Abstract: A method and computer-readable medium is provided for designing control software for a module in a self-reconfigurable robot. A genetic method randomly selects a plurality of module software functions for creating a plurality of module control software programs. The plurality of control software programs are then evaluated against a series of tasks and respective fitness functions. The module control software is selected based on the software program having the highest fitness function value for a particular task.

Abstract: A substrate inverter, comprising: an inversion channel having an input path having an input nip and output path having an output nip; input drive means for driving a substrate into said inversion channel means in an initial incoming direction so that a leading edge and trailing edge of said substrate pass by said input nip until said trailing edge of substrate reaches a first position in said inversion channel; output drive means for driving said substrate out of said inversion channel in an output direction generally opposite said initial incoming direction; said output drive means includes a xnip for engaging said leading edge of said substrate when said substrate is in said first position; a Controller, responsive to said output drive means, for adjusting speed of said output drive means so that substrate is driven a first speed until said trailing edge of substrate reaches a second position in said inversion channel, and second speed when said trailing edge passes said second position.

Abstract: A fluid ejecting method and system include one or more fluid ejectors within a fluid ejector frame and an interposer frame and movably mounted upon a fluid ejector carriage. The fluid ejector carriage traverses across a recording medium for placing swaths of fluid droplets upon the recording medium. A biasing structure urges the fluid ejector frame to a first position to obtain highly accurate and repeatable placement of fluid droplets when the fluid ejector frame is in the first position. A second position of the fluid ejector frame is achieved by energizing a position actuator to move the fluid ejector frame from the first position to the second position to obtain highly accurate and repeatable placement of fluid droplets when the fluid ejector frame is in the second position. The recording medium is advanced separately upon completing a set of at least one swath of fluid droplets.

Abstract: A scheme allowing communication between a network device on a protected network and an external network device outside the protected network using “reverse proxying.” A proxy server receives incoming data on behalf of the protected network device, which data is retrieved by a proxy agent that periodically polls the proxy server to see if any data awaits retrieval.

Abstract: A programmable feature is remotely delivered to an output device, such as a printer. The delivery of the feature is initiated by the customer tendering payment for the feature. The customer is provided with a coupon and the coupon is subsequently redeemed. The customer receives a feature key in response to redeeming the coupon. The feature key is used to install the feature on the output device of the customer. The feature key may be a print job that contains encrypted text. Security measures may be provided to ensure that the coupon and feature key are valid.

Abstract: A carrier for the development of an electrostatic latent image, comprising a core material and a resin coating the core material therewith, wherein the coating resin comprises a copolymer of at least four kinds of monomers including: (1) a monomer containing a carboxyl group; (2) an acrylic acid alkylester monomer or methacrylic acid alkylester monomer, containing a C1-C3 linear alkyl group; (3) an acrylic acid alkylester monomer or methacrylic acid alkylester monomer, containing a C4-C10 linear alkyl group or C3-C10 branched alkyl group; and (4) a monomer containing fluorine. Also disclosed is a two-component developer for the development of an electrostatic latent image, comprising a toner and the carrier.

Abstract: An aspect oriented system for implementing system monitoring and tracing is provided in which the monitoring and tracing functionality needs not be coded into the resources being monitored or traced. Rather, an aspect is provided which encapsulates the monitoring/tracing behavior. This behavior may easily and transparently be forced onto the resource by compiling the object class for the resource along with the monitoring/tracing aspect. When the monitoring/tracing is no longer needed, it is removed simply by recompiling the resource object classes without the aspect.

Abstract: An image information coding system is disclosed which analyzes an input image and which can make exact image quality control even when the input image has been subjected to coding and decoding in the previous stage. A coded image information decoding unit decodes coded image information and outputs both code attribute information and decoded image information. An image information dividing unit divides the decoded image information into rectangular regions consisting of a predetermined number pixels and outputs divided image information. An image information analyzing unit measures a statistic of the divided image information while making reference to the code attribute information and outputs image quality control information taking coding and decoding conditions in the previous stage into account.

Abstract: An input image is subjected to transform by a DCT transforming unit 20. A coefficient analyzing unit 30 compares a predetermined coefficient and coefficient data 120, and obtains low-frequency image data 150 of the input image by a high-frequency coefficient masking unit 50 and an inverse DCT unit 60 on the basis of a result of that comparison. A pixel subsampling unit 70 receives this low-frequency image data 150, and generates a subsampled image on the aforementioned result of comparison. The subsampled image and coefficient information are transmitted to a decoding side. A decoding apparatus decodes an image on the basis of the subsampled image and the coefficient information.

Abstract: Described herein are a device and a method of generating a scenario used for presentation materials. A descriptive operation input part is used to perform descriptive operation while contents retained in a contents holding part is being reproduced and operated under control by a contents reproducing part. A history indicative of the descriptive operations is retained in a descriptive operation history holding part and speaker information from a speaker information input part is retained in a speaker information holding part. In a scenario generation processing part, a history information separating part separates the history information related to the descriptive operations into information. Based on the separated information, a descriptive operation contents generating part generates tool-operation reproducing contents, which is in turn retained in a descriptive operation contents holding part.

