Abstract: An improvement in a skew adjustment system used in correcting skew between a document handler and a scan tub includes curved slots in a base portion of the document handler that are positioned for rotation over protruding members projecting from the surface of a movable portion of a hinge connecting the document handler to the scan tub. Rotation of the document handler generates a virtual pivot point what will increase the angular adjustment between the scan tub and the document handler while minimizing the misalignments.

Abstract: Carrier comprised of a mixture of a first carrier and a second carrier, and wherein the first carrier is comprised of a steel core and the second carrier is comprised of a magnetite.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a carbon structure at least including two electrodes and having forefront portions opposed to each other, and a power supply for applying a voltage between the electrodes and so that discharge plasma is produced in a discharge area between the electrodes and. The apparatus for producing a carbon structure further including a magnetic field generating unit to for forming at least a magnetic field including multidirectional lines of magnetic force or a magnetic field including a component parallel with the traveling direction of a discharge current, in an area where the discharge plasma is generated. In addition, a method for producing a carbon structure, using such an operation.

Abstract: An image forming method, including forming an unfixed toner image on the surface of paper by an electrophotographic process using a developer containing a toner, and fixing the toner image on the paper, wherein a toner amount of the unfixed toner image is in the range of about 2.0 to 4.5 g/m2 for a toner image formed using a toner of one color, and in the range of about 8.0 to 18 g/m2 for a toner image formed by layering toners of four or more colors, and a bulk density of the toner is in the range of about 0.2 to 0.5 g/cm3.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a binder resin, a colorant and a releasing agent. The releasing agent contains a hydrocarbon component including a linear hydrocarbon component, and the liner hydrocarbon component has a carbon number distribution and an average carbon number N. An amount of a component having a carbon number of from N?4 to N+4 in the releasing agent is 80% by mass or more based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent. An amount of a component having a carbon number of N?10 or less in the releasing agent is 0.05% by mass or less based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent, and an amount of a component having a carbon number of N+10 or more in the releasing agent is 0.05% by mass or less based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent.

Abstract: A continuous feed printer prints images on a continuous paper sheet with conveyance holes perforated at regular intervals along the edges thereof and conveyed by a pinless transportation mechanism. The continuous feed printer includes: a conveyance hole detecting device that detects the conveyance holes on the sheet; a comparison device that compares a measured conveyance length of the sheet, which is a length of the sheet conveyed from the time when the conveyance hole detection has been started to the time when a predetermined number of conveyance holes has been detected, with a calculated conveyance length that is calculated from a number of the detected conveyance holes and the intervals between the conveyance holes; and an adjusting device that adjusts a conveyance velocity of the sheet based on the result of comparison of the measured conveyance length with the calculated conveyance length to make them equal to each other.

Abstract: Improved method, data structure and computer readable medium for searching for digital information files. Files referenced by URLs may be quickly located by finding a minimum unique prefix for the desired URL, breaking the prefix into substrings, and traversing a trie data structure to find indices to another trie data structure that will yield the physical location of the stored digital information file. A node data structure may be used to construct the trie data structures, and may be compressed to allow the tries to occupy less memory, thus allowing the tries to be maintained in memory and less access to storage devices. The result is faster retrieval times for digital information files.

Abstract: An ink melt heater is disposed in a phasing printing system for heating a solid ink stick for melting the ink stick from a solid to a liquid phase. The heater includes a trace assembly having a plurality of power zones having different wattage densities respectively. The heat transfer plate is adhered to the trace assembly for mating engagement against the solid ink stick. The heater has a low thermal mass for enhanced and rapid heat transfer from the trace assembly through the transfer to the ink stick.

Abstract: A reprographic marking device has two rolls, e.g., a pressure roll and a fuser roll, forming a nip. A drive motor moves the rolls in a continuous back and forth lateral motion to change the position of the rolls relative to a paper sheet passing through the nip.

Abstract: A system provides accelerated morphological analysis and in particular a speed-up of morphological look-up via a caching mechanism. The system determines whether each incoming token in a token stream is unique or recurring. Unique tokens, which occur for the first time in the token stream, are marked with a unique numerical identification (ID). A pointer is added to recurring tokens, which already occurred in the token stream, and directed towards the unique numerical ID which was defined for the respective token when occurring for the first time. A morphological look-up is performed on the unique tokens. Subsequently, the tokens carrying the pointer are detected and replaced with the results of morphological look-up stored under the unique numerical ID of the respective unique token.

Abstract: An automatic supply ordering system for electronically ordering a consumable component or replaceable part in a marking machine. The system provides electronic identification of a condition of a replaceable component and automatically electronically sends an offer to purchase a replacement part upon identification of a threshold condition.

