Abstract: A controller for a fluid ejecting system having a refillable container includes an ejection count initializing circuit, routine or application, a count incrementing circuit, routine or application, at least one fluid level indicator, and a fluid quantity circuit, routine or application for determining an expended quantity of fluid, a fluid reserve capacity circuit, routine or application for determining a fluid reserve capacity in the container, an ejection job determining circuit, routine or application for determining a fluid job requirement, a reserve comparing circuit, routine or application to compare the fluid reserve capacity and the fluid job requirement, and a refill condition determining circuit, routine or application to determine that the container is to be refilled. Counts for a ejection amount and a reserve capacity are incremented in response to a specific amount of fluid being ejected from the container.

Abstract: An optical sensor has a sensor compensation to compensate for sensor degradation due to airborne contaminations in the operating environment. For example, in a thermal ink jet printing environment, the thermal ink jet operation produces misting or splashing of the thermal ink jet droplets, causing a gradual degradation of the sensor sensitivity due to a surface accumulation of the ink jet droplets. The optical sensor device includes an optical emitter emitting an optical signal according to an emitter input, an optical detector disposed to detect the optical signal and output a detector output having an output level according to the detected optical signal, a variable attenuator having an adjustable attenuation setting, and a controller adjusting the attenuation setting of the variable attenuator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flame-retardant resin composition including a matrix resin and at least granular flame-retardant fine particles having a volume average particle diameter in said range of about 1 to about 500 nm. The invention also provides a flame-retardant resin composition including a matrix resin; at least flame-retardant fine particles having a volume average particle diameter in said range of about 1 to about 500 nm and comprising inorganic fine particles of a hydrated metal compound or an inorganic hydrate.

Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a first reflection layer formed on a substrate; an active layer formed on the first reflection layer; a second reflection layer formed on the active region; an electrode that has an aperture that defines a light emission range and is provided on the second reflection layer so that an uppermost layer of the second reflection layer is exposed through the aperture; and a third reflection layer that is provided on the electrode so as to cover the aperture. The third reflection layer includes a conductive film that electrically contacts the uppermost layer of the second reflection layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus containing an image holding member, a contact-type charger for charging a surface of the image holding member, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image by exposing the charged surface of the image holding member, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a spherical toner to obtain a toner image, and a transfer member for electrostatically transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member onto a transfer material. A number of toner particles remaining on the surface of the image holding member before passing through an abutting portion between the image holding member and the contact-type charger is in a range of 100 to 400 per unit area (mm2).

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a fixing method, and an image forming apparatus using the fixing device, wherein at least heat is applied to an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material to soften or melt toner of the unfixed toner image into a state of being able to be deformed by an external force, and, while the toner is maintained in the state of being able to be deformed by an external force, the toner is pressed to be flowed with a pressing surface having a temperature adjusted to be lower than a temperature at which the toner can be deformed by an external force to be flowed, whereby it is possible to obtain an image which is free from wasteful energy consumption, and has image quality excellent in transparency of a toner image and in OHP permeability, and has a high glossiness and free from gloss nonuniformity, and with which curl is hardly caused in a recording material.

Abstract: An electronic device support member is fitted into and pressingly attached to a cover so that a face on which an electronic device and an antenna are disposed is opposed to the rear face of the cover. A base has a fitting receive portion into which a fitting portion of the cover is to be fitted, on the peripheral edge of the surface opposed to the cover. Two elastic claws are disposed on the peripheral edge of the rear face. A second housing has a recess portion into which a memory chip is to be fitted and secured, in the surface. The recess portion is formed into a circular concave shape, and has two engagement portions for respectively receiving the elastic claws of the memory chip.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for certifying contracts utilizing a network. Initially, a first and second contract is received utilizing a network. Each contract includes a plurality of terms. It is then certified that the terms of the second contract are consistent with the terms of the first contract.

Abstract: An electronic device containing a polythiophene prepared by a metal halide-mediated coupling polymerization in an appropriate solvent, and which polythiophene is comprised of at least one monomer unit selected from the group consisting of 2,5-thienylene (or 2,5-thiophenediyl) (I), 2,5-thienylene (or 2,5-thiophenediyl) (II), and a divalent linkage D wherein, for example, A is alkyl, alkoxy or derivatives thereof; B is a hydrogen atom, a small substituent like alkyl or alkoxy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus selectively displays a processor generated image in accordance with user instructions detected by a processor from a processor viewing device disposed to view a real reference item controlled by the user. The real item, preferably a page of paper, is disposed as a reference frame for an electronic image to be displayed. The orientation of the page is identified by the system. Corresponding real world coordinates are computed for the captured image and compared with predetermined standards to verify the nature of the object.

