Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid jet recording head comprising:a plurality of discharge ports through which liquid is discharged;a plurality of electro-thermal converting elements, each provided correspondingly to each discharge port and generating thermal energy used for discharging said liquid, the electro-thermal converting elements having a heat resistive layer provided on a substrate and an electrically, conductive layer for forming at least one set of electrodes electrically connected to the heat resistive layer; anda dummy heater provided adjacent to a group of plural elements of the heat resistive layer.

Abstract: A control system for a combinatorial weighing or counting apparatus includes a main central processing unit for effecting a combinatorial arithmetic operation, and a plurality of individual drive unit central processing units. The drive unit central processing units are associated respectively with driver units of the weighing machines and connected to the main central processing unit for controlling the drive units, respectively. Operation commands delivered from the main central processing unit to the individual drive unit central processing units, are set by interrupt processes of the individual drive unit central processing units at all times.The control system for the combinatorial weighing or counting apparatus includes a main computer for chiefly effecting a combinatorial arithmetic operation on weight data from a plurality of the weighing machines to select a combination of weighing machines including articles having an optimum added value with respect to a target value.

Abstract: In coding a digital video signal representative of successive pictures by using correlation between the successive pictures, each picture is divided into a predetermined number of blocks of picture elements. An original motion vector is used to represent a movement of each block between two pictures. The digital video signal is predictively coded by using the original motion vector to produce a coded signal. An on-off control signal is produced in order to determine whether or not subsampling is carried out at each of the blocks. A part of the coded signal is subsampled into a subsampled signal with reference to the on-off control signal and a remaining part is left as it is as a non-subsampled signal. The subsampled and the non-subsampled signals are code-converted into a converted code signal. The original motion vector and the on-off control signal are code-converted into a converted motion vector signal and a converted control signal which is distinguishable from the converted motion vector signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing system for enabling efficient image formation, preparation of plural copies and easier image synthesis. For this purpose the system has a page memory in which the image information can be stored and can be synthesized with another image information which is sent directly from an image reader to an image output device.

Abstract: A printer/feeder apparatus of the type having: (i) a feed/transport platen rotatable so that its peripheral surface moves past a sheet supply zone, a print path ingress, a print zone and a print path egress; (ii) frictional feed surface located on a peripheral sector of the platen surface and (iii) means for selectively effecting feeding engagement between the face sheet(s) of a stack of sheet media and the feed surface features a detection/control system that includes (a) a first detector for sensing and signalling when and when not a forward edge of the feed surface is at a predetermined start position; (b) a second detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not engagement condition exists; (c) a third detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not a sheet is located along a predetermined portion(s) of the print path; and (d) a control system for receiving signals from the detectors and enabling printing cycles and signalling error conditions.

Abstract: A shadow printing operation is provided in a laser recording apparatus only for data which is detected to be character data. Line memories are utilized to store data therein, and examined to determine any change of stored data from non-character data to character data whereupon a shadow printing operation is also preferred.

Abstract: An original reading apparatus of this invention has a platen roller for conveying an original, a solid state image sensor, a small imaging element array for forming the image of the original on the solid state image sensor, and a plate for holding down the original against the platen roller.

Abstract: A novel ink-jet printer (10) is provided. The printer provides both paper supply tray (12) and paper collection tray (18) in the front (14) of the printer for ease of paper handling and reduced footprint. The paper collection tray is provided with a pair of opposed output rails (22) which support a sheet of paper (16c) during printing to permit ink on a sheet of paper (16b) previously printed to dry.A paper handling mechanism is provided which eliminates a sheet pickup motor and associated elements. The paper handling mechanism is configured to pick off a sheet of paper from a stack of input paper, bring it around paper drive rollers (24) onto a platen (26), where the printing operation, employing a printhead cartridge (32) occurs.The resulting printer is easy to manufacture, has reduced complexity by eliminating components in the paper drive mechanism and is lower in cost.

Abstract: In a picture-element-by-picture-element and picture-line-by-picture-line recording of printing forms, at least two picture signal sequences are acquired, and the picture signal sequences are influenced by mask signals. A recording signal sequence for the control of a recording element for the printing form is generated with the assistance of the influenced picture signal sequences. A signal sequence is acquired from every picture signal sequence, this signal sequence containing the picture signal values of the corresponding picture sequence to be recorded for picture elements lying within a sub-area of the printing form to be recorded and in which the picture signal values of the corresponding picture signal sequence which are not to be recorded for picture elements lying outside of the sub-area are respectively replaced by a mask signal value. The signal sequences are combined to form a resulting signal sequence.

