Abstract: A device and method are described for capturing an image of a document using a digital camera. The invention includes a resolution analyzer for analyzing the resolution of text characters in the image, to assess whether the resolution is suitable for OCR. In one aspect, if the resolution is too small or too large, an indicator is generated to guide the user as to the corrective movement of the camera to improve the resolution for OCR. In a second aspect, an electronic zoom control is controlled to alter the magnification of the captured image, to correct the resolution. In a third aspect, a method is described for analyzing the image to determine the resolution according to the height of text characters in the image. The method includes analyzing the run lengths of pixels in the image to identify a predominant length corresponding to the average character height (in pixels).

Abstract: A structure for a micro-device is fabricated by forming: a first layer of sacrificial material, a layer of structural material over the first sacrificial material layer, a second layer of sacrificial material over the structural material layer and a protective layer over the second sacrificial material layer. A release etch is used to remove the first and second sacrificial material layers at approximately the same rate. A structural feature may also be fabricated by forming: a first layer of a first material; a layer of structural material over the first layer of the first material; at least one cut in the structural material layer; and, a first layer of a sacrificial material, different from the first material, over the structural material layer such that an interface is created between the first layer of the sacrificial material and the first layer of the first material at the at least one cut.

Abstract: A fluid jetting device is comprised of: a plurality of chambers arranged in a matrix form; nozzles formed in the plural chambers, respectively; a fluid pressure applying portion arranged on at least one planes of the plural chambers; a plurality of fluid pool sub-streams for supplying fluids to the plural chambers; a fluid pool main stream connected to one edges of the plural fluid pool sub-streams; and a fluid supplying portion for supplying a predetermined fluid to the fluid pool main stream. The fluid supplying portion is connected to a portion of the fluid pool main stream in the vicinity of this fluid pool main stream along a longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A system for supplying a liquid material to an ink jet printing apparatus including a plurality of printheads is disclosed. The system includes a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber including a ventilation part and being adapted to store a supply of liquid ink therein. The first chamber includes a liquid reserve pocket adapted to supply the printheads with small amounts of the liquid material therein. The second chamber includes a foam material positioned therein. The system includes a device activated by a user for piercing said reserve pocket thereby allowing any of the liquid material therein to flow into said first chamber. The liquid material can be either ink or a maintenance fluid.

Abstract: A method including: (a) dispensing an electrically conductive liquid into a contact member permeable to the liquid; (b) rubbing the contact member and a surface against each other, at a contact length greater than a tangential contact length, to release the liquid from the contact member to wet the surface with the electrically conductive liquid in a layer ranging in thickness from about 1 to about 100 micrometers; and (c) electrifying the liquid at any time effective for imparting an electrical charge to the surface.

Abstract: An electroluminescence (EL) device containing a number of layers, including two electrodes and positioned between the electrodes a mixed region, a hole transport region, and an electron transport region, wherein the mixed region contains, for example, biphenyl TPD, an electron transport compound and a luminescent compound.

Abstract: A method of minimizing line correlated noise in an imaging system is described. In the described embodiment, gate lines are used to access pixels in an array of pixels, and the output of the pixels are read out from output lines. By randomizing the connection or positioning of the lines such that each gate or read out is coupled to pixels in different columns or rows, the line correlation of noise is reduced.

Abstract: While a general-purpose interface circuit and another general-purpose interface circuit are provided so as to transmit/receive data between a host appliance and a device appliance, when the general-purpose interface of the device appliance happens to hang up, a control section transmits a reset signal via a dedicated interface circuit. When a dedicated interface circuit provided on the side of the device appliance receives this reset signal and then outputs this received reset signal to the general-purpose interface circuit, the general-purpose interface circuit is reinitiated.

Abstract: Glyph instructions are formed which are understandable by a person following the instructions, irrespective of which written language is understood by the person. The glyph instructions follow defined grammar and syntax rules. A plurality of action glyphs are used to represent a plurality of defined actions capable of being undertaken by the person following the instructions. A plurality of material glyphs are defined to represent a plurality of materials which are includable as part of the instruction, and a plurality of instrumentation glyphs are defined to represent a plurality of instruments which may be included in the instructions. Selected ones of the action glyphs, material glyphs and instrumentation glyphs are arranged in relationship to each other in accordance with the predetermined grammar and syntax to form specific instructions understandable by the person following the instruction, irrespective of the written language which is understood by the person.

Abstract: A color spectrophotometer incorporating a low cost commercial imaging chip, which normally forms part of a document imaging bar used for imaging documents in scanners, etc., having multiple photo-sites with three different rows of color filters. Each chip is mounted on the optical axis of an imaging lens system, in the image plane of that lens system, to image the reflected illumination from an illuminated color test target area on the chip. The optical axis of the imaging lens system is oriented at 45° to the illuminated color test patches, and the photodetector chip is physically mounted perpendicular to the plane of the illuminated color test patches. Respective photo-sensor chips and associated 1:1 optics may be mounted on opposing sides of the spectrophotometer physically oriented at 90° to the test target area plane receiving the reflected light from the test target optically oriented at 45° to the illuminated test target.