Abstract: Structures for use in conjunction with surface micromachined structures are formed using a two-step etching process. In various exemplary embodiments, the two-step etching process comprises a modified Bosch etch. According to various exemplary embodiments of the two-step etch, first mask and second masks are used to prepare a layer for etching one or more desired structures. The first mask is used to define at least one large feature. The second mask is used to define at least one small feature (small as compared to the at least one large feature). The second mask is formed over the first mask which is formed over the layer. In the first etching step, the at least one small feature is etched into the layer. Then, the second mask is removed using the chemical rinsing agent. In the second etching step, the at least one large feature is etched into the layer such that the at least one small feature propagates further into the layer ahead of the at least one large feature. The first mask is then removed.

Abstract: In a two-component developing unit, by devising the layout of magnetic poles 6 (particularly a pickup magnetic pole 6b and a trimming magnetic pole 6c) of a magnet member 5 arranged inside a developer carrier 3, an excess portion of a developer G picked up onto the surface of the developer carrier 3 is allowed to drop in the vicinity of the height of the rotational center O of the developer carrier 3, and only the developer G restricted to a predetermined layer thickness is carried and transported to a development region m. A charging member 9 is disposed over a periphery of the developer carrier 3, as required. In addition, the layout of the magnetic poles 6 of the magnet member 5 arranged inside the developer carrier 3 is set variably between the time of development and the time of nondevelopment, and the amount of developer carried on the surface of the developer carrier and transported to the development region m is set to substantially zero at the time of nondevelopment.

Abstract: A low power, nonvolatile microelectromechanical memory cell stores data. This memory cell uses a pair of cantilevers, to store a bit of information. The on and off state of this mechanical latch is switched by using, for example, electrostatic forces applied sequentially on the two cantilevers. The cantilevers are partially overlapping. Changing the relative position of the cantilevers determines whether they are electrically conducting or not. One state represents a logical “1”. The other state represents a logical “0”. After a bit of data is written, the cantilevers are locked by mechanical forces inherent in the cantilevers and will not change state unless a sequential electrical writing signal is applied. The sequential nature of the required writing signal makes inadvertent or noise related data corruption highly unlikely. This MEMS memory cell can be implemented, for example, using a three-polysilicon-layer surface micro-machining process.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for translating an input text from a natural source language to a natural target language. The system stores a database that contains a plurality of pairs of text fragments with each pair including a text fragment in the source language and a corresponding text fragment in the target language. Each text fragment contains at least one word phrase and represents a primary grammatical unit such as a sentence or a clause. For translating a word phrase, the database is queried using a phrase index of the database, where the phrase index indexes text fragments by word phrases. Word phrases are noun phrases or word phrases. Alternatively, word phrases are predicates involving at least one verb and one noun or adjective used as a noun. The system further comprises a phrase extractor for extracting a word phrase from a text fragment of an input text.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a thermoplastic resin, or thermoplastic resins comprising: forming, or providing a miniemulsion comprised of a mixture of an oligomeric compound of the formula R-SFR, wherein R is an oligomeric compound comprised of from about 1 to about 30 monomer units and optionally a covalently bonded free radical initiator compound, -SFR is a covalently bound stable free radical end group, and at least one free radical polymerizable monomer compound, and a surfactant; and heating the miniemulsion wherein there results a latex thermoplastic resin or a latex of thermoplastic resins with a high monomer to polymer conversion of about 85 to about 100 percent and a narrow polydispersity of from about 1.1 to about 2.0.

Abstract: An article including a container with an opening adapted to accommodate and dispense the contents therefrom; a closure in contact with the container; a signal module in communication with the closure; and a transmitter module adapted to send a signal or signals from the signal module to a receiver module resident in a target printing machine.

Abstract: A portable imaging device includes a user operable pointing device that operates together with interactive segmentation functions and an OCR application for capturing and converting digitally recorded images to text. The user operable pointing device permits a user of the portable imaging device to identify a region in an image with textual content. The portable imaging device evaluates whether textual and formatting content in the segmented region can be properly analyzed by the OCR application. In addition, the portable imaging device provides a mode for translating text identified in recorded images.

Abstract: A single component development system of an image forming system includes a movable charge-metering member. The development system includes a motion-imparting system in cooperation with the charge-metering member for periodically shifting the charge-metering member to expose a fresh surface for charging and metering toner on a developer member. The motion-imparting system is indexed to expose a fresh surface for charging and metering of toner particles by rotating, shifting or translating the charge-metering member.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of the formula wherein M is an atom or group of atoms capable of bonding to the central cavity of a phthalocyanine molecule, wherein axial ligands optionally can be attached to M.

Abstract: A driving condition setting method of an ink jet recording head enables stable discharge of an ink drop irrespective of a difference in a channel volume. In a thermal ink jet recording head, the displacement of a distance (channel volume) from a heating element to a nozzle surface is stored as data into a memory. The ink jet recording head is mounted on an ink jet recording device. A control unit of the ink jet recording device reads the data so as to set a driving condition (the number of pre-pulses) of the heating element based on the data. Therefore, even when the channel volume is displaced by a production error, an ink discharge state can be almost constant, and stable printing performance can be ensured.