Abstract: A document server residing on a network behind a firewall provides secure access to documents or services residing thereon. A first user outside the firewall communicates with the document server over an established first secure session to generate a token in a database of tokens on the document server. The first user digitally signs the public key of a second user and an identifier of the token. The first user transmits a URL token to the second user that identifies the location of the document server and the token identifier. When the second user outside the firewall redeems the URL token at the document server, the document server and the second user establish a second secure session. The document server authenticates the URL token against the second secure session before providing the second user with access to the document or service.

Abstract: Optical cross-connect systems involve the general concept of a two dimensional array of MEMS tilt mirrors being used to direct light coming from a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber. Each MEMS tilt mirror in the two dimensional array can tilt about two non-colinear axes and is suspended by a plurality of suspension arms attached to a substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing supplemental counts or “clicks” to account for recovery conditions in a document processing system. The application of recovery counts combined with the system cycle count when suitably summed will provide superior measure of the wear for a replaceable element as well as improved indication for the determination of the end of life of a replaceable element in that system. In this manner the more timely service or substitution for that replaceable element in the system can be provided, thereby allowing costs and service down-time to be minimized.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing a production facility that includes workstations for producing products. The method involves utilizing an objective function to find optimal production rates of the products.

Abstract: The present invention suitably manages personal information of client users in a distributed environment in which clients to request resource service and servers to provide the resource service are connected via a network, and provides resources customized based on user's personal information. The personal information management apparatus has a personal information storage unit that stores personal information, and a personal information management unit that performs registration, modification, and deletion of personal information entries for the personal information storage unit. On receiving a personal information fetching request containing character strings of a predetermined format, the personal information management apparatus fetches a relevant personal information entry from the personal information storage unit, analyzes a received character string to replace a partial character string with the relevant personal information, and thus replies to the request.

Abstract: A paper sensor uses two sample and hold circuits which are fired by the phase and antiphase of an oscillator that also drives an infrared light emitting diode (LED). These circuits sample the output from a phototransistor. If the outputs from the phototransistor are different when the LED is lit and unlit, then a comparator will give an output, thus synchronously filtering out unwanted infrared light that may cause a false paper reading.

Abstract: An apparatus that can rotate a sheet 180° or invert the sheet, if required, includes a horizontal cylinder. The apparatus includes a horizontal cylinder. A front image output sheet wraps around the horizontal cylinder (turning counter-clockwise), entering the cylinder from the bottom. The cylinder then rotates 180° with the wrapped sheet. Continued counter-clockwise rotation of the cylinder will now unwrap the sheet from the cylinder and drive it away from the cylinder. In order to accomplish inversion, a deflector is raised in front of the cylinder. A sheet is directed over the top of the cylinder by the deflector as the cylinder turns clockwise. The sheet wraps around the cylinder and thereafter, the cylinder is rotated counter-clockwise resulting in the sheet exiting the cylinder at the bottom after having been inverted.

Abstract: A detoning blade including a steel member of stainless steel or carbon steel having a length, a width, and a thickness and a coating including titanium nitride or tungsten carbide having a thickness ranging from 0.1 microns to 4 microns or a coating of diamond embedded chromium having a thickness ranging from 2.5 microns to 7.5 microns.

Abstract: This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of particulate matter that tends to stick in its storage container. Particular application of the present invention is to cartridges for storing marking materials such as electrophotographic toners and solid ink jet inks. A mechanism and process for increasing visibility into a container holding particulate matter is disclosed. The cleaning mechanism includes a drive mechanism capable of moving a cleaning member proximate to the inside surface of the container.

Abstract: An improved and lower cost color spectrophotometer, especially suitable for an on-line color printer color control system, in which plural different spectra LEDs sequentially perpendicularly illuminate a common and substantially circularly illuminated color test area, which may be variably spaced and variably oriented relative to the spectrophotometer, through a common central lens system, and also the reflected illumination therefrom may be measured at 45 degrees thereto by averaging the outputs of photodetectors spaced around that circularly illuminated color test area, to provide reduced sensitivity to the variable angular or azimuthal orientation of the color test area relative to the spectrophotometer, and which photodetectors may be so illuminated by 1:1 optics for spatial insensitivity.

Abstract: Optical cross-connect systems involve the general concept of a two dimensional array of MEMS tilt mirrors being used to direct light coming from a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber. Each MEMS tilt mirror in the two dimensional array can tilt about two non-colinear axes and is suspended by a plurality of suspension arms attached to a silicon on insulator substrate.

Abstract: A control circuit is provided for use in an electromagnetic device with a coil where the electromagnetic device is actuated with an actuating current and held in an operative condition by a holding current with the holding current being significantly lower in magnitude than the actuating current. The control circuit includes first and second transistors wherein, during a powered mode, the first transistor is disposed in an on state and the second transistor is disposed in an off state, and, during a shorted mode, the first transistor is disposed in an off state and the second transistor is disposed in an on state. Additionally, a power source selectively communicates with the coil, and during a first time interval, the power source communicates with the coil in the powered mode and, during a second time interval, the power source is disconnected from the coil in the shorted mode.