Abstract: A multiple-LED sensor is used to detect area coverage of marked patches on a marking substrate. The same sensor may also be used for color calibration. The marking substrate area coverage sensor obtains reflectance measurements from marked patches of a marking substrate. For example, the marked patches may be patches of a marking substance such as toner, ink or paint, or patches marked by etching or the like. A Neugebauer model may be used to obtain the reflectance measurements. A batch least squares algorithm may be used to estimate the appropriate parameters of the Neugebauer model. For improved accuracy, a recursive least squares algorithm may be used. The recursive least squares algorithm allows the marking substrate area coverage sensor to calibrate itself to changes in the sensing environment.

Abstract: A dynamic reimageable document or electric paper can be formed from ordinary substrates such as paper, transparencies or fabric by printing of microencapsulated Gyricon beads onto one or more discrete surface areas of the substrate. The substrate can include both fixed print regions formed by conventional fixed ink processes and dynamic reimageable regions formed by the Gyricon beads. The Gyricon beads are preferably bichromal and of contrasting colors, such as black/white so as to be changeable to display two states by selective application of electromagnetic force to the beads. By providing bichromal beads in differing color combinations, such as red/white and black/white, a multi-colored document can be achieved in which various fields of the document, representing text, images or graphics, may be in differing colors. Moreover, operations to perform both imaging or erasure can act on the discrete reimageable regions so that the versatility of the electric paper can be enhanced.

Abstract: Method and system to enable a user to view large collections of hierarchically linked information on a computer based display. A tree structure visualization is created which presents a representation of the complete collection of information on the display. The visualization fits completely within a fixed area of the computer based display, negating the need to scroll information into the display area. The visualization is based on identified focus nodes and through calculation of a Degree of Interest (DOI) for each of the nodes based in the structure. Layout and presentation of the visualization structure is based on the DOI values in combination with considerations of available display space. A user may dynamically manipulate views of the structure by selecting one or more focus nodes, thus causing a recalculation of the degree of interest.

Abstract: A networked or non-networked multi-user document device is provided with a device portal and/or a personal portal. The device portal and/or the personal portal combine the functionality of an interface of the multi-user document device with access to information and/or resources that may be utilized with or may utilize the functionality or operating capabilities of the multi-user document device. The device portal and the personal portal expand the usefulness of the interface of the multi-user document device and the personal portal customizes or personalizes the interface for an identified user of the multi-user document device. The device portal and/or the personal portal enable various e-commerce capabilities for multi-user document devices.

Abstract: A silicon demultiplexer, a plurality of silicon switches and a silicon multiplexer are monolithically integrated on a single silicon chip. In embodiments, the silicon demultiplexer and the silicon multiplexer each comprise a diffraction grating. In other embodiments, the silicon demultiplexer and the silicon multiplexer each comprise an arrayed waveguide grating. In various exemplary embodiments, the silicon optical switches comprise optical switches, micromachined torsion mirrors, electrostatic micromirrors, and/or tilting micromirrors. In use, an optical signal comprising a multiplexed data stream is input into the monolithic reconfigurable optical multiplexer. An optical signal that comprises a modified multiplexed data stream may be output.

Abstract: A cleaning blade of an image forming apparatus is formed of urethane rubber, a modulus of repulsion elasticity (JIS K6255) is not less than 20% at 10° C. to not more than 70% at 40° C., a 300% modulus (JIS K6251) is not less than 200 kgf/cm2, and a tear strength (JIS K6252 crescent type) is not less than 35 kgf/cm. A tension set (JIS K6262) of the cleaning blade (3) is preferably not more than 2.5%, and is more preferably not more than 1.0%, and is still more preferably not more than 0.

Abstract: As a control method of an image formation apparatus 1 having an image formation apparatus main unit 2 and a postprocessing unit 3, when paper jam (1) occurs in the postprocessing unit 3, paper jam (2) is caused to occur at a paper ejection position at the last stage in the image formation apparatus main unit 2 and the paper stop position is controlled in the image formation apparatus main unit 2 based on the paper jam (2).

Abstract: An apparatus including: (a) a vessel for a solution having a bottom end and an open top end, and defining a vertical axis perpendicular to the bottom end; (b) an insert device having a bottom surface and a top surface and nested within the vessel, wherein the insert device defines a passageway dimensioned for a substrate which is parallel to the vertical axis and extending through the insert device, and wherein the insert device also defines at least one bypass channel extending through the insert to allow solution within the vessel to flow to the top surface of the insert device; and (c) an overflow container positioned adjacent the vessel to catch solution runoff from the top surface of the insert device.

Abstract: A system for supplying a liquid material to an ink jet printing apparatus including a plurality of printheads is disclosed. The system includes a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber including a ventilation port and being adapted to store a supply of liquid ink therein. The first chamber includes a liquid reserve pocket adapted to supply the printheads with small amounts of the liquid material therein. The second chamber includes a foam material positioned therein. The system includes a device activated by a user for piercing said reserve pocket thereby allowing any of the liquid material therein to flow into the said first chamber. The liquid material can be either ink or a maintenance fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photosensitive chips for creating electrical signals from an original image, as would be found for example in a digital scanner, copier, facsimile machine, or other document generating or reproducing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to preferably providing a supplemental chip in each abutment region to enhance image quality.