Abstract: A concentrate sense window which defines a variable thickness flow path area is provided for sensing the concentration levels of inks having varying levels of luminance. Sensor window panels are configured in relationship to each other such that an area defined therebetween varies from a first area to a second area. An emitter/detector pair are located on opposite sides of the sensor window. The emitter transmits a signal through the sensor area and at least part of the signal is sensed by the detector. The emitter/detector pair are designed so as to be movable along the surface of the sensor window whereby ink of varying illuminance may be sensed without the need of separate windows or multiple emitter/detector pairs.

Abstract: An ink composition comprised of from about 20 to about 80 weight percent of water, from about 1 to about 25 weight percent of pigmented polymer, oil soluble colorant, and optionally from about 2 to about 50 weight percent of a glycol, and wherein the oil soluble colorant is present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 30 weight percent of the pigmented polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a marker detection and thinning process for a photocopier which is executed during a single scan of a document and does not require a prescan of the document. The system realtime analyzes pixel image data, which is stored in a memory during the scanning process, to detect a marker line of a predetermined color and to thin the marker line. This analysis begins with image data stored in the memory that corresponds to a first pixel. The first pixel is associated with the scanline being presently scanned. It is determined if the image data of the first pixel represents a color that is equivalent to the predetermined color. Marker data is then stored in a buffer at a location corresponding to the first pixel if it is determined that the image data of the first pixel represents a color that is equivalent to a predetermined marker color. The data, stored in the buffer at a second pixel location, is analyzed.

Abstract: A bitmap-based digital color printing method and system is described which automatically detects when a black object is to be printed and changes the Bit Block Transfer (BitBlt) method so that the black color becomes a mixture of black plus the background colorants, limited both by a clipping of one colorant against another and by an allowed maximum value for each remaining non-black separation. More specifically, the process reads the existing background color bits, does a first clip of one separation against another assuming that for correcting certain printing defects some separations are more important than others, and then does a second clip of remaining non-black separations to a pre-set maximum allowable amount. The result is an efficient way to control total colorant while allowing some separations precedence over others; with the result that the amount of colorant in one separation is dependent on or partially correlated with the amount of colorant in another.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of conductive polymers which comprises (a) mixing at least one monomer with at least one conductive component, solvent, at least one polymerization initiator, and an optional chain transfer component; (b) effecting solution polymerization by heating; (c) removing said solvent by azeotropic distillation in an aqueous phase to generate a mixture of polymer and conductive component; (d) drying and grinding the resulting mixture; thereafter dissolving the product resulting in at least one monomer, at least one initiator, and at least one crosslinking component, and an optional chain transfer agent to form an organic phase; (e) mixing said organic phase with a second aqueous phase comprised of water, stabilizer, and an alkali halide; (f) polymerizing the resulting suspension by heating; and (g) subsequently optionally washing and drying the polymeric product, and which product is comprised of polymer and conductive component dispersed therein.

Abstract: A transmissive, backlit color twisted-nematic or super-twisted-nematic liquid crystal display employing a front fiber-optic faceplate or optical equivalent as a front retaining element of a liquid crystal cell that increases viewing angle between the display and a viewer while minimizing or eliminating undesirable variations in luminance, contrast ratio and chromaticity is described. In particular, the fiber-optic faceplate or optical equivalent includes cylindrical optical features and interstitial cladding material. The interstitial cladding material may include an opaque mask blocking layer to prevent the interstitial apertures from diffracting off-axis light into an observer's viewing cone. Further, the interstitial cladding material may be opaque.

Abstract: In an ink-jet printing apparatus, an arrangement of logic gates disposed between a source of rasterized image signals and printing hardware allows real-time conversion of CMYK image signals for application to an ink-jet printhead which is capable of CMY, RGB, and process and pure black outputs.

Abstract: A shape measuring apparatus includes a partial surface measuring device for dividing a surface to be measured having a three-dimensional shape into a plurality of partial regions having mutually overlapped regions and measuring surface shapes of the plurality of partial regions. Movement mechanisms for respectively determining positional attitudes of the partial regions and the partial surface measuring device are also includes, along with a measurement controller for roughly joining measured data on the surface shapes of the partial regions to one another, based on the positional attitudes. Thereafter, fitting of the measured data on the surface shape of the other partial region to the measured data on the surface shape of one partial region in the overlapped regions is performed only in the direction of the substantial normal to the surface of each overlapped region so as to join adjacent the partial regions to one another.

Abstract: A silencer including a hollow tube having, in the free state a predetermined inside diameter, the tube including a tube wall having a substantially uniform thickness, an interior surface, a hard exterior surface at least one groove extending axially of the tube, the groove having a depth that is less than the thickness of the tube wall and a slot in the wall extending axially of the tube, and at least one partially compressed high density polymeric open cell foam plug in the interior of the hollow tube, the plug having in the uncompressed state a substantially circular cross section in at least one plane, the circular cross section of the plug having an outside diameter sufficient to increase the inside diameter of the hollow tube to a diameter at least about 5 percent greater than the predetermined inside diameter of the hollow tube in the free state.

Abstract: The toner for developing an electrostatic charge image comprises a colorant, a binding resin and a resin copolymer of aliphatic hydrocarbon and aromatic hydrocarbon having 9 or more of carbon atoms. Preferably, the toner further comprises a wax. The endothermic peak of the wax at DSC is preferably from 70 to 100.degree. C. The petroleum resin copolymer preferably has a ring and ball softening point of from 80 to 170.degree. C., and the binding resin is preferably a polyester resin. The weight ratio of the aromatic hydrocarbon monomer and the aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer of the petroleum resin copolymer is preferably from 99:1 to 50:50.

