Abstract: A method and apparatus for multi-level color error diffusion employs semi-vector quantization. When operating on image data comprising three color separations, the method employs a vector quantization for the two separations with the most visually perceptive color output to generate a multi-level output pixel for each separation based on the sum and a difference of the input pixel values for the two separations. The method generates multilevel output pixels for the third color separation using scalar error diffusion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units for forming an image on a printing medium such as a sheet of paper. A plurality of color types of toner are arranged on a transport path of the printing medium. Toner images corresponding to the color types of toner are color-by-color transferred onto the printing medium. Light emitted from a flash lamp melts and fixes the toner images. The fixing order of the toner images corresponding to the color types of toner is decided so that the toner images are fixed in ascending order of toner's absorptivity of the light emitted from the flash lamp or in descending order of toner's reflectivity of the light.

Abstract: In a development system including a developer transport adapted for depositing developer material on an imaging surface having an electrostatic latent image thereon, comprising: a housing defining a chamber storing a supply of developer material comprising carrier and toner; a donor member, mounted partially in the chamber and spaced from the imaging surface, for transporting developer on an outer surface thereof to a region opposed from the imaging surface, the donor member having a magnetic assembly having a plurality of poles, a sleeve, enclosing the magnetic assembly, rotating about the magnetic assembly; a developer bed height of the developer material produce by the rotation of the magnetic assembly on the donor member to a predefine developer bed height within a development nip; and a grid, spaced and interposed between the donor member and the charge retentive surface, the grid having being dispose longitudinal with respect to the charge retentive surface and the donor member, the grid being spaced su

Abstract: A platform allowing automated device service subscription by remote devices employs a provisioning scheme to regulate subscriptions and supplies replenishment.

Abstract: An imaging member having a charge transport layer is provided. The charge transport layer includes a plurality of charge transport layers coated from solutions of similar or different compositions or concentrations, wherein the upper or additional transport layer(s) comprise a lower concentration of charge transport compound than the first (bottom) charge transport layer. The charge transport compound included in the first (bottom) charge transport layer may either be the same or different from that included in the additional charge transport layers. The charge transport compound in one or more of the layers is dissolved or molecularly dispersed in an electrically inactive polymer material to form a solid solution. In such a construction, the resulting charge transport layer exhibits enhanced cracking suppression, improves wear resistance, provides excellent imaging member electrical performance, and delivers improved print quality.

Abstract: A measure of similarity between a first sequence of symbols and a second sequence of symbols is computed. Memory is allocated for a computational unit for storing values that are computed using a recursive formulation that computes the measure of similarity based on matching subsequences of symbols between the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols. A processor computes for the computational unit the values for the measure of similarity using the recursive formulation within which functions are computed using nested loops. The measure of similarity is output by the computational unit to an information processing application.

Abstract: A distributed system allows marking devices and the like to subscribe to and run device-centric services. A device model agent allows the devices to interact with service hosts of service providers to automate supplies maintenance, user help, and services subscription and deployment. The device model agent can be embedded in the devices, can be deployed in an add-on component connected to the device, or can be run by a separate machine as a proxy. The device model agent provides a run time environment for services available to the device, but with a common interface and a common structure so that services can be written once and run in the device model agent in virtually any deployment.

Abstract: In a shared workspace, a session for managing connection of conference systems, a file used in a conference and created as a record of the conference, reference information to a resource relevant to the conference, and history information of file access made by conference participants are managed. The conference participant can operate a GUI, thereby connecting to the conference system without being aware of the call address of each conference system and easily accessing information in the files relevant to the conference and the like from the conference system.

Abstract: A distribution server distributes content including video data and slide data reproduced in synchronization with the video data, for a browsing client of a user having permission for browsing the content stored in a distribution server. The content is allowed to edit in accordance with an access of a provider client having a permission for editing the content. The permission for browsing the content and the permission for editing the content are designated by a management client.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyester resin including at least one repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): 1

Abstract: A domain block image is extracted from an original image by a domain block extracting section, and the domain block image is classified by a domain block classifying section. A range block extracting section extracts a range block image larger than the domain block image from the original image, and a reduced range block forming section reduces the range block image at the same size as the domain block image. A similarity degree judging section judges a similarity degree between the reduced range block image and the domain block image, and an improved domain block forming section performs a conversion of pixel values with respect to the reduced range block image in accordance with this similarity degree. Further, an edge enhancement processing section executes an edge enhancement processing as to the step edge portion so as to obtain an improved domain block image.

