Abstract: A process for the preparation of carrier particles which comprises mixing a dispersion of water, submicron magnetic particles, and ionic surfactant with a latex comprised of resin particles suspended in an aqueous solution containing a surfactant that is counterionic in charge to said ionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant; thereafter heating the resulting mixture below about the latex resin glass transition temperature (Tg) while stirring to form aggregates, followed by increasing the temperature of said mixture to about above the latex resin Tg, and subsequently adding additional counterionic or nonionic surfactant solution to minimize, or avoid any further growth in particle size during heating of the mixture about above the latex resin Tg, and wherein said resin Tg is in the range of from between about 45.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic printing machine in which latent images having a resolution of at least 1.44 million pixels per square inch are recorded on a photoconductive member. Different color toner powder images are developed in superimposed registration with one another to form a composite multicolor image. The composite multicolor image is transferred from the photoconductive member to a receiving member. Toner particles which have a selected pigmentation and small volume average diameters are used to minimize curl of the receiving member.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive substrate having thereon an underlayer and further thereon a photoconductive layer, the process comprising the steps of: applying a coating composition comprising at least one of a zirconium alkoxide, a zirconium chelate compound, and a silane coupling agent on a conductive substrate; drying it to form an underlayer; atomizing a mixed solution comprising a water-compatible organic solvent and water to bring it into contact with the underlayer; and forming a photoconductive layer on the underlayer.

Abstract: A latch for releasably securing a member to a support structure. The latch includes a substantially rigid member mounted pivotably in the member. The rigid member includes a catch disposed at one end thereof and a handle at another end thereof. The rigid member also includes a substantially resilient member coupled to the rigid member for urging the rigid member to pivot to a position in which the catch thereof engages the support structure to secure the member thereto. The handle is adapted to pivot the rigid member to release the catch from engagement with the support structure to release the member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving an ultra-small or compressed image buffer images at half the resolution and then scales by two to achieve the device resolution. Acceptable quality can be maintained by identifying edge and interior portions of the page image and using this information to scale intelligently. A split-level frame buffer provides this identification of the image components. Further, an extension of block-truncation coding can be used with the split-level frame buffer to provide up to a 16 to 1 compression for an overall compression of up to 64 to 1. Actual techniques to scale these encodings are described along with new encodings for graphics and text designed this high compression of the image.

Abstract: The present invention is a an apparatus for enhancing the output along edges of charged area developed regions in a tri-level imaging system employing a pulse width and position modulated signal ROS for exposure. The invention enables the identification and selective alteration of video data used to drive the ROS so as to extend the developed regions by a selected amount and eliminate digitization artifacts present in the image to be printed. The extension of the charged area developed regions is accomplished by reducing or trimming the width of the exposure pulses in adjacent areas to enable development within a portion of those regions.

Abstract: A method of improving the contrast in a natural scene image. A relevant histogram of the image is derived for from a selected subset of local histograms representing regions of the image. The signal describing the histogram is operated on with a filter having the characteristic of weakening strong peaks and valleys in the function, but not effecting flat portions of the signal. The filtered histogram signal is used for controlling the TRC mapping in a device at which the image is to be printed. To assure optimum selection of local histograms, regions including the black point and white point of an image are determined and added to the subset of local histograms representing regions of the image.

Abstract: A user interface technique operates in the environment of a processor-controlled machine for executing a program that operates on a set of underlying data and displays a visible representation thereof. The system generates a visual depiction of a movable sheet having a number of delineated regions (active areas), responds to a first set of signals for positioning the sheet relative to the visible representation, responds to a second set of signals characterized by position information (typically cursor position) relative to the sheet and the visible representation, and generates a third set of signals to the program. The third set of signals depends on the relative position of the sheet and the visible representation and on the position information that characterizes the second set of input signals. The delineated regions may be thought of and referred to as click-through tools.

Abstract: An FSM data structure is encoded by generating a transition unit of data corresponding to each transition which leads ultimately to a final state of the FSM. Information about the states is included in the transition units, so that the encoded data structure can be written without state units of data. The incoming transition units to a final state each contain an indication of finality. The incoming transition units to a state which has no outgoing transition units each contain a branch ending indication. The outgoing transition units of each state are ordered into a comparison sequence for comparison with a received element, and all but the last outgoing transition unit contain an alternative indication of a subsequent alternative outgoing transition.

Abstract: In a system of multiple computers connected by a network means, a method for using multiple input styli, each connected to an individual computer, to indicate input information on the display screen of any computer in the system. In a system in which there are many computers, a user of one computer may wish to indicate an input action on a second computer. In the present invention, all pens in a system are able to determine which computer they are writing on and an input position relative to that input computer, regardless of whether they belong to that computer, by determining an identifying "signature" of the computer based on the peak signal strength of a plurality of distinguishable signals in a complex signal produced on the computer display screen and sensed by the stylus. Each stylus is able to communicate with the software entity which can correctly interpret the measurement by using a computer network.