Abstract: Disclosed is a set of inks for printing multicolor images in an ink jet printer, said ink set comprising (A) a first ink having a first color and comprising water and a colorant selected from the group consisting of (1) anionic dyes, (2) dyes having physically or chemically associated therewith a stabilizing agent having anionic groups thereon, (3) pigment particles having anionic groups chemically attached thereto, (4) pigment particles having physically or chemically associated therewith a stabilizing agent having anionic groups thereon, and (5) mixtures thereof; and (B) a second ink comprising water, an optional colorant having a color other than the first color, and an ammonium salt having at least two cationic ammonium functional groups, wherein the colorant in the first ink is capable of being immobilized on a printing substrate by interaction with the ammonium salt having at least two cationic ammonium functional groups in the second ink, thereby enabling reduced intercolor bleed.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensing element and a thin film transistor (TFT), and the TFT's channel leads include semiconductor channel leads formed in a layer of microcrystalline silicon (.mu.c-Si). The sensing element is formed in a semiconductor layer that includes silicon-based material and is over the .mu.c-Si layer. Each of the semiconductor channel leads has a structure that prevents formation of bubbles at the lower and upper sides of the .mu.c-Si layer during production of the sensing element. The TFT's channel can be formed in a layer of intrinsic silicon-based material under the .mu.c-Si layer and the .mu.c-Si layer can be a deposited doped layer; or the TFT's channel can be formed in an intrinsic .mu.c-Si layer in which the leads are formed by implanting a dopant. The .mu.

Abstract: A system and method which enables the location and orientation of an image to be determined without introducing scanning artifacts into the rendered image. The system utilizes a separate set of sensors on a scanning bar that are sensitive to a wavelength of light outside the range of wavelengths of the typical sensors found on the scanning bar, such as red, green, or blue. Moreover, the system includes a light source which is capable of emitting the wavelength of light that is outside this range of wavelength of light. Thus, whenever the additional set of sensors detect light, the system would determine that the light was due to a scanning artifact, such as a hole, rip, or dog ear in the original document being scanned.

Abstract: A method to provide a highly intelligent, automated diagnostic system that identifies the need to replace specific parts to minimize machine downtime rather than require extensive service troubleshooting. In particular, a systematic, logical test analysis scheme to assess machine operation from a simple sensor system and to be able to pinpoint parts and components needing replacement is provided by a series of first level of tests by the control to monitor components for receiving a first level of data and by a series of second level of tests by the control to monitor components for receiving a second level of data. Each of the first level tests and first level data is capable of identifying a first level of part failure independent of any other test. Each of the second level tests and second level data is a combination of first level tests and first level data or a combination of a first level test and first level data and a third level test and third level data.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to easily prevent walking of a belt while avoiding twisting, warping and buckling of the belt including using an inexpensive endless belt with low rigidity in a fixation apparatus of so-called belt nip method. The apparatus includes a heating roll, an endless belt that presses against the heating roll and rotates along with the heating roll, and a pressing member that presses the endless belt against the heating roll 1 and forms a contact nip region between the endless belt and the heating roll. A belt walk guide that limits walking of the edge of the endless belt is provided on at least one side of the contact nip region between the between the heating roll and the endless belt. The belt walk guide is positioned on an axis parallel to an axis of the heating roll and passing through the contact nip region. The apparatus also includes a pressure roll and the endless belt.

Abstract: A method for operating a machine to perform unsupervised training of a set of character templates uses as the source of training samples an image source of character images, called glyphs, that need not be manually or automatically segmented or isolated prior to training. A recognition operation performed on the image source of character images produces a labeled glyph position data structure that includes, for each glyph in the image source, a glyph image position in the image source associating an estimated image location of the glyph in the image source with a character label paired with the glyph image position that indicates the character in the character set being trained. The labeled glyph position data and the image source are then used to determine sample image regions in the image source; each sample image region is large enough to contain at least a single glyph but need not be restricted in size to only contain a single glyph.

Abstract: A method to provide a highly intelligent, automated diagnostic system that identifies the need to replace specific parts to minimize machine downtime rather than require extensive service troubleshooting. In particular, a systematic, logical test analysis scheme to assess machine operation from a simple sensor system and to be able to pinpoint parts and components needing replacement is provided by a series of first level of tests by the control to monitor components for receiving a first level of data and by a series of second level of tests by the control to monitor components for receiving a second level of data. Each of the first level tests and first level data is capable of identifying a first level of part failure independent of any other test. Each of the second level tests and second level data is a combination of first level tests and first level data or a combination of a first level test and first level data and a third level test and third level data.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor excellent in wear resistance and low in residual potential comprising a conductive support, and a photoconductive layer and a protective layer formed on the conductive support. The protective layer contains a finely divided metal oxide powder and a binder resin composed of a polymer containing an acrylate or a methacrylate having at least one silicon-containing functional group as a monomer component, the polymer being crosslinked with said silicon-containing functional group. Also disclosed is an image forming method using the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: A toner composition containing a binder, colorant, wax, and a poly(alpha-olefinalkylene dicarboxyl imide) compatibilizer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymeric composite material in which metal sulfide microparticles having optical characteristics are uniformly dispersed and suspended in a high polymer material at high concentration. The polymeric composite material comprises metal sulfide microparticles formed by a reaction of a functional group in a matrix forming material having the functional group, the metal sulfide microparticles being dispersed in a matrix. It is desirable that the matrix includes a compound having the structure represented by formulae (1) to (5).