Abstract: A semantic description storing means stores semantic descriptions representative of meanings of respective document components. A semantic description designating means designates one of the semantic descriptions stored in the semantic description storing means. A schema storage means stores, in a correlated manner, a schema and the designated semantic description of a document component of the schema. A document retrieving means performs retrieval on a database by using the semantic description thus stored in the schema storage means. A retrieval formula conversion means causes the schema retrieving means to call the correspondence between the semantic description and the schema from the schema storage means, receives a first retrieval formula relating to a first schema and directed to first retrieval, and converts the first retrieval formula to a second retrieval formula relating to a second schema and directed to second retrieval that is equivalent to the first retrieval.

Abstract: In an electrostatographic liquid immersion development (LID) reproduction machine having an image bearing member having an image bearing surface, a development apparatus having a development electrode for forming a development nip with the image bearing surface and for effectively dissipating residual counter charges from the development nip. The development apparatus includes a housing mounted against the image bearing member and defining a sump portion, a conduit member having a development opening, a recovery chamber, and an opening into the recovery chamber. The development electrode consists of a conductive development shoe and a bias source connected to the development shoe. The development electrode is mounted across the development opening of the conduit member, and closely spaced from the image bearing surface for forming the development nip.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a blotter roll for uniformly conditioning liquid images consisting of toner particles and carrier liquid. The method includes electroforming a semi-rigid resilient and perforated metallic substrate for preventing undesirable impressions of substrate outlines and footprints on an image being conditioned. The resilient metallic substrate is electroformed so as to be seamless and to have a cylindrical hollow interior, and first and second open ends.

Abstract: A data structure representation of an original image called an image structure map (ISM) accurately, compactly and explicitly represents the geometry, topology and signal properties of regions in an original image. In mathematical terms, the ISM is a partition of the original image induced by a set of image region boundaries. The ISM data structure includes, for each region in the original image, a region data item that indicates the region boundary data items that form the region and a signal property descriptor indicating the value of signals computed for or assigned to the region. Region boundary data items represent image region boundaries that are determined to occur in the original image as a result of analyzing signal properties of original image locations.

Abstract: A sensor detects the presence of opaque and transparent copy substrates in a substrate transporting path and includes an LED disposed near the transporting path for projecting light toward a reflector on the opposite side of the media transport path and a phototransistor located relative to the LED and reflector to receive light reflected from the reflector which is periodically interrupted by substrates within the transporting path to provide an output proportional to the light received from the LED via the reflector. The operating range of the phototransistor has a linear portion and a saturated portion. A control, electrically connected to the sensor, adjusts the phototransistor to maintain the output signal in the linear portion of the operating range. The sensor is tilted at an angle with respect to the horizontal of a copy substrate to be able to detect transparencies.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing magnetic granules from a moving imaging surface in a region between a developer station and a transfer station is provided. The apparatus includes a removing member located between the developer station and the transfer station. The removing member is rotatable about a longitudinal axis. A groove is located in an exterior surface of the removing member. A portion of the groove extends in a direction skewed to the longitudinal axis of the removing member. The apparatus also includes a a magnetic member which is operatively associated with the removing member. The magnetic member generates a magnetic field to attract the magnetic granules from the imaging surface to the removing member. The removing member and the magnetic member move relatively to one another.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a black threshold grey value for an image. A histogram is generated corresponding to possible grey values of the image and a first grey value having a peak frequency associated with a black distribution is determined from the histogram. A second grey value having a peak frequency equal to one quarter of the peak frequency associated with the first grey value, a third grey value having a peak frequency equal to 5/8 of the peak frequency associated with the first grey value, a fourth grey value located on a negative slope-side of the first grey value having a peak frequency equal to one quarter of the peak frequency associated with the first grey value, and a fifth grey value having a minimum peak frequency associated with the histogram are also determined. A black threshold grey value for the image is calculated from the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth grey values.

Abstract: Automated diagnosis of drive trains having electrically operated components based upon the ability of a first servo motor to rotate a second servo motor when both servo motors are selectively coupled to the drive train. Beneficially, the status of the drive train is sent to a remote location using a data link.

Abstract: Fluoroelastomer surfaces and a method for providing a fluoroelastomer surface on a supporting substrate which includes dissolving a solid fluoroelastomer in a solvent, adding an amino silane in order to effect coupling and crosslinking and to form a resulting homogeneous fluoroelastomer solution, and subsequently providing a layer of the homogeneous fluoroelastomer solution to the supporting substrate is provided herein.

