanism for a printer having a printer frame and an imaging drum attached to the printer frame includes a roller arm having a proximal end and a distal end, a transfer roller having a longitudinal axis, and a load arm having a proximal end and a distal end. The axis of the transfer roller is rotatably attached to the roller arm. The proximal end of the roller arm is attached to the load arm between the proximal end and the distal end of the load arm. The proximal end of the load arm is pivotally attached to the printer frame, and a load mechanism applies a load force to the distal end of the load arm to urge the load arm toward the imaging drum. An engaging mechanism selectively urges the distal end of the roller arm toward the imaging drum, which presses the load arm against the load force of the load mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing system for processing an input image containing an object image of a predetermined pattern which may have been magnified, the image processing system. The image processing system comprises: one or more characteristic quantity computing means 51A to 51D, 52 and 53 for computing a characteristic quantity representative of a characteristic of an object image possibly contained in an input image; and a plurality of magnification estimating means 61 to 63 for computing a magnification on the basis of one or more characteristic quantities computed by and output from the one or more characteristic quantity computing means 51A to 51D, 52 and 53.

Abstract: A bistable microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based system comprises a micromachined beam having a first stable state, in which the beam is substantially stress-free and has a specified non-linear shape, and a second stable state. The curved shape may comprises a simple curve or a compound curve. In embodiments, the boundary conditions for the beam are fixed boundary conditions, bearing boundary conditions, spring boundary conditions, or a combination thereof. The system may further comprise an actuator arranged to move the beam between the first and second stable states and a movable element that is moved between a first position and a second position in accordance with the movement of the beam between the first and second stable states. The actuator may comprise one of a thermal actuator, an electrostatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator and a magnetic actuator. The actuator may further comprise a thermal impact actuator or a zippering electrostatic actuator.

Abstract: A media handling system comprises a configuration of N linked modules. Each module has an order based on the module's linkage in the configuration. Thus, a first module of order 1 links to a second module of order 2, the second module links to a third module of order 3, etc., and an (N?1)th module of order (N?1) links to an Nth module of order N. A feeder module feeds a sheet of media to downstream modules. Each downstream module sends a reporting message to an included controller. The reporting message includes the time the module processed the sheet and the module's reported type. For each reporting module, the controller determines the module's order and type based on the reported time and reported type in the module's reporting message. The controller validates the configuration by determining when the order and the type for the reporting modules match a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method for digital watermarking in a calibrated printing path and comprises: first receiving a pixel possessing color values from an input image; receiving a plurality of information bits to be encoded at a corresponding pixel in an output image. Then, one of at least two different GCR functions are selected where the selection is based on the state of the received information bits. The number of GCR functions to be selected from is dependent on the number of possible states of the information bits intended to be encoded at each image pixel and preferably equals the number of states of the information bits intended to be encoded at each image pixel such that the GCR spatially varies across the output image. Further, at least two GCR functions are optimized to carry information and information bits intended to be encoded within the output image are represented with a tag. CMYK values are then generated using the selected GCR function and the color values.

Abstract: Text, images, and/or graphics of electronic documents should be organized and laid out in a two-dimensional format for presentation to the viewer. The best such layout depends upon the content present, the creator's intent, the output device, and the viewer's interests. To analyze the qualitative nature of the layout in quantifiable terms, the electronic document is measure using various quantifiable factors; such as, balance, uniformity, white space management, alignment, consistency, legibility, etc.; that impact a qualitative nature of a document. Such quantifiable factors are then used to quantize the aesthetics, ease of use, eye-catching ability, interest, communicability, comfort, and convenience of the document.

Abstract: An electrographic or electrostatographic imaging member comprises a supporting substrate, an undercoating layer, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer. Thick undercoating layers were prepared with a charge erase enabler by doping an undercoating layer with a charge generating pigment that is strongly absorbing at typical erase lamp light. Doped thick undercoating layers demonstrate good electrical properties with an erase energy reduction of at least 50 V. A process for fabricating an imaging member and an apparatus comprising such an member are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic camera imaging system records a color filter array (CFA) image. The missing color values of the CFA image are reconstructed using a linear transformation. The coefficients of the linear transformation are estimated in one embodiment by computing an average value over a window of the CFA image by equalizing the mean and the variance of the color channels of the window. In another embodiment, the coefficients of the linear transformation are estimated by fitting a line to a set of the sums of column and rows of color channels of a window of the CFA image.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet by providing an electric field of predetermined magnitude at a transfer zone. The transfer station includes a rotatable transfer member, with a cleaning corotron associated therewith. A control system for maintaining a constant current at the transfer zone takes into account a current supplied by the cleaning corotron. The control system can also take into account current leakages associated with the transfer member.