Abstract: A corrugating air knife for stripping a sheet from a fusing member. The air knife includes a manifold connected to an air supply source and has an outlet which directs a flow of air across a sheet path adjacent the fuser. The air knife further includes ribs through which air flows to create localized air flows which when directed at the sheet cause it to corrugate as it separates from the fuser. The corrugation increases the beam strength and prevents wrap jams.

Abstract: A recording paper usable in both inkjet recording and electrophotographic recording, and an image recording method using the recording paper. The recording paper includes a base paper that is composed mainly of pulp fibers, contains a filler, and is coated with a cationic resin on one or both sides, wherein surface electric resistivity at 22° C. and 55% relative humidity is 1.0×109 to 1.0×1011 &OHgr; and volume electric resistivity at 22° C. and 55% relative humidity is 1.0×1010 to 1.0×1012 &OHgr;·cm.

Abstract: A bearing for use in a reproduction machine includes an elongated body having an elongated first portion and an elongated second portion. The first portion extends radially outward from the second portion. The second portion includes a lumen for receiving and supporting a shaft. Resilient elongated members originate from the second portion and extend radially outward toward the first portion and are spaced from the second portion over a portion thereof. The resilient members are movable between a first position and a second position for removable securement to a wall in a reproduction machine.

Abstract: In a printer or copier, a removable module, such as a marking material supply module or a marking device module, is provided with a non-volatile memory chip which retains information about the cumulative use of the module and other performance-related data. The non-volatile memory is accessed through a wireless interface, such as an RF loop or IR detector, which is also associated with the module. The memory can be accessed, through wireless means, either by the printer or copier itself or by an external device, and also while the memory is not installed in a printer or copier.

Abstract: An information processing system which has a plurality of hardware modules M1 to M3, an electronic mail transmission unit SM1 being installed in at least one of the hardware modules M1-M3 for transmitting electronic mail via a LAN, an electronic mail transmission request unit SR1 to SR3 each being installed in each of the hardware modules M1-M3 for transmitting a part or all of electronic mail prepared in the corresponding hardware module to the electronic mail transmission unit SM1, and a communication unit each being installed in each of the hardware modules M1-M3 for transferring data in a part or all of electronic mail in each hardware module and between the hardware modules.

Abstract: For blending two color transformation look-up tables, the weights used for combining the tables are designed such that transitions from one look-up table to another are smooth and do not create objectionable artifacts. Building the individual weights includes obtaining the position of a given input point from the input color space, both in the input device and an output device gamut. Weight calculation is obtained by (1) if the input color falls in the intersection of predefined percentages of both the input gamut and the output gamut, then a pictorial LUT is used and the weight is set to 1.0; (2) if the input color falls outside the input and/or output gamut, then a graphics LUT is used and the weight is set to 1.

Abstract: In the known time delay and integration (TDI) color scanner, a different color filter covers each group m of N rows. The spectral sensitivity of each group m of N rows can be improved if some of the photosites in one group are covered by filters from other groups. The TDI color scanner produces a first set of device dependent color signals which may be transformed into a corresponding set of color signals, which may approximate device independent color signals, using a transformation matrix. Typical TDI scanners include photosites arranged in rows divided into groups of rows, and a color filter is associated with each group. However, in the inventive TDI color scanner, each color filter covers more or less than the rows in its corresponding group and some or none of the rows in other groups. The color filters therefore produce a second set of color signals that are linear combinations of the first set of device dependent color signals and are based on a number of rows of each group covered by each filter.

Abstract: A micro-optical-electrical-mechanical laser scanner is configured from a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a silicon substrate layer, a buried oxide layer, and a single crystal silicon device layer. A first device layer portion having a micro-mirror fabricated therefrom. A laser is connected to a second device layer portion, and a hinge connects the first device layer portion and the second device layer portion. The hinge is formed with a bimorph material, wherein the bimorph material creates built-in stresses in the hinge. The bimorph hinge moves the released micro-mirror out of the horizontal plane to a position for either directly or indirectly reflecting laser light emitted from the laser.

Abstract: A drip plate design is provided for a solid ink color printer which reliably directs on-demand ink flow and securely retains solidified ink. The drip plate design includes a combination of one or more sized and shaped cutouts and protrusions for anchoring a solidified ink stick when the printer is not in operation and protrusions that impede downward movement of independent portions of an ink stick so that they remain in contact with a heated melt plate long enough to substantially melt, thereby inhibiting the unchecked sliding off of large separated slivers and chunks of ink during melt and delivery.

