Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a stack of sheets in a direction of movement to a process station, including: a sheet tray for holding the stack of sheets; an air plenum, positioned above the stack of sheets, for picking up a sheet from the stack of sheets when a vacuum force in the air plenum; a paper fluffer for blowing air between individual sheets in the stack, the paper fluffer having a system for adjusting air flow between individual sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on a movable imaging surface, including: a reservoir for storing a supply of developer material including toner particles; a donor member being arranged to receive toner particles from the reservoir and to deliver toner particles to the image surface at locations spaced apart from each other in the direction of movement of the imaging surface thereby to develop the latent image thereon; and a humidification system, associated with the reservoir, for maintaining the supply of developer material at a predefined humidity.

Abstract: A finishing apparatus 4 has an image forming apparatus 1 for forming an image by an image formation module and a finisher 3 for finishing for a record sheet 2 on which an image is already formed from the image forming apparatus 1. The finisher 3 has a punching unit 5 for punching a hole in the record sheet 2.

Abstract: Apparatus for charging a substrate, comprising: an elongated charging member having a crowned surface; an elongated pressure member having, the pressure member being supported for pressure engagement with the charging member to form a nip therebetween adapted to receive the substrate. There is also disclose a method for making the apparatus.

Abstract: A method of controlling paper stock fault recovery in an image reproduction system for producing a print job from electronic data in accordance with job requirements calling for a desired stock having one or more selected stock attributes, the system including an interactive user interface enabling a system user to input operating instructions to the system. A dialog is thereby provided in which the operator may query any stock tray and get a listing of those stock tray attributes which are mismatched with the print job desired stock attributes.

Abstract: A belt fuser includes fuser and tension rollers rotatably supported in a frame. A belt reeved over the fuser and tension rollers holds at least two idler rollers in place and forms a nip with the fuser roller. The tension roller is connected to a tension control mechanism that applies, through the tension roller, a tension force in the belt and a normal force against the fuser roller throughout the nip. Because the belt holds the idler rollers in place, they can be of low-cost, light-weight, compact construction and require no additional support. Fusing nip length, dwell time, and thermal efficiency are greatly improved over two roll fusers, and the fusing temperature can be significantly reduced as a result. The belt fuser is more compact than previous belt fusers, occupying only slightly more space than conventional two roll fusers.

Abstract: Pattern projection apparatuses are placed on each other in a stack manner in a stripe pattern direction for projecting the same patterns. An image pickup apparatus (camera 1) is placed between the pattern projection apparatuses. The optical axes of the pattern projection apparatuses and the image pickup apparatus are aligned on the same plane parallel with the stripe pattern direction. On the plane, the principal points also become the same. An image of a stripe pattern is picked up directly by the image pickup apparatus without the intervention of a half mirror, etc., and is recoded. An image of the recoded stripe pattern is picked up by an image pickup apparatus (camera 2) and is decoded and the range of an object is measured by triangulation based on image correspondence points.

Abstract: A dispersion comprised of a wax and a hydrophilic polyester stabilizer.

Abstract: A user interface extension allows data entry into a marking machine user interface field from an electronic device, such as a PDA, attached to the marking machine via compatible communications ports. The marking machine includes a UI field into which data must be entered, the user lets the machine know that data will come from the electronic device, and the machine begins monitoring its communications ports for the data. The user enters or selects data to be transmitted from the electronic device, then indicates that the data is ready to be sent, at which point the electronic device transmits the data to the machine via a communications port of the electronic device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dewarping images allow a user to reduce distortion in scanned images. A scanned image is processed using an optics model and an illumination model, and resampled to reduce distortion. The dewarping may be improved through iterative operations where a model parameter is varied. An optimal image is obtained which corresponds to a maximum metric as a measure of the quality of a resampled image.

Abstract: A printing controller 620 for controlling an engine 30 in accordance with the processing characteristics of the engine 30 is removed from the FEP 500, so that the FEP 500 can exclusively perform the RIP processing or compressive processing. The printing controller 620 removed from the FEP 500 is relocated at a BEP 600 closely related to the output side. A receiver for receiving job information regarding a printing job required for BEP 600 before generation of the entire image data and an image storage section 602 for storing data received from the FEP 500 are provided in the BEP 600.

