Abstract: A printing system for use in printing objects of any of a plurality of different object types includes a printer; and a printer control device with a user interface having a first option for associating printer-independent print-quality characteristics with a selected object type to be printed by said printer. A printer-independent print-quality characteristic is an instruction associated with an element, such as object type, in an electronic page which indicates printer-independent features that are preferentially emphasized when printing the element. Examples of printer-independent print quality characteristics include “make sharp edges”, “reduce mottle”, “distinguish neighboring colors”, “reduce moiré”, “distinguish tone and edges”, “maximum tone depth”, “perceptual colors” and “compress without loss of detail”.

Abstract: A universal and precise stapling assembly is provided and includes (a) a moveable stapling head for driving staples at precise locations through an aligned set of sheets on any one of plural types of alignment apparatus; (b) a drive device coupled to the stapling head for moving the stapling head relative to the any one of plural types of alignment apparatus and the aligned set of aligned sheets on the any one of the plural types of alignment apparatus; (c) sensors for sensing a position of the aligned set of sheets; and (d) a programmable controller connected to the drive device, to the sensors, and to the stapling head, and including calculating capability for precisely calculating a precise staple location responsively to a type of any one of the plural types of alignment apparatus and to the secured position of the aligned set of sheets, thereby reducing staple mislocation due to a tolerance stack up from components of the stapling head and components of any one of the plural types of alignment apparatus.

Abstract: A background detection process that analyzes background information for the purpose of limiting the impact of intensity information obtained from non-document areas includes: identifying a first white peak from pixels within a first document region; identifying a second white peak from pixels within a second document region; determining if the first white peak was identified using image data from outside of the input document; and if so, identifying a third white peak from pixels within the first document region based on the second white peak.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having, between an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer, an interlayer which contains fine metal oxide particles and a binder resin and which, when an electric field of 106 V/m is applied thereto at 28° C. and 85% RH, has a volume resistivity of from 108 to 1013 &OHgr;·cm and, when an electric field of 106 V/m is applied thereto at 15° C. and 15% RH, has a volume resistivity which is up to 500 times the volume resistivity thereof as measured when an electric field of 106 V/m is applied thereto at 28° C. and 85% RH.

Abstract: Current supplied to a group of components is selectively sensed so that the current supplied when a particular component is the only active component can be compared to a reference current indicative of proper component operation. If there is a discrepancy, an alert can be generated. Can be applied on a larger scale to allow isolation of a subsystem, then a group within the subsystem, then a component with the group, etc.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a VCO within a phase locked loop circuit is disclosed. First, a DAC output voltage is set to its minimum, and a counter M is adjusted until a comparator is its threshold voltage. Next, the DAC is set to another voltage, and counter M is again adjusted to the comparator threshold. This process is repeated for as many steps as desired. When the phase locked loop circuit requests an instantaneous frequency, an interpolation of the requested frequency against the curve created by the above-described method gives the value required by the DAC.

Abstract: In a problem partitioning method for problem solving in a computer system, a definition of a system to be controlled, a hierarchical control structure definition, problem definitions for a plurality of control nodes in the hierarchical control structure, and a structure evaluation function are used in partitioning the system problem. The partitioning method defines an instantiation of the hierarchical control structure by decomposing the system into a plurality of hierarchical control structure instances, with each control structure instance having a plurality of control levels. The performance of each of the hierarchical control structure instances is evaluated with the structure evaluation function and an optimal hierarchical control structure instance is selected.

Abstract: A container is provided for delivering a supply of particles for use in a developer unit of an electrophotographic apparatus. A resistor member, is permanently associated with the container. When the container is associated with the electrophotographic apparatus, the resistance of the resistor member is identified and a fault signal is communicated to a display when the incorrect configuration of the container is identified as being used in the electrophotographic apparatus.

Abstract: What is disclosed herein is an identification apparatus comprising an array of conductive pins fixed onto a base component placed onto a primary device and in communication therewith. A set of shaped identifiers having a plurality of holes through which respective pins on the array of fixed pins pass. Each identifier being uniquely configured with at least one distinct location containing a conductive sleeve fitted therein which allows the passage therethrough of that particular pin for further use by subsequently placed identifiers. Each pin is in individual communication with the primary device such that the primary device can thereafter identify the placed identifiers so as to subsequently perform certain functions or other desired operations based on the type, configuration, and/or number of identifiers placed thereon.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition comprising (a) water, (b) an anionic dye, (c) a polyquaternary amine compound, and (d) a quaternary ammonium substituted UV absorbing compound. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to an ink composition comprising (a) water, (b) a complex of (i) an anionic dye and (ii) a polyquaternary amine compound, and (c) a quaternary ammonium substituted UV absorbing compound.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a process for producing the same and a process for forming an image using the same are provided. The toner is produced by a simple production process, with good reproducibility, particularly in particle size and particle size distribution. The toner is excellent in production stability, with a wide fixing region, and is also excellent in low temperature fixing property, production stability, storage stability of resin particles formed by the aggregation process, and charging property, particularly environmental stability and time-lapse stability. The toner for developing an electrostatic latent image contains a crystalline resin having a melting point as a binder resin, and at least one of an ester compound having an alkyl group having from 6 to 32 carbon atoms and a resin having a contact angle with water that is smaller than that of the crystalline resin.