Abstract: A method of making a laser ablated article includes forming an article of one or more layers, each of which absorbs radiation within the wavelength range of from about 210 nm to about 360 nm and at least one of which is a hydrophobic fluorine-containing graft copolymer derived from at least one fluorine-containing monomer and at least one comonomer containing at least one aromatic group, and processing the article with a laser that outputs radiation at a wavelength of between about 210 nm and about 360 nm. The graft copolymer is surprisingly absorptive to radiation within the specified wavelength range. Articles formed using laser ablation include a nozzle plate of an ink jet printhead, wherein the nozzle plate contains ink jet openings formed by laser ablation and has a polymer substrate coated with the laser ablatable hydrophobic fluorine-containing graft copolymer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting and using data is disclosed. There is at least one sensor that placed within a workspace for sensing vibrations associated with at least one machine operating in the workspace. In addition, there is at least one tag associated with a particular job. The tag indicates the contemporaneous status of tasks relating to the job. At least one processor is in communication with each of the at least one acoustic sensors and at least one tag. This processor receives data relating to acoustic and task status from the at least one acoustic sensor and at least one tag. The acoustic sensor senses vibration and/or sound. Workflow analysis and fault diagnosis and prediction are then based on data collected.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor with excellent wear resistance and high durability, and an image formation method having a high toner transferring efficiency and capable of providing images with high quality. The image formation method features a developing step of forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a latent image carrier by a developer containing at least a toner, a transferring step of forming a transferred image by transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the latent image carrier to the surface of an object recording medium, and a fixing step of fixing the toner image transferred on the surface of the object recording medium. The latent image carrier has a surface layer containing a cross-linked resin having charge transporting property, and the toner is a toner containing at least a binder resin of mainly a crystalline resin and a coloring agent.

Abstract: An image forming method, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus are provided, with which an electrophotographic image that has superior image quality, superior fixing ability and remains good even in a hot and humid environment is obtainable. The image forming method includes: 0developing, with a developing agent, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor to form a toner, image; transferring the toner image onto an image receiving member to form a transfer image; and fixing the transferred image onto the image receiving member to form an image, wherein the photoreceptor includes a layer that contains a siloxane compound having charge-transferability and a crosslinking structure, with a compound having acid-adsorbing ability being supplied to the surface of the photoreceptor. The process cartridge and the image forming apparatus are used in the image forming method.

Abstract: In a photosensitive scanning apparatus, in which a plurality of chips are aligned to form a single linear array of photosensors, gaps of unknown width between photosensors on adjacent chips may have an effect on resulting image quality. A set of simple strategies can be used to overcome the problem. In a first strategy, for each chip, interpolation of output values of the photosensors is used to in effect displace the outputs of the photosensors by a predetermined amount toward a gap; within constraints, the predetermined displacement can be used without actual measurement of any gap width. In a second strategy, an interpolated output of a theoretical “phantom photosensor” disposed toward the gap is added to the output stream from each chip.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with an image transporting belt that holds an image directly or indirectly and is laid on a plurality of tension rolls thereby to move circularly, and a sub-unit having a rotary roll that comes into contact with this image transporting belt and is rotationally driven by a drive section, the drive section includes a drive source, and an elastic drive power transmitting member that transmits drive power from the drive source and absorbs difference in peripheral speed produced between the image transporting belt and the rotary roll. The drive section includes a slip transmission member that engages with the elastic drive power transmitting member and slips under a condition over a peripheral speed difference absorbable range of the elastic drive power transmitting member.

Abstract: In a fusing apparatus, such as used in xerography, two rolls form a nip therebetween. A guide member is positionable to direct a sheet approaching the nip to enter the nip at an angle so that an arc or buckle is crated in the sheet between a marking station and the nip. The arc or buckle is helpful in avoiding the transfer of mechanical energy from the fusing apparatus to the marking station. As the trail edge of the sheet exits the marking station, the guide member is positioned to straighten the sheet.

Abstract: The invention provides a pattern matching technique based on the symmetrical construction of the code structures representing the matching expression and the filter to be matched. The method of the invention is for determining whether a computer-storable expression matches a filter. A first code structure representing the expression is evaluated for determining a value of the expression. A second code structure representing the filter is analyzed for determining the characteristics of the filter. Then, the value is filtered according to the filter characteristics. The first code structure is constructed from a plurality of first programming language code structure elements and the second code structure is constructed from a plurality of second programming language code structure elements. Each second structure element corresponds to one of the first structure elements. This symmetrical construction of both code structures enables an arbitrary level of structural complexity.