Abstract: A device for registering component image tiles in a scanning system for transcribing, into electronic form, markings on a two-dimensional surface such as a whiteboard. A registration light pattern is projected onto the surface to be imaged. The pattern projected can be chosen to best suite the specific properties of the camera and imaging environment. The pattern markings are processed using perspective transformations to determine the overlap properties of the image tiles and distortion of each tile image, and the resulting data is used to combine the tiles to produce an undistorted composite image of the whiteboard.

Abstract: A device for tracking a belt moving along a path in a predetermined direction, including a member including opposed arcuate marginal regions and a central region interposed therebetween. The opposed arcuate marginal regions have a first coeffecient of friction and the central region has a second coeffecient of friction less than the first coeffecient of friction so as to maintain the belt moving over the member in substantial alignment with the predetermined direction. A second belt path defining member or roller may further contribute to straight belt tracking. Plural belt/roller systems may be used cooperatively in sheet moving systems and decurlers in printing machines and in other applications.

Abstract: A method of extending the useful life of a printbar for black ink in a multi-color printbar, full width array color ink jet printer by checking each nozzle in the printbar for droplet ejection; identifying any nozzle which fails to eject a droplet as a problem nozzle, and substituting at least one droplet from a nozzle in another printbar having a different color of ink. The substitute fill-in with a cyan droplet, cyan and magenta droplets, or cyan, magenta, and yellow droplets for process black prevents a missing spot and provides adequate printing quality for black printing, such as, for text, so that immediate printbar replacement is avoided, thereby extending the printbar life.

Abstract: Disclosed is a migration imaging member comprising a substrate and a softenable layer, said softenable layer comprising a softenable material, a pigment predominantly sensitive to infrared or red light radiation, and a migration marking material predominantly sensitive radiation at a wavelength other than that to which the infrared or red light radiation sensitive pigment is sensitive contained at least at or near the surface of the softenable layer spaced from the substrate.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus quickly completes a preparatory driving operation, and suppresses the wasteful consumption of the ink even if the apparatus is used in a cold environment after the apparatus has been held inoperative for a long time. The ink-jet recording apparatus comprises a first storage for storing a first driving pulse width data, a second storage for storing a second driving pulse width data, and a plurality of driving pulse generating units. A data selecting unit selects either the first driving pulse width data or the second driving pulse width data according to selection data set by a dot counter control unit, and a print pulse width setting unit and the driving pulse generating units generate ink-jet print head driving pulses. A print data processing unit produces print data for driving the nozzles of the ink-jet print head.

Abstract: A system for digitally trapping color images on a pixel-by-pixel is employed, whereby for each cyan, yellow, magenta and black color separation, an object-oriented trapping process is carried out. After each object is categorized, the original image is separated into a first copy and a second copy. Edge blurring is performed on the edges of the first copy of the original image; masking of a border region is completed on the second copy of the original image according to a laplacian filter, a difference recursive filter or other method. A merged image is created by combining the blurred edge first copy of the image with the mask bordered second copy of the original image; the mask is thereafter removed from the merged image.

Abstract: The present invention provides client-selected consistency guarantees to clients of a weakly consistent replicated database on a per "session" basis. The clients have access to utilities which allow the clients to, individually or collectively, define a "session" over which the selected guarantees are enforced. A "session" is broadly defined as a sequence of logically related Reads and Writes to the database. Sessions are initiated and terminated substantially independently of other sessions which may exist concurrently. Clients are allowed, however, to clone sessions and/or merge sessions with other clients. Clients select a minimum relevant subset of guarantees from among a set of pre-defined consistency guarantees, where "relevancy" is a client determined factor. At any given time, the system may be enforcing a number of different combinations of consistency guarantees.

Abstract: Write operations for weakly consistent replicated database systems have embedded conflict detection and conflict resolution procedures for identifying and resolving, respectively conflicts between such write operations and the current state of any given instance of such a database. These write operations are committed to a firm execution order by the host for one instance of such a database, and this execution order propagates to the other instances of the database. Accordingly, a write log distinguishes between the writes that are known to be committed to a firm execution order (the "tentative writes") is maintained for each instance of the database, thereby enabling the user to explicitly identifying the stable data and the potentially unstable data in any given instance of the database. Furthermore, provision is made for enabling users to select from a set of predefined consistency guarantees across all instances of such a database for any given session.

Abstract: In a multi-color imaging apparatus utilizing a recharge step between two image creation steps for conditioning a charge retentive surface pursuant to forming the second of the two images, a voltage sensitive corona generating device having a high characteristic slope described in a graph of the current delivered to a charge receiving surface (I) vs. grid minus charge receiving surface voltage (V) is used to both reduce the residual toner voltage across the previously toned image, and to charge the toned and untoned areas of the charge retentive surface to a substantially uniform level so that developability conditions for the subsequent image are improved.

Abstract: In a color image forming apparatus, charging, exposure and development are repeated thereby a plurality of color component toner images are formed in superposing on an image carrier and then transferred collectively to an image receptor. As a charging device used in image forming cycle of at least the second color or later, a corona charging device having a discharge electrode and a grid is used. An electrode power source applying at least AC voltage is connected to the discharge electrode, and a grid power source applying AC voltage in nearly the same phase as that of the AC voltage applied to the discharge electrode is connected to the grid, and frequency or peak-to-peak amplitude of the AC voltage from the grid power source is set to optimum range.