Abstract: An independent hardware pixel counter counts bits of print data in regions of interest. The independent pixel counter can be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and is separate from a control processor. The independent hardware pixel counter selectively monitors a data bus carrying image data to or from a memory. Once the pixels of the image data have been counted, the count data can be sent to the control processor in order to implement a print strategy. The pixel counter counts the print data at a point when image data is being sent to the memory, since at that point the image data is both uncompressed and in a raster format, and thus can be easily analyzed. Additionally, because the image data is stored in the memory until enough print data has accumulated for printing, the processor is provided with sufficient time to gather and use print information before the counted image data is printed.

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: Disclosed is a composition which comprises a polymer containing at least some monomer repeat units with photosensitivity-imparting substituents which enable crosslinking or chain extension of the polymer upon exposure to actinic radiation, said polymer being of the formula wherein x is an integer of 0 or 1, A is one of several specified groups, such as B is one of several specified groups, such as or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer representing the number of repeating monomer units, wherein said photosensitivity-imparting substituents are allyl ether groups, epoxy groups, or mixtures thereof. Also disclosed are a process for preparing a thermal ink jet printhead containing the aforementioned polymers and processes for preparing the aforementioned polymers.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus comprises a predetermined number of transport members 2 disposed in a sheet transport passage 1. At least a part of the transport members 2 is a multi-direction transport member 4 for variably setting the transport direction of a sheet 3 to a plurality of directions. To perform direction switch control of the multi-direction transport member 4, the sheet transport apparatus comprises a transport direction switch unit 8 that can switch the transport direction of the sheet 3 by the multi-direction transport member 4 at a predetermined timing. Alternatively, the sheet transport apparatus comprises a guide member 9 for regulating a side position of the sheet 3.

Abstract: A kit comprising rotating element sheet material and a gradient field stylus, where the sheet material comprises a plurality of rotatable elements disposed in a substrate and in contact with an enabling fluid; where the substrate comprises a plurality of sheet latching components; where one of the rotatable elements comprises first and second rotatable latching components and a core configured to present a first aspect in a first orientation and a second aspect in a second orientation, related by a rotational transformation about an axis of the rotatable element; and where one of the sheet latching components is proximal to the first rotatable latching component in the first orientation and proximal to the second rotatable latching component in the second orientation; and where the rotatable and sheet latching components exhibit an attractive force based on a first gradient field; and where a distal end of the gradient field stylus exhibits an attractive force with the rotatable latching components based on a

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-controlling element comprising a polymer gel composition layer containing: a holding member; liquid held by the holding member; and a stimulus-responsive polymer gel which is held by the holding member and which changes in volume by absorbing or discharging the liquid due to an external stimulus, wherein the stimulus-responsive polymer gel is arranged in a single layer in the holding member, and also relates to a method for manufacturing the element. The polymer gel composition layer can be provided with a substrate on one side or both sides thereof, and further can be provided with a stimulus providing member.

Abstract: A transmission unit of a signal transmission device includes: a transmission-side detection unit that detects image information from an inputted electrical signal; a receiving unit that receives, from a reception unit, a status signal representing an arrival status of an outputted optical signal; and a control unit that controls an electrical-optical conversion unit on the basis of the detection result of the transmission-side detection unit and the status signal of the receiving unit so that the output of the optical signal is shut down in at least one of a case where image information is not included in an electrical signal and a case where an optical signal has not arrived.

Abstract: A recording sheet comprising a cellulose pulp, wherein a water retention value C of the sheet according to the following formula (1) is 50 to 100% and a wet tensile strength residual ratio R of the sheet in CD according to the following formula (2) is 5 to 20%: Water retention value C(%)={(A?B)/B}×100??Formula (1) Wet tensile strength residual ratio R (%) in CD=(Sw/S)×100.

Abstract: A recording paper including a substrate which includes cellulose pulp and has a surface treated with a surface sizing solution, wherein the surface sizing solution contains a surface sizing agent and a nonionic surfactant having an HLB in a range of 6 to 13, a content of the nonionic surfactant is in a range of 1 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the surface sizing agent, and the surface sizing agent has a contact angle with water in a range of 40 to 75°.