Abstract: The invention provides a color processing method that is capable of improving the color reproduction accuracy by calculating an adequate amount of black component (referred to as K) with consideration of the coverage restriction when a four-color signal including the black component is generated from a color signal of a input color space. By a YMCK modeling unit, adjustment K calculation unit, restriction K calculation unit and optimal K modeling unit, modeling is performed between the representative color signal and the corresponding optimal K by use of plural color signals that belong to the partial color space, namely the color gamut that is reproducible with three colors and by use of plural color signals that belong to the area on the curved plane that is reproducible with four colors including the black component as the representative color signal. An optimal K determining unit predicts an optimal K corresponding to the input color signal in the input color space based on the model.

Abstract: A technique for teaching expository writing using a system that provides an objective reader centric microanalysis of the information a writer has conveyed to a virtual reader. The technique uses a theory of discourse analysis such as the Linguistic Discourse Model. Using the technique, a text is segmented into discrete units of meaning of the selected theoretic model. Student analysis and understanding are facilitated by the assignment of types to the discrete units of meaning and by linking the discrete units of meaning into a discourse tree under the constraints imposed by the selected theory. A virtual, or objective, reader centric summary of the information actually conveyed by the text is then compared to the writer designated important concepts and the results conveyed as feedback to the writer.

Abstract: A method for improving the image quality, which includes substantially predicting an effect of reload error for at least one toner color of a developed image, modulating the color density of at least one pixel of a digital image to compensate for the predicted effect of the reload error, generating the developed image based upon the modulated digital image.

Abstract: A user conducts a telephone conversation without speaking. It does this by moving the participant in the public situation to a quiet mode of communication (e.g., keyboard, buttons, touchscreen). All the other participants are allowed to continue using their usual audible technology (e.g., telephones) over the existing telecommunications infrastructure. The quiet user interface transforms the user's silent input selections into equivalent audible signals that may be directly transmitted to the other parties in the conversation.

Abstract: A monochrome/color judgement is executed in an image processing apparatus such as a printer based upon man's visual characteristics with respect to each target pixel in an image. A reference value K is calculated based upon plural color component values in the target pixel, and then, a dispersed value a is obtained based upon the plural color component values. It is judged whether or not a color attribute of the target pixel satisfies a judging condition based upon K and ?. If the judging condition is satisfied, the target pixel is judged to be a monochrome pixel, while, if the judging condition is not satisfied, the target pixel is judged to be a color pixel. When any one of pixels among a predetermined unit is a color pixel, color processing is executed, while monochrome processing is executed when all pixels constructing the predetermined unit are monochrome pixels. The judgement can be performed by referring to peripheral pixels. The judging object may be one portion of the image.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for forming bichromal balls or multicolored balls by laser-based methods. In one method, a laser and a template are used to form small discrete precursors that are subsequently spherodized. In another method a laser is used to cut or otherwise form small discrete precursors that are also subsequently spherodized. These methods are particularly well suited for forming balls or other sphere-like bodies having diameters less than 100 microns.

Abstract: A compound having the Formula I wherein: R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a straight chain alkyl group, a branched alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, a monocyclic aromatic group, a polycyclic aromatic group, an alkylaryl group, or an arylalkyl group; R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of a straight chain alkyl group, a branched alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, a monocyclic aromatic group, a polycyclic aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, an alkylaryl group, an arylalkyl group, an alkoxyaryl group, an arylalkoxy group, a halogen, and hydrogen; R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 are independently selected from the group consisting of a straight chain alkyl group, a branched alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, a monocyclic aromatic group, a polycyclic aromatic group, an alkylaryl group, an arylalkyl group, an alkoxyaryl group, an arylalkoxy group, an aryloxy group, a halogen, and hydrogen.

Abstract: An image-fixing method for heat-fixing a toner image, by feeding an transfer medium carrying the toner image between a heating unit heated by an induction-heating process and a pressurizing unit placed to press against the heating unit, wherein the electric resistivity at least of the outermost layer of the heating unit is 10?7 ?m or more and less than 10?2 ?m, and the toner image is formed by using a toner containing an amorphous resin having an ionic concentration in the range of 10?5 to 10?3 mole/g as the binder resin.

Abstract: When a CPU receives an input signal that selects an operation mode through an operation mode selecting screen, the CPU determines whether or not the selected operation mode coincides with an operation mode stored in individual operation mode histories of an main body NVM. If both the operation modes do not coincide with each other, the CPU starts counting of a midway consumption of a toner representing the consumption of the toner used thereafter. Further, the CPU determines whether or not the count of the midway consumption arrives at a specified value. If the count arrives at the specified value, the CPU updates the individual operation mode histories of the main body NVM with the selected operation mode, and switches an existing operation mode to the selected operation mode.