Abstract: An apparatus for the preparation of a mixture of toner resin and initiator, to form a toner resin or toner mixture including cross-linked microgel particles is provided. The apparatus includes a toner extruder having the resin being conveyed therethrough and an adder for adding the initiator to the toner resin in the toner extruder to form the toner resin or mixture. The apparatus also includes a measurer for measuring the cross-linked microgel particles in the toner mixture substantially immediately after mixing in the toner extruder and transmitting a signal indicative of the quantity of cross-linked microgel particles in the toner resin or mixture. The apparatus also includes a controller for controlling the addition rate of initiator in response to the signals from the measurer.

Abstract: A system for reducing toner or ink consumption in rendering images, in which reduced slope tone reproduction curve(s) is/are used to render images. Rendering systems including the use of single or multiple colors can be employed.

Abstract: In a reproduction system providing an ordered output from a printer to a sheet output stacker of printed transparency sheets interleaved with corresponding paper sheets, with a choice of different output stacker units to be operatively connected to the printer, wherein at least one stacker provides face down stacking, and at least one other provides face up stacking; an automatic electronic printing order control system is automatically electronically activated by the connection of a stacker unit to the printer to change the ordered output of printed transparency sheets and paper sheets so that the transparency sheets will be ahead of their corresponding paper copy sheets regardless of which stacker is connected to the printer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying morphological image criteria that identify image units in an undecoded document image having significant information content, and for retrieving related data that supplements the document either from elsewhere within the document or a source external to the document. The retrieved data can result from character code recognition or template matching of the identified significant image units, or the retrieved data can result directly from an analysis of the morphological image characteristics of the identified significant image units. A reading machine can allow a user to browse and select documents or segments thereof, and to obtain interactive retrieval of documents and supplemental data.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus arranged such that the supply of a drive clock signal CCD-CLK to a CCD solid-state imaging device is stopped during a standby period when an image is not read, during the standby period a high-level control signal CCDEN is generated by a clock-generating circuit, and is imparted to the CCD solid-state imaging device through an OR circuit and an inverter 14 so as to hold the drive clock signal CCD-CLK at a low level, thereby holding an output signal level of the CCD solid-state imaging device at a d.c. output bias level.

Abstract: Conductive polymeric particles can be formed by mixing a monomer, carbon black and a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer contains an A block that is miscible with said monomer and a B block that anchors to the surface of the carbon black, such as polystyrene or a derivative of polystyrene. A polymerization initiator is added to the mixture and bulk polymerization is effected until about 5 to about 30 weight percent of the monomer has been polymerized. This partially polymerized product is then dispersed in water and further polymerized.

Abstract: Fundamental machine functions such as the Tone Reproduction Curve need to be divided into regions of smaller units so that each unit can be interrelated to some aspects of the internal machine process. A first step toward that is by decomposing measured TRC in terms of what are known as "orthogonal basis functions". Two significant applications for orthogonal basis functions may be extensive use in color controls to maintain color consistency for every page, every time and all the time. The use of basis functions might also lead to a new soft sensor for use in certain machines.

Abstract: A document reproduction apparatus with an mounting mechanism for the document handler, which can be, for example, hinge/counter-balance mechanisms for supporting a document handler on the frame of the copier or other reproduction apparatus, in which the spacing of the document handler from the underlying imaging platen can be much more easily and accurately adjusted by the integral variable position adjustment mechanism including eccentrically faceted rotatable spacing cams. In the exemplary mechanism a first member for attachment to the document handler, is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis with a hinge pin to a second member for mounting to the frame of the copier, and has an adjustment system for adjusting the position of the first member relative to the pivot axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for implementing discharge and develop, REaD IOI electrostatic printing machines that determine image area charge potentials of without using potentials within interdocument zones. The apparatus operates by charging a photoreceptor's image area to a charge potential, interrogating the image data to be used to produce a latent image on that charged image area to identify a white section, exposing the charged image area according to the image data to form a latent image, determining the potential of the white section of the latent image, and equating the potential of the white section to the charge potential.

Abstract: Disclosed is a curl preventing/minimizing fluid composition containing a hydrophilic solvent, a polymeric binder, a water soluble/dispersible paper desizing agent, a water soluble/dispersible paper anticurl agent, a defoamer, a biocide, an antistatic agent, a lightfastness promoting agent, and a filler.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of toner comprising(i) blending (a) a colorant dispersion containing a first ionic surfactant and an optional charge control agent with (b) a latex blend comprised of linear polymer and crosslinked polymer particles, optional nonionic surfactant and a second ionic surfactant with a charge polarity opposite to that of said first ionic surfactant in said colorant dispersion;(ii) heating the resulting mixture at about below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the linear latex polymer to form toner sized aggregates; and(iii) subsequently heating said aggregate suspension about above the Tg of the linear latex polymer to effect fusion or coalescence of said aggregates, and wherein said linear polymer is of an M.sub.w of from about 20,000 to about 40,000.