Abstract: An imaging member having a charge transport layer with multiple regions is provided. The charge transport layer includes a plurality of charge transport layers coated from solutions of similar or different compositions or concentrations, wherein at least the top or uppermost transport layer comprises a lower concentration of charge transport compound than the first (bottom) charge transport layer. The charge transport compound included in the first (bottom) charge transport layer may either be of the same or different compounds from that included in the top or additional charge transport layer(s). The charge transport compound present in each layer may be dissolved or molecularly dispersed in an electrically inactive polymer material to form a solid solution. In such a construction, the resulting charge transport layer exhibits enhanced cracking suppression, improves wear resistance, provides excellent imaging member electrical performance, and delivers improved print quality.

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: A class of add-on system components providing functionality of devices, management of self-help, customization and enhancement of services for devices, and remote monitoring at significantly reduced cost. It reduces the cost of UI and greatly enhances ease-of-use by realizing that the networked system can be headless and use a browser-based UI for its platform. It embeds a Device Model Agent (DMA) and connects to the Device-Centric Services platform to offer services. Additionally, it offers customized diagnostic access for customer representatives to enable self-help service actions to be performed, unifies and manages multiple access needs to several disparate data access mechanisms, and uses largely COTS PC hardware rather than customized PWBs.

Abstract: A browse client uses a viewing percentage counter to count the extent to which the user has played back and displayed content video data distributed from a distribution server on a screen, and transmits the extent information to the distribution server. The distribution server keeps track of the received browse extent information in a database in association with the content and the user and also sends the browse extent information to a management client having a setting unit for user registration and a mail unit of preparing electronic mail and transmitting electronic mail to each user for providing management information. The browse client provides the user with a playback button for making it possible to play back the video data starting at the previous stop point using the counted extent information.

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 &OHgr;/□. 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 toner separation apparatus includes a target, an inlet through which toner laden carrier enters to strike the target, an exit for carrier particles below the target, and an exit for toner particles downstream of the target. A filter can be positioned between the target and the toner exit, and a mesh to which the target is attached can be located between the inlet and the filter. The toner-laden carrier can be entrained by air driven by one or more impellers, which can be located within or without the apparatus, upstream or downstream of the target.

Abstract: When the size output for an image is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value (e.g., index printing), a printing apparatus performs an image expansion/reduction process by using an interpolation method whereby high speed processing is enabled while an inferior image quality is provided, or when the output size is greater than a predetermined value (e.g., the normal printing of a single sheet), employs an interpolation method for a high quality image to perform the expansion/reduction. Further, when the output image size is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value, the printing apparatus 1 skips the noise reduction process and the sharpening process to increase the processing speed.

Abstract: A printer includes a transport path, a processing unit, a plurality of transport abnormality detection, a transport page state judgment unit, and a recovery printing control unit. A paper is continuously transported along the transport path. The transport path is divided into a plurality of transport sections in the middle of the processing unit. The transport abnormality detection units detect transport abnormality of the paper in the transport sections, respectively. The transport page state judgment unit judges state of the paper in each of transport sections. When one of the transport abnormality detection units detects the transport abnormality of the paper in one of the transport sections, the recovery printing control unit sets content of a transported page of the paper present in the one of the transport sections and content of a page following to the transported page as contents to be printed thereafter, and resumes printing.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser driving device using a voltage drive system, a drive current of a semiconductor laser is controlled by a drive current control circuit so that a light intensity of light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser is equal to a predetermined light intensity. In a drive voltage control circuit, the drive voltage applied to the semiconductor laser at the time of switching off the semiconductor laser LD is set on the basis of the detected voltage (terminal voltage).