Abstract: An out-of-plane micro-structure which can be used for on-chip integration of high-Q inductors and transformers places the magnetic field direction parallel to the substrate plane without requiring high aspect ratio processing. The photolithographically patterned coil structure includes an elastic member having an intrinsic stress profile. The intrinsic stress profile biases a free portion away from the substrate forming a loop winding. An anchor portion remains fixed to the substrate. The free portion end becomes a second anchor portion which may be connected to the substrate via soldering or plating. Alternately, the loop winding can be formed of two elastic members in which the free ends are joined in mid-air. A series of individual coil structures can be joined via their anchor portions to form inductors and transformers.

Abstract: An electrophotographic toner contains a colorant and a binder resin which includes and a crystalline polyester resin as a main component. An ester density M of the crystalline polyester resin, as defined in the following Formula 1, is from 0.01 to 0.12: M=K/A  Formula 1 wherein M denotes an ester density, K denotes a number of ester groups, and A denotes a number of atoms which constitute the high molecular chain of a polymer.

Abstract: A driving device for driving an ink jet printing head having N (N=1, 2, 3, . . . ) nozzles includes a waveform generation circuit, three voltage amplification circuits, N multiplexers, and N current amplification circuits. The waveform generation circuit generates three waveforms for three driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3 corresponding to ink drop sizes “large”, “middle” and “small”. The three voltage amplification circuits amplify the voltage levels of the three waveforms respectively and thereby outputs the driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3. Each of the N multiplexers corresponding to the N nozzles selectively transmits zero or one of the driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3 supplied from the voltage amplification circuits.

Abstract: A document management system is provided which organizes, stores and retrieves documents according to properties attached to the documents. Applications which function based on hierarchical path names communicate to the document management system through a translator. A tag is inserted into the path of a document to identify the document and represent a dynamic collection. The same tag is inserted into the path of files which support the document so that the supporting files are related to the document by the path tag. In this manner, the document management system identifies and locates all documents which are related to each other based on the tag. Thus, an application is provided with all related files even though the application may not know where the files are actually stored or retrieved from.

Abstract: A method of smoothing edges of an input image is provided for use in connection with an image rendering engine that supports two opposing intensity levels and a range of intermediate intensity levels there between. The method includes sampling scan lines from the input image. Each scan line includes an array of pixels, and each pixel possesses one of the two opposing intensity levels. Simultaneously a plurality of the scan lines are buffered. Thereafter, the method includes detecting defined patterns in an unbounded region within the buffered scan lines. Finally, intensity levels of selected pixels are adjusted to intermediate intensity levels in response to the defined patterns detected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner and process for making the improved toner. The improved toner comprises a toner resin comprising: at least one colorant; (b) at least one toner resin mixed with the colorant and formed into combined colorant and resin particles having an average size less than 15 microns; and (c) surface additive particles wherein the surface additives are adhered to the colorant and toner resin by an impaction process in a quantity greater than three (3) percent of the combined weight of resin and colorant in the toner.

Abstract: A toner process including, for example, mixing a latex with a colorant wherein the latex contains resin and an ionic surfactant, and the colorant contains a surfactant and a colorant; adding a polyaluminum chloride; affecting aggregation by heating; adding a chelating component and a base wherein the base increases the pH of the formed aggregates; heating the resulting mixture to accomplish coalescence; and isolating the toner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring substrate bending stiffness and thereby basis weight on a real time basis. Provided is a corrugator having a plurality of parallel ribs, with one or more sheets of the substrate provided below the corrugator wherein a predetermined gap exists between a topmost sheet of the sheets and the corrugator. A vacuum is applied between the corrugator and the topmost sheet, wherein the vacuum is sufficiently large to raise the topmost sheet, thereby deflecting and bending it into a profile corresponding to the arrangement and size of the corrugator ribs and bending stiffness of the substrate. One or more sensors are provided for measuring the deflection of the topmost sheet. The vacuum, an air knife output and/or a fluffer output are then adjusted according to predetermined rules and the measured deflection.