Abstract: By controlling all motors so that they all decelerate at substantially the same rate, buckling of media in a media handling system is substantially eliminated on shutdown. Preferably, the deceleration rate of the highest inertia motor is used as the common deceleration rate.

Abstract: A method for banding suppression due to vibration in an imager utilizing a light emitting diode (LED) array is disclosed. By characterizing the LED array and knowing the amplitude and frequency of the signal due to vibration which causes the banding, the LEDs' driving currents are modulated in reverse direction corresponding to the banding signal to suppress the banding.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a surface emitting semiconductor laser includes a first step of forming, on a substrate, multiple monitor-use semiconductor layers having stripes radiating from a center of the substrate, and a laser portion that includes semiconductor layers and is located on the periphery of the multiple monitor-use semiconductor layers, a second step of monitoring oxidized conditions on the multiple monitor-use semiconductor layers when a selectively oxidized region is formed in the laser portion, and a third step of controlling oxidization of the selectively oxidized region on the basis of the oxidized conditions thus monitored.

Abstract: A method for banding suppression due to vibration in an image forming and/or image receiving apparatus with laser driver utilizes governing equations which relate the on/off time and intensity to velocity and frequency of vibration are disclosed. Using derived formulas, an amplitude and frequency modulation (AM/FM) combination is used to suppress the banding due to vibration. The equation which governs the on/off time (FM) is t1+e sin(2&pgr;ft1)/vn=t0. This transcendental equation can be solved for the required on-time t1 in terms of the nominal on-time t0, e (vibration amplitude ), v0 (nominal velocity) and f (vibration frequency). The equation which governs the intensity is H3(t)=v(t)/v0. H3(t) controls the level of irradiance. This method is further extended to multi-temporal vibration frequency and may correct banding due to irradiance modulation.

Abstract: An end user managed subscription system includes a database for storing a plurality of subscription offerings, wherein a subscription offering includes physical materials to be distributed on a periodic basis for a fixed period of time to a selected number of recipients; a web based application operating on a host device, wherein the web based application includes a user interface; an order entry module for displaying the plurality of subscription offerings and avaiable options in the user interface, for prompting a user to make selections from the available options displayed in the user interface and, responsive to a user selection of a particular subscription offering, for enabling the particular subscription offering for that user; and a push distribution module, responsive to enablement of the particular subscription offering, for distributing the physical materials on the periodic basis for the fixed period of time to the selected number of recipients.

Abstract: A quad roll sheet curl control apparatus uses elastomer first and second rolls forming first and second nips with third and fourth rolls. The first and second rolls have compressible surfaces, while the third and fourth roll surfaces are formed of a substantially uncompressible material. A pivotable gate member in operating relationship with the first and second nips directs sheets to either the first or the second nip whereby the desired decurling orientation is achieved for the sheet by either the elastomer first roll or the elastomer second roll. Switching nips and curl to be induced does not require drive reversal as previous decurler arrangements do. The degree of decurling can be adjusted with at least one cam in communication with at least one of the first and second rolls.

Abstract: A method and a system for separating an image signal into a set of image planes in accordance with a control signal. The system comprises a selector module, an edge processing module and a foreground/background separation module. The selector module receives the control signal and produces a selector signal. The edge processing module receives the selector signal and produces a decision signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are providing for extending the drop volume control of a thermal ink jet print head. The print head has a plurality of drop ejectors, each of the plurality of drop ejectors has a heating element actuatable in response to input signals to eject an ink droplet from the print head. The method includes the steps of applying a plurality of print signals to the print head, the plurality of print signals corresponding to an image for the ink jet assembly to create, applying at least one pulse signal to the print head, and sequentially using the at least one pulse signal and the plurality of print signals to activate the heating elements so that the change in current remains small.

Abstract: An internal field activated display sheet is disclosed which comprises a medial plane disposed between reservoirs in the display sheet. The reservoirs communicate with each other through apertures in the medial plane, which includes a plurality of conductors. At least one of the reservoirs is filled with a liquid means, which is responsive to a peristaltic internal field developed within the medial plane. Applying a field across selected apertures in the medial plane causes the liquid means to be electrically pumped from one reservoir into the other, thereby displaying an image.