Abstract: An image sequence transmission method and apparatus transmit a sequence of images over a communications channel to a receiver. The transmitter has circuitry for estimating, for successive images of the sequence, a measure of the motion displacement vector field for block regions of an image. The transmitter further has coding circuitry for representing each sequentially generated measure as a coded motion vector field, circuitry for generating an error reconstruction signal using the coded motion vector field, and coding circuitry for transmitting the coded motion vector field and the error reconstruction signal over the channel. The error signal generation circuitry has, in particular a motion reconstruction circuit for generating motion reconstruction displacement signals for each block of an image in response to the coded motion vector field, and a motion vector field interpolator for generating from the motion vector field decoded signals, displacement signals for each picture element of the image.

Abstract: An image information processing system has a reader for reading an original image and generating image data, a recorder for recording an image in accordance with image data; a receiving unit for receiving image data from an external apparatus, and a storage unit for storing image data. In the system, during recording of the image by the recorder based on the image data generated by the reader, the image data received by the receiving unit is transferred via a bus line to be stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intensity control device for a laser in a laser beam printer that produces a hard copy of image information by copy-processing a photosensitive surface scanned by the laser while it is in a scanning mode during which the laser is modulated by the image information. The intensity control device according to the present invention stores a first representation of a present light intensity of the laser during its non-scanning mode. It further stores a second representations of a user selected image density for a hard copy produced by the printer. The first and second representations are combined for forming a control voltage during a non-scanning mode of the laser. Finally, a current is produced that is supplied to the laser in response to the control voltage such that the intensity of light produced by the laser is dependent on both the first and second representations.

Abstract: A code conversion system for picture signals, e.g., television signals. In accordance with this system, an operation is made to select a coding parameter by using N scanning lines of the picture signal as a unit so as to encode the picture signal by using the coding parameter. When coding operations with respect to the picture signal carried out every N scanning lines are repeated in succession to provide the same coding result, an operation is made to encode a repetition number of the coding operations, thus providing a code conversion system suitable for a low transmission bit rate of picture signals. Particularly, this system is greatly practicable when applied to a predictive coding system.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for compensation of any variation that occurs in the output power or luminous energy of a LED array used in electrophotographic printing, the time for applying a current to one line of the LED array is optimally divided into a fundamental on-time for constant current application to the individual elements of the LED array and a compensational on-time for selective current application thereto in such a manner that the exposure values on a photosensitive medium become uniform.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes recording means for recording information on a continuous recording medium at a recording position; means for supplying the recording medium to the recording position and delivering it from the recording position; first detecting means, arranged at a delivery side of the recording medium with respect to the recording position, for detecting the presence/absence of the recording medium; and second detecting means, arranged at a feed side of the recording medium with respect to the recording position, for detecting the presence/absence of the recording medium. The second detecting means is spaced apart from the recording position by a distance longer than a length of one page of an image to be recorded.

Abstract: Electrosensitive recording using a composite structure formed by a base support for a resinous contrast layer containing amorphous silicon dioxide, polycrystalline silicon dioxide, and a polyolefin, which provide an anti-abrasion characteristic. The contrast layer has an overlying metallic surface that is desirably provided by vapor deposition. The electrostatic structure provides suitable print quality for information recorded by electrically actuated styli and has the property of suitable resistance to unwanted stripping or burnishing of the metallic surface.

Abstract: A print media handling system for a compact printer having a cut-sheet supply station formed in the lower portion of the printer housing and a rotatable print platen constructed and located to feed top sheets from the supply station through a print path ingress past a print zone and out a print path egress formed in the upper portion of the housing, includes (a) structure which mounts the supply station for movement to and from a sheet engaging relation with respect to the print platen and (b) a movable selection member that operates such movements of the supply station. The printer includes a supplemental inlet passage to the print path egress and the selection member includes structure for selectively blocking the supplemental inlet passage. The printer also includes a guide that is selectively positionable to alternatively direct egressing print media to either a sheet output zone or a continuous media output zone.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus includes a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of a semiconductor laser and a condition setter for generating a signal corresponding to a laser beam wavelength at a predetermined temperature. The apparatus further includes a control system for controlling a laser output of the semiconductor laser in response to the temperature detection signal from the temperature detector and the condition signal set by the condition setter.

Abstract: An electronic weigher includes a load cell for producing as an output an electric signal proportional to a load, an operational amplifier for amplifying the electric signal produced by the load cell, A/D converter for converting an output signal produced by the operational amplifier into a digital signal, a bias circuit for delivering a dummy signal for test purposes to the operational amplifier, and a switch disposed between the bias circuit and the proportional amplifier for applying the dumy signal to the operational amplifier, wherein amplification circuitry from the operational amplifier to the A/D converter is diagnosed by operating the switch.

Abstract: A predictive coding/decoding system for block-formed picture signals includes predictive coding and decoding units in transmitter and receiver sides, respectively: each of the predictive coding and decoding units is provided with a control pulse generator responsive to a horizontal synchronization pulse in the picture signal to produce a sampling signal and a select signal, and a pair of selectors together responsive to the select signal to select a sum of a prediction signal and a prediction error signal or a fixed value as an input of a prediction circuit, the pair of selectors selecting the fixed value for a partial picture block including a fraction of pixels due to the block formation.