Abstract: An improved method of upgrading an image transfer engine such as, for example, an ink jet fluid printer or plotter using liquid ink, or a xerographic device using a liquid toner is disclosed. A removable ink flush tank/cartridge containing an ink cleaner is substituted for a removable ink tank, permitting complete cleaning of ink from the ink fluid flow paths in the engine. This results in less contamination of new inks with previously used inks in the engine.

Abstract: A process including: (a) creating an electrolytic cell composed of a metal surface as a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electrolytic solution, wherein the metal surface has a plurality of metal fibers connected to the metal surface; and (b) treating electrochemically the metal surface with externally supplied power to the electrolytic cell to sever a number of the metal fibers from the metal surface to result in severed metal fiber fragments unconnected with the metal surface.

Abstract: An encryption/decryption system capable of supplying data only to a user making a request. A computer encrypts data with a common key, encrypts the common key with a public key, and transmits the encrypted data and the encrypted common key. A copy machine receives these data, encrypts challenge data with the public key, and transmits the encrypted challenge data to an IC card. The IC card decrypts the encrypted challenge data with a private key, and feeds the decrypted challenge data back to the copy machine. The copy machine transmits the IC card an encrypted common key of reception data offering decrypted challenge data identical to the original challenge data. The IC card decrypts the encrypted common key and feeds the decrypted common key back to the complex copy machine. The complex copy machine decrypts the encrypted data with the common key.

Abstract: Techniques for generating temporary digital ink on media are provided. Marks or gestures are made using one or more temporary digital inks on media, such as an digital document. Digital ink may be dynamically determined to be permanent or temporary. Each mark or gesture using temporary digital inks may fade based on at least one condition. The conditions include a predetermined time determined based on, a first stroke of the temporary digital ink, completion of the temporary digital ink, appearance of the temporary digital ink to another user, a first stroke of a succeeding group of digital ink, and a stroke of the succeeding digital ink is completed. Conditions may also include changing display attributes, such as color and thickness of digital ink, and fading or switching in reaction to an audio or video signal.

Abstract: A method for ordering parts for a machine being serviced within an e-commerce environment transmits diagnostic data from a local computing device at the machine to a host computing device via a network. A part to be replaced within the machine is identified as a function of the diagnostic data. A part identifier is determined as a function of the part and retrofit information stored on the host computing device. The part identifier is transmitted from the host computing device to an order processing device.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving sheet feeding in a direction of movement to a process station, including: a contact surface having ribs spaced along contact surface in the direction of movement, apertures being defined in the space between each rib; a blower; and an air plenum for supplying a vacuum generated by the blower to the contact surface so that when an leading edge of the sheet passes by the contact surface the vacuum pulls the leading edge of the sheet towards contact surface.

Abstract: A print driver user interface method for printing copies of a document, which includes receiving a number corresponding to the number of copies to be printed from an application, receiving at least one command relating to an operation to be performed on each of the number of copies to be printed, and displaying a first feature to a user informing the user that the application may have a problem printing multiple copies. The method also includes offering the user a choice relating to printing copies of the document and transferring control of printing the copies from the application to the print driver.

Abstract: In a digital printing apparatus, such as a xerographic or ink-jet printer, test marks, such as halftone patches or fiducial marks for image registration, are generated on demand. Coordinates of a desired location of the test mark within an imageable area (such as on a print sheet or on a photoreceptor), as well as a selection of the desired type of test mark, are entered through a user interface. Also entered is data about conditions under which image-quality tests using the test marks are to be performed. Information about the test mark and test conditions is retained as a small number of scalar values. The system enables test methods for a machine to be changed easily, and a basic set of system software can be readily applied to different types of printing hardware.

Abstract: A method factors a functional (i.e., ambiguous) finite state transducer (FST) into a bimachine with a reduced intermediate alphabet. Initially, the method determines an emission matrix corresponding to a factorization of the functional FST. Subsequently, the emission matrix is split into a plurality of emission sub-matrices equal in number to the number of input symbols to reduce the intermediate alphabet. Equal rows of each emission sub-matrix are assigned an identical index value in its corresponding factorization matrix before creating the bimachine.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device containing an anode, an organic electroluminescent element, and a cathode wherein the electroluminescent element contains, for example, a fluorescent hydrocarbon component of Formula (I) 1

Abstract: In a network-based input scanning system, wherein a sender scanning a hard-copy document at a scanner sends the resulting image data to an electronic mail address, the scanner appends an electronic mail address of the sender in the “From:” space of the electronic mail message. In this way, status messages or other responses to the electronic mail message bearing the image data are directed to the sender's computer, and not only to the scanner itself. The identity of the sender is determined by a network-login step the sender uses to access the scanner.